Control.com - Nerds in Control

All,

I have a Red Lake high speed video camera that I would like to make more portable. Currently, it's interface card installed in a desktop PC. The card is PCI, full length 13 1/4", and has components extending off the surface that require leaving the next PCI slot empty.

I have looked at various options, including PCI-PMCIA bridges and lunchbox style computers. I've even considered taking the guts from a desktop PC
and installing them into a modified toolcase.

I'm concerned about compatiblity issues with the bridges, and the modified toocase would be just ugly. I would prefer to go with the lunchbox style
computer such as offered by Dolch, Stealth, and others, but the cost for a new unit is higher than what I can get funds for. Does anyone know where I can purchase a used/refurbished lunchbox, P133 or better?

Anthony Kerstens P.Eng.

Have a look at Audon Electronics - they offer low cost portable PCs. see "www.audon.co.uk":http://www.audon.co.uk

You might look at buying the case/display and transferring your "guts" into it. This is still kinda spendy with a decent display, but less so than buying an assembled unit the last time I checked. I used one of these back when laptops didn't have the resources (hdd) for a decent Linux box. There's more competition in the case business.

Regards

cww

Curt,

Any recommendations on a case/display vendor?

Anthony.

Hi Anthony,

Like most PC things, these vendors come and go. I'll take a look but no guarantee they'll still be in business. The term to search with in Google used to be "portable" rather than lunchbox.

Regards

cww

Hi Anthony

"http://store.yahoo.com/jinco/porpcbarpric.html&qu ot;:http://store.yahoo.com/jinco/porpcbarpric.html

or it that doesn't work "http://www.jinco.com":http://www.jinco.com
and look in portables, barebones.

I'm surprised these guys are still around.
It might be worth looking around, you'll find
there seems to be one or two manufacturers that
are carried by many sellers at various markups.
The markups seem to indicate this is a specialty
item. If the manufacturer can be found, savings
might be significant.

Regards

cww

Thanks Curt.
This is _exactly_ the sort of thing I was looking for.

Anthony.

Hi All
Just a PS: These guys have a industrial case on sale for $150.00 which is a better price than usual for industrial gear.

Regards
cww

Try Lorentco in Kitchener. They build computers of this type to order.

http://www.lorentco.com

They use ordinary desktop components such as motherboards, video, etc. inside the case. You may as well simply buy one already assembled unless you really like building your own computers.

I looked at this type of product a couple of years ago from several companies. Expensive portables use expensive cases (metal), and the cheaper ones use cheaper cases (plastic). You don't really save much money by putting your own clone guts into the box.

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Michael Griffin
London, Ont.
Canada
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