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are most of you using a car PC / touchscreen / mp3 player totally in place of a headunit?
meaning, if you have a car PC do you still need some kind of headunit?
The reason I'm asking is because I'm about to get ahold of a 1986 F150 that needs a stereo system. I have some computers laying around the house and might also be getting ahold of a PII laptop I could hack up.
So I'm wondering if I could build myself a carPC without having to buy a headunit.
thanks in advance.
You need either a head unit or an amplifier to increase the line-level audio from the computer to something that will drive the speakers.
Change has got it right, I've seen it both way's, without head unit and with head unit. I think with headunit is usually the most popular way that I have seen. It's easier to keep your radio and AM stations that way.
I went headless since I didn't have much more then a stock headunit and it was where I wanted to put my screen. I think the real challenge going headless is that AM radio is not easily obtained on a computer these days. The only add in card that would pick up AM is the cadet board and it only works on an ISA slot.
What type of Amp would you use if you didn't use a head unit? I plan on only have 4 speakers and maybe a sub later.
I don't know what everyone else uses.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nitroman15
I plan on going with a 4-channel amp. You can also get a 4+1 amp to drive L/R front/rear plus a sub.
This is assuming you're going to be using 4+1 output from your soundcard from the PC. If you're going straight stereo, then a headunit might be the better option. Any decent sound card will have at least 4-channel sound capability.
For an illustration check out my sticky in the newbie forum on how to get sound from computer to speakers:
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/the-faq-emporium/32430-how-to-get-sound-from-pc-to-car-stereo-amp.html
ohhhhh no not again
and don't think for a second that it's over lol.Quote:
Originally Posted by kickercivic1