Video Gaming on the Road

These days many avid gamers enjoy their favorite consoles and games at home, in concert with some type of home theater setup. The hand-held game systems have allowed players to, in a limited way, take their gaming out on the road and pretty much wherever they like, but wouldn’t it be nice to take those consoles along for the ride? With many vehicles being equipped with aftermarket LCD monitors and TV screens, it’s the foundation of what could be a powerful mobile gaming system in your vehicle.Long trips can be a pain, and especially tiresome for the passengers who aren’t focused on driving. Hand-held devices provide some measure of entertainment, but a powerful console can provide much more enjoyment for passengers. Not only will a console gaming system installed in your vehicle allow you to play all your favorite games that you normally could only play at home, you can also take your music and video collection stored on the console along for the ride.There are many options available for integrating a gaming system into your car, truck or SUV. The first major step for installing a game console in a vehicle is to decide where it will be placed. Many users prefer either the trunk, glove compartment, center console or underneath seats for placement of the game console, and power can be connected to either an AC power outlet (if your vehicle is so equipped), a DC inverter drawing from the cigarette lighter receptacle, and additionally the more professional and clean approach – connect power directly through the vehicle’s electrical system. Depending on the location you choose for your game system, additional wiring may be necessary in order to connect power and display, although cabling and wires can easily be hidden and protected by carpeting and paneling. Another fantastic space-saving option is an integrated unit that houses both display and game console in one compact overhead unit. This type of solution can be particularly handy for drivers who do not have glove compartment or center console space to place a game system. Wireless controllers and headphones take the space-saving and portability to a whole other level, and allow for easy storage anywhere in the vehicle with no need to disconnect and reconnect devices every time the gaming console is used.As with any automotive video system, your choices for display monitors and screens for your mobile gaming system are vast, including overhead, headrest, dashboard, sun visor, and mountable screens. Headrest and overhead monitors allow your backseat passengers the best unobstructed access to the display, and are the most popular display types employed for this kind of setup. Dashboard mounted or integrated screens or sun visor screens allow for the front seat passenger to get in on the action as well. There are laws regarding the placement of displays in relation to the driver that forbid obstruction of the driver’s field of vision; these guidelines must be adhered to when installing any overhead displays near the front of the cockpit.For many gamers, and parents with children who like to game, installing a video game console in your vehicle will add tremendously to the driving experience. Whether you’re at a rest stop, taking a short trip around the block, visiting friends, or taking a long road trip, a custom installed video game system can turn those tedious and wearisome experiences into hours of fun and enjoyment!