Sorry if this has been discussed, but I have the same excuse as everone else (no search, still!!!!).

I am planning to install a custom pc in my Z and I would like to know if anyone here has any cons (except for price) to using a permanently mounted laptop in the place of a custom built mini-itx pc.

I want to use a laptop mainly because of the fact that it has a built in battery, and I would like to run it with the car off, without having to worry about running down the car battery. Also, laptop drives are somewhat more resistant to shock, and every little bit helps.

 

A laptop makes sense, but understand that battery won't last long in a car in the summer heat if that's the only reason for it. I would definately want to mount the monitor up front and have the kybd avail wirelessly also. I have thought many times about installing a PC in the auto just never could work out how to operate it effectively. Never liked the idea of having to turn around or go to the trunk to manage playlists etc.

 

I will probably have a keyboard, just in case, but I will probalby just connect to it using windows xp remote assistance and wifi, while I am at work, or at home (part of the reason for having the pc on wihtt he power off). While in the car, I plan to get the Xenarc, with touch screen, an easy to use interface, with at least some voice control. I have some ideas on other input too.

Heat is always going to be a killer though.....

 

Does any of the ee guys have any ideas how I could rig up the power switch to operate electronically?

I am assuming that the power switch is just a couple of metal contacts that are shorted for a brief while to turn the computer on. Can I use a transistor to close this circuit? I would like it powered by the unlock signal from my remote, at least as a first pass. ANyone have any ideas how hard this would be to do?

 

Don't think your remote will be able to turn your pc on. The pulse is too short (imagine pushing the power button 20 times in a few secs) You could wire a DPDT Relay to the dome light and PC power. With the DPDT (double pulse, double throw) relay, you can hook one end to the domelight. So when it turns on, the relay will trigger the power switch. Then wire the other part of the relay to your PC's power. So when it powers on, the relay throws and stop the connection to the power button.

So, when the Door opens (Dome light on) the relay triggers and connects the power switch (to turn it on) and holds it till PC powers up (PC power will close the relay)


This is just an idea (I think you need an additional relay for the power button).

 

One other thought is a WiFi card that has wake on lan technology in it. That would save your battery and would enable you to power on the PC remotely by connecting to it wirelessly.

 

Do you know of any wifi cards that support it? Or any pcmcia cards that support it? From the quick 10 minutes of research that I did, all I could find were reasons that WiFi WOL won't work. I gotta get my hands on the laptop I plan to use and see what my options are.

 

WOL only will bring the PC out of standby or if hardrive is powered down. It will not bring it out of hibernation and certainly not power the PC on if it's turned off. So as far as battery saving goes, it's not much, since standby does draw power and with WIFI going, it'll drain more.

 

Yeah, that is kinda what I suspected, but wasn't sure, since I have never used this feature.

I did come across something interesting in the manual however:

If you put the computer in Hibernation mode by closing the
display panel, you can start it again by opening the display
panel.

I was excited about that, but of course, there is a note following that:

If your computer is running on batteries, you cannot start it
again by opening the display panel. To turn the system back
on, press the power button.

damn, there goes that idea

I guess I will have to look into it more once I actually get the machine.