car PC - IDE to CF adapter; who needs a HDD?

[pred8r]

Anyone doing a car PC check this out for a cool idea to eliminate a HDD

http://www.mittoni.com.au/compactflash-cf-ide-adapter-25-vertical-direct-type-44pin-p-2436.html

[jerrypufflewell]

Hey that's cool, wonder if there's a serial one somewhere...

[Lt Ketch]

If I understood it I bet I would be impressed! :)

[stevedee3]

If I understood it I bet I would be impressed! :)It's an interface that makes a Compact Flash card (as used in digital cameras) look like a hard disk (as normally used in PCs). The advantage is that CF cards have no moving parts to get damaged in an automotive environment.

[JohnBu]

you're better off using a USB flash drive..

no adapter required and is cheaper to boot..

[Tfer]

Sorry... I am lost.... way to technical for me :confused:

[Clint]

i agree with usb flash drives, a usb flash drive is typically cheaper than a CF card, and they do not require any extra adapters.

i have a carpc, and i am happy with having a hard drive. its an 80gb, and i do not think i could live with any less than about 50 or 60gb. that is an amoutn no usb or cf drive could offer. having 80gb is nice, 10,000 mp3's, 1,000 music videos, and still 10 or 20 gb free for other things, i've got a few movies on there too at the moment.

it is a good idea, but they do not offer the space, but i believe some cf cards do have moving parts? ive seen some that work on the same concept of a hard drive, just the size is scaled down to the cf card standard size, so once again still the problem of moving parts.

[Nem]

Big problem is that CF doesnt have good R/W speeds and they are easily thrashed by it. You really need to set up a RAM drive and extract the image from the CF card rather than using it as a traditional HDD.

[JohnBu]

unless you've a spare 3.5inch hard drive.. u may prefer to use 2.5inch notebook laptop as they are alittle more forgiving on bumps in the car environment.

[Dave]

Has anyone ever killed a hdd in a car before?

[Clint]

more so, how many people have had a hdd pernamentally mounted in their car? i do but its only been for the last 3 or 4 months, no problems so far, and im hoping not to encounter any either!

[Dave]

hmm yeah, there shouldnt be many problems with the newer ones if you drive normaly etc.

But with spirited driveing or in the event of an accident they may suffer.

There not that expencive any way, just keep a image file handy and replace them as needed or make some soft rubbery vibration absorbing mount for the whole unit :cool:

For a simple car pc i gues you could just mount an bootable image on a cd rom and use that and just throw in a thumbdrive or 2 for music if you want a realy toughf one.

[Clint]

my only problem if i did that is i have about 60gb of music and music videos, plus whatever movies are on there