Comps Specs and Screen Size

Rocky388 · 05-31-2005, 12:27 AM

I just have a few questions that hopefully can be easily answered.

1 - I have a Termulator T-2000 . I'm not sure if you all are familar with this comp, but it's 2nd gen. stuff: AMD 300 Mhz Processor, 64 MB Ram, 4 gig hdd (i paid $150 for it). My question is, do you feel it will be good for a carputer? I only plan on using my carputer mostly for GPS, and to occasionally play CDs. I dont plan on replacing my headunit with this comp. The only reason why i'm concerned if this will be enough, is if i decide to expand the system. As i read more, i realise i might be interested in doing more, for instance, integrating my cellphone into this whole system, using a touch screen, using voice control for the navigation, etc. Now that i think of everything, i'm not so sure that this computer can handle it? What i listed is really everything i'd be interested in doing, so do you think it'll be enough?

2 - For a screen i orginally decided to get a 14" LCD screen. The quality is very good, but mounting it is a bit of an issue. Right now i have it between the passenger and driver seat, but it looks out of place. It doesnt look rediculous, but it is big. So i decided to go with a 10" portable dvd player. I tried that out tonight, and saw that when connecting that screen to a computer, i lost alot of quality and reading the small text was hard. So now I think i might go with a 7" liliput touchscreen. The only reason why im hesistant is because i feel the sreen might be hard to see since it's only 7" ? It seems like these screens are pretty much the standard though, so what im really looking for is what people think of their 7" screens...do you feel it's hard to see and eventually want a bigger screen?

Money is an issue, so getting a 10" VGA LCD screen is too expensive (unless anyone knows where i can get a nice one for $300?). I am considering mounting the 14" screen in the roof, and just having it fold down when i need it......any ideas on that?

I really don't want my install to look bad, yet i want it to be practical and conveinment for me.

Sorry is this post seems to newbish, but i have been searching these fourms and reading as much as i could, but i still felt i needed alittle help to really get started.

Thanks in advance, and sorry for the long post.

Bugbyte · 05-31-2005, 12:40 AM

1. Get an 8" screen instead of 7", if you have the room. That helps with the size issue.

2. The DVD player is a video screen. As you saw, Video and VGA are two completely different things with VGA being much higher quality.

3. A 300mhz computer won't be powerful enough to do the things you listed. MP3's, okay. Voice recognition, while playing MP3's, while doing Nav, no.

But go ahead and do the install with the system you have. You can always upgrade later and the basic stuff like the screen and power supply don't necessarily have to change.

turbocad6 · 05-31-2005, 12:47 AM

what kind of car is this install for?

Rocky388 · 05-31-2005, 10:39 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by turbocad6

what kind of car is this install for?

a Ford Ranger...which is why the 14" screen doesnt look rediculous I suppose. (in a car im sure it would look alot worse)

DarquePervert · 05-31-2005, 12:37 PM

Actually, I think anything larger than a 10" screen in any vehicle's driver compartment looks ridiculous. I'll further that by saying a 10" only works in larger vehicles like a Dodge Ram or a full-sized van or a Hummer.
That's just my opinion. Do whatever you choose with it.

Rocky388 · 05-31-2005, 07:48 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by DarquePervert

Actually, I think anything larger than a 10" screen in any vehicle's driver compartment looks ridiculous. I'll further that by saying a 10" only works in larger vehicles like a Dodge Ram or a full-sized van or a Hummer.
That's just my opinion. Do whatever you choose with it.

so i'd take it you have no problem what so ever looking at a 7" screen? I'm not saying my 14" isnt too big, hell, i'm definitly going to replace it...i just wanna make sure im not getting something thats going to be too small.

What would you reccommend? 7" or 8"? I'm not so much concerned about it looking factory, i just want a screen that i can see, and that doesnt look really out of place.

turbocad6 · 05-31-2005, 07:49 PM

too big....the money you are saving by using what you already have is going to be offset by the add'l labor it's going to take.....not to mention when your'e all done it probably isn't going to look so hot......don't worry so much about a smaller screen not being viewable.....they work fine in close quarters of a vehicle & look like they belong there.......I think an 8" should be fine for a ranger......MAYBE a 10.4, but that's pushing it I think......depends on your skills & final desire for it to look good.....

DarquePervert · 05-31-2005, 08:27 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Rocky388

so i'd take it you have no problem what so ever looking at a 7" screen? I'm not saying my 14" isnt too big, hell, i'm definitly going to replace it...i just wanna make sure im not getting something thats going to be too small.

What would you reccommend? 7" or 8"? I'm not so much concerned about it looking factory, i just want a screen that i can see, and that doesnt look really out of place.

I'm going with a 7" screen, and no I won't have any problem looking at that screen. I'm not going to be doing a lot of reading on that screen, nor will I be composing an updated version of War And Peace on it.
Granted, I also have top-notch vision and don't need corrective lenses of any sort. I can comfortably use windows default-sized fonts at 1280x1024 on a 17" monitor with no issues whatsoever.

The way my setup is working, I'm going to have a second video out, so if I decide to write the great American novel from teh driver's seat of my truck, I'll be able to use a larger screen that's more suited to that purpose.
I'll also be parked somewhere.

Frankly, in most vehicles, a 10" screen looks decidedly out of place. In my opinion, an 8" screen is about the largest size that looks decent. AS I stated before, a 10" screen might work in the largest road-going vehicles. Anything larger than that would look better on your desk or in the backseat of a cab or limousine.

I don't make recommendations on these forums. I'll share my experiences and thoughts and opinions. I look at it this way. If I recommend product X and you don't like it, you're going to be ****ed at me. There's far more effective and creative ways to **** someone off.

HHdesign · 05-31-2005, 09:37 PM

Build some cardboard models to decide which size screen is best for you. Good luck with your project.

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