In-car PC

[Joe Bloggs]

For a while now I've been thinking about replacing the CD/radio, PDA with Bluetooth GPS sitting on the dash combination, in my car with something a bit more integrated/up to date, e.g. lose the CD player etc. and have something which plays MP3's from a memory stick, sat-nav, vehicle tracking and the rest.

Not having found anything ready-made which does everything I want I'd toyed with the idea of fitting the PDA into the radio slot as some sort of 'in-car computer' little knowing that there was a whole new market in computer equipment designed specifically to enable you to fit a complete desktop type system into the radio cut-out/boot.

Has any done this before?, comments?, can recommend any sites which might be useful?

At the moment the costs for a complete system actually seem less than some companies charge just for an integrated sat-nav.

MP3Car.com
CappucinoPC

[Chico]

The new Laguna top of the range comes with Bluetooth Nav-Com System. It has everything you require - 3D Sat Nav, Voice activated navigation and phone with a bluetooth. Its quite impressive.

[Joe Bloggs]

Hmm...an abundance of responses it seems.

Well, guess I'll press on with it myself, decided to order a 7in TFT and hook it up to a notebook as a first step to see what things look like.

BTW thanks Chico, nice idea but going out and buying the latest top-of-the-range Laguna seems a bit more expensive than the 800 quid I had in mind.

[Joe Bloggs]

mini/nano-itx

Yep, thats what I had in mind. Mini-ITX type MB/case etc fitted in the boot or under one of the seats, with the display mounted where the radio normally goes.

With the right mb/case etc you can apparently build everything into the dash, but I'd be a bit worried about having the whole thing nicked.

Estimated cost seems about £800 all-in so far.