Thread: ok- kiddy talk with me here- major help needed - thx

First of all, are you talking about an entire computer that was already built? if so, just get a power inverter at your local autoparts store that puts out more watts than the power supply on your computer. Plug the power cord from the computer into the inverter, then plug the inverter into the cig lighter and turn it on.

oh..... isnt that a power block? (like a brick, with 2 3-prong outlets and a little fan inside of it and it has an on/off switch- and it goes into the cig lighter.

and how do i know how many watts it puts out? (whats the measurement?)

and someone told me i would blow a fuse like that- so i WONT if i use the inverter/power block?

-arthur

Okay...no worries about the newbie question. We were all there once. I had the same question, I just did some research prior to asking. The ITX form factor is powered by 12V, which is the same thing that your car puts out. However, as far as hooking it up to your cig lighter, first you'll need a power supply. There is a 200w power supply pretty much anywhere that will fit your ITX. You want to get the fanless power supply that connects to your motherboard. Then you get a 12V power adapter (ac to dc). Check eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...721026873&rd=1

so i get that thing on ebay-- and i can tell that thing connects to my drives and stuff- but does it come out as a 3prong on the other side? im a little more confused now- how does it go from that thing to the cig lighter?

whats ac to dc? - did you mean DC to AC?

thx
-arthur

Okay...see the little black thing towards the bottom? That is similar to a simple power adapter (one prong) just like in cell phones. That's where an adapter comes in. You'll need a 12V adapter w/ usually 800mA to 1000mA or 1A. Since your car puts out 12V, you can get a cigerette lighter power cord with a cig plug on one end and a plug that will fit into that black power port. The only thing is that your car will not put out 12V consistently especially when you start your car, so you may also want to get an ITPS which will wait until your car is outputting the 12V that your computer needs, then start your computer. The only bad thing about that is that it would need to be "hardwired" into your car. About the AC to DC thing...your computer and car runs off DC or direct current. Your house power is AC or alternating current. What the power supply does is convert from AC (120V) to DC (12V). Since you are putting it into a car, you can either use a cigerette lighter power inverter or hardwire it to your car. Hope this helps.

it helps a GRIP ! thx a bunch- you're one of the few who speak my langauge and use my vocabulary ("black thingee")

so help me make the shopping list.

-a 12v adapter 800mA or 1000mA (a cig head one end and black prong adapter on the other)
-the ebay thing you showed me
-and a power block/inveter which i already have

yes?

-arthur

Yup....unless you wanna hardwire it in, then which you'll need the ITPS.

Chris

no hardwire in

you know the 12v adapter..... its just a cable huh?

one end is cig plug- but the other end is SPECIFICALLY what? (do you know its exact name/number or whatever?)

btw- thx a GRIP cypher23 for your help- i REALLY appreciate it