Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Audio Computer in a car Yes or No

First off you would need to install a power inverter,

now I hope you don't have a sub in the trunk, becaus eI would think a pc would be like an amp Vibration not a good Idea.

Other than that sounds like an Idea,

I would say a laptop with a 2 monitor out put (s cable) and mount it in your glove box use the monitor output and run it to a few LCD screens. get a removable hard drive and mount under the passanger seat for you music. Make sure your head unit has RCA inputs.

I sure I could think of some other things that will be needed

You would want to use a shielded subwoofer in the trunk as well.

If you used laptop drives, they should be able to handle the shock.

I would think a normal hard drive would work too. Been a while since I've looked, but seems like they are rated 10+ g's when in use. Laptop is smaller of course, so they would be better anyway.

I've played around with the idea of putting in a GPS navigation computer in the center consol. I'm confident that I could do it, and cheaply compared to retail systems, but still more money than I'm willing to spend. Probably be looking at $400 or so in parts and many many hours of labor.

I think that, while entertaining, it would be expensive and not add much more capabilities to what's available now in mobile audio/video (also ignoring all of the installation headaches).

You could get everything you listed (aside from CD burning) from:

(1) Head unit with mp3 capabilities and an aux-input (mass music storage w/15 CD's worth of music on a single CD) - less than $200.

(2) LCD screen in visor - $130 - add more if you want throughout the car.

(3) PS2 - $200 - There's your DVD player and gaming center.

Grand total of a little over $500. BTW, there are also other options for mobile mass music storage like mp3-capable CD changers and mobile hard drive type devices (some act as a player while some are controlled like a CD changer).

if you really got creative you could probably mount all the computer hardware in the glovebox/under the dash somewhere...perhaps even under one of the seats (anyone see on tech tv when they mounted a computer in a lay-z-boy recliner?). But nowadays it's probably more practical to just buy components that will do the same job and easily mount in the car.

This has been done before. A few years ago I saw an install in one of the car audio mags where the motherboard was in a customer center console. I think I have seen another one with the motherboard in the trunk. You could actually use a SCSI based system which would allow you to put the drives further away from the board. Unfortunately, SCSI drives are NOT cheap.

wow thanks for all the comments my idea would prolly work out to be around 5 or 6 hundred for the computer stuff the kicker would be the 15" screen in back which would add more but oh well. And I was figuring on one of them slim comp cases you know like one thats got just 2 vertical drive slots so its like half the size of most comps. And with it being that small it wouldnt be hard to make room for it up front under the dash. Oh and yes I did know that I would need a power inverter hehe. I really jsut think it would be more cost effective to go with the pc and its a hell of alot cheaper to upgrade. And plus if I ever wanted to pull it out I could use it in my own place. I think I am going to go for it. Hopefully I will be able to start on the install well purchasing and stuff soon. But like all audio and car stuff its not without its own costs oh and I love spending countless hours trying to figure out the best way to jam stuff into the oddest but best locations haha. though I really should think about getting a new sub box sense the bandpass just aint working for the sub I now own. My last sub got errrr broke when I got in a wreck with my last car so I sorta like went to the audio store to buy like a replacement and then bought a bigger one more power bahhh haha. which ment that larger amp soon followed not a prob sense I have a nice set of 5.25 components setting in the trunk just waiting to get installed ahhh IM rambling I stop now....... Bye all

everyone is correct. i've seen several installs done w/ computers in car mags. alot of it was for mp3 playing (unless your a computer engineer and your going to do custom programming to run stuff in your car). pretty much all the basic advantages of a car computer are now handled by aftermarket car audio manufacturers. i have the link for a car specific computer that some manufacturer offers. if your truly serious, i can try to dig it up and scan the articles w/ the installs to give u an idea. pls only if your serious. lemme know. send me a pm or something.

you best bet is to get a head unit with a motorized lcd screen. get a ps2, that will handle your dvd/gaming needs. you can buy head units that have a built in harddrive to store mp3s, and they cost alot. or you can buy a mp player, i have one with a 6 gig harddrive, they make them with 30+ gigs now.this would be alot more convient than having a pc in the trunk and running cables to mount drives in the dash

Actually I was planing on building the pc using a micro case(really small and thin only has one drive slot) sense most of the drives would be external drives which would be more stable under the vibrations. and I dont want a tiny little 5 inch screen Its just not big enough. haha funny thing is that my networking teach has a old comp in his trunk with like over 2 thousand songs on it and he controls it all with a numeric pad um front. Cool but I would like the features that only a true pc would provide and Im shooting for cheap, most car specific pcs I have seen arent cheap. Also a computer with the right emulators(a program that is used to mimic a console system so you can play the game on your comp) will play any video game under the sun, you can also get game control to usb adapters. PLus i have a PS2 and I really dont like its dvd controls they arent the greatest all I need to do is get the money and I will be on my way to building it. I shall post picture when it actually gets underway which may be awhile but it will Maybe if it turns out really good and I get good exposure when Im showing it off to my pals I might start doing installs for others haha that would kick butt. Im sure theres a wide base of tech freaks that wouldnt mind having there top of the line pc go mobile. any ways I guess if I run into any probs I will post them but I think I wont get to hung up when I actually start.