Power Acoustik PT718TS Touch Screen $136.99???

CmbtMdcThor · 05-01-2008, 03:17 PM

I am preparing to come back from Iraq and plan to build a car pc in my 69 chevelle...I have been looking for a good touchscreen for my build and stumbled on this power acoustik PT718TS for only $136.99 on the gooddeals18.com website. I went on the net and found this same screen on other websites for as low as $131.00 SHIPPED! . Here are the specs:

-Amorphous Active Matrix TFT/LCD
-2 Audio/Video Inputs
-IR Repeater Functions, controls(DVD-360, 370T, 380, 610, 630T, 450)
-OSD on Screen Display
-Remote Control
-4 screen Modes
-Injection Molded Case
-NTSC/PAL switchable
-Panel Brightness: 350 (high resolution)
-Resolution: 1440 x 234
-Dimensions: 6 x 4 1/8 x 1 3/16

Does anyone have this screen or heard anything negative about it? For the price it sounds TO GOOD to be be True

Here is the link(s) to the screen:
http://www.gooddeals18.com/product/P..._HEADREST.html

Another website (so you guys dont thing im advertising for gooddeals

)
http://www.buy.com/retail/product.as...42&dcaid=17902

http://www.fadfusion.com/selection.p...er=20082405079

DarquePervert · 05-01-2008, 04:43 PM

It would suck for a PC install.
No VGA input, meaning you're limited to composite video, which is crap for a PC.
The touchscreen won't work for a PC, only for the headunit.

Remember that with electronics (as well as many other products), you get what you pay for.

CmbtMdcThor · 05-01-2008, 07:23 PM

That is very true you do what you pay for......But it was worth taking a look at. I am really just trying to find a moderately priced touchscreen with a decent set of features. I am NOT planning on dropping +300 Dollars on a 7 inch touchscreen. I would rather drop that money into the CARPC build or the Chevelle IMO.

Anyone have any suggestions on a touchscreen?----- Before someone ask for me to search the forum I AM---I just want some fresh opinions instead of search results from 2006 LOL

THANKS>>>>

toyotatyrant · 05-06-2008, 01:56 AM

Stay away from those Power Acoustic screens. They don't have VGA inputs which make them not good for car pc installs. And besides that, they are not very reliable at all. I've had my experience with thier screens and in-dash dvd/mp3 units and they are not well built. And they were the primary reason that drove me to the car pc scene. They look good and get oooh's and aaaah's from uneducated bystanders, but they definitely need tons of inprovement when it comes to how they handle media, especially MP3's, which makes you want to take a hammer to them. They don't support long filenames or id3 tags and have no configurable playlists whatsoever nor do power acoustic offer firmware updates which would probably help by leaps and bounds. I say invest in a cross, holy water, and a rifle with silver bullets if you thinking about getting close to one of those. My advice is to save a few extra dollars and get a better vga based screen and build a car pc instead.

There are many 7 inch and 8 inch screens available that are well under $300. Many can be had for around $200 give or take a few bucks for shipping. Don't let certian popular online stores scare you with the big markup they have on all this stuff. Don't be affraid to price shop. Just make sure you look for the important specs.... resolution, brightness, contrast, vga inputs, power requirments, etc... And by all means, ALL MEANS! Don't blow money on one of those Power Acoustic units. It's all about patience and planning

CmbtMdcThor · 05-09-2008, 12:53 AM

toyotatyrant......Very well said, I think you pretty much single handedly destroyed Power Acoustic's business though (or is it their low quality products??)

..... Anyways All I really need is screen (not necessarily A touch screen) To display my car PC. I have heard touch screens are inconvenient because they can be distracting while you are driving, I think I would like to use custom hardware switches for the volume, tracks, etc.... and have the screen display RR FE...whats your opinion on that? Is girder the way to go on this?

toyotatyrant · 05-09-2008, 08:15 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by CmbtMdcThor

toyotatyrant......Very well said, I think you pretty much single handedly destroyed Power Acoustic's business though (or is it their low quality products??)

Was I that tough on them?

Nah! They had it coming!

Quote: Originally Posted by CmbtMdcThor

..... Anyways All I really need is screen (not necessarily A touch screen) To display my car PC. I have heard touch screens are inconvenient because they can be distracting while you are driving, I think I would like to use custom hardware switches for the volume, tracks, etc.... and have the screen display RR FE...whats your opinion on that? Is girder the way to go on this?

I have yet to user girder, but I know many of the forum members who have definitely swear by it, but I do have a friend who uses it in his home automation projects who is very happy with it. I'm also going with the hard switch interface on my current project this time and I probably will be going girder as well.

kirk78h · 05-09-2008, 10:33 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by toyotatyrant

I have yet to user girder, but I know many of the forum members who have definitely swear by it, but I do have a friend who uses it in his home automation projects who is very happy with it. I'm also going with the hard switch interface on my current project this time and I probably will be going girder as well.

This may be getting a little off subject, but if whatever interface you choose can send keystrokes, and RR can be setup to understand keystrokes, why is girder necessary? I've used RR for a long time, and rarely if ever use the touchscreen.

Kirk

toyotatyrant · 05-09-2008, 06:03 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by kirk78h

This may be getting a little off subject, but if whatever interface you choose can send keystrokes, and RR can be setup to understand keystrokes, why is girder necessary? I've used RR for a long time, and rarely if ever use the touchscreen.

Kirk

Thats a good point, cause this time I probably will be using the I-pac 4 which does send keystrokes. That will save me a few extra bucks.

CmbtMdcThor · 05-10-2008, 12:38 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by kirk78h

RR can be setup to understand keystrokes, why is girder necessary? I've used RR for a long time, and rarely if ever use the touchscreen.

Kirk

Hey Kirk....good point, I havent had time to play around much with RR, but if it works well at detecting keystrokes why bother using Girder at all....UNLESS- You want to use a device to emulate keystrokes from a non-keyboard device, like Space Navigaton (im assuming) instead of using a BULKY keyboard in the car...which would defeat the whole purpose of using hardware to control RR without distractions