On 09/27/2010 11:52 AM, Kirk Wallace wrote: > On Mon, 2010-09-27 at 07:24 -0400, Kent A. Reed wrote: > ... snip > >> In terms of fulfilling your requirements, are you thinking PDA because >> it is a convenient packaging of display and input devices or because...? >> >> Regards, >> Kent >> > At the risk of becoming too off topic, I'll describe my project. I did > some research on 1x or infinity finders for telescopes. Here is an > example: > http://www.backyard-astro.com/equipment/accessories/telrad/telrad.html > > One nice thing about these is your eye can move, but the aiming image > (cross hairs) and your target and telescope stay aligned. This is just > like a Head Up Display: > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head-up_display > > Then I got to thinking I could use a small LCD display as the aiming > image and display the telescope aiming data from Alt-Az encoders along > with the cross hairs. While I'm at it, I could install KStars and > overlay a sky map of the area that I am pointing at. Then search the > Internet for any appropriate music: > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Planets > > and dynamically collimate... (feature creep?) > > So, I'm considering something with Linux, a small display (monochrome > okay, will change backlight to red) and TTL I/O, (and sub $50, used on > eBay). > You have to consider the needed computing power if you want to load something extra on, like Kstars. Aptitude says Kstars needs 197MB of space to install, and having a cpu >200MHz will improve how responsive it is, I'm sure.
I'd recommend looking at old(ish) thin clients on ebay - in particular, there are ones made by Neoware, some with NatSemi Geode GX1 cpus, and some with Via C3 or C7, you can easily remove the NTe or XPe installed on the DOM (disk-on-module), and install a lightweight linux. I'm currently playing with a few of these, building custom OpenWRT images. I have one running at the house right now as a cellular modem router :) Look around, you can find something with parallel port, serial, ps/2, usb1.1, video, ethernet and audio, ram that can be upgraded, a usable-sized DOM (which can be upgraded by a compact flash - ide adapter), for < $30 including shipping. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Start uncovering the many advantages of virtual appliances and start using them to simplify application deployment and accelerate your shift to cloud computing. http://p.sf.net/sfu/novell-sfdev2dev _______________________________________________ Emc-users mailing list Emc-users@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/emc-users
