Holder to use laptop as car DVD player?

Hey all,

I'm hoping some laptop expert will know where to find this: a holder for a laptop that will let it sit or hang between the front seats (or from the back of one seat), facing rearward, so that a child in the back seat can watch a DVD on it.

Someone will say, Why expose your laptop to that? Just buy a portable DVD player. No way. I've seen some cheap technology, but never anything as bad and unappealing as the portable DVD players that go for $100-200. Plus we probably won't use it all that often, just for long trips.

Can anyone help? Thanks in advance.

Chris

 

If you have bucket seats...is it possible to use the map pockets on the back of the seat. Open the lid 180 degrees and slide it in the pocket leaving the screen exposed. Maybe not be all that easy change dvd's tho.

 

When we go on long trips we just bring an ice chest or box or some thing that the laptop sits on between the two front seats.
A word of caution.
-bumpy roads are not laptops friends
-sunlight can be a major drag
-certain movements of the car ie quick steering,ect can cause the laptop to slide.

but If these roadblocks are not a problem for you then the techinque I listed above should work nicely......though this only works in vans/suvs/trucks.......not much room in cars.

 

Hmm... Thanks for those thoughts. I will have to see about the seatback pockets. The laptop does fit in there, but I don't know if it will open wide enough to have good viewing angles.

Our Honda Pilot has a center console between the front seats. I tried setting the laptop on the armrest, but 1) someone would have to hold it in place; and 2) it would monopolize my armrest.

I found this: http://www.ram-mount.com/products/laptoptray.htm
...but I don't think it's really intended to be used when the vehicle is in motion, since I see no fastener to secure the laptop.

Chris

 

that one from ram mounts looks pretty good. I would have thought that it is fairly easy to make some straps for it, maybe like a tie down that u can secure it with

 

This place has some good but cheap set ups...

http://www.mobilelaptopmount.com/pic/kids/kids.htm

You could just get the pipe and fittings at Home Depot.


I'll tell you though a laptop takes a beaten in a moving car and you might be better off with a $100 disposable portable DVD players rather then a $1000 laptop.

 

That is an important consideration, thanks -- but probably not a big issue in my case, since my ThinkPad's primary vent is on the side, and the pockets in our car are made of a wide mesh. Also, the TP runs pretty cool.

Chris