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Panasonic Toughbook CF-53SJCZYLM 14-Inch Laptop OK FOR FLEX 6000?

Kent Hufford
Kent Hufford Member ✭✭
edited February 2019 in FLEX-6000 Signature Series

I am thinking about purchasing a Panasonic Toughbook to run my 6500 on. Anyone with Tough book experience.

I do not need to hear about APPLES. I know they are nice, and that is not the question.

Answers

  • George KF2T
    George KF2T Member ✭✭✭
    edited February 2019
    Yes, it will work fine. Has an RJ45 for Ethernet, right?
  • AA0KM
    AA0KM Member ✭✭
    edited April 2017

    4gb memory RAM is not a lot because the intel-4000 video-card built in share's this memory.

    I have an older intel-3000 series and it just barely runs smartsdr and I have 8gb ram-I5 processor.

    Last I knew they recommend passmark rating of 500+ and this card is below that.

    I would hate to spend that kind of money then be disappointed.

    For video ratings check here >> www.passmark.com

     

    imageimage
  • DrTeeth
    DrTeeth Member ✭✭
    edited December 2018
    I have a 6300 and run it on a laptop for the moment. There are no issues at all running SSDR with the Intel 3000 integrated chip with all graphic options maxed with its two slices. Using the 6500 to the max, with 4 slices showing will have more graphic demands.

    The *only* issue with the integrated card is the effect  that shared memory has on FlexControl tuning - it goes crazy fast and cannot be stopped - I have even 'tuned' below 0 Hz! For that reason, and that reason alone, I have SSDR using the dedicated Nvidia graphics card, a 630M - the FlexControl is much better behaved, but not perfect.
  • AA0KM
    AA0KM Member ✭✭
    edited December 2016

    Have you used it wireless>?

     Mine is not smooth at all wireless and erratic behavior at multiple slices on my 6500 and my laptop has been redone from scratch and intel has a nice utility to update drivers too.

    The intel 3000 series is way below ratings too.

    But on another post I read they are making streaming more lean because of wireless.

    My wireless is N-mode so anyways will see what 1.4 version brings in efficiency.

    Anyway good luck too all

    I am looking at a gamer laptop as they are way cheaper than the toughbooks any how. Maybe not as tough though.lol

    73 Jeff


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  • DH2ID
    DH2ID Member ✭✭✭
    edited April 2017
    Hi, I run my Flex-6500 or my Flex-3000 with a Panasonic Toughbook CF-52, which has an i5 dualcore CPU, 6GB memory and a 512GB Samsung SSD. All programs run easily and very fast, with SmartSDR, HRD DM780 ord WSJT-X 10-12% CPU load, with PowerSDR 15% CPU load measured with the MS resource monitor. I use this Toughbook when working portable or at my club.

    At home I run SmartSDR on my Sony VAIO quadcore i7 notebook with an extra monitor attached and running HRD DM780 or WSJT-X, Chrome internet browser, Thunderbird and some other programs with 15-20% CPU load. I also look at videos, like my favorite EEVBlog or YouTube hamradio videos at the same time, CPU load then goes up to 30%.

    Whereas PowerSDR and the older FlexRadios need a fast and working firewire connection and a bit more CPU power for all the number crushing done by the pc, SmartSDR mostly needs a reasonably fast GPU for the graphics.

    All this is done by my notebooks and I really can recommend the Toughbook and the Sony VAIO.

    If you wonder why I run notebooks everywhere: my digital QRP station is quite compact, with 5 TRX. For HF digital work I use the Flex-6500, for CW, FSK and PACTOR an ICOM 756PRO, for VHF/UHF/SHF a Kenwood TS-2000X, for APRS a Kenwood TM-D710 and for D-Star and as my "club telephone" an ICOM ID-5100. HF is monitored with a RFSpace SDRIQ and HF to SHF with a WinRadio G305e. All these TRX/RX together with their microHAM interfaces and a central LDG Tuner have to fit into a very small space and the antennas, an endfed 6m wire and a frame antenna are placed on my balcony 3m away. For the monitoring I use 2 active whip antennas.

    I work with 10 watts maximum at home and have worked my digital DXCC this way.

    73, Alex DH2ID
  • AA0KM
    AA0KM Member ✭✭
    edited December 2016

    What Video cards are in these laptops in which you speak?

    Like said you start using some extra programs your going to need some video horsepower. lol.

    73 Jeff



    ===============================

    Toughbook CF52 answers self...lol Better video card eh>?


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  • DH2ID
    DH2ID Member ✭✭✭
    edited December 2016
    Grahics:

    CF-52: Intel HD graphics, which means directly handled by the i5 CPU. Of course graphics are not as fast as my VAIO, but fast enough for SmartSDR or PowerSDR.

    VAIO: NVIDIA GeForce GT-540M

    73, Alex DH2ID
  • M0GVZ
    M0GVZ Member
    edited February 2015
    I am running SmartSDR on a 2009 Lenovo Thinkpad T400 with a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, 4GB RAM and the onboard Intel graphics at 1440x900 resolution. It runs it OK but doesn't like more than two panadapters however this is over wifi and I think that's the issue. My desktop before upgrading was an AMD Athlon X2 running onboard ATI Radeon HD4200 and that ran everything absolutely fine on two 1080p monitors.
  • Pat Garrett
    Pat Garrett Member
    edited February 2015
    I cannot comment on running PowerSDR on a Toughbook, but I can comment on the computer itself. At one time I was certified to repair Panasonic Toughbooks and all of the other major computer makers. 

    They are well built machines, very sturdy, would be great for rough work, mountain topping, field day, etc. But they have some of the same issues of consumer model laptops. Hard drives go bad, keyboards wear out, touch pads die prematurely. All of which are relatively easy fixes. The hard drive could be a problem if you are not properly backed up.

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