Okay, so I'm deciding that there really is no good place in either one of my Firebirds to relocate a stereo head unit. The reason I don't want a radio in the stock location is because I want to fit the largest possible LCD-screen flush mounted in that location for my in-car PC. Then I was thinking.... why use a head unit?

I want to utilize the in-car PC for everything entertainment and utility-related in my car(s). CD/DVD/Video/Engine Monitoring/GPS/etc/etc/etc, so, in reality, what do I honestly need a head unit for?

Could I not just purchase a top-of-the-line high-SQ sound card for the PC, run the sound directly to my (to-be-purchased) amps, and have the amps power all of the speakers in the car? Then, I could fab up a way to have a small slot-loading (like normal car cd-players) CD-ROM / DVD-ROM drive mounted up front somewhere (maybe an external laptop drive or something similar?) and use that for my CDs and DVDs. Everything would run through the PC initially. And there is enough software capability to handle basic equalization, Pre-Amp, volume adjustments, and the like. I would then use a wireless remote to control the system. I would also keep one of those roll-up keyboards under the seat just in case I need to ever set up or configure something.

Does anyone forsee any problems with this type of setup?

 

I've seen it done actually. It's pretty cool. I'd just want to be sure and get a good quality sound card and a REALLY good video card 3d grafix card. I mean..what's the point in having the screen to watch movies and playing games, if it isn't crystal clear?!

 

cool. Yeah I've seen in-car PCs done a million times but I hadn't seen one done head-unit-less before, but I suppose it has.

Yeah I wanna get a decent video card but I'm more worried about getting the best sound-card possible. I don't want to lose anything by not having a high-end CD-deck in the car.

 

hmm this sounds quite intresting does anyone have pictures of these in car pcs. what about instead of using a cd player at all u could alwyas go the mp3 route for music but i see where you will still need a cd player for dvds and stuff

 

I did this at work the other week, it turned out pretty good.

http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...etachable+face

 

These were a hot topic over at www.firebirdv6.com a while back.
http://www.camarov6.com/cgi-bin/ulti...&f=12&t=001763
http://www.camarov6.com/cgi-bin/ulti...&f=12&t=001848