Car Computer?, Ideas? Options

[cnelson]

I would like to install a car computer. I need to know about how much it would cost me. I just want to take an old laptop mount it somewhere power it up to a touch screen monitor then somehow rig it so when the car comes on so does the laptop and when the car shuts off so does the laptop. I also want GPS. I know its a big under taking but i have high hopes on how sweet it would look. I posted in pittfire's theard but he hasn't been around in a couple days so i made my own topic. -cnelson.

[cnelson]

also how do you keep the radio working and how do you hook up the touch screen?

[Hanyo]

also how do you keep the radio working and how do you hook up the touch screen?

to hook up the radio you can buy a radio reciever card for the PC. radio link. To hook up the touch screen you just hook it up like hooking up a regular screen to your normal computer.

The MOST important thing with car computers is: RESEARCH!

The secret to making a sucessfull system is finding the right parts that make the install easier. I'm sure you can find a cheap generic touch screen to fit your car, spend 10 years of electrical engineering classes to learn how to make a circuit board so the touch screen will hook up to the pc. Spend another 5 years in school to learn computer science and develope your own computer software to work with the touch screen.. ect ect ect...

If you research enough you will find a touch screen that will EASILY hook up to any pc. Software that comes with the touch screen so it will work with the PC.

There is no "set" way to make a car computer work. Its all ingenuity. You can be as creative as you like utilizing the full power of the PC. Or you can make a hybrid car computer utilizing the normal stero of the car with the pc. The possiblies are end-less.