Low powered setup

[Dave_EGDR]

Interested to hear from anyone running BaseStation, AD & plane plotter on something like Intel Atom Dual-Core D525 Processor(1.8GHz, 1MB L2 Cache)

Looking for a low powered unit I can run 24/7 rather than my full blown PC thats heating the room up and burning too much energy.

Any recommendations on low powered units would be great.

Thanks
Dave

[Saudistu]

Hi Dave,

I use this.....

http://us.shuttle.com/barebone/Models/XS35V3L.html

Not the cheapest. I paid 156 Euros for the barebone, bought 2 x 2Gb DDR3 1066 RAM modules from e-bay for 8 euros ("used", but in fact new), and a Hybrid 500Gb SATA/SSD drive for around 60 euros. In total around 230 euros. It runs 24/7 and uses around 45w max power. It's brilliant. I run Windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit (64 bit not supported) and connect to it using Windows Remote Desktop most of the time, although I do have a monitor directly attached. I run the following programs on it without any problems simultaneously...

Planeplotter (Including feed to FlightAware)
Basestation (receiving HEX data from the database I use via another program)
Mil-Mode-S software

These are running 24/7 except for every three or four days I will shut the programs down just so that I can scan through Basestation Reporter for interesting unkowns, or to run Windows Updates. A friend over here has the older version and also runs AD Lite (I think). Basically you won't have any problems with any of the ones like this.   

Regds.....Stu

[Breitling]

My two cents...

I use a DMP eBox for remote applications: http://www.compactpc.com.tw/product.aspx?mode=35&cate_id=36

3310MX series runs a VortexMX+ (x86) 1GHz CPU, 1Gb DDR2 RAM, there are multiple versions: USB ports, Serial ports, GPIO, LAN, etc. Windows XP (32bit) or Linux. It can use 2.5' hard disks, SSD disks or even a good SD card as main storage. Just 5W power comsumption, you can run it directly from a 12V car battery and solar panels.

Mine one hosts a personal weather station, .NET 4 for a C# solar and wind production control software, and now PlanePlotter.

But....  I can't manage to install Zadig drivers for the DVB-T dongle. Anyone know if their developers are receptive to changes for new platforms?

[IanH]

I ran that software combination on this http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/emachines-er1402-05/4505-3118_7-34123068.html for a year.

That has a single core AMD chip with CPU benchmark of 471 vs the D525 score of 693. Currently running the software as a Virtual machine on something more powerful but thinking about going back to that or an Atom.

Something like this is the modern equivalent http://www.ebuyer.com/525101-acer-revo-rl80-nettop-pc-dt-spnek-002. £120 after cashback and CPU benchmark of 1462. Considering it!

Edit: @Breitling - are you using the XP version of Zadig?

[Breitling]

Edit: @Breitling - are you using the XP version of Zadig?

Yes, I am. All I can obtain is an exception and program stop.

Error
AppName: zadig_xp.exe    AppVer: 2.0.1.160    ModName: zadig_xp.exe
ModVer: 2.0.1.160    Offset: 0000131a

[Anmer]

Is that error message from within the Zadig utility or when you try to run it?

[Breitling]

Is that error message from within the Zadig utility or when you try to run it?

When I first execute the installation program.

[tarbat]

Interested to hear from anyone running BaseStation, AD & plane plotter on something like Intel Atom Dual-Core D525 Processor(1.8GHz, 1MB L2 Cache)

I run Radarbox, Planeplotter, etc..  on an Acer Revo R3700, and it cope very well.  Has a D525 Atom processor @ 1.8GHz, 2GB of RAM.  In fact it's my only desktop PC now.  Uses around 28W when running Radarbox in 2D with Planeplotter.  64W when max'ed out on Radarbox 3D and network with monitor on.

http://www.acer.co.uk/ac/en/GB/content/model/PT.SEME2.045

[Anmer]

When I first execute the installation program.

Have you tried downloading the utility again? Maybe it was corrupted?

[Breitling]

Thanks Anmer, tried again with no success. Copied a working one from another XP indstallation, nothing yet. It seems to be a compatibility issue. VortexMX+ is a compatible x86 CPU, but maybe there is some detail preventing the software to work.

[IanH]

Breitling

But....  I can't manage to install Zadig drivers for the DVB-T dongle. Anyone know if their developers are receptive to changes for new platforms?

Since the driver is written by an open source developer, you can certainly ask. But it probably depends whether they have access to the hardware to test. You might be lucky!

http://sourceforge.net/projects/libwdi/files/zadig/

[Breitling]

Thanks IanH, I will try.

[kered]

Hi Dave, i use a ASUS Eee Box EB1030 24/7 with my weather station and plane plotter connected to the Beast, no problems so far.

Maximum consumption is 27w
CPU: Intel Atom D2550 / 1.86 GHz - Dual-Core - 32bits
320gb HD
2gb DDR3( max is 4gb)
Lan + wifi
Serial port
Fanless(quiet)

Cost me 186€ + postage without OS, i got it on offer

Running W7 Ultimate 32, 24/7, planeplotter, Weather Display, http server, antivirus, Real VNC, Fr24 feed, copes well, and runs at about 25-40% cpu. I have not tried it with the dongle as i don't want to play about with it due to my weather software. It runs for ages on a small UPS if you have a power cut and i would think it would run easy mobile with an inverter.

cheers
Derek

[Dave_EGDR]

Thanks all, got myself a little EeeBox second hand and this weekend going to move everything.  Thanks for all the advice and help.

[kered]

Let us know your opinion of the eebox once your up and running. Which one did you get?
At first I was thinking of upping my ram to 4gb from the 2gb but as its running on a 32 bit windows 7 i would only gain half the added ram and it seems to run fine as is so for the moment i've just stayed with the standard 2gb

Derek