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Reply With Quotehey iceman what are all those buttons under the radio? can they be moved down?
Hi,
I just got into this "carputer" thing a few days ago and plan to use my old IBM ThinkPad 600e in my PT Cruiser. I bought a USB GSM (with RoadScout) on eBay.de yesterday (I live in Switzerland).
The first thing I want to get going is the Navigation system. I will probably mount the laptop under the seat or in the back (I have a docking station) and find a good location for the GPS receiver.
From what I understand, I canīt connect one of those cool little Lilliput monitors to the VGA port on the laptop (correct me if I am wrong) so I will either have to do with the old tft screen or buy an expensive converter. If I use the old tft I need to mount it in a very clever way on the dash (itīs 13.3").
Is it possible to add a video out to the thinkpad? If not, what is the best way to connect one of these small "auto" screens to the laptop.
Is it ok to use a regular "lighter" power cord to supply juce to the laptop?
Where can I buy brackets for old tft to mount it on top of the dashboard - preferably so I can open/close it and pull it forward?
Any and all advice is welcome - like I said, I just got into this carputer thing a few days ago and am a complete newbee (I am a software developer by profession).
Here are some of the specs for the IBM ThinkPad 600e:
Video:
1938 - AGP
VGA (640x480), XGA (1024x768), SVGA (800x600)
Expansion slots:
1 x display / video - VGA - 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15)
1 x USB - 4 PIN USB Type A
Power:
AC 110/220 V ą 10% ( 50/60 Hz )
Hereīs a photo of the dashboard in the PT Cruiser. As you can see, there is not much room. I donīt want to take out the stock radio/CD or mutilate the dash too much (the car is only a week old).
Thanks,
Iceman
hey iceman what are all those buttons under the radio? can they be moved down?
Directly under the radio: Nope. The stupid radio/casette/cd unit is all one piece (Who uses a casette player these days?).
At the bottom: Yea. Itīs just the back window wiper/heater, headlight adjuster and traction control. I could move those down between the seats (there is a coin holder there). Good idea. Thanks.
Why not?? I have an old Panasonic Toughbook with a port replicator i am gonna use initially, I can hook up a normal CRT to the VGA and use it with the lid closed at home (using an external keyboard before anyone asks!).Originally Posted by Iceman
Just looking for a new cpu for it as its an old PII 300. Anyone got any idea what chips are likely to fit?I aint got a clue on laptops and someone is borrowing it so i cant take it apart at the moment. Toughbook is ideal for the car as its tough as hell but has just 1 USB, just going to add PCMCIA USB and firewire cards for external soudblaster, DVD and HDD etc.
Yep, why d'you think this? It's a VGA port - Lilliput has VGA input!
Great news. Then I will get a 7" Lilliput touchscreens and connect it to the VGA 15din output. I must have misunderstood a posting on this forum. Iīve been reading too much up on this subject - the post was probably refering to connecting a DVD.
Concerning the touchscreen - I know itīs just a film on the monitor, but does it work like a mouse i.e. connect to the serial port and a "touch" is like a click with the mouse (and therefor works with all software)?
Yep, but Lilliput touch connects via USB port
The Lilliput uses USB for the touchscreen and yeah they just act as the mouse cursor. What HDD and processor you got in that thing?
IBM ThinkPad 600E
Intel Pentium II 400 MHz
64 MB SDRAM
10 GB HD
13.3" TFT
CD ROM (no DVD)
Only one USB but it has two PCMCIA slots
That should be enough for a carputer, right? I am not planning on playing Counter Strike (although my son might disagree
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