Author Topic: Zaurus As A Laptop/desktop (Read 12045 times)

chayimkirshen · « **on:** December 08, 2004, 12:07:32 pm »

I have dreams of using my Z to replace my current desktop. Eventually I want to buy a C3k (March?). Let's assume for the time being that both OZ and pdaXrom are enabled on the C3k. Can someone answer the following?

Effectively, I want to come home, and plug my future Z into the usb hub, and then have a computer.

1) Is is possible to get mouse support working on any rom. If so which one? I want to plug a usb mouse in through the usb host (via a hub), and then have both keyboard and mouse facilities.

2) usb wireless/wired networking - Does anyone have wireless usb or even wired usb networking working with their Z? Again, which rom?

3) vga video - Does anyone have a way to project their Z onto a monitor at 1024x768 or better? Whether it's usb to vga or a cf card, I'm dying the know the answer to this one. Image plugging in your Z and having a desktop!

So the real question is which rom supports what. Or, how do I do any of the above. If anyone knows I will be very much in your debt.

--chayim

soundwave106 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 09, 2004, 06:43:56 pm »

I have seen compact flash -> XGA cards for the Zaurus listed -- from IO Data. -- it's listed 6000.in their store for $175. This is for the C7xx and C860 -- not sure if there are any specific incompatibilities that would prevent it from being used with the 6000.

Vanguard · « **Reply #2 on:** December 09, 2004, 09:40:23 pm »

The problem there is going to be the video. Last time I looked, the IO Data cf->vga card only output at a few frames a second, so you won't be using it for regular use (it's more designed for slide presentations and such).

I think your best bet would be to just have a small, unobtrusive, cheap old PC under your desk whose only purpose is to run a VNC client. Then you just run the VNC server on your Z and everything works, without having to worry about driver compatibility and such (All you need is a working network card).

I know, it doesn't have quite the geek factor, but it's still pretty good.

SolarX · « **Reply #3 on:** December 10, 2004, 06:47:14 pm »

So far, none of the roms support anything on the C3000, but I'm guessing getting support for the USB chip would be trivial (and in the kernel) for most of the roms.If the chip is supported, you can most likely use all peripherals linux supports, including mice, keyboards and wlan cards..
The VNC solution sounds nice, but you'd probably be better off getting a cheap PII400 system, as it's faster than the Z will ever be and has decent video support.
Another idea is getting an OQO or the Sony U70. Might be a bit more expensive, but if you're planning to buy lots of peripherals with your C3000, you may well end up in the same price range.

chayimkirshen · « **Reply #4 on:** December 12, 2004, 02:21:56 am »

The CF->XGA card has a frame/sec problem, so I definitely can't use it. As for the notion of looking at an OQO, it's well out of the price range. The one peripheral I'm thinking of adding is a CF vga card. I already have a CF wifi card, so there's no new expenditure there.

ev1l · « **Reply #5 on:** December 12, 2004, 10:11:22 am »

If I were you I'd just use a low power desktop. You can always mount your Z.

ScottYelich · « **Reply #6 on:** December 12, 2004, 12:34:14 pm »

To me, the pda *is* a laptop replacement -- but that does come
with one qualification -- the laptop is not equivalent to what it
replaced (and it certainly doesn't surpass it).

The zaurus with pdaxrom allows me to take code with me.
I get my same xmms, web browsing, gc + devel -- but it
doesn't have the same speed, ram, etc. I also do not expect it
to.

If you have another pc at home - laptop or otherwise, you can
ssh into the Z and X display out -- vnc if you must (vnc +
xfce4 is a good combo) ... even just ssh in from another
(unix) host is sufficient.

For dev, however, I can't see the machine as a primary platform.
It is *capable* if it has to, but it shouldn't be the primary, imho.
It will just lead to frustration.

Scott

chayimkirshen · « **Reply #7 on:** December 12, 2004, 07:11:35 pm »

I disagree somewhat. Admittedly, I will continue to use my desktop for most things, but I really want to use my Z for near everything. I think it would be fantastic to come home, jack in and continue to work in the zone I'm most comfortable. But that's just me.
I keep everything I care about (both functionally and hardware wise) on my file server. My desktop at home is little more than a web browser and openoffice box, hence the fact that it's a P3-933 and not going to be upgraded until it dies.
The Zaurus could provide the exact same functionality (which is what I want). Of course, I need the usb mouse and vga out to make it happen. But, it can already do the openoffice (or abiword & gnumeric)/konqueror thing. I just need to get futher.

craigtyson · « **Reply #8 on:** December 15, 2004, 05:59:46 pm »

there was some development of devices that would do this in the days of hpc (hand held PC) one device from viewsonic sported vga serial paralel and CF connectivity also a full qwerty keyboard and a half vga screen. Citrix was an option but egerything else was M$ and has now been replaced with PPC so no more HPC devices. I looked into seeing if linux would run on one of these but by the time I figured out it was a definate mayne the supply had sold out. Shame as this would be the dogs bol***ks for lots of people who need a computer in their pocket not just a pretty PDA.

Turn the problem on its head why not use the usb storage app on the zaurus and make the zaurus a bootable usb distro.... then you can have a mobile pda and a workstation that boots off the Z and you can access your code from there. aka live distro in a partition on a cf card in the Z. data files an another partition on the cf. usb storage running on Z boot the PC off the "usb storage device" and your in.

Craig

tz · « **Reply #9 on:** December 16, 2004, 03:13:35 pm »

If you have some kind of Desktop that can run X (e.g. via Knoppix or cygwin if you run windows), you can run the Z's X applications to display (and use keybd and mouse) on the desktop, and use VNC to export the screen.

Antikx · « **Reply #10 on:** January 09, 2005, 10:01:45 am »

Hey chayimkirshen, I have the same dream you do.

I'm new to ZUG and I currently use a Palm Tugsten C for alot of things but I'm limited by the 320x320 screen and an OS that won't let me hack around as much as Linux. I'm really thinking of moving to a Zaurus (either 6000L or C3000) and taking advantage of the USB host and using a USB mouse and kbd.
But you're right... how to export the video.
I've thought of a few ideas that haven't been mentioned yet.

Mini Desktop Box:
You could build a little box that would house a cradle and a digital camera with TV out capabilities. Once you put your pda in the box and closed the lid you could turn the camera on and turn on the TV that it's hooked up to and you would have your video.

VNC in Listen Mode:
I don't know the Zaurus well enough to know if this would work, but you could have a windows pc tucked away some where (like has allready been mentioned) that's running VNC in listen mode, and maybe you could setup your Zaurus (which would be running the VNC server) to run a script when you put it on the cradle to send the Zaurus screen to the windows PC. We do something similar to this with PC's at work.

Any video accessory is limited to the BUS speed limitations of the connector it attaches to. I don't know if the SDIO or CF slot can handle the amount of thoroughfair that streaming video (and sound?) produce but I would think that the USB1.1 port could since it is capable of 10mbps (correct me if I'm wrong). I know hauppauge PCI cards have been suported quite well under linux so I wonder if someone could write a driver for the Zaurus for something like this:
http://www.smalldog.com/product/37703

Please don't flame me if I sound like an idiot, I'm just trying to help and get help. I would like to make a Zaurus my work PC, home PC and my pda. Any idea's and suggestion would be appreciated.

-Antikx
Palm Tungten C
256MB SD

mussi · « **Reply #11 on:** January 09, 2005, 12:25:18 pm »

The OQO is a good, but pricey option.

Maybe a Psion NetBook-like device would be much better, if it ran on somewhat more powerful hardware and had USB as well as WiFi.

amrein · « **Reply #12 on:** January 09, 2005, 03:13:58 pm »

Too big device.

rmako · « **Reply #13 on:** January 09, 2005, 07:33:35 pm »

Usb mouse & keyboard are doable now. See the 6000 hardware section.

Not sure about VGA - would like to see it for a head mounted display.

Bob Makowsky

davidmcnaught16 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 10, 2005, 10:35:41 am »

I know this doesent help anyone immediately, but a PDA that can be linked to a keyboard, mouse and screen with 1024x768 resolution is, as far as I can see possible now, but nobody makes it. Hopefully one will become availible soon.

The AMD Alchemy au1200 processor supports linux, USB2 host and screens up to 1024x768, is capable of playing DVD quality video playback and uses <400mW @ 400MHz, sounds great for PDA's. It also has DDR & DDR2 memory controller, which could speed some things up!

I dont know how fast the processor would be compared to the new Xscales (624Mhz + WMMX etc) though.

A new version of Zaurus with AU1200, and a few other features (Mic, Camera, Wifi, Bluetooth, GFX accelerator?) would be great! It needn't cost much more than Dell axim x50v (Less than Zaurus C3000). If there's enough demand for such a device, I guess someone will make it, but I doubt enough people want or need it.

I think Sharp needs some competition in the Linux PDA arena!

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Author Topic: Zaurus As A Laptop/desktop (Read 12045 times)