using your computer as a player

[bartsingleton]

i want to use my laptop in my car to play my music. i've been looking for a way to do it and i dont know the right people to ask. i'd have to think that someone on here will be able to help me. can i do it? does it cost much? where do i get it? how do i do it?

thanks

bart singleton

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[bean 10+ year member]

I'm assuming, you want to play Mp3's and such? It's actually pretty easy, let me know what type of head unit you have (exact model if possible please). I can tell you for sure from there.

 

[bartsingleton]

well it is a sony. all i can see on it is this. i dont know if its a model # or what. its a 35watt x 4. and it says excd-206. hopefully that is enough or maybe i'll be able to search around and find a picture of it and find out what the model is.

thanks a ton for helping man

bart

 

[Brock 5,000+ posts]

get a head unit with an AUX input and your set. Most higher end HU's have it, and ive seen front inputs on a million AIWA's.

 

[bean 10+ year member]

He's right. Buy a CD player with an auxilary input. They start about $225.

With the existing CD player, go to any stereo shop and buy what's called an FM modulator. They're about 50 bucks. It'll allow your computer to play "through" one of the FM channels. Good luck

 

[Thumpin'Ram 10+ year member]

bean is right, you either need a new head unit or an fm modulator.

I put a laptop in my friends porsche, kept the laptop in the trunk and installed a 6" touch screen at the dash. It worked pretty neat.

Also if you have any amplifiers, you can just use the output right out of the computer into the amps, using an rca converter. But its not the best way of doing things

 

[bartsingleton]

i do have an amp. if i do it that way what is the drawbacks? can it harm the computer in any way? does it sound a lot worse or why is it bad. what is an fm modulator...how much did that 6" touch screen cost?

bart

 

[Thumpin'Ram 10+ year member]

If you use the computer as the only source input to the amp, then you will lose your radio, cd/ tape capabilities. And depending on the voltage output of the computer and matching voltage gain capabilities of your amplifier, it may not match up. although you technically could also splice both rca's together (HU, and computer) but I really do not know what that will cause. So I dont recommend it. An rf modulator is only about $35.

The touch screen was a couple hundred $. I believe he purchased it at http://www.flat-panel.com