Oziexplorer linked to a dash mounted screen
Submitted: Wednesday, May 21, 2003 at 22:49
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Chris from North West Camper Trailers Hire & Sales
Hi everyone, we have been using Oziexplorer for a year or so and have found that the laptop is a real pain in the front of a rocking and rolling 4X4, has anyone seen of or heard of a laptop being connected to a screen mounted on the dash or close proximity so that the laptop can be folded up?
I have come across a site in the past but from memory they needed a second mortgage on our house to install it
Any help would be great
Chris
Reply By: Wazza (Vic) - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 00:40
Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 00:40
Chris, I have been wanting to do the same, using one of these monitors. Can't find anywhere to get them in Oz. You can get screens for watching DVDs, etc from car audio shops, but not high enough resolution to display your typical Oziexplorer maps. I have been waiting for the cost of them to come down as they are about $800 at the moment with svga & s-video in, or $700 with svga in only. These are only 7 inch, but the resolution is supposed to be awesome. A 15 inch LCD screen is much cheaper, but takes up too much room and needs 240v. Anyway, I need new tyres first.
[ View Image]
http://www.xenarc.com/product/700y.htmlhttp://www.dynadirect.com/tv-700yv.html
Cheers,
Wazza
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AnswerID:
20729
Follow Up By: Chris from North West Camper Trailers Hire & Sales - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 00:48
Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 00:48
Thanks, I will
check out the sites, I knew a bloke that was going to toy around with a screen from a broken laptop to see if it was possible to run it as a second screen but I have lost contact with him, I might try the computer stores to see what they think, then there is the mounting issue.
Chris
FollowupID:
13322
Follow Up By: Ray M (Vic) - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 17:40
Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 17:40
I had the same idea and researched it on the web. It's not impossible but can be very difficult to get going. Seems there is no standard for driving these screens, each manufacturer has their own system and different pinouts etc. Must be why old laptop screens can be picked up dirt cheap on ebay, not much use for them.
Hooroo
FollowupID:
13370
Reply By: Jason (macca) - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 03:19
Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 03:19
What you are trying to achieve is possible. Most of the small in car screens have a VGA input. If your laptop has the vga out socket, your set.
Samsung do a screen that will suit your needs. My mate has one fitted to his boat. He runs his laptop via the screen which he has mounted on the dash.
Jason
AnswerID:
20736
Follow Up By: Grinner - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 13:40
Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 13:40
What sort of screens are you talking about? I looked on the samsung website and they only have 15 inch screens. I think 5 - 6 inch would be the biggest you would want for a car
FollowupID:
13347
Follow Up By: Jason (macca) - Friday, May 23, 2003 at 00:16
Friday, May 23, 2003 at 00:16
Grinner,
I will attempt to find out the exact dimensions.
Jason
FollowupID:
13405
Reply By: Member - Nigel - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 07:54
Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 07:54
If you can find the right screen, then you can now buy a awesome tiny pc instead of a laptop to hook it to. They run off 12v and use much less power than a standard pc - and I beleive they are upgradable unlike a laptop.
Check it out at
http://www.casetronic.com/Product/Barebone/Mini-Checkercube/minicheck.html
Unfortunately not aussie distributor yet, but only around $100 to get one shipped from the US.
AnswerID:
20740
Follow Up By: Chris from North West Camper Trailers Hire & Sales - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 11:56
Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 11:56
Thanks, interesting concept but I think we would still end up taking the laptop for the rest of the stuff stored on it and the fact that it isnt available here yet is a small concern ie: repairs and warranty.
I will keep an eye on this product over the comming months though
Chris
FollowupID:
13337
Follow Up By: Member - Nigel - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 14:50
Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 14:50
I've actually used the same motherboard and cpu (which is already available in oz) in a larger case in my loungeroom to pay DVD's and music, and for the kids to play games on (using the TV as the screen).
Hopefully it won't be long before an australian company starts importing the tiny cases.
FollowupID:
13355
Reply By: Member - Bob - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 08:51
Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 08:51
Yes Chris, I did this with a Toshiba laptop and it worked brilliantly. I've posted details not so long ago. I used a Samsung 15 display ($540) and a Toshiba laptop. I used a 400W Jaycar inverter to run both ($200) although you could get a monitor that runs on 12V and a DC power adaptor for your laptop. The only mod needed was to snip the little button off the laptop that puts it to sleep when the screen is folded shut. Once you've used OziExp on the bigscreen you will never go back to the laptops screen, or a PDA's miniscreen for that matter. I have a photo if you are interested.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: wazza - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 09:24
Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 09:24
Bob, I'll have a
pic - I was trying to work out how i could cram a 15" into the car, without having it directly in front of the passenger, or mounted in the center of the dash. Am thinking in front of the gear shift, below the radio?... wazzagray@yahoo.co.uk
FollowupID:
13324
Follow Up By: Member - Sam (NSW) - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 09:49
Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 09:49
Bob
i too am interested if you wouldn't mind emailing to hall_sa_99@hotmail.com
cheers,
Sam
FollowupID:
13329
Follow Up By: Chris from North West Camper Trailers Hire & Sales - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 10:59
Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 10:59
Thanks Bob, my email is nwcths@westnet.com.au and any pics or details will definately be appreciated, I am fairly sure that I can turn the sleep option off but not sure if I can run the second screen from it yet, if not will change the laptop over.
Chris
FollowupID:
13334
Follow Up By: Outnabout David (SA) - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 12:55
Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 12:55
Bob,
If possible I would love a picture as I am going down that road myself anddon't want to reinvent the wheel so to speak.
dsheridan@cmv.com.auWe have so little time to enjoy our land
FollowupID:
13342
Follow Up By: GOB vic - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 18:10
Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 18:10
bob what sort of toshiba is your laptop i have a toshiba satellite and it has a 15 ? pin port on the back ,what sort of adapter (if needed ) did you use or did you change the plug from your gps as most seem to have a 9 pin plug on the leads i lookede at gpsoz who sell a lead and adapter to convert to usb but i dont know how it will go i would appreciate any info
steve89 nissan looking foward to august and more travelling
FollowupID:
13375
Follow Up By: Member - Rohan K - Friday, May 23, 2003 at 09:48
Friday, May 23, 2003 at 09:48
Bob, you'd better post a piccie on your member's rig page. Otherwise you may find you spend all your PC time emailing it to 500 ExplorOz memebrs. If not, I'll have one (emailed piccie) too, please.
thrsolutions@optusnet.com.au
Thanks
RohanBe good, or be quick.
Rohan (
Sydney)
FollowupID:
13418
Follow Up By: Member - Bob - Friday, May 23, 2003 at 22:10
Friday, May 23, 2003 at 22:10
Gob, it is a Satellit something or other, about 900 MHz, DVD drive, about a year old. It has an old fashioned serial port (like you'd plug a modem into it). I paid about $1700 new at Computerquest in
Canberra. OS is Win ME. This is being sent from an Apple powerbook so I don't have the Tosh with me. I will send the photos to those that asked for them shortly.
FollowupID:
13478
Reply By: Member - Sam (NSW) - Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 09:20
Thursday, May 22, 2003 at 09:20
Further to Bob's post, depending on the operating system the laptop is running (and possibly the laptop itself), you can set it not to do anything when the screen is closed. I am running Windows XP on my Dell Precision M50 and I have this option available to me. Just saves modifying the laptop if you dont have to.
AnswerID:
20746
Reply By: Jason (macca) - Friday, May 23, 2003 at 00:19
Friday, May 23, 2003 at 00:19
Next time you walk past a police car in nsw stick your head
in and have a look at the Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) set up.
It fits in very nicely. 15inch screen I think.
Jason
AnswerID:
20821
Reply By: Member - Bob - Friday, May 23, 2003 at 22:58
Friday, May 23, 2003 at 22:58
Test to see if .gif is attached.
AnswerID:
20894
Follow Up By: Member - Bob - Friday, May 23, 2003 at 23:19
Friday, May 23, 2003 at 23:19
OK - so how do we get the little picture alongside the posting?
FollowupID:
13489