I have a Toshiba Satellite Pro A10 laptop that I'd like to be able to run in the car for SWMBO to watch DVD's on long journeys and do VAG-COM stuff etc.

However the battery is knackered and lasta about 10 mins tops.

A new battery or official car adaptor would cost me the best part of

What voltage is the PSU supplying?

Have a look at Maplin they have some 3rd party laptop car power adapters... that or you could look at a mains power inverter... a 150W 12Vdc to 240 Vac power invertor should do the trick for the laptop in question.

And yeah I think straight wiring would be a bad idea

Have a look at Maplin they have some 3rd party laptop car power adapters... that or you could look at a mains power inverter... a 150W 12Vdc to 240 Vac power invertor should do the trick for the laptop in question.

And yeah I think straight wiring would be a bad idea

I got myself this one here

eBay.co.uk: Car DC12V/220V 100W Watt Power Inverter Camping (item 170029832398 end time 18-Sep-06 16:28:05 BST)

And it works absolutley fine to run my Toshiba Libretto Laptop, but Iv'e also used a hairdryer:O

Unline most its not a huge brick that crates a big tangled mess

I got myself this one here

eBay.co.uk: Car DC12V/220V 100W Watt Power Inverter Camping (item 170029832398 end time 18-Sep-06 16:28:05 BST)

And it works absolutley fine to run my Toshiba Libretto Laptop, but Iv'e also used a hairdryer:O

Unline most its not a huge brick that crates a big tangled mess

I wouldnt worry about the hairdryer, goochies car has a built in one.

I wouldnt worry about the hairdryer, goochies car has a built in one.

I'm going to dry my hair right now.........

I have a Toshiba Satellite Pro A10 laptop that I'd like to be able to run in the car for SWMBO to watch DVD's on long journeys and do VAG-COM stuff etc.

However the battery is knackered and lasta about 10 mins tops.

A new battery or official car adaptor would cost me the best part of

A decent inverter is the way to go but laptops are still pretty power hungry so i'd say 150w is minimum. Cheap inverters don't provide a clean sine wave output and your psu wouldn't like it one bit. Most laptop adapters have a regulated, stablised 18v or 19v output. Theres no easy way of getting that in your car so best keep use the adapter and inverter.