---------------------------------------- > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2014 00:44:19 -0800 > Subject: [EVDL] Low-energy-consumption infotainment system: Keep pluggin' > along... > > [ARM is the same low-energy-consumption hardware a smart phone uses, > which has already been applied to tablets and more. Instead of an old > x86 server's ~1000 Watt power supply spinning the Utility's electric > meter faster and faster, these ARM designs are down into the less than > 10 Watt range ( :: nice :: )
Yes, Old "tower" type might not be a smart thing to use any more if it is 24/7 usage, even if it is free HW,, it consumes SO much power.. :-( For example, if I Run some 4-5 years old Laptops Lenovo x200 , With this spec: http://www.notebookreview.com/default.asp?newsID=4497 it now consumes 5.5 - 9 W in Win XP lower power modes, and a bit more if playing heavy full HD-videos of course. In Linux it seems to take a bit more at static webpages like this one now, maybe 11-15W , So it might be some power-cpuClocking-settings that I need to fix if possible. Larger older laptop computers, for example Lenovo T400 will probably use about about 30-50W @ 1080p Videos, But as it is older it is not fast enough for Youtubes new 1440p(!!) Video format. But it will do 720p fine and most of the time 1080p also. - - - - - - For people who like to use/try a_portabe_ Linux, read on below: - - - I'm new to Linux since some months, did try many but now I run Porteus with the Razor QT Desktop environment. Still A bit clean, small and Basic, but I really like this one! Works great for all normal web useage, Libre office and so on. Some other software can also be pre-installed if you like so, Firefox (with flash installed) can you chose when you download Porteus RazorQT, you can also chose things like Skype, printer-support and some extra graphics drivers in the personal ISO-configurator before download. So IF you already know at least "some" Linux, I recommend to try it out. I use it for a bit older hw, but also the new ones run great. I like it a lot. It Needs no HDD or CD to run, so it might be nice if you have older laptop with damaged PATA-drive and cant find a new drive! The OS, all standard software, AND your savefile fits on a small 1GB usb-stick. You can also load all os-stuff in to the RAM at boot time, if you like. It might be a bit faster, but I have not noticed any real differance. It is fast. The normal boot will need about 512 RAM minimum, I guess. I have 2 and 4 GB, To use the full 4GB RAM I think you need to chose the 64 bit Linux, but I run 32bit anyway, Then I am also compatible with older HW, and It still works very good, maybe better, so I prefer 32bit even with the approx 3GB RAM Address space limits in 32Bit OS. ( 2 GB is also a lot of RAM for this distro) -How to? Configure your personal ISO-file at the webpage. Copy your personal MD5 from the download page, Download you personal ISO, check the MD5! For example, if you use Windows, just Right Click on the file and paste in to check your MD5 sum, I use this small MD5-program: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Others/Miscellaneous/digestIT.shtml Now Un-rar your ISO file, or what ever program you like to use for "unzipping" ISO:s, I dont think "Zip" works with ISO files. So maybe this one is for you: http://www.rarlab.com/download.htm Put all the the files as it is from within your "ISO" to a clean empty FAT-formatted USB stick, (The file-sizes of the full OS and all programs and drivers might be only 200-400 MB in total, it all depends on how much software you selected in the making of your personal ISO-file at the download-webpage. ) Now after all your files are copied to the usb, run the small "installer"-scrip _FROM_ that usb stick. (both Linux or Windows scrips are supported) it will change MBR of the Stick to make the stick bootable, and some more things I guess. (Small warning, Do NOT open this scripts from a folder on you main hard drive. And the _dont_ chose to manipulate any other boot records of you " C: " drive Partition or so... If you did THAT without reading the line before you press "OK", ...then you probably need to fix you normal windows C: HDD-to boot tomorrow. :-) "C:" is called "sda1" in linux, so in Linux you will probably find your usb stick as "sdb1". I use another 2:nd usb-stick if needed for downloads of larger files. I have The Porteus OS at this very very small USB stick: http://www.sandisk.com/products/usb/drives/cruzer-fit/ 4GB, I like that one, size is needed so it dont pull it out and disconnect. Or damage it by mistake, It just sticks out 6-7 mm. They say this about Porteus in general: ( But I like Razor QT as the desktop, as it was the fastest, best layout and least buggy one. ) - "Porteus is a complete linux operating system that is optimized to run from CD, USB flash drive, hard drive, or other bootable storage media. It's small (under 300Mb) and insanely fast which allows you to start up and get online while most other operating systems are left spitting dust. Porteus comes in both 32 & 64 bit and aims to keep on the bleeding edge. It also supports several different languages and the user forum has language sections. Join the community now! " Configure your own ISO with root password if you like, Skype, Firefox, printsupport, and so on. Here: http://build.porteus.org/ So then just copy your personal MD5-sum from the bottom of that page. Download your ISO Right click on iso to Check md5, Extract to, or copy all maps there to your empty USB stick. Run the installer script FROM this usb stick, Reboot. At boot-time you chose to boot and run a clean ("fresh"?) boot in to the Porteus RazorQT-desktop if it is the first time start. For Lenovo laptops it is the F 12 key to get in the boot menu early at startup, before Windows begin to load. Maybe on other HW you might need to change your boot up order or similar stuff in your BIOS. So in about 15-25 seconds you should have your full desktop up and running, and probably you can surf the web 10 seconds later :-) Wifi and a lot of things is there already from the start. To use a savefile for your new things, as your changes in firefox, your saved office-files, stuff on your desktop, your bookmarks and so on, you need to create a "container" that have a Linux filesystem inside that FAT-formatted-USB, and create your savefile in this container. Maybe 512MB is a good size to start with. (needs an edit of your config file +a reboot to load the savefile) This file will later on hold all you settings and changes. This will survive and load after reboots. Nice also if you use this USB stick for different computers you will have all you stuff and personal settings with you all the time. 1 line need edit in the config file is all you need to be able to use this feature. Very nice. Read about it in the forums. (Later you should make backups of personal files from time to time, as USB sticks sometimes suddenly can give up..) The save-file can also be stored in an encrypted form at the USB stick. If you chose to do so, then dont use strange non US-letters like "ÅÄÖ" in your savefile-password.. And DONT forget your passwd. -Yes I did both things in the beginning! :-) The handy thing about Porteus is that it is also possible later on to boot in to a clean "fresh" Linux later, it will be in the same way as your new system was from the very beginning. Also no changes will be saved this time, so after your next boot up all your changes in that fresh-session should be gone, a good thing for experimenters to use this mode before mess up your normal OS. :-) ONE thing I have noticed in several other Linux distros also is that you might want to look out for is the fan-speeds in linux. They can be in "fixed speed", or a non working "auto"-mode, so in some old HW things can get a bit hot.. The User Forums / help / FAQ HERE: http://forum.porteus.org/viewforum.php?f=39 You can send me an email (with subject line: "Porteus RazorQT" ) off-list with your thoughts if you did try it out. / John _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
