Where can I buy car lighter adaptors for laptops?

[piku]

First let me get this out of the way. This laptop is the one my dad got from work to use. I hate it. My dad hates it. Its a Compaq. However, it is pretty nice (p3, 128 megs of ram, nice ati video card, ect.).

Anyway, I am going on vacation to Montreal in a week and I want to take it along to play some (to put it lightly ) games on the 6-8 hour trip. The battery blows, so I need a car lighter adaptor. However, what one do I get? Its a Compaq Armada E500 if that helps.

While checking out the radioshack.com website, there are a tons of things like that listed, from $15 to $80+. Im assuming it would be one of the $15 ones, but im not sure. Could anyone please lead me to a cheap (under $20 if possible) adaptor that will work with a laptop? My fun on this trip depends on it!

 

[Tripleshot]

You need to find the power requirement of the laptop and then the easiset and maybe fastest is to just go to radio shack.(I hate giving that advice, but you seem to be in a hurry.)

 

[piku]

Well im not in a complete hurry, I have until the weekend. I guess going there would prove fruitfull... they should know what their talking about

But are they cheap? I dont want to pay like $50 for one stinkin trip

 

[PCAddict]

What I suggest is to buy a power inverter. They are like $50 at WalMart, Pep Boys, etc. It will convert 12V DC to 115V AC. You can plug your regular notebook power cord right into it and you will be all set. That is what I did. It was cheaper than buying the $100 cord from the manufacturer.

EDIT: I almost forgot, you can use them to power anything that runs on A/C as long as it isn't too big for the inverter to handle.

 

[DARRIN]

I agree - inverter is the way to go but it is going to be over your $20 limit.

 

[pdo]

BUY.COM have Linksys Inverter for like $35 dollars. I think it's called Power2Go. I don't know if that's out of your budget or not, but I couldn't find any inverter that's cheaper.

 

[piku]

Ill have to check them out. Something like an inverter would be much better than just a notebook adaptor, because then i could use it for other things. I wouldnt mind paying more than $20 for one of those.