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Anyone have a laptop setup in the car?

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Old Dec 28, 2008 | 11:07 PM
  #1  
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Anyone have a laptop setup in the car?

Similar to what police has in theirs? Ive always wanted to set it up in my old car, since i had a aux input, and can have the car stereo linked to the laptop

Right now i have eyed a 8'' laptop, but not sure if i can find those laptop stands for cars. I have looked on ebay, not sure how those would fit/work in the rx8


Anyone have done something similar or have suggestions please post!

Cheers!
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 12:33 AM
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Go all the way, carpc ftmfw.

Having a laptop on a stand in your rx8 is going to look a bit cheesy to onlookers.
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 12:35 AM
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I agree with al.

search for some of the different car pc setups out there....or click on al's sig link for carpc
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 12:52 AM
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but how you can shut a carpc when it warns you:

DANGER TO THE MANIFOLD!~
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 02:31 AM
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Carpc of course is cool...and obviously alot cleaner

but for people with no doe = in car laptop

unless you can get a car pc set up for under 400?
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 02:55 AM
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Originally Posted by alz0rz
Having a laptop on a stand in your rx8 is going to look a bit cheesy to onlookers.
Plus, its illegal in most places.
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 07:01 AM
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Originally Posted by MazdaManiac
Plus, its illegal in most places.

really? why is that?
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted by legendracer
Similar to what police has in theirs? Ive always wanted to set it up in my old car, since i had a aux input, and can have the car stereo linked to the laptop

Right now i have eyed a 8'' laptop, but not sure if i can find those laptop stands for cars. I have looked on ebay, not sure how those would fit/work in the rx8


Anyone have done something similar or have suggestions please post!

Cheers!
For such a small netbook, I wouldn't get a full laptop stand. They make smaller units for netbooks but I don't know how well they work, here's a quick google for a 10" screen that I have:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SAMSUNG-NC-10-...06129001r13719
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 09:10 AM
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Originally Posted by ILoveFI
really? why is that?
For the same reason it is illegal to play a DVD while a car is in motion.

Originally Posted by legendracer
Carpc of course is cool...and obviously alot cleaner

but for people with no doe = in car laptop

unless you can get a car pc set up for under 400?
Unless you take that 400 laptop and make a car pc out of it.
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 11:48 AM
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Make sure to roll your window down when you park, so the glass doesn't get broken.
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 12:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Marklar
Make sure to roll your window down when you park, so the glass doesn't get broken.
That is sage advice, despite its sarcasm.

I always tell Ms.Maniac to keep the doors of her Miata unlocked.
There is no point in adding a knifed roof to the list of things damaged when someone decides they want what she has in the car.

Anything you install into a car that retains its look of "portability" is an invitation.
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 12:10 PM
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Originally Posted by kersh4w
but how you can shut a carpc when it warns you:

DANGER TO THE MANIFOLD!~
SHUT UPPPPPPP!!! :nawwwz:

haha
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 02:07 PM
  #13  
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Originally Posted by Marklar
Make sure to roll your window down when you park, so the glass doesn't get broken.
obviously if i had the laptop stand set up, id remove my laptop from view when i park.... -.-

and that laptop window mount thing is a no no... my friend has those GPS things with the window mount and it always falls off, i dont think a laptop will handle that much
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 06:35 PM
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I would also vote for carpc but don't know how much they will run u
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 06:38 PM
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Originally Posted by DeViLbOi
Unless you take that 400 laptop and make a car pc out of it.
Well, you'd still have to add a CD/DVD drive, GPS, a radio (unless you just listen to Internet radio, which would require some kind of Internet connection), etc. What else am I forgetting?
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 06:49 PM
  #16  
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therefore the simple and economical solution is a laptop stand in the car :D
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 07:10 PM
  #17  
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robrecht - nothing more than what he has already...

CD/DVD (Free) - Most laptops have these already built in.
GPS ($100) - Which he wouldn't have anyway with his laptop config.
Radio (Free) - My car came with one of these puppies already...Im sure his did too.
Internet Radio - Why would you want this if you have a laptop full of mp3s?
Power Supply ($50 - $150) - DC Adapters are cheap for laptops compared to desktops.
Screen (???) - You would have to add a screen. If you go with a Gyro mouse it doesn't even have to be touchscreen. And you would need somewhere to mount it. I was looking at the manual flip up dash kit though which keeps the stealthy look so someone doesn't jack your *****.
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 07:20 PM
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Originally Posted by DeViLbOi
robrecht - nothing more than what he has already...

CD/DVD (Free) - Most laptops have these already built in.
GPS ($100) - Which he wouldn't have anyway with his laptop config.
Radio (Free) - My car came with one of these puppies already...Im sure his did too.
Internet Radio - Why would you want this if you have a laptop full of mp3s?
Power Supply ($50 - $150) - DC Adapters are cheap for laptops compared to desktops.
Screen (???) - You would have to add a screen. If you go with a Gyro mouse it doesn't even have to be touchscreen. And you would need somewhere to mount it. I was looking at the manual flip up dash kit though which keeps the stealthy look so someone doesn't jack your *****.
Thanks for the info, but note that none of those 7"-10" netbooks come with a CD/DVD drive. Even some of the newer 12.1" netbooks will not have a CD/DVD drive. You can usually add a touch screen to a netbook for about $100.

I'm just starting to look into the advantages (and some disadvantages) of a CarPC as opposed to replacing my radio with something like the Alpine IVA-W505. I don't want to keep my stock radio because its not HD.
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 07:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Marklar
Make sure to roll your window down when you park, so the glass doesn't get broken.
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 07:34 PM
  #20  
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Originally Posted by robrecht
Thanks for the info, but note that none of those 7"-10" netbooks come with a CD/DVD drive. Even some of the newer 12.1" netbooks will not have a CD/DVD drive. You can usually add a touch screen to a netbook for about $100.

I'm just starting to look into the advantages (and some disadvantages) of a CarPC as opposed to replacing my radio with something like the Alpine IVA-W505. I don't want to keep my stock radio because its not HD.
Well I guess I got lucky because the 8" that I'm on now has an external CD/DVD that came with it.

And not to get too far off topic. But what makes HD Radio so cool that you have to have it? I mean other than knowing what song is playing and some compression I don't see the point. The signal is just as good as FM...and you still have limited selections to choose from. A CarPC or even an iPod win big over HD Radio at least for me.
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 07:36 PM
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Just a question, why not just pay a tad more for a carpc or similar?

I used to think having a laptop in my car would be tight but NOW it seems a bit *danger to the manifold** **NAWZ** **Ay yo, check out my lapptopz yo** IMHO.

I think the carpc is so much cleaner.

But to each their own.
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 07:59 PM
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Originally Posted by DeViLbOi
Well I guess I got lucky because the 8" that I'm on now has an external CD/DVD that came with it.

And not to get too far off topic. But what makes HD Radio so cool that you have to have it? I mean other than knowing what song is playing and some compression I don't see the point. The signal is just as good as FM...and you still have limited selections to choose from. A CarPC or even an iPod win big over HD Radio at least for me.
I'm certainly no expert, but I thought HD radio was much better quality audio. I like having live radio options (in addition to mp3s) so that I can listen to random new stuff. I had an HD radio in my car for a couple of weeks and I liked it. Not instead of mp3s, but in addition to them.
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 08:09 PM
  #23  
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legend racer- try pro clip http://www.proclipusa.com/Default.asp they must have something
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 08:47 PM
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Originally Posted by robrecht
I'm certainly no expert, but I thought HD radio was much better quality audio. I like having live radio options (in addition to mp3s) so that I can listen to random new stuff. I had an HD radio in my car for a couple of weeks and I liked it. Not instead of mp3s, but in addition to them.
Nope...just a digitally compressed signal of the original. So the static and stuff that you get from standard radio is just missing. I guess where you are plays more into it. Being up on the lake near Cleveland we get really good signals of those stations that we do get. Albeit we only get like 10 FM channels tops...they come in pretty good no matter where you are. To me it is just easier and more reasonable to get the $100 iPod adapter and put it on random and have my own radio station of only music I like.
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Old Dec 29, 2008 | 09:38 PM
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Originally Posted by DeViLbOi
Nope...just a digitally compressed signal of the original. So the static and stuff that you get from standard radio is just missing. I guess where you are plays more into it. Being up on the lake near Cleveland we get really good signals of those stations that we do get. Albeit we only get like 10 FM channels tops...they come in pretty good no matter where you are. To me it is just easier and more reasonable to get the $100 iPod adapter and put it on random and have my own radio station of only music I like.
Well, lack of static is better audio in my book. Very noticable difference where I live in New Jersey. But, again, mp3s and HD radio need not be considered an either/or option. You can have both.
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