Car Pc

rajesh · May 18, 2005

I dont know this topic is coming up to all of you (Lex) car lovers.....

i have been thinking about this for some time on and off. just had a brain wave -

well something like that -

we all know why PC in the car will be great and its very useful with -

MP3

Films

Radio

and all PC - work....

had a look at all the car PC websites - make your-own PC - ready made ones etc..

sorry to keep you waitting - but -

what about a Laptop in the boot - with 2nd Touch Screen on the dash ?

the Laptop runing with power from the car Bat. (boot up as soon as car in on)

all software required stored in the laptop.

Q - will this work ?

Q - Can it work ?

Q - whats required to work?

Q - If posible why has no one done one yet?

Lexus lover

Raj

Anees · May 18, 2005

I dont know this topic is coming up to all of you (Lex) car lovers.....
i have been thinking about this for some time on and off. just had a brain wave -

well something like that -

we all know why PC in the car will be great and its very useful with -

MP3

Films

Radio

and all PC - work....

had a look at all the car PC websites - make your-own PC - ready made ones etc..

sorry to keep you waitting - but -

what about a Laptop in the boot - with 2nd Touch Screen on the dash ?

the Laptop runing with power from the car Bat. (boot up as soon as car in on)

all software required stored in the laptop.

Q - will this work ?

Q - Can it work ?

Q - whats required to work?

Q - If posible why has no one done one yet?

Lexus lover

Raj

←

Raj bro,

1. Yes it will work

2. All you really need is a Laptop DC-DC Power adapter and you can use the power management in Windows XP to save you alot of hassle.

It sounds easy.....

BUT...

1. How you going to turn it on from the drivers seat without hacking the laptop ON/OFF switch and extending it or if your lucky hacking a docking station that has an on/off switch? May be lucky and your laptop supports Wake-on-Power but probably not.

2. If you can get it to turn on from the front - how are you going to get it to turn off? Using a PSU like an Opus you can get the PC to turn on when the car is turned on and then turn off when the car is turned off. Best you can probably get with a laptop is having a switch to turn it on at the front and set it to hibernate when the car is off and it is running on batteries.

3. Most touchscreen have a native resolution of 800x480 which usually cannot be displayed by a laptop - you may be lucky.

4. No PCI cards - may or may not bother you. Most restrictive

5. Sound quality is not really the best - if you want great quality may have to buy an external USB sound card like a SoundBlaster Audigy 2 NX.

6. Not quite a custom solution

Most of the down-sides can probably be got round. It just not as cutomisable as a pre-built system. You can get a cheap Car PC out of it however if you have an old spare laptop you don't mind hacking to bits!

In fact Raj, I am making a Laptop Based Car PC very soon for a mate of mine. I will let you know how I get on.

rajesh · May 18, 2005

thank's mate

you covered some good points - i will look out for your post on car Pc in the near future.

Brettster · May 18, 2005

Ive got an unused Xenarc 7" Touchscreen for sale if your interested??

Colin P · May 18, 2005

how much brett? is it the 700TSV?

Brettster · May 18, 2005

yup

Looking for £200

PM me if your interested

mrdsukautos · May 18, 2005

Why not fit a touch screen tablet then all the problems are solved

Though you now have a problem with the size of the tablet.

Ive been wondering about putting a tablet into the dash on motorised rails.It does mean chopping up the dash but the size of the screen you would have then would be a great benefit.