vavu Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Thought I would just share some photos of my latest project of fitting a media centre to my 300tdi Disco. The project came about when my 7inch Necvox roof mounted DVD screen manage to somehow fry its inner workings, photo as above. So I decided I could build a laptop media centre from my old dell laptop, this has a 15.4" Wide Screen so is a fantastic size for watching films. I built the laptop into a wooden box that had enough room for the powersupply, I actually had to cut nearly an inch off the front of the laptop and half an inch from the side to let the dvd drive sit flush with the outside edge of the box. I ditched the battery from the laptop as the charging circuit is faulty and most the time wont charge so this saved me a fair amout of space. I managed to get hold of a genuine Dell incar powersupply for £15 on ebay, cheaper than one from maplins and the real deal!! I covered the box in accoustic fabric and hacked the original latch into the box to hold the screen closed and added a power button in the side. I cut away a good section of the rooflining above where I was mounting too and Bolted a piece of MDF to the roof beam. This made sure I had something solid to attach the laptop too as there is a fair amout of weight, Cutting away the roof lining also made sure the heat can vent away as there is also nearly an inch gap between the base of the laptop and the base the of the box. A bit of clever trickery in the Nvidia graphics drivers allows you to rotate the screen so saves alot of hassle of remounting the screen in the bezel. I used a freeware Media Centre Software called MediaPortal, which allows you to watch films stored on the hardisk or DVDs, Music from your MP3 collection, Live Tv with Usb Tv stick, browse your photo collection and a load of other things too. All the Power cables, Usb Cables etc run to the boot where i have a box for my sound system amps, I Put a usb hub in there, so i can connect a remote control, wireless keyboard with mouse pad, and a mobile broadband dongle, Also the USB TV stick has its own USB Port directly connected to the laptop. The audio ouput runs to the stereo auxillary input so the sound can play out of the car speaker system. It looks fairly neat as I wanted it too and just fits nicely between the front sunroof and where the roof goes upward. I mounted the Infrared reciever for the remote control in the roof lining just behind the rear sunroof so the signal bounes off the screen or the windscreen back to the reciever and it works whatever direction you point it. Thats pretty much it really, I still need to sort out the aerial for the Live Tv as the one I got off ebay seems to be rubbish!! and I am going to put a second battery under the bonnet to power it and all the amps and stereo so it doesnt kill the car battery and also starting wont cut out the laptop!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disco tony Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Excellent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&S Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Looks like you've done a tidy job, and it just goes to show how many different folk buy discos for so many different reasons. Cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vavu Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 Looks like you've done a tidy job, and it just goes to show how many different folk buy discos for so many different reasons. Cool Yeah I have impressed myself with how neat it looks, How much use it gets remains to be seen!!! Unless anyone could help me with fitting driving controls in the back, I was thinking Mr Bean Style few ropes and a broom handle. On a more serious note next project I am tempting myself with is putting a 7inch touchscreen in the front radio compartment and linking that to a separate computer for Satnav, Music Player and Handsfree. Found some photos of someone else's project and thinking I can make it look like it was built into the car. although never really done any serious fibreglassing if anyone can give me some tips. Cheers Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jobo Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 that's really cool ive been planning a similar arrangements ive been considering getting one of them pull down vdu Telly units they have for kitchens for roof mounting and then putting all the hardwere in the boot. the downside is the dvd players in the boot as well, so its either get out and change it, find some where to mount it, (does any know if you can get a cd player which also plays dvds to replace the head unit) or ore likely just put a usb slot in the dash and put everything on a memory stick, im planning on using mobile broad band to get internet connection on the move and also a wifi amp so i can take advantage of the greater speed of free wifi access any one else played with this idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStu Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I love it, really cool idea and a great job too. I'm off to fiddle with my nVidia powered lappy to see if it will do the same! I'll have to get another truck too of course, I'm sure it wont take kindly to being airborne, immersed then shaken to death every weekend Stu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ste clark Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 man.. that is a lot of effort!! did you just double the value of the motor?? mine often fills up with water so i wont load it up with tellys and stuff!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vavu Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 that's really coolive been planning a similar arrangements ive been considering getting one of them pull down vdu Telly units they have for kitchens for roof mounting and then putting all the hardwere in the boot. the downside is the dvd players in the boot as well, so its either get out and change it, find some where to mount it, (does any know if you can get a cd player which also plays dvds to replace the head unit) or ore likely just put a usb slot in the dash and put everything on a memory stick, im planning on using mobile broad band to get internet connection on the move and also a wifi amp so i can take advantage of the greater speed of free wifi access any one else played with this idea I remember seeing a player called the Beat 500 or Beat 550 which has a built in mini screen and video outputs do a google of it not actually used one so dont really know how good it is. Most of my films are now on the hardisk of the laptop along with all my CDs!! I have a 3 pay as you go Mobile Broadband dongle that works really well in most places although im told Vodafone now do one pay as you go that only runs out when you have used the data instead of 30 days. Wifi works really well and i can sit on my drive connected at full signal to the house. Anyone interested in mounting an indash screen or car-puter here is quite an exciting thread. http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/fabricatio...-discovery.html Cheers Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vavu Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 I love it, really cool idea and a great job too. I'm off to fiddle with my nVidia powered lappy to see if it will do the same!I'll have to get another truck too of course, I'm sure it wont take kindly to being airborne, immersed then shaken to death every weekend Stu. Thank You Yeah I dont think it would handle too much extreme off roading. Most of the Nvidia drivers a have a thing called NVRotate built in and ATi have their own similar thing. Cheers Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vavu Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 man.. that is a lot of effort!! did you just double the value of the motor??mine often fills up with water so i wont load it up with tellys and stuff!!! Well I have to fill all my free time up with something. Sad thing is I dont think it will really add anything to the value of it but as I have regretted selling every Land Rover I ever had (Series 3 SWB, Series 2 SWB, Disco 200tdi, Disco Td5 2000) This one is gonna be for keeps!! Forever and ever and ever till it rots away anyway!!! I still have the odd drops of water landing on the rear load cover so can only suspect the alpine windows or the drain pipe that runs near there. Cheers Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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