[watchdoc]

Here's my 06 EX Coupe 5spd that most of you have seen. I didn't get NAV but I think I did pretty well. I decided to use my laptop as a hub for everything. The laptop handles all the following and prol more that I haven't thought of yet.

GPS, MP3 player, DVD player, mobile internet.


HP NX5000
1.6 gig Centrino
17" screen
DVD/CDR combo
JBL audio
1gig ram
60gig hard drive
wireless and bluetooth built in
XP-PRO
just over 4 hours battery life


Software
Delorme Street Atlas 2006 with the LT-20 GPS only $79.95
-latest maps, voice directions, and voice commands

Here's some pics in action.....



Here's the subwoofer for those of you that haven't seen it yet

The Car

GPS mode

Audio/DVD mode

 

[mplscivic]

Great pictures of the car. And thanks for taking pictures of the Subwoofer/read speakers.
I've considered going this route with a laptop and and usb gps module. I even downloaded a copy of Microsoft Streets and Trips off bit torrent. I have decided against it though because I dont want my laptop sitting on the passenger's seat all the time. It's bulky. I'm assuming it moves around while you are driving. Does the notebook read off turn by turn to you?

I decided to get the navigation system built in and because of this I have to wait an extra month to get my car.

 

[watchdoc]

Streets and Trips sucks.... Get Delorme Street Atlas 2006... It give voice directions and accepts voice commands.. It also tells things like speed and direction. Amazing product for $79.95.

With the passenger seat pulled up like I have it in the pictures, it works perfect. Obviously, this is not a ideal setup if you have a passenger but I ride alone about 90% of the time so I'm excited about having 60gig of music, videos, news, etc at my fingertips.

I plan to get Sprint or Verizon high speed wireless internet soon. Who needs XM or Sirrius when you can use Yahoo radio or any number of other online radio programs without the monthy charge.

Lemme know what you think

 

[CameronJr9]

I decided to get the navigation system built in and because of this I have to wait an extra month to get my car.

I think that's a good idea. The laptop is nice, but it's bulky. With the in-dash navi, it's all right there, and you don't have to reach across the seats. Still, it's a nice setup either way. Congrats on the purchase. I'm rolling the sedan, so I'm jealous of the sub and the extra wattage.

 

[mplscivic]

How were you able to get your notebook to play mp3s over your factory stereo? Is the sound quality good?

 

[watchdoc]

I simply use the headphone output from the laptop and plug in into the AUX input of the civic's stereo. Pretty simple really. You just need a 3.5 mini stereo plug.

The sound quality is as good as you'd get from any MP3 player although I did notice a little background noise when the laptop is charging vs running strictly on battery power. My guess is the laptop's adapter creates some ground loop noise when it's plugged into the civic's power supply. The good thing is that my Centrino laptop will run about 4 hours on a full charge.

 

[mesaba]

The first question that comes to mind is, don't you have any friends?

But seriously folks, that's a great money-saving idea except for the bulk and the non-built-inedness. With a wife and two kids, that would never work for me. And, you'd have to store it somewhere inconspicuous whenever you left it and stuff.

But, with the $1500 you saved by NOT getting the NAV built in you could buy a pretty sweet laptop.

Hmmmmm...

 

[watchdoc]

LoL, I guess you can never have too many friends but I digress.... I purchased this civic as a daily driver and commuter. I have a 40 mile commute which I drive alone several days a week. My wife has a highlander which we use to haul the kids around or go out with friends. Like I said earlier, I drive this car alone 90% of the time. While the factory NAV is obviously ideal, my car didn't come with it and I think I've put together a system that comes close for pennies on the dollar.

In my case, I already had the laptop so it was just a matter of a couple accessories. If I were going to buy one strictly for this purpose, I would buy a much smaller unit with even longer battery life.

 

[crazykid3437]

Streets and Trips sucks.... Get Delorme Street Atlas 2006... It give voice directions and accepts voice commands.. It also tells things like speed and direction. Amazing product for $79.95.

With the passenger seat pulled up like I have it in the pictures, it works perfect. Obviously, this is not a ideal setup if you have a passenger but I ride alone about 90% of the time so I'm excited about having 60gig of music, videos, news, etc at my fingertips.

I plan to get Sprint or Verizon high speed wireless internet soon. Who needs XM or Sirrius when you can use Yahoo radio or any number of other online radio programs without the monthy charge.

Lemme know what you think

you still have a monthly charge for verizon wireless though and isnt that 60 bucks a month or so ? its a fine setup, but i looks really distracting, and seems like an accident waiting to happen with how you have to look down and to the right to see the screen

 

[watchdoc]

So far it has worked really well. I will admit that it's easier to just burn the MP3's to a CD and pop them in but the GPS works awesome.

First, I make house calls for my business. I'm a watch and clock repairman and now all I customer needs to do is give me the address. I can find the house and calculate the mileage charge with Delorme is minutes.

Second, my girlfriend and I are shopping for a house. We can easily search for addresses while we're on the road. It gives directions in real time so you can go to one house and it will update your directions to the next house.

Also, my point with Sprint, Verizon, or ATT wireless internet would be that you could cancel your high speed at home (and your home phone for that matter) and just have high speed wireless for all your internet. For me, it's all about reducing the monthly charges and consolidating services.

 

[crazykid3437]

well its still 60 a month for wireless broadband when for me its lik 30 for cable through the local provider cox, so its more expensive, but obviously you can use it anywhere, but it would be cool if you could make a stand for it or something, ive seen a lot of gas and electric people or cops have laptops in there vechile now at there finger tips so if you could make a setup like that then i would say pimp

 

[unplugged]

i use my dell axim X5 w/ bluetooth gps.. works great, real accurate and only costed me 450 bucks for everything. I have it sucked onto the windshield along with my police scanner, sirius radio, and radar detector...

 

[imported__Viper_]

nice car do u like it

 

[fnx]

I had the same debate, and realized that the laptop option was ideally the way to go.. Plus i have a IBM Thinkpad tablet laptop so it makes things even better almost like a virtual hardcopy map that also speaks to you telling you which direction to go. Kind of funny looking at those pics because I have the same type of GPS receiver and threw it on the dash like such as well, seemed to stay put quite well with the exception of those hard turns . I have the garmin one and it had a magnetic base to put on the roof, i wasn't going to try putting it on the fresh roof driving home from the dealership heh.

 

[skittleslegend]

well its still 60 a month for wireless broadband when for me its lik 30 for cable through the local provider cox, so its more expensive, but obviously you can use it anywhere, but it would be cool if you could make a stand for it or something, ive seen a lot of gas and electric people or cops have laptops in there vechile now at there finger tips so if you could make a setup like that then i would say pimp

but where the heck would you put it? Even though there's plenty of space, not very many people would cut up their brand new dashes or do any sort of fabricating this soon. but I'm sure somebody will do it soon.


Did you already have the laptop? I have a Lilliput/computer set up ready to go in the Si when it comes but I'm keeping that as simple as I can. I may not even use it. I'll probably put it in the other car but I got a lotta crap already in that one.

 

[ncoday]

Is that the galaxy grey metallic color you got?? I thought the interior was supposed to be a grey, not tan.