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 enlarge | Author: Damien Stolarz
Publisher: O'Reilly Media, Inc.
Category: Book
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $7.63
You Save: $17.32 (69%)
New (30) from $7.63
Avg. Customer Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 142088
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 382
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 6.4 x 1
ISBN: 0596008716
Dewey Decimal Number: 004.16
EAN: 9780596008710
ASIN: 0596008716
Publication Date: July 27, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: New Publisher's Overstock! May have a small remainder mark. We provide delivery confirmation emails that includes tracking numbers on all domestic orders.
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| Customer Reviews:
By Far the Better of Two Options November 22, 2005
22 out of 23 found this review helpful
Amazon is offering this book in combination with "Geek My Ride" which, of course, makes much sense. However, if you are faced with choosing between the two, "Car PC Hacks" is the far superior book. It has at least five times as much actual content and is much better at giving you a complete picture of what you can do with car computers and electronics.
After carefully pondering the Amazon descriptions and reviews, I bought "Geek My Ride" first and "Car PC Hacks" second. That was the wrong decision, as "Car PC Hacks" is comprehensive enough to eliminate most people's need for another book on the topic.
Pimp your ride - geek style... September 19, 2005
12 out of 16 found this review helpful
I never knew there was so much computerization you could do to your car... Car PC Hacks - Tips & Tools for Geeking Your Ride by Damien Stolarz.
Contents: Car Power Basics; Automotive Audio Entertainment; Automotive Video Entertainment; In-Car Computers; Car PC Interface Options; Wireless Connectivity and in-Car Internet; In-Car Applications; Index
In this Hacks book, you get 75 different ways to "geek your ride". This can range from simple modifications to the stereo system (#13 - Installing a New Head Unit) to installing a full-fledged PC in your car (#41 - Choose an in-Car PC Hardware Platform). While many of the hacks don't have step by step instructions on how to make it all come together, there's enough information to point you in the right direction. In reality, it'd be almost impossible to do detailed instructions, as each car will be different, and your options for mounting and installing hardware can often be limited only by your imagination. Even if you're not all that handy with tools and such, this book will give you a really good idea of what can be done. From there, you can figure out who to befriend in order to get the installation taken care of.
I also appreciated the in-depth coverage of how a car's electrical system works. I'm the type who just turns the key and figures everything starts up. When you start adding in all sorts of new equipment, the demands on the battery change dramatically. In addition, PC equipment doesn't view momentary power drops during start-up very kindly. After reading this material, you'll understand the issues involved as well as how they can all be overcome.
Bottom line, this is a very good book if you're interested in tricking out your car with the latest in custom electronics. The first time you sit in the back seat and start playing the latest XBox game mounted in the headrest, you'll be hooked...
The basics and beyond September 14, 2005
4 out of 8 found this review helpful
I bought this book together with geek my ride. And looking at the titles and covers, this book by Damien Stolarz seemed the least sexy. But I read it in one go and believe it will be trivial to planning my projects. All the basics about how to handle the power in your car et cetera, are well explained. But there's room for things like the software as well. A definite must buy!
Never leave the car without it September 9, 2005
5 out of 9 found this review helpful
If you are starting out on your first in car PC installation this is a must have book, full of tips, tricks and techniques utilised in any in car PC project. I found it invaluable when planning my first in car PC project, which I am now installing, again with the help of this book.
The important topics when "geeking your ride" were well covered, although the details of some important techniques were understandably missing from such a high level publication, i.e. how to solder wires.
Although the author runs his own in car PC company, I found his comments and advice very fair minded which was very refreshing, this is not just a glorified sales brochure.
This is a great one August 27, 2005
4 out of 10 found this review helpful
I really enjoyed this book. It's got great material in it about how to add a computer to your car, how to wire car audio, controlling the engine, installing a video system, war-driving and much more. There is so much to like in this book I don't even know where to start. If you want to play around and add stuff to your car this is book to get.
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