Running a laptop in car - what do I need?

[jammin1612]

Hi , I want to use the laptop to play a movie while driving and want to know what I need to run for the power source?

[macca81]

a laptop, a car, a really really long extension cord








a 12/240v inverter will do the job

[crispy]

a DC/DC convertor will be better. You can get them from electronics stored think even auto stores like repco have them, they just plug in your cigarette lighter.

[chimpboy]

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.as ... &SUBCATID=



$47.95.

[pongo]

i think supercrap was the cheapest out of memory

[bushy555]

Am bored at work. Lengthy boring reply follows of my [useless] install.

Power:
I grabbed one of them free-ish offers from the 4wdaction mag: a 150w invertor with a subscription, and when it arrived mounted it up under the dash, drilled a hole and mounted the 240v socket into the dash, along with an on/off switch, a fuse socket and an indicator led. Use the original laptop 240v power supply.


For audio from laptop to doof doof speakers within vehicle: (coz laptop audio probably not gonna be loud enough)

Decent amplifier under seat, 3.5mm socket on dash, call it 'dash audio in'. Then need a 3.5mm stereo plug to stereo plug lead; to plug laptop 'audio out' to 'dash audio in'.
Now, most amps these days have low impendance input... that is, RCA inputs. Some amps also have a high impendance input, such as a direct input for old tape players etc. Example, some of the old Jaycar amps had this. The socket on the dash 'dash audio in' for your laptop audio out or Ipod audio out (that you would normally run headphones) could either be wired directly to the low level impendance input of your amp. However to protect your amplifier a bit, should possibly be wired to a high-to-low impendance convertor that are about $20 from Jaycar/Strathfield car radios etc. I wired mine directly to the low input. I also have my cd player going to the same input, and a tape player wired through a high-to-low to the amp. So basically I can have three inputs going at once, and pretend Im a wanker disco DJ.
Audio from laptop though works very well. Can really crank it.


Mounting:
Is a two seater ute and theres enough room on top of the middle cubby box to sit laptop. Velcro.
[Stupidly] watching movies whilst driving, just sit laptop on top of crap (clothes bag etc) sitting on passenger seat. Not real flash at all. Brake, and everything falls to the floor. Heh!
Ideally have brackets mounted above gearstick and mount laptop ridgedly there. Or hang from roof.
Just haven't gotten around to doing it.