REFLECTOR: New Collection and Control Hardware

michalk michalk at awpi.com
Thu May 4 10:52:19 CDT 2006 

Windows CE is going to be more trouble than it's worth.  The last time I 
looked at it was about five years ago.  Maybe it's changed since then. 
I have no experience with Windows Embedded.

bob at hassel-usa.com wrote:
> Actually, there is 'Windows Embedded' (http://msdn.microsoft.com/embedded/windowsxpembedded/default.aspx) and Windows CE (http://msdn.microsoft.com/embedded/windowsce/default.aspx) to consider as well.
> 
> Bob Hassel
> Santa Fe, NM
> 
> 
>>Well, I have a nice Toshiba brand 20gb drive, so since it seems to be a big
>>pain to try to get it to work with the CF card, for now, I will just use the
>>system with the HDD, it is not a critical system anyway, so if/when the HDD
>>fails, then maybe I will et back into the CF card system- I am aware of the
>>micro drive, but still HDD failure due to insufficient ambient air pressure
>>is a probability.. isn't there some aftermarket software that can be used to
>>remove windows components that the windows manager does not give the option
>>to? I have no need for about 50 percent of what is in there- this computer
>>will not be connected to any other, not networking, no need for firewall,
>>ect- don't need desktop themes....thought I heard about some program to
>>remove that stuff...... I suppose that if I am running off of the HDD it
>>doesn't matter, since I have plenty of room on there.....
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
>>Behalf Of michalk
>>Sent: Thursday, May 04, 2006 9:08 AM
>>To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
>>Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: New Collection and Control Hardware
>>
>>Personally, I like to mount the plane of the HDD vertically.  With the 
>>new drives coming out these days, it's probably not necessary.  The new 
>>ones have accelerometers that park the heads if they sense a large shock.
>>
>>Also, don't go overkill on hard disk capacity.  The new 750Gbyte hard 
>>drives available these days are getting into scary territory.  The 
>>technology used is a PROBABILITY that the bit you are reading is a 1 or 
>>a zero.  The bits are so close, and they are magnetic signatures, that 
>>they tend to migrate towards or away from each other.  Go for a high 
>>quality five year warranty drive with the lowest capacity you can find.
>>
>>I'd say 20Gb is about right for Windows ... if you can find one that small.
>>
>>There are several directions to go under Linux.  You'll have to research 
>>them yourself.  Wine is one of them, and virtual computing would be another.
>>
>>However, once you go down that route the benefits of having the Linux 
>>system are lost.  It would be less trouble and more reliable to stay 
>>with native Windows.
>>
>>The Compact flash will do okay.  How much you run the system will 
>>determine how long it will be till failure.  If I'm not mistaken flash 
>>is still gauranteed to about 10,000 writes.  Assuming 100 hours of 
>>operation per year, you might get five years before the flash wears out. 
>> IBM also sells another solution.  It's called a MicroDrive.  It's a 
>>very small disk drive that fits in a CF slot.
>>
>>Alex Balic wrote:
>>
>>>Brian- about the HDD- do you think no matter how rugged it is it might
>>
>>crash
>>
>>>without sufficient (designed for) air pressure to float the heads- that
>>
>>has
>>
>>>been my concern, not random failure, but head crash. Although, I suppose
>>>that airliners pressurize to 8000 feet or something, so they work at that
>>>altitude anyway, just with a turbo, I plan to get up as high as possible,
>>>and will probably have trouble with the disk.
>>> Have spoken to some Linux guys, no one seems to be able to help really,
>>
>>and
>>
>>>the E-mon program will not work with Linux either, nor can I find any sort
>>>of alternate industrial monitoring app written in Linux so I guess I am
>>
>>back
>>
>>>to trying to get XP on the CF card..... somehow, I was under the
>>
>>impression,
>>
>>>that Linux would run XP programs, maybe that was W98 programs......
>>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
>>>Behalf Of Brian Michalk
>>>Sent: Sunday, April 30, 2006 1:46 PM
>>>To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
>>>Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: New Collection and Control Hardware
>>>
>>>One thing you may want to do is install a Linux with read only access to 
>>>the card.  It will help in two ways.  First, you'll wear out the CF if 
>>>it's read write.  This seems to be getting better all the time as CF 
>>>technology progresses.  Second, and more important is that it can't get 
>>>corrupted by power glitches taking down the machine.  Mount a /var and 
>>>/tmp partitions in ramdisk so the system functions like normal.  There 
>>>are a few tutorials on the net how to do this.  Snoop around the MP3 
>>>modders that put these Linux machines in their cars.  Lot's of good info 
>>>there that translates directly to our application.  I don't know how to 
>>>do this in Windows.
>>>
>>>I've got two computers.  The Linux machine is an industrial embedded 
>>>board from Advantech with a healthy power supply.  The Windows machine 
>>>is for entertainment and other miscellaneous non-critical stuff.  It's a 
>>>1GHz EPIA board that runs about 10 watts.  It's got a ruggedized laptop 
>>>disk drive.  For drives, I've found the best predictor of performance to 
>>>be a warranty.  If you buy a drive with a five year warranty you'll be 
>>>in good shape.
>>>
>>>As far as helping out?  Well, I've got my hands full getting all of my 
>>>stuff talking right now, but I can offer advice wherever I can.
>>>
>>>I've also got the PC-flight systems gyro.  They do provide the serial 
>>>protocol.  It's connected to the Linux machine where that data will be 
>>>offered on the SMBUS or LAN.  I intend to couple that to my autopilot. 
>>>I searched hard and long for an electric mechanical gyro with autopilot 
>>>output, but couldn't find one I felt was reliable or one that I could 
>>>afford.
>>>
>>>Alex Balic wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Hey Brian-
>>>>I have a laptop in My XLRG connected to a 7" touch screen display- wanted
>>>
>>>to
>>>
>>>
>>>>possibly run Linux on there off of a 2GB CF card- to display engine
>>>>parameters for my Subaru- I am no computer genius, so now just have a
>>>>disassembled laptop that will put XP desktop up on the touch screen,
>>>
>>>running
>>>
>>>>from HDD but probably not enough room to install anything else to go to
>>>
>>>the
>>>
>>>
>>>>CF card- do you think you could lend a hand? Was going to use the PC
>>>
>>>flight
>>>
>>>
>>>>systems E-mon program, but would not be adverse to anything else that can
>>>
>>>do
>>>
>>>
>>>>the same thing.......
>>>>
>>>>Alex
>>>
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