Thread: Noob in distress! Ideas with no skill!

So many cars have CD players or DVD players in them. They watch DVDs or listen to CDs while they drive, and no they don't scratch.
A CD/DVD isn't like a record where you've got this physical stylus on the surface of the disc. It's a friggin' laser beam. (Thanks Dr. Evil)

Originally Posted by Mic

Okie Dokie,
A big hello to all.

First off I am a noob.A complete NOOB.
And what I am about to try and embark on is something iv thought about for a long time and I'm going to need help.
With the liitle research done iv got a small knowledge in what i want.

My car: Ford Focus 2004 Zetec

Option No.1:

Iv got an unused computer with a dvd drive and 15gb harddrive laying around. Im thinking,somehow install in car. Now I'd want to use this pc for general stuff while im bored, say typing some stuff (wirelss keyboard in glove box) and perhaps entertaining friends on road trips by playing some games off the harddrive(sum old snes games and stuff) and perhaps when the car is not in motion playing games from the dvd drive.And of course watching dvds.

Pros:
-Spare computer being used
-I can play games
-I can type stuff,its more impressive than other options as its capable of doing more stuff.

Cons:
-I dont think PLAYING dvds or playing games off the dvd drive hile driving is a good idea, if i hit a pot hole would it scratch the disc to bits? Not a problem
-Computer cant play games from say the last 3 to 4 years Upgrade it later when you have got the idea
-How do i power it?Surely the pc wont run off the 12v input will it?How would I power it? If it is standard atx board then OPUS 90w or 150W
-It would have to be mounted in the boot, how can i get a wire long enough to go all the way to the screen up front?? Long good quality VGA cable

Option 2:
XBOX in car under seat

Pros:
-Its a friggen XBOX!!
-I can play up to date kick *** games
-Very impressive

Cons:
-Cant play games while on the move, would it scratch? Passengers can if you have a screen in the back
-Its not a pc and therefore i cant type stuff or anything like that It is actually, check out xbox modding
-Id have to keep taking the xbox out to play games inside Yep
-Overheating under the seat? Not likely, but you could always add extra fans

Sorry if this is the wrong forum!

Try doing some searching, for power search OPUS, for screen to PC lead type in long VGA cables.


Also do a search for Ford Focus, it should bring up some threads where other people have insatlled PC's in their ones and you can get some ideas.

i'm thinking about a pc and a PS2 in my car, would a 240v invertor work? (like the ones used for camping that clip on to the battery)

Yes

If you go for Option 2 XBOX it's not a car pc it's just an xbox. OK there is some Xbox modding but at the moment you can't do the same stuff as on a normal Car PC.

If you go for the PC have a look into the Opus PSU and similar ones. An invertor isn't usually the best solution as it doesn't control shutdown/startup and uses a lot more power.

A decent Car PC isn't just a PC plonked in the car, it's the equivalent of a top end head unit, DVD unit, nav unit, hands free kit, ECU monitor it can do everything and properly integrate into the car.

Also you need to think about what screen you are going to use. Once again you need to look at the half decent stuff.. If you're in the UK have a look at www.digital-car.co.uk (UK Car PC forum) as we have links to a lot of decent UK suppliers - If you are doing anything on the PC you really need a VGA screen, ideally a touchscreen.

You're using a Focus so you can probably use the exisitng head unit if your on a budget for getting the sound through the speakers. Adapter from www.connects2.com are a good bet as they use the CD changer in. Screen mounts are available from www.dashmount.co.uk

Also have a look in the software section, there are great 'front ends' such as centrefuse which make it really easy to use the Car PC while on the move.

When you mention 'scratching' on the DVD I assume you mean 'jumping' of the CD when you hit a bump or such. Yes you do have to be more careful than this verses a normal car head unit as the car head unit is specially made for in car use where a normal desktop PC drive is not expecting any bumps. Once again, do your research it's all on here.

Haha friggen excellent I LOVE this place,so many asnwers

Enforcer: Thanks man (Also nice way of asnwering the q's!
I'll do a search now.

Stevieg:
Muchos thanks good sir!Checking out all the links now.

ive been lookin at the laptop idea, but an xbox...thats prob worth thinking about. Itd depend how all out you wanted to go i guess. I have no idea if it could be configured to be activated through the touch screen for music and stuff, and just have the remotes for gaming.
oh, and you can if your interested hack the xbox and throw in a bigger hdd, some software, and then you can burn all your games to disk, thus removing the need to change games. there a whole site dedicated to it. another plus is the xbox, and the hacked xbox software have pretty sweet interfaces, just for looks.

i might look into that, i dont have an xbox, but its a small price to pay. you also get the other xbox features, such as dvd. not sure how youd go about the sound...might go thru rca straight to an amp though?

prob worth thinking about

Originally Posted by Mic

Pros:
-Its a friggen XBOX!!

Cons:
-Its a friggen XBOX!!

another option to the opus....M1-ATX

not sure why everyone always only mentions the Opus....it's expensive and big.....not really for some people (like me) who aren't interested in putting a true computer case in their car...

just a thougt

also, some of those questions that you ask could have been answered with a quick search...just for future reference

=]

oh, and Welcome!!