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Has anybody used a portable monitor for work? Was it frustratingly small in comparison to your usual 20" at home monitor or acceptable for a short term solution?
I'm planning on adding a desk/swivel table to my van so I can effectively work from my van for either long weekends or week/s and the job I do means the 13" laptop screen alone won't cut it but I'm not sure if a dinky 15.6 inch portable monitor will make much difference.
can you just get a bigger laptop? be far easier.. I find my 16" laptop is fine for single-screen working
Could you not hook up a regular monitor to run off batteries? Most now use standard 18v laptop PSU, rather than have onboard 230v connections. I reckon someone like Mark at MTB batteries could build you a suitable pack and charger.
I don't wanna spend THAT much money seeing as my company provided the 13" version and the monitor that sits next to it! It wouldn't be a basic spec laptop either that I'd need as I'm a technical computer user, I'd also need to request the specific software required to run our cloud based system to be installed on a personal laptop.
It depends on the size of screen you're used to. I use a little 13" screen laptop as my main work computer, so I bought this cheap'n'cheerful 14" screen as a second display and it's made things a LOT easier. And it's light and portable, runs off the HDMI output and a USB-C power input and is basically the size of an A4 notepad when folded up.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09TVVWFR9
how about a projector?
Yeah my backup option is just pick up a regular monitor as they're not that power hungry and run it off the leisure battery or EHU but I'd then have to consider a fixed mount to the desk to reduce the risk of it being knocked over in a confined space.
Yeah I've got a projector in the van already but it would be WAY overkill! I'd have to sit in bed all day too!
You'll get used to it fast enough if you have a smaller screen. I run 28" at home but had a 20" for travel and I coped.
Depends what you want it for. I use my iPad in side car mode with my MacBook for Teams meetings when I want to share a screen and keep the teams window open on a separate screen.
I've also seen a double screen thing that wraps around the laptop, but it's not cheap.
I would just get a normal monitor on a swivel mount so I could move it out the way and a 12v-> 18v (or what v the monitor needS) boost converter
You’ll get used to it fast enough if you have a smaller screen. I run 28″ at home but had a 20″ for travel and I coped.
Depends on if it's a decent resolution or not, and what you're running - a lot of developer IDEs look rubbish / are harder to use in FHD or lower...
Something like this?
Ahh maybe not, Just noticed how low the resolution is!
This one is 1080, but never heard of the brand before!
Out of interest, have you tried working in your van before?
I've often thought about it as the idea of sneaking away early or getting to campsite ahead of weekend and working for a day there kind of appeals. Or even just the idea of working in a more picturesque area so i can finish work early and go biking or hiking
But I've resisted as not sure I want to spoil the joy and freedom the van gives me by bringing work into it. I quite like the fact that getting away in the van is my way of escaping from the humdrum of work. I'm not sure if I actually want to mix the two.
Interested to hear how you and others have found it works in practice.
No I've not tried it before but the way I see it I have to walk the dog before work and then spend a chunk of the evening walking him so why not do it somewhere slightly different to home. My husband works a 6 on 3 off pattern so his days off vary which means I also spend a lot of weekends doing my own thing. I have even wondered about going into Europe next year and continuing to work as I can't afford to take a extended period of time off work and it would get be away from this flippin' English weather! It's a high roof top medium wheel base so I think enough room.
Rather than buying a screen, or other equipment for 12v DC, it might be an idea to upgrade the electrics in the van so you can use standard 240v AC appliances. Not cheap though.
To paraphrase Cheif Brody... "we're gonna need a bigger battery"
Opposite view to mattyfez, inverting 12v to 230v and then laptop supplies adapting it back down to 18v is inefficient. A monitor that works from 12v is much better, if you can find one.
However a begged or borrowed inverter to see if you actually like working in the van might be useful before buying stuff. Ergonomically, working in a van could be a nightmare as tables and seats are unlikely to be the correct heights etc.
Bigger laptop and a stand would be my choice. I run a 17• on a Roost stand when downstairs and a 34” ultra wide in the office you can pack the stand, keyboard and mouse away in less space than a monitor.
I used to have a portable 15" monitor that ran entirely off USB3. It was much better than just a laptop screen. I got it for travelling when my daughter was small so that she could watch videos on the extra screen while I did work on the laptop screen, but it was great for actually getting work done with multiple apps running too.
Have you got a TV in the van? Seems a good opportunity to get something bigger that can be used as a TV as well and just mounted on a swivel arm so it can be moved out of the way.
I've got a portable 13" monitor, comes in a stand case a bit like an ipad, just needs a single USB-C cable from the laptop for power and signal (or you can plug in HDMI and use separate power). It's really handy if I'm away from home or just fancy working from the dining table instead, most of the stuff I do needs a couple of windows open at least and it gets a bit cramped on a single laptop display.
Mine is this one but there's endless choice of similar ones out there. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08CHF1DXX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
No TV in the van and don't need one, have a projector which doesn't get used much. When I'm away in the van I'm exploring during the day or walking/watching the world go by, will read/cook/listen to music when I'm back in the evenings and chill out. Also have an iPad so if I dont want to watch something on netflix will do so while lying in the king size bed.
We already have a very decent inverter for when the OH goes away in it and takes his ebike so no worries about whether it's 240v or not but have read that a 12v is more efficient. Only oversight is we don't currently have solar and need to drive to recharge out 100amp leisure battery. If it turns out as usefull we may get solar added.
@thols2 @simon_g good to know you've both used what I'm consdering and that it seemed to work out okay. Tempted to order a decent version from amazon and see what it looks like handling the application I use for the size of screen and could always return it and pick one up second hand for less dosh.
Okay so you don't necessarily have to start messing about with 12v monitors, inverters or other inefficient workarounds. As long as it draws a supported voltage then USB-PD is your friend:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kZOe7aaiqqE&pp=ygURTGludXMgcG93ZXIgdXNiIGM%3D
That's where I'd be looking, he's making a (follow up) video to kitting out his minivan with a full gaming PC setup so no doubt would have some useful info there.