Touch Screens, Tablets or Laptops - what would you upgrade to?

[Robert Forry]

Hey gang! Need some advice on a an equipment upgrade and want to know what your using or what you've upgraded to recently and why, and how is it working out for you.

I've been chasing and live streaming primarily with an Asus G751 laptop since 2011. This thing is a Behemoth! The 17 inch screen rocks, and probably awesome for the gamer, but it weighs a ton and takes up a lot of space in my Jeep (I chase in a 2000 Jeep Cherokee 4X4 Sport). It's mounted to the front passenger seat using a RAM Mount, so it doesn't leave a lot of front passenger leg room, plus with its size, leaves few options for positioning/viewing

Over the last year or so I've spoken to both Nick Nolte and Brad Goddard about switching over to a Windows tablet. I believe they're both are using Surface Pro 2s. I think these are awesome! Small, just a 12 inch screen, and takes up a whole lot less room in an already constrained for space area. I have been very close to pulling the trigger on the new Surface Pro 3.... but, then I watch one of the last episodes of The Ghost Train (great episode BTW, Marcus and James!!), and I see Skip Talbots van has a "touch screen" mounted (didn't see exactly how) in between his front seats. I though the idea of using a touch screen tethered to a laptop seems pretty cool to me now too. They vary in size I believe, so maybe something in the 13-15 inch range mounted (still need to figure that part out) to something extending up from the center sub-straight would work?

Also considering a new, smaller screened laptop..

Undecided.

All I know is spring is almost here and I need to act fast. However I proceed, I'm pulling my files off the Asus and selling it on Ebay to a gamer, and possibly the RAM Mount if I go with a tablet or slightly larger touchscreen tethered to the new laptop.

What about you? What are you using?

 

[Skip Talbot]

I'd recommend a Surface if you want to chase compact, or a laptop with a touchscreen if you want the screen real estate. What I've essentially done is docked a closed laptop between the seats and attached a large touchscreen monitor to it. It works if you don't mind having a big screen in your vehicle and running wires around and bolting it down.

Current screen is a 21" Dell Touchscreen (different than the Viewsonic pictured here but same size). You can get them for fairly cheap from their online outlet store. Arm is an Ergotron desktop monitor arm

 

[Marc R. O'Leary]

Previously I've just run an iPad with a seat bolt Arkon mount. This year I'm running two tablets...iPad and Gpad. Both will run Arkon seat bolt mounts, one 18" and one 22". I chase solo, so only need room in passenger seat for my small cooler on the floor, and camera bag on seat.

Tablets are nice because they can quickly be removed when I'm outside the car or sitting in the hatch or something taking photos.

Thats a cool setup Skip...does that arm swing out of the way easily to access HVAC controls? If it does swing, can it lock to keep it from bouncing around or pivoting when you're moving?

 

[Robert Forry]

OK, so that is pretty stinkin awesome, Skip! Wished I had room for that. Yeah, I'm getting more and more sold on the Surface..I didn't realize that thing you showed on TGT the other night was 21". Dang! Thanks man!

 

[Skip Talbot]

Thats a cool setup Skip...does that arm swing out of the way easily to access HVAC controls? If it does swing, can it lock to keep it from bouncing around or pivoting when you're moving?

It pivots on three joints, tilts, raises and lowers, and rotates, so yes I can quickly move it out of the way of the center console controls, or a chase partner in the passenger or middle seats can use it. It will move if you make a hard turn and the monitor arm is extended. I usually just rest it on something like the corner of my seat, or the plastic bucket between the seats and it stays in place no trouble. I think you can adjust the tension of the joints but I haven't messed around with that.

All the cabling runs down the monitor arm, into the center console and then out the bottom and under the floor mat so it's out of the way. There are three cables it needs: power, HDMI, and a USB printer cable for the touch input device.