laptops

i am being given a laptop by my dad what do i need to power it in the unit. can i get a 12/24v adapter or do i need an inverter

also i understand you can get aTV card to turn it in to a TV.i have been quoted £50 at dixons is this about right

you should be able to get a 12/24 volt lead for it, i suggest you go on the pcworld website, where you should also find a wintv adapter for your laptop, mine was £30 ish

regards
paul

Any decent computer shop should sell you a cigarette-lighter type power lead. Check it’s OK with 24v though!! Better buying single items at a shop to save postage, but if you’re going for a tv card too, it may be as well to buy online.

Do your homework first! It’s a nightmare if you have to send stuff back if you get the wrong thing. Try:

Dabs dabs.com/uk
Overclockers overclockers.co.uk/

Email them for advice if needs be. PC World is a bit pricey for me. And like Currys/DIxons (they’re all 1 in the same) they haven’t a clue if you ask them technical questions: “24v? But cigarette lighters are 12v aren’t they?” [/i]

I would check with the laptop manufacturer, most of the well known ones do car kits, so should be Ok on 24v as well but as Lostpup says, worth checking.

Scan - www.scan.co.uk are worth a look as weel. Dealt with them quite a bit and are very reliable. Best bit is they have a todayonly page where you can sometimes pick up a bargin

PC World - always good for a laugh if you ask them even the slightest techy question they flap Maybe its just me though

Colingl:
I would check with the laptop manufacturer, most of the well known ones do car kits, so should be Ok on 24v as well but as Lostpup says, worth checking.

I’d be very surprised if a standard car adaptor will run from 24 V. It’s more likely to either blow a fuse in the adapter (or the truck), or maybe even overheat and catch fire.

Of course, check the specifications, and you might be lucky and get one that supports 24 V.

If you’re always going to use it in the same truck, then find out what your truck has got - if there’s 12V sockets that’ll provide enough current, then I’d suggest using one of them with a standard car adapter. If you have to use 24V, then look to see if the car adapter supports 24 V; if it doesn’t, you’ll need a 24 V - 240 V inverter, plus the standard mains power supply.

Scan - www.scan.co.uk are worth a look as weel. Dealt with them quite a bit and are very reliable. Best bit is they have a todayonly page where you can sometimes pick up a bargin

In my experience, Scan are great, until something goes wrong (after they’ve got your money). After that point, getting hold of customer services is next to impossible.

I once bought some RAM from them which turned out to be faulty - fair enough, it happens sometimes. However, I then spent the next month and a half trying to get hold of Customer Services. They ignored all emails and submissions to the web form. The telephone line was permanently engaged, and I tried all times of the day and week, calling pretty much every day. It’s not that they kept me in a queueing system; I couldn’t even get into a queue, as the line was just engaged.

I finally got a response when I emailed one of the company directors in response to his article on the website saying “we’re focussing on customer service”. My response? “Yeah, right.” It was sorted out, but I shouldn’t really have to resort to sending snotty mails to company directors just to get a faulty product replaced…

Their products and prices are good, but their service stinks. Of course, things could have changed since then.

PC World - always good for a laugh if you ask them even the slightest techy question they flap Maybe its just me though

PC World used to be seriously overpriced, but they’re not so bad now. However, the staff haven’t improved. They know about as much about computers as many TMs know about driving…

PC-World-staff-baiting has been proposed as an Olympic sport…

I’ll never forget the time I went in and asked if they had a “null modem cable”, and the salesdroid said “Parallel or serial?”

I’ve never used Overclockers. I’ve used dabs a few times, and never had any problems, but I’ve never had to contact Customer Services for anything either…

You’ll probably have to use a USB-based TV card, as your laptop won’t take a PCI one. If you want some advice, feel free to PM me.

cheers lads for the advice.when i receive my laptop i will have a better idea of what gear to get i was surprised to learn you could run a laptop through a 12/24v adaptor
i agree with mr flibble about PC WORLD staff baiting
my brother in law went to buy the same desktop as i had purchased 2 weeks previous. only to be told my unit would be no good in 6 months.(my lads have it in their room 6 years later )with me stood next to him ding,ding round one
i will pm you if i have any problems mr f
cheers
jon

My AC adaptor blew so to get me out of the mire went to Maplins. Got me a
DC power regulated adaptor 12 volt input most trucks have a 12v socket.
Output can be from DC 15/16/18/19/20/v at 3.5A max
Or 22/24V 2.9A 70W max with a 10 amp fused protection £29.99. works great.
Come with all the input plugs for most laptops My Toshiba needs 15V 5A in the book but 15V 3.5A is keeping it charged up and running dvds/ the TV software no problem . As for tv software go fo Wintv the basic one not the digital its crap. Maps Micosoft autoroute is about the best. but no bridge hights
or weights limits But carry the AA trucker map it stays in good nick if you only use it for bridges Good luck Rob

As for tv software go fo Wintv the basic one not the digital its crap. Maps Micosoft autoroute is about the best.

brill,i will look at the power demand for it when i get it.
i have autoroute so i will install that too.have you ever pluged in a gps to work with autoroute hopefully i will have tv up and running for euro 04

cheers
jon