rogerp Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 I guess this question has been asked loads of times!!! I'm thinking of getting a laptop to take away with us. The main reason is to be able to transfer photos and video from my cameras and then do the usual editing and create my albums / home movies ready to burn to CD at home (i never seem to have time when I get home) Anyway reason for the post , can you just plug in the laptop to the vans normal power supply and go or do I need to be doing anything. (I'd be on hook up at whatever site I was at) I've seen threads talking about invertors and other gizmos and it tottally baffles me to be honest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enodreven Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Hi, When and if you are on hookup you can charge the laptop in the same way as you would at home ? If you wish to use the laptop for extended periods while you are travelling I suggest you visit your local Maplins store or check there web site and purchase a 12 volt charger which you just push into your cigar lighter socket and into your laptop making sure you have selected the right voltage and configuration for the plug end e.g. + and - are the right way around and then off you go ? The reason for the charger unit is that your laptop battery will only last for a few hours if you have it turned on ? We use ours just as you have indicated and as a GPS with Microsoft Autoroute, a Flat screen TV, and a DVD player. Hope that helps, I will try to find a link to the Maplins site and the charger unit we have purchased which works very well. UPDATE:- This is a link to the charging unit we use http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=36836&doy=12m6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b6x Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 enodreven - 2007-06-12 3:12 PM We use ours just as you have indicated and as a GPS with Microsoft Autoroute, a Flat screen TV, and a DVD player. Can you buy laptops with a built in TV tuner then? If so, any makes/model numbers to hand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Keats Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 I use the Sony laptop as much as possible for the same reason as yourself, either on the site electrics or the 12v socket in a field with no problems at all. I keep it very simple with no extra gizmos. The converter (from socket to laptop) I use is named MW ComOn Model MW2172. Its the best I've found and I've had 3 different ones in the past, it has an easy changeable 10amp car type flat fuse and was under £20 from our local TV shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enodreven Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Hi,I'm not sure if any laptops come with built in tuners, as we have purchased a separate PCMICA card that will pickup both analogue and digital signals, it also has AV inputs so i can connect a Video Camera or a Video Player to download Videos to the laptop and then burn them onto DVD's, we find it very good its a LifeView FlyDVB-T Duo Cardbus Model:LR502, albeit its a few years old it still works fine.If your laptop doesn't have a PCMICA slot there are a number of tuner cards that can be connected through the USB ports I believeHope that helpsb6x - 2007-06-12 4:18 PMenodreven - 2007-06-12 3:12 PM We use ours just as you have indicated and as a GPS with Microsoft Autoroute, a Flat screen TV, and a DVD player. Can you buy laptops with a built in TV tuner then? If so, any makes/model numbers to hand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Take care when choosing a 12v to laptop via a charger. Laptops run a varying voltages. what is good for one, could fry another (!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Keats Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 The connector I use (MW ComOn Model MW2172) is like many others and has adjustable voltage settings on the rear that are changed with a slotted key as required. This one has 7 settings from 15v to 24v. At the moment its the best I've bought and cannot fault it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 12, 2007 Share Posted June 12, 2007 Most laptop chargers have adjustable output voltages to match different laptops? The model enodreven has from maplin for £20 can be had from EBay for £10. we use ours 12 inch ultra portable for watching movies/TV. checking mapping software/GPS software and campsite guides..... as sound poor we use an FM transmitter (£2.99 ebay) and listen to everything wirelessly through car stereo at a decent volume Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 Just be wary with the Dell Latitudes (and perhaps other Dells)... regular chargers will run the laptop but not charge it. You need to get a special one for Dells, and they're not cheap!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 mom - 2007-06-14 8:13 AM Just be wary with the Dell Latitudes (and perhaps other Dells)... regular chargers will run the laptop but not charge it. You need to get a special one for Dells, and they're not cheap!!! Which, to round this back to Roger's question, seems to mean that if he has a Dell, and is likely to be using it while off hook-up for extended periods, a small inverter may be his best bet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 I Agree Brian, Plus the small inverter can also be used for other duties - like charging the batteries used to power the cordless drill to wind up and down the steadies or charge the camera perhaps. C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 Except, and "please" tell me if I'm wrong, I believe you can get 20% or more from the van battery if going straight to the laptop, rather than through an invertor? Perhaps a moot point as one shouldn't be playing that close to the line anyway?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 The best current solution to the TV tuner for laptop problem is to buy a USB tuner - because of the complex connection, PCMCIA cards tend to be much more expensive. There are various sold that are a similar size to a USB memory stick and also come with a small, credit card sized remote control. You can get either digital or digital/analogue. Maplins often have them on offer. Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjmike Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 a little while ago I bought a Toshiba Qosmio laptop, this has a built in tuner (with or without MS Windows) a 17 inch screen (good picture from any angle), superb stereo speakers (Harman & Kandon). I did use an invertor to power it when away from hook up but bought one of the adaptors from Maplins so that it didn't waste any power going up to 240 volt then back down to 15 volt. The downside is this is not a very cheap laptop but the current Qosmio also has digital TV have a look here http://www.home-of-hd.co.uk/intel/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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