# Carputer mounting **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [April 29, 2019, 3:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477 "2019-04-29T15:06:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ejhett124\_151373](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/977dab/32.png) [@ejhett124\_151373](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ejhett124_151373)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 3:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/1 "2019-04-29T15:06:20Z")
I have a ford e350 and want to mount a carputer ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 3:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/2 "2019-04-29T15:24:28Z")
Good for you… what is a carputer? ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 5:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/3 "2019-04-29T17:51:33Z")
> [@ejhett124\_151373](#): > > I have a ford e350 and want to mount a carputer If you really want some help or advice you need to write a post that makes people have an idea what you want . ---
**Author:** ![pyrolord314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@pyrolord314](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pyrolord314)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 5:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/4 "2019-04-29T17:53:06Z")
> [@ejhett124\_151373](#): > > mount a carputer is this supposed to be a desktop mounted laptop like cops and tow truck drivers use? ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2019, 5:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/5 "2019-04-29T17:55:17Z")
Should be easy. Have a CARpenter build a workbench in the back of your van and secure your CARputer to the bench. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 3:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/6 "2019-04-30T03:34:02Z")
Is that a fish finder? I suggest mounting it on your boat instead. I wonder if people read what they write? ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 8:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/7 "2019-04-30T08:49:27Z")
A **carputer** is a computer with specializations to run in a car, such as compact size, low power requirement, and some customized components > **[Carputer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carputer)** > > A carputer is a computer with specializations to run in a car, such as compact size, low power requirement, and some customized components. The actual computing hardware is typically based on standard PCs or mobile devices. Because they are computer based they typically have many standard interfaces such as Bluetooth, USB, and WiFi. The first carputer was introduced by Clarion Co. on December 4, 1998, although on-board diagnostics have already been employed ever since the 1980s in order to A cha... ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 11:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/8 "2019-04-30T11:05:50Z")
Thanks for that info. Sounds outdated to me. I have seen LEOs using them for running background checks and entering data. But for the average person seems most needs could be accomplished with a phone or tablet. ---
**Author:** ![ejhett124\_151373](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/977dab/32.png) [@ejhett124\_151373](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ejhett124_151373)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 7:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/9 "2019-05-01T19:51:34Z")
I am going to custom build a car computer using a rpi3 ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 8:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/10 "2019-05-01T20:33:59Z")
The LEO’s I know have Panasonic Toughbooks (full featured laptops) they use in their cars, the attach and detached from a mount/dock on the car. Seems like it’s a better solution than a low-powered, specialized “Carputer” or Rasberry Pi-based device like the OP is suggesting. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/11 "2019-05-01T20:56:13Z")
> [@FoDaddy](#): > > Seems like it’s a better solution than a low-powered, specialized “Carputer” or Rasberry Pi-based device like the OP is suggesting. He may be one of those people that’s going to make his cars accessories voice controlled. instead of reaching for the switch you just say “Wipers on” or “Radio on” or “Lights off” > **[Interested in a Talking Car Feature?](https://www.autopi.io/blog/speak-to-your-car-like-kitt-from-knight-rider/)** > > Build your very own talking car like KITT from Knight Rider with AutoPi TMU. Learn how to use the AutoPi platform to create advanced car systems. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 9:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/12 "2019-05-01T21:00:41Z")
> [@ejhett124\_151373](#): > > I am going to custom build a car computer using a rpi3 To do what?? ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 9:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/13 "2019-05-01T21:35:19Z")
Put a couple in vehicles, added an extra on off switch. It is coupled to a 15" touchscreen daylight readable monitor. Computer has 2 power sources, one always hot, one connected to the ignition. Start the vehicle computer with gps mapping for utilities fires up, turn off the vehicle computer senses it and shuts down using 24/7 power. These were larger boxes 8" x 12" or so, and the monitor was mounted using the ram mount hardware with vesa adapter for the monitor. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 9:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/14 "2019-05-01T21:41:33Z")
How about just purchasing an Android radio head unit? Mine has Torque Pro as standard and is plugged right into the CAN bus because the radio is the warning chime. Also has a remote GPS antenna so Maps or Waze can run with off-line maps. ---
**Author:** ![ejhett124\_151373](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/977dab/32.png) [@ejhett124\_151373](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ejhett124_151373)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 12:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/15 "2019-05-02T00:02:36Z")
1. in answer to the buy it premade I making it for my mother a we would like to keep it cheep and it is largely a school project 2. it is for connecting to a phone over bluetooth as a speaker to add a aux port and to add the ability to download music when connected to wifi ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 12:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/16 "2019-05-02T00:09:55Z")
WIFI and bluetooth will kill the battery on the phone, you are better off using the combo charge and tether to the phone,but your data limits will go fast, we have unlimited, but after 8gb it is forced into slow mode, I think you might be better off with sirrus or a hotspot ---
**Author:** ![ejhett124\_151373](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/977dab/32.png) [@ejhett124\_151373](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ejhett124_151373)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2019, 11:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/carputer-mounting/139477/17 "2019-05-02T11:38:25Z")
I will use the battery from the car and I do not think it will be a big enough power draw considering it will only be on when the car is on