Thread: Using a laptop as carputer

yes you can use a laptop in the car, it has been done before, do a search. "laptop" would be a good search term to start with.

as far as your hardware spec being powerful enough to do what you want it to, it all depends on what you expect from your system. since you already have the hardware, test a couple of frontends on it and see how it works out for you.

try the faq emporium for answers to frequently asked questions: http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/the-faq-emporium/

I think it's a great idea. I'm personally going to be doing the same except with a little bit more CPU power. I just installed Fedora Core 4 on my wife's old IBM Thinkpad R30. I'm using a port replicator to make things easier to upgrade in the future. Just pull it off the docking station upgrade/fix drop back in and boom! Done.

Also, I think laptops might be a bit more durable for the shock of the road. Even so I plan on making a bit of a suspension for the laptop setup to hang from. Add in the native lower power requirements and it seems like a no brainer to use a laptop, also with the built in battery power auto shutdown/hibernate/standby should be a breeze. If you are using some form of Windows you may even get speedy quick start ups if you bounce between standby, etc.

Not sure how fast you P2 is, but I would be concerned if it's less than 333mhz. Also, I think you would be best off running an older windows like windows 98, but you are going to run into troubles finding drivers for newer hardware. However, you should be able to get decent support of most hardware out of a slim downed Redhat 7.3, of which I've even been able to get a linux 2.6 kernel running under it.

Anyway, right now with my project.

- I've got 4x 8pin mini din connectors (3 extra in case I screw up, plus the supplier had a minimum order and I had to buy something) on the way to help me make an xmd1000 serial interface cable.

- 2x 12vdc 4" box fans. One for intake and one for exhaust. The little R30 burns it up when the CPU starts getting taxed and needs a little help.

- Another center console piece so I can mount/fabricate the xenarc display (yet to be purchased) into it.

- Audio components still completely undecided. Debating whether or not to go usb for the Audigy sound blaster or pcmcia. Need an amp, and the trunk space has two side pockets on either side after the wheel well screaming to have dueling subs.

- Interface....definitely going with the Xenarc 700tvs. Contemplating using a "twiddler" for my keyboard/mouse interface. dvd+-rw in the dash or a real head unit fabricated into the cigarette/cd cubby space for disc input. As for the touchscreen interface I'm thinking X windows if I can get it working on the Xenarc display, the touchscreen, and twiddler. I'll most likely code my GUI interface in Perl GTK.

- Networking...well it has built in 802.11b and I think that means it can also wake on lan (but not sure about that). If it can, I'll be using that to push periodic updates to the car for weather and traffic.

I've been cruising these forums for a week or two now. Lots of great ideas. Just surf the forums and look at the various technologies and think about if you want them or not.

We were in the same boat as you, why spend more money when you have a laptop just laying around >:} Plus, the battery ability does come in handy, and already designed low power draw.

I'm planning my car system using the same concept... slap an older laptop (Athlon 1 GHz, if I remember right, which has a malfunctioning screen) into a '97 Subaru Legacy Outback (assuming I actually buy the car, which should be set in motion next Thursday or Friday).

I'll be using Linux, simply 'cause I'm a lot more capable in it than I am in Windows. I plan on building it slowly, planning things out, and coming up with ideas as I go along. All I want right away is the ability to play mp3s, preferably through the stock stereo system (gotta find out if the stock am/fm/weather band radio/cassette player has inputs, probably not... if not, maybe I'll figure out some alternative speaker system). Gonna slap a few buttons together using this tutorial, just using them to control the mp3 playback first. Then maybe a small LCD display, just large enough to display track names.

Later on, I might slap an LCD panel in there, big enough to make an BMP/XMMS list viewable. Wouldn't mind pulling some info from the OBDII system, or maps... just haven't figured out where I'm gonna put a larger screen .

Anyway, I've ranted enough for you to get the point... there's more than just you considering this

Originally Posted by theluckyone

I'm planning my car system using the same concept... slap an older laptop (Athlon 1 GHz, if I remember right, which has a malfunctioning screen) into a '97 Subaru Legacy Outback (assuming I actually buy the car, which should be set in motion next Thursday or Friday).

I'll be using Linux, simply 'cause I'm a lot more capable in it than I am in Windows. I plan on building it slowly, planning things out, and coming up with ideas as I go along. All I want right away is the ability to play mp3s, preferably through the stock stereo system (gotta find out if the stock am/fm/weather band radio/cassette player has inputs, probably not... if not, maybe I'll figure out some alternative speaker system). Gonna slap a few buttons together using this tutorial, just using them to control the mp3 playback first. Then maybe a small LCD display, just large enough to display track names.

Later on, I might slap an LCD panel in there, big enough to make an BMP/XMMS list viewable. Wouldn't mind pulling some info from the OBDII system, or maps... just haven't figured out where I'm gonna put a larger screen .

Anyway, I've ranted enough for you to get the point... there's more than just you considering this

if all you want to do is get mp3 check this out in www.omnifimedia.com its a great little thing, i would explain it but the explanation of what it is is much better on the website, i´ve got one, got it from cructhfield for 200 bucks.. its on sale! haha..

Thanx a lot everyone i feel better about my idea now .. hehe. i though it wasnt possible because i didnt find much on it.. i guess im not looking that good.. as for the power, ive got one of thouse power converters that i got form best buy to charge and use the laptop in the car, i was wondering if i can use that and just add on the startup/shutdown controller.. and wich one would be good for the laptop ??? thanx guys!

oh yeah and i forgot.. does anyone know if it´s possible to use the external hard drive i want to get.. as the main one ?? and just like.. install windows xp on it so when it powers up it uses that driver directly ??..

Originally Posted by assereto

if all you want to do is get mp3...

Nah... I want to do *more* than just mp3's, but I haven't decided 'xactly what yet .

Not to hijack the thread, but what I figure I really want to do is play with it... second to listening to my mp3's. I'm tempted to set something up temporarily, just to play mp3's... get a DC/DC power adapter for the laptop, or get an inverter for the AC/DC power adapter I already have, figure out some way to rig it up to the stock radio so I don't lose the weather band capability. Run a USB gamepad off it to convient location near the driver's seat, and I've got the basic set up (no viewing track names, but hey... it's cheap *grin*).

Later on, I could add the display, then figure out whatever else I want to set up. I figure I'll have plenty of time to play... I want to take this new-to-me Subaru as far as I can, assuming I can get all the kinks out of actually buying it.

I too have a laptop carputer, the biggest chanllenge that I had was remotely bootup the machine. How's your plan to turn on the machine?