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AeroElectric-List Digest: 24 Msgs - 08/29/06

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Lee Logan

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 86

Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 7:47 am Post subject: AeroElectric-List Digest: 24 Msgs - 08/29/06

Guys: I am experimenting with a home grown moving map display system based on a 12v mini-PC and 12v LCD display.  I plan to use one of the commercially available navigation software packages and an input from my GPS to drive it. 

  

 Question: Any experience with operating systems in this environment?  I am aware of the altitude issues with hard drives but have not been privy to any operating system discussions.  One popular software package comes ported on either Windows CE or Windows XPHome.  I'm told that XP Home is more robust and less crash prone but that it routinely swaps files with its memory which means (I had never heard this one before) that it will "wear out" a flash card used as a solid state memory in a certain number of swap operations.  For that reason, I was advised to go with a ruggedized HD and XP Home, not with a flash card and CE as I was originally planning. 

  

 Any experience and/or comments on this challenge?

  [quote][b]

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kayce33(at)earthlink.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 11:04 am Post subject: AeroElectric-List Digest: 24 Msgs - 08/29/06

Hi Lee,

 I've been thinking along the same lines, but as  far as the ruggedized Hard Drive, there are solid state hard drives out there  for use above 10,000 ft. try this URL:

   http://www.bitmicro.com/products_edisk_6U_vme_scsiw.php

 There are others, you might want to Google SS hd's  to see what's out there.

 Harold..RV9A fuselage

 [quote]   ---

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ainut(at)hiwaay.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 12:32 pm Post subject: AeroElectric-List Digest: 24 Msgs - 08/29/06

Lee, I'd rather trust my life to Linux or QNX, whether embedded or 

standard, than any Microsoft product.  I've been playing with computers 

and making a living at it since 1977, if that helps my bona fides .  

There is a learning curve to the UNIX clones, but there will also be for 

a Windows embedded type system.



I'm also working on a homegrown unit (taking me lots of time) and have 

yet to decide which soluiton to use.  It will partly be driven by which 

computer hardware I end up with, which is wholly driven by the graphics 

power available on the embedded unit.  However, for the trials and 

software validation, I'll be using an ordinary laptop.



David M.

Lee Logan wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   Guys: I am experimenting with a home grown moving map display system 

 based on a 12v mini-PC and 12v LCD display.  I plan to use one of the 

 commercially available navigation software packages and an input from 

 my GPS to drive it.

  

 Question: Any experience with operating systems in this environment?  

 I am aware of the altitude issues with hard drives but have not been 

 privy to any operating system discussions.  One popular software 

 package comes ported on either Windows CE or Windows XPHome.  I'm told 

 that XP Home is more robust and less crash prone but that it routinely 

 swaps files with its memory which means (I had never heard this one 

 before) that it will "wear out" a flash card used as a solid state 

 memory in a certain number of swap operations.  For that reason, I was 

 advised to go with a ruggedized HD and XP Home, not with a flash card 

 and CE as I was originally planning.

  

 Any experience and/or comments on this challenge?



------------------------------------------------------------------------

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mitch(at)skybound.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 2:06 pm Post subject: AeroElectric-List Digest: 24 Msgs - 08/29/06

If I was working on a primary display ("trust my life") I'd consider 

going the painful and expensive QNX route or something similar.  For 

secondary displays like moving maps, NT embedded is more than 

sufficient.  I helped develop moving map software at a company that made 

avionics based on NT embedded, and believe me reliability of the OS was 

never a problem.  Remember, you're talking about a subset of the NT 

modules (using only what you need), on a *closed* system (no end users 

downloading software and viruses), and only being turned on for a couple 

hours at a time and then turned off.  You've got hardware and software 

watchdogs, the ability to write protect whole volumes, and the control 

to turn off paging.  You may not want to discount it in your normal 

Windows bashing, but I know it's easy to do.



Mitch Faatz  RV-6A  Finishing Kit  Auburn, CA

David M. wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   



 Lee, I'd rather trust my life to Linux or QNX, whether embedded or 

 standard, than any Microsoft product.  I've been playing with 

 computers and making a living at it since 1977, if that helps my bona 

 fides .  There is a learning curve to the UNIX clones, but there 

 will also be for a Windows embedded type system.



 I'm also working on a homegrown unit (taking me lots of time) and have 

 yet to decide which soluiton to use.  It will partly be driven by 

 which computer hardware I end up with, which is wholly driven by the 

 graphics power available on the embedded unit.  However, for the 

 trials and software validation, I'll be using an ordinary laptop.



 David M.

 Lee Logan wrote:



> Guys: I am experimenting with a home grown moving map display system 

> based on a 12v mini-PC and 12v LCD display.  I plan to use one of the 

> commercially available navigation software packages and an input from 

> my GPS to drive it.

>  

> Question: Any experience with operating systems in this environment?  

> I am aware of the altitude issues with hard drives but have not been 

> privy to any operating system discussions.  One popular software 

> package comes ported on either Windows CE or Windows XPHome.  I'm 

> told that XP Home is more robust and less crash prone but that it 

> routinely swaps files with its memory which means (I had never heard 

> this one before) that it will "wear out" a flash card used as a solid 

> state memory in a certain number of swap operations.  For that 

> reason, I was advised to go with a ruggedized HD and XP Home, not 

> with a flash card and CE as I was originally planning.

>  

> Any experience and/or comments on this challenge?

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

>  

>

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ainut(at)hiwaay.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2006 6:52 pm Post subject: AeroElectric-List Digest: 24 Msgs - 08/29/06

QNX has a free version.  Of course, Linux is free for the download, 

too.  Just to keep the record straight.



David M.

Mitchell Faatz wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <mitch(at)skybound.com>



 If I was working on a primary display ("trust my life") I'd consider 

 going the painful and expensive QNX route or something similar.  For 

 secondary displays like moving maps, NT embedded is more than 

 sufficient.  I helped develop moving map software at a company that 

 made avionics based on NT embedded, and believe me reliability of the 

 OS was never a problem.  Remember, you're talking about a subset of 

 the NT modules (using only what you need), on a *closed* system (no 

 end users downloading software and viruses), and only being turned on 

 for a couple hours at a time and then turned off.  You've got hardware 

 and software watchdogs, the ability to write protect whole volumes, 

 and the control to turn off paging.  You may not want to discount it 

 in your normal Windows bashing, but I know it's easy to do.



 Mitch Faatz  RV-6A  Finishing Kit  Auburn, CA

 David M. wrote:



> 

>

> Lee, I'd rather trust my life to Linux or QNX, whether embedded or 

> standard, than any Microsoft product.  I've been playing with 

> computers and making a living at it since 1977, if that helps my bona 

> fides .  There is a learning curve to the UNIX clones, but there 

> will also be for a Windows embedded type system.

>

> I'm also working on a homegrown unit (taking me lots of time) and 

> have yet to decide which soluiton to use.  It will partly be driven 

> by which computer hardware I end up with, which is wholly driven by 

> the graphics power available on the embedded unit.  However, for the 

> trials and software validation, I'll be using an ordinary laptop.

>

> David M.

> Lee Logan wrote:

>

>> Guys: I am experimenting with a home grown moving map display system 

>> based on a 12v mini-PC and 12v LCD display.  I plan to use one of 

>> the commercially available navigation<<<snip>>>

>

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