Dashboard Laptop Mounting

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monkfish24

monkfish24

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Cornwall
I have a laptop, that despite being perfectly serviceable, is not quite up to what I want for gaming.

I am toying with the idea of using it as an all in one Sat Nav, Media, Internet jobby for my series once I start travelling in it (possibly alps and maybe Mallorca this winter), security issues aside with theft etc, has anyone found a mount for a laptop that is in the UK and is strong and usable?
 
Yes,
https://www.rammount.com/components

These are the best you can get, and I saw a fella with a laptop mounted in the centre seat section on an arm, when he got out he would swivel it around over the central seat and chuck a coat over it and you couldn't tell it was there.

There are various no drill options, I just checked it seems more complex now and you could use one of hundreds of adaptors, if I were you I would just drill it in front of the centre bench and then get a decent arm so you can spin it around.
https://www.rammount.com/part/RAM-VB-116-SW1

Or get something which will go under the seat.
 
The problem with using a laptop as a sat nav, is that either you can't see round it to look where you're going (obstructing your vision) or you need to look away from the road to look at the screen. I tried recently using a tablet as a sat nav in a modern small van with a large windscreen and quickly realised there's a reason sat-navs are small.
 
Discokids said:
The problem with using a laptop as a sat nav, is that either you can't see round it to look where you're going (obstructing your vision) or you need to look away from the road to look at the screen. I tried recently using a tablet as a sat nav in a modern small van with a large windscreen and quickly realised there's a reason sat-navs are small.
Click to expand...

Yep, a small device within your normal field of vision is far less distracting.
 
Sorry, forgot to mention that that the laptop would really be designed for the passenger to deal with. Thanks for the RAM mount suggestions, they are still quite pricey. Might have a look at a DIY option maybe with some kind of side fold so it fits down the side of the passenger seat in the centre.

I could build a drawer under the cubby that it pops out from...
 
The rammount shown holds
IMG_20160213_121756.jpg
my phone but I have another that holds a 9" tablet.
 
What you could do, if set on using a laptop is find an external display that suits your laptop, they can be rather cheap. Fit that in a decent place and tuck the laptop out the way, have seen folk fit mounts into the lid of the cubby box.

May sound dramatic but you could remove the laptops screen, fit the base on top of the cubby box and an external mounted where ever you please.

That said adding a laptop isnt ideal and tablets are cheap these days. You can pick up a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 from £40 - £100. Some have GPS/3/4G as well which is an added bonus and adds much more versitility.
 
Thinking about, im inclined to agree with you who are saying to go the tablet route. Mounts are cheaper and easier. Software/apps are easy to get and as you say, 4g capability included although im thinking of fitting a dongle in the dash with a sim installed for phone and laptop use when stationary/camping.
 
You can get a mount for a crt tv that goes on the wall and has a double hinged arm so that you can position it in a very flexible way. Readily available at car boots etc for next to nothing. I have bolted one to the side of my wife's armchair so that it swings round in front of her when she wants it, or just pushes out of the way.

This could also work with a tablet to provide a versatile mount if you arrange for it to be propped up. Even use a bluetooth keyboard.

If you have a more modern machine with an OBD11 interface, the tablet can talk to it and get much more info than the dashboard - costs about a tenner for hardware and software.

Personally I would look for a phone that can handle the satnav and communications aspect, but find one that allows "tethering" so that the tablet can connect though it to the internet.
 
The Mad Hat Man said:
Cheap tablets can have limited storage or crap gps. Check some out first
Click to expand...

Thats why I mentioned the Galaxy Tab 2. Fast enough, light enough, expandable memory up top 128GB via microSD + 4G sim slot (with the ability to broadcast 4G hot spot), runs near enough everything you'd need, has bluetooth, screen is a nice quality. All for less than £150

Got one myself for watchings films and the like on long trips.

If you want a 4G hotspot you'd be better off buying a dedicated device rather than using a phone, the phone connections can be hit n miss with low bandwidth.
 
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