Just to copy a thread from the old forums and to update it a little.
This is what I use to get the internet and TV while I’m working.
Fujitsu Siemens Celeron 700 laptop running Windows XP Pro.
Skytronics 24v 300W inverter (power supply).
Nokia 3310i mobile phone on Orange with GPRS bundle and a connecting cable (IR connection was too much hassle).
Glomex Explorer Omni-directional TV antenna.
Hauppauge WinTV USB.
This little lot keeps me occupied during the quiet bits. As some might remember, I do have some digital TV kit, which is very effective and I try it out every nown and then, but the signal strength is just not strong enough to support the digital stream, (even with the powerful booster on the Glomex) so I keep falling back to the analogue. It’s only 5 channels, but it’s quick and easy to set up.
When analogue TV is finally switched off, in a few years time, the digital TV signal will be boosted so I’ll keep both types until then.
If I remember correctly, someone actually got their digital TV kit working reliably? Is that still the case?
I don’t bother with in cab TV as I never do nights out in this country so I stick with DVD. I have a separate player and screen installed in the Volvo for that purpose and the sound is routed through the speakers for the head unit using a little system I cobbled together myself with bits and pieces from Maplins that confuses the head unit into think the sound is coming from the CD changer. I buy movies or record stuff onto a Philips recordable DVD machine at home and take the discs with me.
For Internet and email in the cab I use a Dell Inspiron 8000 with a Vodafone PCMIA card running a separate GPRS SIM card, neat solution as no cables required. I also use the laptop for all paperwork, accounts, printing CMR’s, route finding, reading e-books and magazines and countless other things. The only thing I haven’t managed to get it to do so far is make the coffee.
I either run it from a 12 volt adaptor thing I got from Dell or a 150 watt, 12 volt inverter. Can’t remember the make off hand as I have had it for about 5 years, very difficult and expensive to get hold of one then. I tend to use the inverter more because I can run that for hours with no effect on the batteries where as the Dell Car Adaptor seems to use more juice.
I also use a Nokia 9210i for faxing and email and this has a GPS dongle (info here) and Tom Tom route finding software (info here) which, along with the laptop has replaced all the paper maps in the cab.
Not much room left for any more toys but always on the look out.
Oh yes, I forgot the little jobbie to put the laptop sounds through the cab speakers. Mine goes in the tape deck but it rattles and squeaks so I’m going to get one that produces an FM radio signal. You just tune the radio to “your” satation then. Jubbly
I do have autoruote installed but my trunking job doesn’t demand it.
The key thing is compactness. All of this kit, except for the aerial which is bolted under the deflector, can be carried in one holdall.
I used to use an FM Modulator for the sound but I binned it because I wasn’t happy with the sound quality and it needs its own power feed. Now I just use some extra cables and a switch box and feed the DVD player sound through the head unit instead of the sound coming from the changer.
I can carry all the kit, except for the DVD player and its dedicated screen in one carrying case as well, as you say compactness is the key.
Now that you mention it, I’ve heard before that the FM relay doesn’t always produce good sound. Maybe I should consider putting some small speakers in the cab somewhere for the TV.
I think that would be a better option, I was not impressed by the sound from the modulator, wasn’t cheap either for what it did. I also needed to include a ground loop isolator in the set-up when I used it as there was a discernable hum without it.
What sort of price is a Vodafone PCMIA car in the UK and what are the charges like?
I enquired a few months ago about a card here in Belgium for e-mail and internet and they want around 3-350 euro’s.
Depends which package you take with it Keith, I took the basic package with no included Mb’s because you can’t use the free Mb’s over the water and that is the only place I use it. The card was £150 with that package but you can get it for £125 or less if you bundle more Mb’s with it and pay more per month.
The £150 included a new SIM on my account in addition to the two I already have, one for Volvo phone and one for 9210i, they are all on the same number.
My monthly charge is £5 and it is about £3.50 a MB.
With the amount of wireless networking going on these days it is sometimes possible to find “hotspots” to get on the net with I know Leeds city centre has several networks that are wide open with no protection.
Like in the US it’s called Wardriving and whilst people who do it these days drive around to find the spots its easy enough for us when we stop up for the night/rest/break to just pop in the wireless card (usually pcmcia or usb) and have a look for the net that way
I haven’t got that far yet, but a couple of the HGV drivers in the yard have
This is a good point.
I use a WLAN at home and so I have the required PCMCIA WLAN card already. I’ve never taken it out and about but it’s a possibility.
A mate in Wales has a wireless connection to his car’s mp3 player. When he parks on the drive he can upload/download safe in the knowledge with all his encryption and safeguards on that only his car will get those files.
I’ve got my own LAN here but I’m not going wireless as for the time being it does not have enough benefits. I might get a wifi card for when I’m out and about but that’s something for August time
Whilst all the posts on here are very interesting, I would like to know, what is the best system I can buy. I dont mean best, most expensive. I want to be able to carry on with my normal surfing and office work.
The new job will take me “ower watter” a bit more so I will need to keep an eye on TruckNet.
So I need a laptop with at least windows 2000 or XP, full office package and some kind of card / modem.
paul_eden:
This is a good point.
I use a WLAN at home and so I have the required PCMCIA WLAN card already. I’ve never taken it out and about but it’s a possibility.
I take my laptop+wlan with me wherever I go - you never know where you’ll find a nice free fast internet connection. My current job (I work in IT) means I end up in hotels now and again and you would be surprised how many have an unadvertised WLAN network you can use. I dunno if the same holds for truckstops but I guess you’ll find some in industrial estates.
