Thread: Acer mini-pc as carputer?

IT would work. It's very likely that you can use a DC-DC power supply like a Carnetix unit to power it, too.
However, I have read about a number of problems with overheating of the L100 unit. Because of that, it might not be the ideal choice for use in the car.

Originally Posted by DarquePervert

IT would work. It's very likely that you can use a DC-DC power supply like a Carnetix unit to power it, too.
However, I have read about a number of problems with overheating of the L100 unit. Because of that, it might not be the ideal choice for use in the car.

Alot of Acers laptops seem to have heat issues. i have had a number of people bring me thier acers saying it running slow and they think they have viruses. All of them turned out to have $h!tty heat sinks. If you do intend to use the acer, i would buy a really good docking station that has cooling fans built in.

Originally Posted by dmc_rider

@ darque:
thanks for the advice. so if i can take care of the ventilation/heating issue, everything else would be okay... right?

@ hijack:
that is somewhat true... but the L100 is a mini-desktop, not a notebook. it has two rather slow-moving fans for ventilation... and i plan to take care of the heating/ventilation. so i don't think it would be much of a problem.

thanks again for the advice!!

Well then that makes it easier.... if you have heat issues, then simply disconnect the fans from the MoBo connectors (most are set at diffrent speeds by the MoBo) and connect directly to the 12V rail so that they are always at full speed. The processor fan on my IEI KINO-690S1 was like that and the PC ran hotter then I liked. I rewired the fan to the 12V rail and have never had heat issues again.

If you want the best, it's going to be pricey.
The Lilliput transflective screen available in the mp3car.com store is generally regarded as "best" because it can be read in direct sunlight and is very bright.
However, there are also quality screens that are nowhere near as mych. The two major brands are Xenarc and Lilliput. Take your pick, as they both have pros and cons.

Every model has a diffrent look and feel and all depends on the user prefrenence. I really didnt want to go with a pricey transflective because I simply didnt need it. The tint on my car does a good job of allowing me to see the screen even in sunlight. I went with the Lilliput EBY-701 because of its price and because it looks like something Dodge would have put in its trucks (the unit isnt going to be molded into my dash, but instead look like a pull out head unit so it looks OEM).