Low power PC

[Capcave]

I am sure this has been a past topic but I could not find it. I need a really low power PC to do data logging 24/7 and have found http://www.fit-pc.com/index.htm which looks interesting. are there any others around that some one can recommend as a data logging computer (no screen, small disk, lots of USB ports, network etc)?

[martin]

looks good - and the price isn't bad either! - I spotted these on the Damn Small Linux site - http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/store/Mini_ITX_Systems

[wookey]

Yep - geode-based systems like the fitpc are a good option if you want something x86-based. Mini and micro ITX systems are also good (I've got one for my media centre).

Lower-power options (2-3W rather than 5 (Does that include the HD on the fitPC, I wonder?)) requires moving to a lower-power architecture, such as arm. Things like the NSLU2 and Allnet6500 are very low-power and the NSLU2 particularly is very cheap at about GBP 60 (+ storage - either USB stick or disk). To do monitoring on these I'd install Debian GNU/Linux rather than trying to use the software that is pre-installed. There are many. many other systems, mnay of which are much better suited to monitoring applications but require more geekiness - harder to find, install, configure, and often more expensive.

[Capcave]

The Linksys device looks pretty good - problem is my knowledge of Linux is pretty much zero and my monitoring stuff is all windows based so I am stuck with windows. I am leaning towards using an ITX type system with a flash IDE drive. The problem I have had with them is that the power bricks that most of them use are pretty inefficient and probably chew more power than the machine itself. The hunt continues

[wyleu]

Capcave, what you choose to use as our system, is and should be entirely up to you, so don't apologize for not knowing the characteristics of a differing system. The important part is if or when you come to exchange information this is done in a generalized way. The ruggedness of an ultimate system will benefit from diversity rather than suffer for it.

[Paulh_Boats]

Laptops are cheap, £275 in Asda, and can run at 25 Watts. Stick it on a cheap timer from 8am to 6pm and save over 50%, no need to log stuff at night is there?

12.5 Watts so far... its easy to save that if you have an old fridge/freezer or just a change of habits..so energy neutral in no time. If you are using a desktop PC to read this then STOP because it will be using more like 150 Watts..so use the data logging laptop instead and you will have data logging and a net power saving.

just a thought..

-paul

[kristen]

Can I get new power supplies (or something similar) which would save significant electricity compared to the El Cheapo ones which I presume are installed in all the PCs here?

Thanks, Kristen

[wyleu]

in the PC world the elements of scaling mean that pretty much everything is at the bare bone edge of profit margin, so the prices you tend to see are pretty close. So go with a manufacturer with a decent 'sized' name and you should be ok. ONce you go to places like Maplin you probably pay less but you do have to know what your buying cos' they do have a habit of buying technology that is about to become outdated or the supplying company has problems ( see their heavy discounting of the Voodoo graphics cards before the manufacturer hit the buffers).

A laptop is a very sensible energy saving device, plus you get an excellently managed UPS for free with it.

The design of  desktop PC power supplies is a fairly black art and there are only a few companies that do it really well, don't skimp on these components, I've replaced three in one of my machines from my 'cheapest is best' period and I've heeard of more than one catching fire upon it's demise.

[wookey]

capcave. If you are stuck with Windows then, yes you have to use x86.

I'd be happy to advise what the linux equivalents are to do the same things you are doing with your windows software, but there is no denying that changing to unfamiliar software is more work. It depends how serious you want to get into 2W territory :-) I assure you it will be satisfying in the long term, as you get infinite flexibility.

Re the PSUs for ITX boxes:
IT is difficult to find out what the low-load characteristics of switch-mode PSUs are. A page like this is fairly helpful:
http://www.mini-box.com/s.nl/sc.8/category.13/.f  or (with UK plugs:  http://www.mini-itx.com/store/?c=10 )
I really like the pico-PSUs that fit in the top of the ATX connector: http://www.mini-box.com/s.nl;jsessionid=ac112b6b1f43000fed76414a4b63a2679f6e38d7d958.e3eTa3aSaxmTe34Pa38Ta38Pbhz0?it=A&id=417&sc=8&category=13
which claims 96% efficiency. I don't know if that is still true at 5W