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-----Original Message----- |
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> From: Ed W [mailto:lists@××××××××××.com] |
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> Sent: Thursday, April 29, 2010 9:51 PM |
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> To: gentoo-embedded@l.g.o |
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> Subject: Re: [gentoo-embedded] looking for a embedded platform with > |
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extended temperature range |
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> |
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> On 28/04/2010 21:45, Marcus Priesch wrote: |
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> > for the latter, gumstix look promising but i am a little unsure how they |
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> > perform ... and they only sell directly from the us. ... |
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> > |
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> |
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> Have you looked through all the routerboard range? |
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> |
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> The "Linux Devices" website is great for checking out what industrial |
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> boards are out there. Probably your needs are satisfied by some |
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> industrial solution? |
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> |
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> Note I would have thought min temp is not a problem. I would think that |
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> the main issues with cold are simply icing, frost, fans freezing and |
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> other mechanical things like HDs? |
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> |
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> Patrick who makes the Alix boards is very approachable - you could ask |
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> him what modifications are necessary to meet those targets? You would |
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> at least get an explanation of the practical issues? |
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> |
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> Also consider the cost of simply running the units out of operating spec |
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> and estimating failure costs over X years... Might be cheaper to buy |
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> twice as many and just let them fail? |
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> |
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> Good luck |
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|
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I can say from personal experience that HDDs do not like subzero |
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temperatures - in many cases they will simply refuse to start up if the |
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ambient temperature is too high or too low. Even the ones that will try to |
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start up sometimes fail because of sticktion - or, in one case, actually do |
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start to run, but then rip the heads off! There are also potential issues |
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with condensation if the humidity is high. |
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|
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You can generally get away with it if the drive is constantly powered up and |
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you only start up when it's warmer, but even of the drive shuts down due to |
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power management it can be problematic to restart. You can use a heater to |
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keep the temperature up, but obviously this has a detrimental effect on the |
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power consumption. |
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|
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Regards |
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|
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Pete |
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