In car Computing Set Up

Rob,

Not exactly what you are looking for but this is my setup. Has about 40,000KM on outback trips running continuously without any dramas.

Hi Richard & Robert, Excuse my ignorance, but what is the purpose of such a set up? I am not being a smart ass, just curious as to what purpose you use it for. Thanks & cheers

Rob
Build your own is the way to go.

I have just such a set up as you describe.

12" Touch Screen mounted centre of dash and I got a canvas bag made to take my laptop which is strapped behind the passenger seat.
Lappy is powered via Kerio power adaptor and the screen runs off a 12 volt outlet obviously tapped of the auxiliary batteries.

Screen cost about $400- the canvas bag was made by Klaus and Lyn at In front Camping and was only about $30- and obviously whatever you spend on the laptop needs to be considered. (plus your mapping software)

A few cables and fittings maybe another $100- and its done.

To easy and much better than mounting the whole laptop on a stand which is how I used to do it.

Gidday Robert,
I have one or the units your are talking about. It has a 8 inch touch screen, a bracket to bolt to the floor and the bag and all the cables and software needed. I run a eec 7 inch laptop solely for oziexplorer on this screen and have no complaints with the package. The company is Aussievan Products and as far as I know they are still in the Kewdale/ Welshpool area. If you have any questions just mmessage me.

Sludgie

Rob
I have not seen what you mentioned but it's quite easy to set up yourself. I run a small Dell which can sit in the front seat cover pocket. Cables run from there to an 8" touch screen mounted on the dash. I do not bother with the touch screen anymore as I found it too difficult to use with Oziexplorer due to the rather small menu commands and found it much easier to use a wireless mouse. The screen was off ebay for $150, plus I had to buy an monitor extension cable.

Chris

Why use a laptop under or behind the seat ?
you need to start it and shut it down
you cannot get to the keyboard unless you use an external USB one
horrible mounting options and always in the way ...

this is the way to go
http://cgi.ebay.com/Mini-ITX-Carputer-W-D945GCLF2-M2-ATX-2G-RAM-160Gb_W0QQitemZ200364861817QQcmdZViewItemQQptZDesktop_PCs?hash=item2ea6ad2979&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

with a 10" swivel mount LCD and a wireless USB keyboard with integrated mouse.

I have 2 of these in my truck, one with a 10" screen and one with a 7" tucked away. The first one I use for MP3 directly into my head unit, Navigation (OziExplorer, Autopilot and UBD maps with Oziexplorer, it also runs web connection via Telstra NextG wireless and with remote desktop I can get the screen of the second one onto the first one also if I wish. With the internet connection I run my email, my share market watch and having our business database available. The 10" screen is also used with two AV inputs for various camera applications including bed cameras when I reverse under my slide-on and a wireless roof camera on top of the slide-on when it gets tight. Rear view
camera and one for the towbar are also included. With a laptop you have a hard time combining such applications especially when you need AV inputs from several sources. The second PC is used for video surveillance. The cameras I have connected also function as surveillance cameras (with a couple of extra ones). My car alarm has a warning level and when dark will switch on peripheral lighting when armed that the cameras get a real good image.
I am just in the process of setting up a link of the capture PC to my blackberry via the telstra modem that I can watch the images from the surveillance system.

Just a few applications for those who ask ...

have fun
gmd

Thanks GMD, I have looked into these and they are not my preference at all. I would rather take the lap top inside and do my trip planning and music library updates at my leisure and then plug it in when I need it. I really only want it in the car for navigating. I can get access to older laptaps for next to nothing after they have been replaced at work so its also a cost effective option for me. I wouldn't mount one under a seat, but in a seatback pocket is unobtrusive and no problems. As I only want it for navigating, the inconvenience of turning it on and off isn't really that much of a drama to me. I'm not keen on using a keyboard for navigation at all so touchscreen and a mouse pointer is what I'd be looking for.

Why not just use a cheap $250 7" Chinese GPSr and have OziCe running.

Gday Rob

The thread you are after is ThreadID: 71059

Cheers

Bernie

Thanks Bernie for the thread mate, and thanks GMB for the keyboard explanation too, makes sense now.

and tanks to everyone once again for the info, thats one of the the great things I like about this forum.

Thanks for the information contained in this thread. It is very interesting.

A question, please: back in the good old days, when Adam was a lad and I was merely middle aged, computer hard drives were a tad vulnerable to shock, and the safe rule was only use while stationary.
With more durable drives, and increasing use of solid state memory, things have changed a bit. But have they changed enough to allow real time navigation on dirt roads (corrugations, occasional wash ways etc.?
I'll be very interested in any comments