Truck-camper-shell Computer setups

[G0ldengirl68]

I'd love to hear from folks that are camping/living in small, camper-shell spaces, that maybe have convenient (as we can get) ways of setting up space for a laptop to sit at, or even a desktop Monitior.  I have a Desktop Gaming PC, but the tower is one of the large types so I don't plan on taking it on the road.  My laptop is older but I'm putting in an SSD Drive to soup it up sometime soon I hope.

I want to keep the larger monitor I have for my gaming PC though and use it with my laptop, I'm not 100% on that of course because I want to see, or just imagine a way I could have a bit of a work area.  Funny but holding my laptop on my lap isn't comfy imo, but if I have to, I will do that, lol!  Just thinking some of you have created amazing ways to live in small spaces, so thought I would ask what you've found, or built that works for you?

Pics if you have them, or just suggestions.  I know not every place I camp will even have a signal.  Having my phone as a hotspot is a thought, or getting one of the little "hotspots" from Verizon, who I am with right now.  That can change for sure, if necessary.  Denise

 

[kklowell]

I sit my laptop on the counter beside my little sink. I use my phone as a hotspot so I have internet on the laptop.
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[G0ldengirl68]

This is pretty much what I will do I'm sure. Definitely use the bed as a seat etc. I could put the monitor up there and run a wire around to connect to my laptop and watch shows that way. I mean when I don't have to be close to the screen. My Monitor isn't too big, it's just 22.5 inch. I'm thinking too, maybe some sort of slide-out, like the old bread-boards, just if I end up full-timing.

Thanks kk!!

PS is that a 17" kk? Fits fine on the shelf I soooooo would love the chance to learn wood-working, just small jobs!

 

[user 423]

My laptop is older but I'm putting in an SSD Drive to soup it up sometime soon I hope.

I want to keep the larger monitor I have for my gaming PC though and use it with my laptop,

I have a 10yo Toshiba laptop that I've upgraded w/Crucial SSD and more RAM. It runs W10 just fine but then I don't do games.

You'll need to see how much power the larger monitor would use and see if your electrical setup could handle it.

Will you have enough height and space under the canopy to sit in a camp chair?  That's what I sit in to use my laptop and it's pretty comfortable.

I've had Verizon and StraighTalk hotspots with varying success but now use a ZTE phone as a hotspot with Visible (uses Verizon signal).

Sometimes I use a 7" Fire tablet instead of the laptop.

 

[G0ldengirl68]

I don't know unless I get one of those teenie beach-type chair, set very low to ground. But I don't think so realistically speaking. I do know the time I spend online will be cut way down when I am out camping, or full-timing. That's the main reason I want "out there" so I can hike, just take walks, do my amateur photography, and Astronomy Also, if I go full-time, I will have an electrical setup, and have to calculate all electrical needs. I'm future-tripping a bit here s2day. I want the extra RAM too but first, the SSD. I do some games like The Witness, and The Talos Principle, so they work good on the Toshiba now, but with the SSD and yes, more RAM, even better I'm hoping

PS My gaming pc doesn't have SSD either and the games I play work ok on it, good enough for me. I am not into anything but single player types of games, yet, lol!

 

[user 423]

Which Toshiba? I have an L455 Satellite that is actually the 3rd. one I've owned. The original died 2 years ago and I bought the same model off eBay and just swapped HDs. That one died 2 months ago and now I'm using the 3rd. one. Again,bought off eBay for $65. It has a 15.6" screen and is OK for movies but I will be hooking up a 19" LED TV in the van for movies. Not great viewing tho because the resolution only goes so high on the laptop.

BTW: I think for the past year a lot of us have been so used to being online a lot and aren't so keen to get unwired...LOL.

 

[kklowell]

This is pretty much what I will do I'm sure.  Definitely use the bed as a seat etc.  I could put the monitor up there and run a wire around to connect to my laptop and watch shows that way.  I mean when I don't have to be close to the screen.  My Monitor isn't too big, it's just 22.5 inch.  I'm thinking too, maybe some sort of slide-out, like the old bread-boards, just if I end up full-timing. 

Thanks kk!!

PS is that a 17" kk?  Fits fine on the shelf   I soooooo would love the chance to learn wood-working, just small jobs!

I don't really remember and don't have a tape measure handy, but I think it's maybe 15.6 or so.
I don't think you'll have room for a chair... I certainly don't and your truck is close to the same size as mine.

 

[G0ldengirl68]

I hear that, but I am more keen on being outdoors well, within reason, LOL! I use flashdrives to store movies on, then plug into my Roku TV. I had thought about seeing how well it works to view my downloaded movies from a port on my laptop, haven't tried it out yet so I guess I should do that! My Toshiba is a Satellite L-775D-S7132 17". I had to put in a new hard-drive within the last, 4 or 5 years, but other than that, it just keeps on ticking. I've reset it to factory settings a few times along the way, and then just some general maintenance. I know it won't last forever so I'm always saving a bit here and there because as soon as I get a chunk, something always comes up

I also have a DVD player I would want to keep (I feel the lbs growing in number ;( ) with a few, fave series like Monk, Goldengirls, X-files More lbs, oh dear!! I think I'll need a bigger boat, lol!!

 

[G0ldengirl68]

Yes, I agree KK, I think I just need to adjust ( a lot of adjustments)  but I think it could be well worth it!  I really want to see some places, either the ones I've been too years ago, or some new ones.  Being out where I can actually be out of the light-pollution, even here in this small area, would be wonderful for using my telescopes, which I will downsize to the smallest and lightest one

I can actually see just as much with it as with the one I spend more money on, go figure.  I'll sell that one on Craigslist, or on my astronomy forum

 

[kklowell]

I hear that, but I am more keen on being outdoors well, within reason, LOL!  I use flashdrives to store movies on, then plug into my Roku TV.  I had thought about seeing how well it works to view my downloaded movies from a port on my laptop, haven't tried it out yet so I guess I should do that!  My Toshiba is a Satellite L-775D-S7132 17".  I had to put in a new hard-drive within the last, 4 or 5 years, but other than that, it just keeps on ticking. I've reset it to factory settings a few times along the way, and then just some general maintenance.  I know it won't last forever so I'm always saving a bit here and there because as soon as I get a chunk, something always comes up

I also have a DVD player I would want to keep (I feel the lbs growing in number ;( ) with a few, fave series like Monk, Goldengirls, X-files   More lbs, oh dear!!  I think I'll need a bigger boat, lol!!

AT least DVD's are lightweight.

 

[G0ldengirl68]

True! Didn't think of that, seems I don't think of a lot of things. The main reason I joined this forum, to pick other people's brains When I get my build, and what I need to just camp a couple of weeks, maybe just one week I should go down and get it all weighed! I don't know if they'll do that, if they do, where I had to get my truck weighed when registering it here in CA, then it will cost for sure. Good idea to know

 

[tx2sturgis]

Think of living in a laying down phone booth. Remember phone booths?

For late night web-scraping, when in the camper shell, I set a cutting board on the bed, put the laptop on that, and sit on very short little step stool with a foam kneeling pad on it. Facing the bed, using it for a 'desk'...

Think in terms of anything you install or carry along needs to have 2 or 3 uses if possible. My Yeti cooler is so sturdy I can use it for a 'chair'...same foam pad, and I can sit on that when grooming or dressing.

You'll figure it out.

 

[user 423]

When I get my build, and what I need to just camp a couple of weeks, maybe just one week I should go down and get it all weighed! 

Since you'll be going to OR you can stop at a weigh station.  Unless they've changed, you can drive onto the scale when they are closed and see what your vehicle weighs. They may not be real accurate for a lighter vehicle though.

(link to allstays locator map):

https://www.allstays.com/c/weigh-scales-oregon-locations-map.htm

 

[tx2sturgis]

Since you'll be going to OR you can stop at a weigh station.  Unless they've changed, you can drive onto the scale when they are closed and see what your vehicle weighs. They may not be real accurate for a lighter vehicle though.

Just a heads-up on commercial truck scales, used in interstate commerce, are usually accurate to within 10 pounds. 

Yep...10 pounds. Over my decades of trucking I saw the readouts with just me walking on the platform...no vehicle...reading was always within 10 pounds of my weight. 210...or sometimes, 220.

Or, watch the readout when sitting in the cab, say, 76,500 pounds, as an example, then hop out, and watch the display drop to 76,300. Yep...close enough for guvmint work!

 

[user 423]

Wow, I didn't know they would be that accurate.

They probably don't give a commercial driver much wiggle room then, do they?

 

[G0ldengirl68]

https://www.allstays.com/c/weigh-scales-oregon-locations-map.htm

Save me Californias charge of 20 bucks! Thanks for that S2day

 

[G0ldengirl68]

Just a heads-up on commercial truck scales, used in interstate commerce, are usually accurate to within 10 pounds.

How they figure a Mazda B3000 V6 is a commercial vehicle is beyond me.  I pay 158 dollars a year for this little truck, just for registration and tags.

 

[kklowell]

I think I can get mine weighed at the transfer station in my town... I think I'll do that when I get home again.

 

[G0ldengirl68]

Yes, I think it's a good idea since I don't want to have issues with my truck for carrying too heavy a load.  I'll go look at what they recommend for maximum weight.  Then go below that because they don't say how many more feet it will go carrying that much

 

[kklowell]

Built similar to mine, I think you'd be well under the weight capacity of your truck.