Laptop mounting.

JEONLYEP · Feb 19, 2005

Here's what I did.

Mounted the bracket thru the bezel for the dash. Using the bottom screws that hold the ac/heater controls, and two holes I drilled and put clip-on screw catches in up top.

Bracket folds up when not in use.

Display can be folded down for access to radio and Ac/heater controls.

Laptop is used with my GPSr for Geocaching and keeping track of where I'm at.

There is still room to reach the gear shifter by reaching under the laptop. It takes a little getting used to though.

What do you think?

Thanks, Daryl

XJ_ranger · Feb 19, 2005

Cool!

im diggin it - that would be great for war driving too... (if you know what that is - 7|-|3|\| '/0|_| 5|-|0|_||_|) |33 4|3|_3 70 |234|) 7|-||5 )

seanR · Feb 19, 2005

Only see Red x's!
Links don't work!
:rattle:

riverfever · Feb 19, 2005

Daryl,

That looks really nice man. What excactly would I need for software to do something similar with my laptop? I ask only b/c after I get moved to the mountains I would like to start guiding fly fishers. Something like that would be very nice to waypoint remote spots at snow melt lakes or high streams etc. Would be really slick to be able to pull stuff up and also have a description of the area, and details of it for clients. Ya know...to make decisions about which areas to target. Thanks.

-Chris

riverfever · Feb 19, 2005

Man...the more I think about this the more excited I am. It would be slick to have the coordinates for hundreds of holes with separate files for descriptions of the locations as well as notes of past trips (times of peak bites, hatches, etc.). Pictures of the locations could also be included. So...if fish weren't cooperating, you could grab the client and say..."let's go to spot X." Show a pic, describe it, etc.
I have a nice laptop and digi cam. I'm unsure of what else I would need though. It looks like you made that out of angle iron. Way simple. Neat.

dan89XJ · Feb 19, 2005

Neat Idea !

This makes me think what do those cop cars have ? I like how they are angled to you.. for easy viewing. Hmm...

JEONLYEP · Feb 19, 2005

I'm using Expert GPS You can down load a trail version at the website. It's $60 to buy, and I really like it. It has topo and Aerial Photo Maps. Once you've seen a map while online, it's saved on the computer so that as you track your movements, you stay centered on the map on screen. ExpertGPS also reads and writes data files from Garmin's MapSource, National Geographic's Topo, and MapTech's Terrain Navigator.

riverfever said:
It looks like you made that out of angle iron. Way simple. Neat.

It was 16 gauge steel, that I cut and bent.

Daryl

JEONLYEP · Feb 19, 2005

seanR said:
Only see Red x's!
Links don't work!
:rattle:

Anyone else have picture problems?

Daryl.

nhrocker · Feb 19, 2005

I can see the pics fine. Looks good! And simpler than my idea (and probably cheaper).

Are you using an external add-on type of GPS for your laptop? I was given a Garmin Vista (handheld) a while back as a present and now I'm wondering if I could hook it up to my laptop. I still don't even know how to use it when dealing with coordinates, though......

BrettM · Feb 19, 2005

won't a laptop get pissed off at all the vibrations and such?

XJ_ranger · Feb 19, 2005

BrettM said:
won't a laptop get pissed off at all the vibrations and such?

my IBM "braces" for impact - as in stops all read / write comands when a large movement is sensed... dont know if it actualy does anything but there is an annoyign pop up sometimes when the bass from my sub fires...

riverfever · Feb 19, 2005

Hey Ranger...any pics of your setup?

JEONLYEP · Feb 19, 2005

nhrocker said:
I can see the pics fine. Looks good! And simpler than my idea (and probably cheaper).

It was just scrap metal that I had left over from another project. BUt a 12x24 sheet is like $10.00, two bolts and 4 screws and two screw clips $4. So $14.oo plus an hour bending and designing, and one more hour getting it in the Jeep.

nhrocker said:
Are you using an external add-on type of GPS for your laptop? I was given a Garmin Vista (handheld) a while back as a present and now I'm wondering if I could hook it up to my laptop. I still don't even know how to use it when dealing with coordinates, though......

I have a Garmin Etrex. Just have a cable that gives power from the cig lighter and connects the GPSr to the computer.

BrettM said:
won't a laptop get pissed off at all the vibrations and such?

That's why I got the Panasonic Toughbook, all connections in the laptop are flexable and everything is mounted with silicone gell padding, it's also sealed from dust and water getting into the computer through the keyboard. (Toughbooks are the most used laptop by law enforcement)

Daryl

RichP · Feb 19, 2005

Looks cool but do a search on yahoo for VSM or Vehicle Specific Mounts, give you an idea of whats out there...

XJ_ranger · Feb 20, 2005

riverfever said:
Hey Ranger...any pics of your setup?

mine sits on the passneger seat - hope that i dont get in an accident...

riverfever · Feb 20, 2005

OK...I checked out some software today. So I need to get that installed, some kind of hand held GPS device from Garmin or Etrex, and then have that plugged in to the laptop? Is that what all the cables are in your vehicle JEONLYEP?

JEONLYEP · Feb 20, 2005

riverfever said:
OK...I checked out some software today. So I need to get that installed, some kind of hand held GPS device from Garmin or Etrex, and then have that plugged in to the laptop? Is that what all the cables are in your vehicle JEONLYEP?

Garmin makes the Etrex. It's a low end type of hand held. But once it's hooked to the computer (serial port) the computer and what ever program you have takes over anyway.

All the cables in my Jeep aren't all for the laptop and GPS. I'm going to hard wire my inverter to power the laptop, and most any other AC item I may need.
Then I'll be down to the cig lighter plug in for power to the GPSr and connecter to the puter. Other wires in the photos may be for the CB that I displaced while figuring where to put the laptop, or power to and signal from my XM raidio, which are hanging around there somewhere as well.

Daryl

Laptop mounting.

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