WOW!! That is terrific!! If I can offer one suggestion (and only this one, 'cause the picture is perfect!!) When you post links - especially ones that long -...
66767
MarkK
mkeitel2000
Feb 3, 2010 9:08 pm
The CSPG Fall Star Party Staff just wanted to send out an email announcing that the website FallStarParty.com has been updated for the 2010 CSPG Fall Star...
66768
glibbins2003
Feb 3, 2010 10:16 pm
Hi group, A little different topic but wondering what experiences people are having with their dome dedicated equipment in bad weather areas. I'm in the...
66769
Ron Brant
astroron2001
Feb 3, 2010 10:31 pm
Dave: My system has been in my home made dome for almost 9 years and I have a couple of leaks, but never have had a PC problem. It is, however, a desk top PC,...
66770
Wodaski - Yahoo
rwodaski
Feb 3, 2010 10:44 pm
We have nine or ten computers in our observatories. We lose 1-2 a year. Seems to be the way it is. However, I think with aggressive maintenance you can prevent...
66771
john hendry
napier58
Feb 3, 2010 10:44 pm
Dave, do this. In the observatory put the laptop in a sealed case with some dessicant, and do not open it in the house for at least 1/2 a day. As you have...
66772
csand_83709
Feb 4, 2010 12:32 am
A slight subject change. Do folks leave their desktops/laptops running all the time or do you shut down between sessions? I leave mine on...feeling it...
66773
Wodaski - Yahoo
rwodaski
Feb 4, 2010 12:45 am
We leave ours on as well. It gets cold enough up in the mountains that the temperature difference might even make reading the hard drive at boot problematic -...
66774
Ryan Brooks
ryankbrooks
Feb 4, 2010 1:52 am
Absolutely leave it on. Here in Wisconsin, I get 4+ years out of my observatory PC and typically want to upgrade before it fails. ... [Non-text portions of...
66775
Don
donwaid
Feb 4, 2010 1:57 am
I second leaving the computer on. Althougth I use a desktop and not a laptop, the computer generates a considerable amount of heat. Leaving a moderately...
66776
olivierfp
Feb 4, 2010 3:48 am
Mike Dodd has an interesting setup that he describes in his website: a 40-60 W bulb connected to a thermostat, located inside the PC case. I implemented this...
66777
Lenny Shaffer
lenny_shaffer
Feb 4, 2010 5:19 am
I did a similar setup in my observatory but instead of setting the bulb inside the computer I placed *TWO* of them on the ceiling of the enclosure for...
66778
glibbins2003
Feb 4, 2010 11:39 am
Thanks everyone for your input! Dave...
66779
john hendry
napier58
Feb 4, 2010 12:40 pm
Hi Cal I always switch off. Here in the UK it could be running doing nothing for weeks! Leaving it on though would probably keep it sufficiently warm to ward...
66780
roundycat
Feb 4, 2010 12:53 pm
great framing and image size but it could do with a lot less contrast judging by what I am seeing on my monitor. Dennis...
66781
Sander Pool
sander_pool
Feb 4, 2010 4:17 pm
I've had a small Dell desktop PC and LCD screen outside under a tarp and now in an observatory for 2.5 years here in CT. I once had a problem with reliability...
66782
JLUTKIN
keepers80
Feb 4, 2010 6:27 pm
I copy some specs from a well know PC provider which I think covers the question. Most consumer devices are designed to run in our home or office. Temperature:...
66783
Wodaski - Yahoo
rwodaski
Feb 4, 2010 6:47 pm
It's very true that typical PCs are not meant to handle the conditions we put them in. Not at all! You can buy computers that have the ability to tolerate a...
66784
Douglas B. George
maximccd
Feb 4, 2010 7:27 pm
I use an Advantech ARK-3383 fanless box computer. It's tiny, low-power, rated for wide temperature operation, and has 7 (count 'em) built-in USB ports, 4 ...
66785
Wodaski - Yahoo
rwodaski
Feb 4, 2010 8:03 pm
An interesting find. We worked with an Advantech rep a couple of years ago to see what it would take to have a computer like these, and the prices were much...
66786
Douglas B. George
maximccd
Feb 4, 2010 11:00 pm
... They like to push Windows XP Embedded, which you can put on an SD card. Not a bad plan, but it's a pain to set up. I'm using XP Pro on mine. Doug -- Doug...
66787
Bob Franke
bob_franke
Feb 5, 2010 2:39 am
Forget mounting it on the pier… how about on the scope or the mount? This could greatly reduce cable routing problems. Bob...
66788
Douglas B. George
maximccd
Feb 5, 2010 3:46 am
... Same difference... it's only a little over a foot below the mount. Doug -- Doug George dgeorge@... Diffraction Limited Makers of Cyanogen Imaging...
66789
Bob Franke
bob_franke
Feb 5, 2010 5:18 am
Not really Doug, There's big difference in having the computer on, moving with the scope and being stationary. It changes everything with cable routing. My...
66790
Wodaski - Yahoo
rwodaski
Feb 5, 2010 6:23 am
Although I like to have 2GB, I've run setups with 1GB without any obvious problems. If you are not going to process images, for example, or run any other...
66791
mason
starmaster08083
Feb 5, 2010 1:39 pm
Good Morning, I recently had the opportunity to spend a night with a Celestron CPC-1100 SCT. It was a lot of fun - the combination of good optics, large...
66792
Rob
fornaxtwo
Feb 5, 2010 2:10 pm
They don't make 'em like they used to...I still have a very old 486 IBM Thinkpad that runs Mel Bartels Scope drive and it has never let me down in damp and...
66793
Lenny Shaffer
lenny_shaffer
Feb 5, 2010 2:12 pm
I don't think they're still in business but the APT is a good one as well. Might pick up one on Astromart. ... Clear skies- Lenny Your Murphy's Law of the...
66794
Kevin Dixon
starmaster08083
Feb 5, 2010 2:20 pm
Thanks Lenny, I have confirmed that APT is out of business. I have heard good things about their wedge but would prefer to work with a company that is still...
66795
JoeMize
sfojmize
Feb 5, 2010 2:57 pm
"Stealth.com Inc. (Stealth Computer) is an ISO 9001 registered manufacturer that specializes in high performance industrial grade computer systems & ...
