I need to purchase a ground station computer to run Mission Planner.Looking for suggestions for a screen that is viewable in full sunlight. Most that I have seen are using a glossy screen that causes too much reflection. I have seen a couple matte screens on business class computers, but they didn't have much brightness. Maybe an external monitor is the way to go, if I can find a good one.I'm sure someone here has been down this road before.
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It is the rugged feature that enables such laptops to work in sunlight as QuadraClear technology is responsible for it that provide 1400nits in the sunlight that makes easy workable.
No doubt the rugged feature makes it special according to which one able to work in any environmental condition like in cold or in hot even it is the rugged concept that makes it easy to work in the rainy season without being effected by water drops.
For more information Panasonic toughbook - roamingtech is suitable place to enjoy the rugged feature for business as well as for daily workout.
There were some Toshiba Portege laptops made a few years back with Transflective LCD screens and these are the best affordable daylight full color LCD screens, they are back lit in normal light and reflective in sunlight.
I have a friend who has one of these and it works much better outdoors than any standard LCD screen.
I understand that Toshibas newest Porteges may also have transflective screens with LED back light, but they don't advertise that fact and you would need to verify this.
Fujitsu also made a model with a transflective display for a while.
I would check out the current Toshiba Portege first and failing that try and get one of their older ones.
There are other Transflective screens available, but they are seriously expensive.
I didn't think it possible to get a screen bright enough for direct sunlight viewing on a machine small and rugged enough to use out of doors. I use an ASUS EEEPC 901 for its low weight, solid-state drive, and Windows XP support for the APM Mission Planner app. Can't read the screen in direct sunlight, but I move it out of direct light or use it in my vehicle (Honda CR-V) with the hatchback up and open, PC inside. I assumed we give up on bright screens for reduced power consumption, lower weight and longer battery time in the field.
Got Dell Latitude ATG a month or so ago. i5, 240GB SSD, 8GB memory, 15.6" outdoor screen (with crazy backlight) with single point touch (touch screen is lot more useful with flight planner than i thought), second battery in media bay. It even has GPS and cellular modem...
As new, you'll have to pay ~$1500 for low end model, but try searching dell outlet. I got mine for $930 (refurbished) in everything-is-so-darn-expensive-country Australia. Could be lot better in US or everywhere else.
I noticed that my ASUS G53-JW-3DE gamers laptop with 3D-feature (you know, together with stereoscopic goggles) provides a clearly higher backlight intensity than ordinary laptops. The reason being that the 3D technology consumes some light when used (each Eye only viewing every second screen frame, and optic loss in the goggle shutters) and this has to be compensated by stronger backlight.
This said, the gamers laptops may not be optimal for field usage since their profile is aimed at high performance, not long battery time.
My G53 is now 3 years old, but I am sure there are new 3D models also featuring extra high screen luminosity.
I use a hood for on location film shoots. I'd rather spend $50 on a hood than a $4k monitor. They collapse and fold flat too.
Here's the manufacturer popular in the film industry: http://www.hoodmanusa.com/
Replies
Here's an idea for upgrading your current laptop
http://lcdparts.net/XB_Laptop.aspx
The LED Backlight Advantage:
It is the rugged feature that enables such laptops to work in sunlight as QuadraClear technology is responsible for it that provide 1400nits in the sunlight that makes easy workable.
No doubt the rugged feature makes it special according to which one able to work in any environmental condition like in cold or in hot even it is the rugged concept that makes it easy to work in the rainy season without being effected by water drops.
For more information Panasonic toughbook - roamingtech is suitable place to enjoy the rugged feature for business as well as for daily workout.
There were some Toshiba Portege laptops made a few years back with Transflective LCD screens and these are the best affordable daylight full color LCD screens, they are back lit in normal light and reflective in sunlight.
I have a friend who has one of these and it works much better outdoors than any standard LCD screen.
I understand that Toshibas newest Porteges may also have transflective screens with LED back light, but they don't advertise that fact and you would need to verify this.
Fujitsu also made a model with a transflective display for a while.
I would check out the current Toshiba Portege first and failing that try and get one of their older ones.
There are other Transflective screens available, but they are seriously expensive.
I didn't think it possible to get a screen bright enough for direct sunlight viewing on a machine small and rugged enough to use out of doors. I use an ASUS EEEPC 901 for its low weight, solid-state drive, and Windows XP support for the APM Mission Planner app. Can't read the screen in direct sunlight, but I move it out of direct light or use it in my vehicle (Honda CR-V) with the hatchback up and open, PC inside. I assumed we give up on bright screens for reduced power consumption, lower weight and longer battery time in the field.
Got Dell Latitude ATG a month or so ago. i5, 240GB SSD, 8GB memory, 15.6" outdoor screen (with crazy backlight) with single point touch (touch screen is lot more useful with flight planner than i thought), second battery in media bay. It even has GPS and cellular modem...
As new, you'll have to pay ~$1500 for low end model, but try searching dell outlet. I got mine for $930 (refurbished) in everything-is-so-darn-expensive-country Australia. Could be lot better in US or everywhere else.
Cheers
http://www.i-techcompany.com/highbrightlcd.html how about a separate screen?
I noticed that my ASUS G53-JW-3DE gamers laptop with 3D-feature (you know, together with stereoscopic goggles) provides a clearly higher backlight intensity than ordinary laptops. The reason being that the 3D technology consumes some light when used (each Eye only viewing every second screen frame, and optic loss in the goggle shutters) and this has to be compensated by stronger backlight.
This said, the gamers laptops may not be optimal for field usage since their profile is aimed at high performance, not long battery time.
My G53 is now 3 years old, but I am sure there are new 3D models also featuring extra high screen luminosity.
/ Tomas
Here's the manufacturer popular in the film industry:
http://www.hoodmanusa.com/
image.jpg
The Pixel Qi display is an interesting solution to the daylight readability problem...
http://pixelqi.com/home
http://www.adafruit.com/products/1303
There are laptops available with the display but they seem to be rather expensive.
The stand alone display from adafruit might be a way to get it into a groundstation setup.
A tent!
I have a laptop shade/hood thing and it works wonders
snaps on to the screen and it was like $25.
it will also work on future laptops!
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