In-dash vs permanently mounted

bernoulli · 07-03-2005, 02:08 AM

In-dash:
Benefits:
- can be hidden away
- can appear to be a standard HU (less attractive to thieves)
- some display time when screen is off
Disadvantages:
- can restrict access to controls behind (how easy is it to access these?)

Permantly mounted:
Benefits:
- always there (no pull out)

Disadvantages:
- can't hide it

I'm still in the planning stages of a car PC, and I was initially thinking of getting the in-dash variety, mainly because it is easier and can be hidden. But I could instead remove the HU and storage thing below it and mount the screen there (see pic):

Is it a security risk having the screen permanently showing? (Has anyone had an in-dash screen stolen??) Has anyone had trouble with the police about the screen being visible to the driver (in-dash ones can be closed)? Are controls behind in-dash units annoying to access?
Discuss.

Also, motorised in-dash: yay or nay?

Peoples · 07-03-2005, 02:25 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by bernoulli

Is it a security risk having the screen permanently showing? (Has anyone had an in-dash screen stolen??) Has anyone had trouble with the police about the screen being visible to the driver (in-dash ones can be closed)? Are controls behind in-dash units annoying to access?
Discuss.

Also, motorised in-dash: yay or nay?

Police saw my screens on my explorer (after i flipped it....unrelated to carpc use) and the cop said to me .."you might wanna get your dvd screens outta there before the car gets to the tow yard"

as for the security risk, i'd say that depends on where you live....for me yes.

mashina · 07-03-2005, 10:05 AM

good mounted isnt antractive to thieves. They will see, that unmount destroy the screen

CapitaineFritz · 07-03-2005, 11:02 AM

thieves aren't all that intelligent

rsd212 · 07-03-2005, 11:18 AM

Or maybe they're the most intelligent. 5 minutes with a screwdriver earns them as much as me spending 8 hours at work. Granted, all I do at work is troll the mp3car forums...

legacy05gt · 07-07-2005, 08:34 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by rsd212

all I do at work is troll the mp3car forums...

+1

anitanium · 07-07-2005, 09:10 AM

maybe you can have it permamently mounted, but have some sort of covering that goes over it?
sort of like a shade?

mine is going to be permamently mounted...
i'm lucky i don't drive around bumtown..

Kiriller · 07-07-2005, 09:22 AM

you can put an in-dash bhind that cover that way people who liek stealing wont even know whats behind it

i think indash for that car would look good, im planning to put an indash for my car when i get one and the car im getting might be scion, used bmw or civic the 06 one or wv jetta/gti also 06 models.

btw nice cluch :P

rudeboymcc · 07-07-2005, 06:40 PM

disadvantage of in-dash, the mechanism may break, in which case you either have to pull it out manualy or just do without hte screen. the more that moves the more that goes wrong.

Quattro · 07-07-2005, 06:55 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by bernoulli

Permantly mounted:
Benefits:
- always there (no pull out)

Plus more professional and stock looking.

Quote: Originally Posted by bernoulli

Disadvantages:
- can't hide it

incorrect, you can make a cover for it and no one will know a screen is under there.

bernoulli · 07-16-2005, 02:40 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Kiriller

btw nice cluch :P

Sorry

... What's so nice about the clutch??

And Quattro:
Permanently mounted is more stock looking.... in a 1991 car?? I admire the technologies we had back then

.

soundoff · 07-17-2005, 08:26 AM

nice car

I am looking at my screen options aswell. I have the same dash setup as yours currently, pioneer CD head unit in the top slot however i have removed the ash tray at teh bottom and have a UHF CB mounted there.

I have sized up a liliput and they fit really nice in the 2 1/2 din space you have if you ditch your CD. Only thing is i want to keep mine for FM and audio cds, so im probably going to buy an in dash.

soundoff · 07-17-2005, 08:28 AM

by the way... anothe thing to consider with the in dash is that if you mount it where you CD player is now, it will flip up quite high and be much easier to see being at almost eye level. You wont have any trouble operating your air con buttons by feel unless you have only owned the car for a short time. I never look at mine anymore.

bernoulli · 07-24-2005, 02:51 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by soundoff

nice car

I am looking at my screen options aswell. I have the same dash setup as yours currently, pioneer CD head unit in the top slot however i have removed the ash tray at teh bottom and have a UHF CB mounted there.

I have sized up a liliput and they fit really nice in the 2 1/2 din space you have if you ditch your CD. Only thing is i want to keep mine for FM and audio cds, so im probably going to buy an in dash.

So you would have the CD head unit then under it the indash lcd, then a 1/2 DIN gap? (Assuming the 1.5 din storage compartment is replaced with the indash screen and 1/2 din gap...) Is this right? I don't want my head unit if I get a carputer.

Are the motorised indash units easy to pull down out of the way (temporarily) to access the heater controls, etc. behind it (then push it back up to normal viewing angle)?

soundoff · 07-24-2005, 05:30 AM

At the moment i am having alot of trouble making my mind up which way to go with screens. The 2 options I am looking at are:

1. ditch head unit. flush mount a 7" touchscreen taking up the entire 2 1/2 din space. I have test fitted an old style lilliput 7" (619 series) in my dash facia and with a bit of trimming of the stereo surround it would fit perfect without any modifications to the screen. The new 629 series should fit even easier because they are rectangular. Also those avatar / super LCD's look like they would fit aswell. I am trying to get dimensions off somebody (see the thread "New Ebay LCD")

2. Keep the head unit. Go the motorised in dash option. Iam currently leaning in this direction, you could either put the screen in the top slot so it covers the A/C controls, or you could put it at teh bottom and it would cover your head unit. Either way, your right about the 1/2 DIN gap to fill. I have the original 1DIN tray lid i could cut in half for that so its not a big deal.

If i didnt have my UHF radio mounted where the ash tray is i could mount my head unit down there, and then flush mount a 7" screen like i said. There really isnt anywhere else for my UHF to go though.