[Redlight]

I am going to be trying to get into trucking in a couple months when I retire from the air force, and I am looking at buying a Dell laptop with a TV tuner option, "TV Tuner PCTV USB HD Pro Stick." It says you can use rabbit ears with it. Has anyone tried this type of option out or similar? Sounds great to me TV, GPS, DVD player and computer rapped up into one, but is it worth the $129? Also, since I have read so much about no idling, how long do truck batteries last running a bunk warmer, and other items without you starting your truck, will the truck go all night running a bunk warmer and still have enough charge to start your truck at the end of your break?

Thanks
Redlight

[devildice]

http://www.classadrivers.com/phpBB2/...ic.php?t=20561

http://www.classadrivers.com/phpBB2/...ic.php?t=24343

[Sealord]

And what happens when the laptop goes south? You may want to think about some stand-alones. BOL

[Malaki86]

Originally Posted by Sealord

And what happens when the laptop goes south? You may want to think about some stand-alones. BOL

My laptop has been riding along with me for well over a year now. I use it for all entertainment in the truck (tv, dvd, downloaded movies & tv episodes), games, mapping/gps, logbook, etc etc etc.

I carry all of my software & such with me in the event I have a system crash and have to do a reinstall - which has happened twice.

[Redlight]

Where do you down load TV episodes at? Also, what about how long the truck batteries last run stuff?

[cdreid]

Im on my second laptop. First one bit the dust mostly due to my tripping over wires and ripping them out (it still works.. sorta)

I use delorme street atlas 2005 and gps. Have 2007. Hate it.

I tried a cheap ati tv wonder usb2. It sucked. Awful. First one literally melted when a sheet fell over top of it. NOw i use a hauppage wintv hvr 950 with a powered antenna inside the truck. The thing is amazing. The size of a usb mem card, about 90 bucks. It picks up hdtv as well. Changing/detecting channels is fast (not true of most usb cards or even pci). Cant say enough good about it. I listen (not watch people dont freak) to tv going down the road to keep sane and can just click a button and it finds the channels as i drive. Again.. the thing is awesome, i was suprised.

I download tv episodes at home. I have almost all the scrubs episodes. Dead like me etc. But i use Giganews usenet service to do it. Stunningly fast you can download as fast as your connection and find absolutely anything. I actually find i can drive longer and be less tired doing this than when i was "hardcore" and just drove, listened to radio etc.

For the net i use verizon but i suggest sprint or cingular. Verizon has great coverage and really good broadband but if you go over 10 gig a month they burn your account (ask how i know). It is VERY easy to go over 10 gig a month unless you just email and look at text websites. The company needs to get a clue, especially since we're their number one consumer group.

I record movies at home using my laptop or desktop and my tv card. Just load up the pvr software and record everything even remotely interesting. Burn it to dvd so i have it archived in case i run out of stuff to watch (much rarer now that i have a good tv card.. which btw im using as we speak). Or in case im stuck durin;g the day... guess whats on all channels then (ugh).

I also keep games on my computer. Company of heroes, age of empires 3, battlefield 2142 etc etc which can kill TOO much time! You get that load home and actually debate (welll im almost finished w this game..).

Idling etc: imho dont have your inverter on unless the truck is running. Ive had my truck not start twice. ONce in a snow storm after a hard tcall i forgot to shut off my marker lights and inverter. Figured out later it was the lights as nothing was using the inverter and unused they pull microamps... Once i think the batteries were just worn out and i sat bobtail for a few hours with the marker lights on. Got a push start luckily. The point is when you do the calculations even a 100 watt draw is a lot even for four batteries over a long period.

One suggestion i got was to buy a dry cell deep cycle battery. Driver told me he would hook his up to charge while driving and it would run his electronics for a good 8 hours when he shut down. Cost about 240 or so. Worth it when i can afford it (if i cant find that home lots and lots job i want). I plan on doing that straight off if i go o/o or lease.

Audio books are ok too.. if you get a good one. you can get them at the local library, copy and listen on the road (then toast the copy its only fair). Or download them off the net. They tend to be small and you could possibly get away with dling audio books over a cellular card. AS the other driver said when you find an open wifi its awesome too though you have to look hard. Some shipper/receivers have them which is truely awesome.

And last: if you're lucky you wont have enough downtime to worry about it very often. The best advice i could give a new driver is 1: dont hit sh*t 2. Dont drive tired. 3. Stop worrying what anyone thinks(other drivers or your company) and refer to rule 1 and 2. and 4. if you arent driving be unconcious in the sleeper. you'll wish you had been later.

Good luck on your new adventure and email me if i can help in any way.