The Ultimate In-Car Entertainment System

Video and Gaming System
Here we're talking about upgrading and adding on to your existing car. Any car in the market can be installed with a video/gaming system. If your car comes with a tamper-proof head unit, there are many ways to upgrade the setup – by using specialized interface kits, by transmitting signals via radio signals (FM modulation), or by using the stock audio and just adding the components required for displaying video.

Gaming consoles can be tucked away anywhere, provided the cables of the remote reaches the desired seating position. This is not an issue with newer consoles that have wireless controllers. Just make sure you avoid places that are most susceptible to bumps, like points over wheel arches and towards the extreme rear of the car. The mounting should also be such that the disc loading mechanism is easily accessible.

Since all game consoles are designed to run on AC power, an inverter of the console’s rated power consumption will be required to provide power supply to the unit. Once the console is powered up, you can route the audio-out of the console to your audio system and the video to the display devices. Head units/amps often have digital inputs, and these can be used for true surround-sound in the car if your console supports this.

Speaking of components, for the video system we incorporated a head with a motorized pop-out screen from Pioneer (model 4950 DVD). For gaming we used a PS2, though you can use an Xbox360 if that's what floats your boat – or car, rather. We also included another tilt-down screen from DUB Mag Audio, proving conclusively that inbuilt 'factory' screens are not indispensable to enjoy video.