Gaming Hacks

Install a PlayStation 2 in Your Car

Keep your eyes on the road but your games close at hand.

If you’re one of millions of drivers in the world, you know that your car almost defines the concept of portability; you can drive anywhere you like. If you want to take your gaming on the road, why not combine the two and make your console run in your car?

There are two schools of thought on the subject. One worries more about connecting the hardware and electronics appropriately. The other concentrates on good-looking trim and flashing lights. I’m not judgmental, but being a tech geek, not a car geek, I’ll cover the former. While you may eventually want to trick out your ride, simply being able to play games in the back of your car while someone else is driving is the important thing.

I’ll concentrate on the PS2, though the underlying issues are similar for other consoles.

Cars and Console-Connection Power Issues

As you might have guessed, one of the big stumbling blocks to installing a PlayStation 2 in your automobile is feeding it electricity. There are a couple of options:

• Use a DC inverter

• A DC inverter that plugs into the cigarette lighter converts the 12-volt output from your car’s battery to normal 115-volt wall-socket ratings. You can find this equipment almost anywhere. Watch the wattage, though; both the PlayStation and PS2 drink around 72 watts of power. Depending on how thirsty your monitor or TV is, you may need 300 to 400 watts from the inverter.

It’s also worth noting that many ...