CF-19's to FZ-G1

Hi ALL, not been on for a long time as my trusted CF-19's are still going strong. I had them for a very long time, Im getting older and my eye sight is not getting any better, I have in my shop a crappy plastic no make i7 laptop that I plug into a large TV via HDMI, the large TV is on a large TV stand with wheels.
I am liking the setup as I can see the large screen from inside a vehicle when Ive got scope hooked up and need to operate throttle, brake, clutch.

I do do a lot of field work so would need to have laptop \ tablet with me

I have been looking at the FZ-G1 to replace 1 or both CF-19's, I do have 5 good batteries for the CF-19's, a lind vehicle charger and both are fitted with Samsung SSD, 1 is 750gb the other 1tb


what Im thinking is, 1 FZ-G1 with 2tb SSD and dock bolted to the back of the TV set-up, if the CF-19's had HDMI out i'd prob not be even thinking about it, whats you thoughts on this?

Thanks

 

I like the FZ-G1's a lot.
One thing to be aware of is the FZ-G1 uses MSATA drive not a standard sata. The MSATA does cost more.

 

Save money, live better:
https://www.walmart.com/c/kp/usb-to-hdmi-converters

 

Sorry I dont get this, you can plug into USB and get HDMI out?

 

Correct, you can buy a usb to HDMI converter for your cf19.

 

USB 3.0 only.

 

That makes a difference as my main CF-19 I think is only a Mk4 with USB 2

 

The cf19 mk6 (2.6ghz and later have usb 3.0)

 

Yes I know, my other is a MK6, how much work would it be, if I swapped the SSD's over, I thinking loads because of all the drivers

 

Are you running Win7 or 10? You should be able to just move the drive. It would be a good idea to back the drive up 1st.

 

I have had luck by installing the driver package for the new machine while the drive is still in the old machine.
Then transfer the drive.

 

Both 19's are running w7, I'm sure ones a mk4, the main one and the other is a Mk6, I'll check later

 

take a look at the cf-20. i might get one in the future

 

CF-20 would be fantastic but well out of my price range

Thanks

 

If you are going to leave it docked in the car a CF-31 has hdmi out.

Also I am wanting to think I have seen a 19 dock before (pictures only) that had a hdmi out.

 

From time to time there are great deals on Ebay for CF-20's. I posses both a FZ-G1 Mk1 and a CF-20 mk1 and i have to say that the CF-20 is clearly superior in every way. I installed a DELL Qualcomm 7455 that i flashed to generic and i swapped the m.2 Sata drive for a 512gb ATP one. The keyboard solution for the FZ-G1 is a joke and i have the Ikey keyboard with usb. The CF-20 is both an excellent tablet and a great notebook. The only minus i have so far would be the port cover on the screen is very thin and tends to break when you tighten the screw too hard, it kind of holds itself together when it's in closed so i did not bother to replace it for now(it would likely be cheap anyways). Also as i tried to disassemble both completely, replacing the screen on the CF-20 seem to be a bigger challenge than FZ-G1 so you might want to avoid breaking it.

 

Thats also what I was thinking about the FZ-G1, the lack of keyboard, I hardly ever use either 19 in tablet mode so why bother,, does the 20 use the same ssd as the FZ?

 

The FZ-G1 Mk1 uses a msata SSD and as far as i know some newer revision use a m.2 Sata ssd(not sure of lenght). The CF-20 uses a full lenght m.2 sata SSD.

 

I hope I was in the right place at the right time, I have managed to bag a low hour CF-20A5108TE and a gamber johnson dock, same as this:

https://www.gamberjohnson.com/products/panasonic-toughbook-20-docking-station-no-rf


all for under a grand, , just looking around for the best deal on another battery and a 2tb Samsung M.2 ssd

Its all on its way to me,, Im sure once its here there be loads of questions for you guys

Thanks

 

If you haven't already read it, check out this thread on Samsung M.2 drives. They are not all the same: A member here bought the wrong one and couldn't use it. Ended up having to sell it, if I remember right.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/samsung-970-evo-m-2-ssd-possible-in-cf-31-mk4.833173/

It's over my head. I don't have a new enough ToughBook to worry about it. The last page talks about the difference in M.2 B+M Key and M.2 mSATA

 

Im 99% sure the CF20 Mk1 takes this

https://www.samsung.com/us/computin...-drives/ssd-860-evo-m-2-sata-2tb-mz-n6e2t0bw/

 

Pretty sure the drive is m.2 sata drive b or m and b key. not the m key nvme. the link above correct one.
to bad the nvme is the way to go on anything new

 

Towelie

One thing that worries me when I look at CF-20 MK1 is the 1.1 GHz CPU speed. (Nightmares over updating client computers with that CPU speed in the past.)

Obviously, from your comment on the superiority of the CF-20 over the FZ-G1, the CPU does not feel sluggish? Your input on this would be more valuable to end users than Googled benchmarks I believe.

 

i5-7Y57 is the cpu. I do not have one but looking at benchmarks its equivalent to to using a cf-c2 4th gen haswell. It basically a tablet in power like the surface pro. It would get blown away benchmarks compared to a ipad pro. Its a very low power machine for battery life. Depends on what you really want. More of a tough work horse would be cf-33. If dont need a rugged machine the lenovo t490 is good business machine, cheap and powerful

 

I dont know how it compares to my 19 with the i5 3320M 2.6GHz, being a newer machine I would have thought it would be a little faster, this one does 18 seconds from power on to w7 desktop and 41 seconds from desktop > other partition desktop

I think the 20 is running w10 so maybe it'll take a little longer, if its anything around the 20 - 40 second area that'll do for me.
I dont really use any power hungry programs, I think my other 19 is a Mk4, with the SSD its plenty fast enough for me so Im hoping the 20 will be on par with or a little faster

 

Most benchmarks show it 20% faster cpu. So definitely not a huge difference to what you got and prob be similar in performance in applications. Things like loading should be 30 sec or less for windows 10 for sure. I do that on mine haswell cpu.
Its intent is to be more of a super tough portable tablet than anything. Prob not for the average guy but at the price its usually for government and corporations
the cf-33 is way faster machine and i like to get one in the future when they become surplus lol, not worth 3k-7k to the average guy like me. Damn they are expensive

 

The CF-20(MK1) performance is adequate, when it boosts the frequency goes much higher and i can play a lot of newer games such as starcraft 2 and age of empires 2 definitive edition. For the m.2 ssd, of course the samsung m.2 sata ssd will work as it ships with one from samsung. But as i said, most of these m.2 ssds are not rated below 0 degrees celcius but the ATP one is good down to -40c. To me it is important to keep the -20c rating of the CF-20 but if you think you will never leave it in these conditions then you could use any.

 

Its arrived, Im not to impressed with it, I think its going to take a bit of time getting used to, I think its because Ive been used to the build quality of the 19's
One think that annoys me is the 3 LEDs under the screen they are a little to bright or situated in the wrong place also the palm rest on the right hand side of the mouse pad has sunk a tiny bit leaving a sharp edge on where the plastic joins right at the front, the left hand side is OK as its prob not had any weight on it
The wifi antenna/s are no where near as good as the 19's both my 19's pick up a weak signal thats been there years, the 20 dont see it.

The gamber johnson docking station , Im impressed with that, well thought out and quality build

Ive been trying to get a second battery for it, Panasonic europe are telling me end of Jan, beginning of Feb so must be a shortage

Im going to install the 2tb ssd soon, i'll keep you all posted

Thanks

 

For the Leds you can turn them off by using concelated mode, all lights will turn off except keyboard and webcam light.

 

black felt-tip pen

 

Ive been battling with this CF20, the 19's are running w7 have both their ssd's partitioned, I fitted the 2Tb ssd and are trying to partition this as well but the w10 its loaded with is not liking it and keep changing thinks I thinks I want to change

I just had a quote for a second battery from Panasonic europe, price €212.80 wtf !!! ($257) and because of the stupid stupid stupid laws on battery shipping I have to arrange collection myself

 

I was able to get a much better price on Ebay, but yeah these batteries seem to be a bit overpriced to begin with.

 

Ive managed to bag 7 used batteries for 100€s, the guy said they was all used as 2nd batteries but only for a few months, getting them to me will be a logistical nightmare because of the mentioned stupid laws. I should have them by the end of Jan or mid Feb, I'll just have to make do with the single thats fitted at mo

 

Hope you remember FZ-VZSU84A2U batteries replace FZ-VZSU84U dangerous ones.

 

I got a CF20 in the end, it uses the CF-VZSU0QW batteries, hope they're safe