Quote: Originally Posted by
BMVEE 
I'm really thinking of redoing the system using a laptop. I have a boat so it would be really nice to remove the laptop from the car and move it into the boat for movies....
I'm using Lilliput display and serial I-Bus adapter mainly (planning on using a PCCARD com port adapter)... I'm going to buy a radioshark and keep thinking about what else I want in the system. I don't have too many needs (GPS is a no brainer and already installed).
I just want opinions on the laptop Idea. I plan to make a startup/shutdown controller using an inverter for a powersource. All thoughts are welcome and needed.
OK.... let me have it
Several things to consider here.
First, if you plan to keep this system for more than a couple years, you might give serious consideration to finding a laptop that has a docking station. I've done it both ways and having docks has many advantages. I have mini docks in each of my three cars and two full docks in the house. No more plugging and unplugging to move from one to the other, much easier to create a sturdy mount, no wear and tear on internal plugs (I had to replace my mic and line out sockets twice before the docks), some docks have separate power switch so you don't have to mod laptop for SUSD controller, etc.
Most laptops have auto adapters, so an inverter can be avoided. Inverters are notoriously noisy, whereas, an auto adapter can be cleaned up easily if noise is present. Auto adapters also generate less heat, take up far less space, and if your shutdown controller hangs may not drain your battery overnite.
Most peripheral nowadays are USB so adding more can be done with external hubs. Be careful not to get an old laptop with 1.1 USB - it'll work , but requires more tweaking and attention to what peripherals are grouped together (1.1 supplies less current). If you want SQ sound quality an external sound card will probably be required which means a bit more horsepower from the CPU and additional power requirements.
Lastly, I don't know how you feel about a development testbed (or how deep into this hobby you plan to delve), but I have at least two of everything. One on my development machine and one in the cars. I test everything on the dev box first (hardware and software) and then move it to the vehicles once stable. So, yes, I have 3 WinTv/FM, 2 XM commanders, 3 Aircards, etc. I'm probably anal about it but, it always seems that I'm out of the country or on a long distance roadtrip when some new mod is released and if I load it onto the operational system something goes bad. New hardware is always purchased for the dev box first and when I'm satisfied that its worth putting into the vehicles, I buy more. This has saved me more headaches than I can exclaim. I can hook it up, test it, and return it if it doesn't work without the hassle of running wires, worrying about how it looks, where to put things, dealing with power, connectivity, or interference in the car, etc. My dev machine is also backed up to my network whenever a change is stable and serves as a backup operational system so I don't go into withdrawals if the primary breaks down.
Laptops can be effectively used with some foresight, planning, and understanding of its limitations. I'm sure that Breaker021 would agree with me that a system that you can take with you outside the vehicle has
additional benefits as well.