Carpc In My R34

[ob1]

I finally got around to re-installing my carPC into my R34 after a few months gathering dust. My hardware has been going strong in other cars of mine for ~ 2years now, but i've taken the oportunity to give it some fresh software before this install.

Power:

The PC:

Main screen (Roadrunner software):

Screen is on hinges, so can fold down for access to HVAC:

Can't afford a touchscreen, so i use a thumb-ball:

It plays music:

It does GPS routing with Freedrive/Destinator:

It monitors and logs the car's ECU through the consult port:

It is a reverse camera (not positioned correctly yet):

It can stumble wifi hotspots:

Hardware in it includes:

- Via M10000 mobo/cpu

- 256MB RAM (less ram gives faster hibernation)

- 30GB laptop HDD...bigger would be nice

- 5" PSone screen mounted in place of the binacle (under the headunit).

- Opus 90W power supply with shutdown controller. Will hibernate the PC 10 seconds after the ignition goes off

- USB: GPS, WiFi, Thumb-ball, webcam, memory stick for transfer of new files

- Serial interface to my Consult box

This is the first car i have had the logging Consult program installed. It is VERY interesting what you can glean from this. The logger runs at 20 samples/second, except for the "speed" metric, which is 1/sec. It creates CSV files for each run. Ive pulled them off to my main PC and created a few graphs of my last drive:

The graphs show me taking off from a set of lights, short shifting 1st and 2nd, hitting 85km/hr, then letting it drift back to 60. Interesting to see how early the wastgate solenoid needs to come on to regulate boost. Also interesting are the points the VCT kicks in and the fact that it switches off on throttle run-down when i shift gears.

Edited August 10, 2006 by ob1

[Howie]

Nice one mate! I'm about 50% complete with my carpc install also.

I like the persplex custom case you made to house your pc. Looks great. Say how do you find the gps on the rear parcel shelf of the r34? What model gps unit did you get and how quickly does it take to lock onto satellites?

Been playing with bluetooth for my carpc and nearly all but given up with it. I must say bluetooth is the crappiest protocol ever invented... too much stuffing around and too much proprietory crap. Trying to get phonecontrol.net to integrate with roadrunner's becoming a nuisance.

Anyhow, love your work... keep us posted mate.

[ob1]

the parcel shelf is actually a shite place for the GPS! I still have to do some wiring into the boot area and i will be relocating the GPS through the boot and out onto the bootlid somewhere. It is waterproof and i had it installed on the roof of my GTRI for 18 months with no worries.

It only picks up 3-5 satellite v.slowly on the parcel shelf, whereas it i run it out the window on the roof, it'll get 5-9 v.quickly.

The model is the standard usb mouse version that was going around on ebay a few years ago...cant rememebr the number, but it's not that super sensitive bu353 one thats out now.

I havent played with BT, as i dont use my mobile much , but i didnt realise it'd be that tough.

[satanic]

Hey; great stuff happening here - very impressive work *claps hands together*

if it's not too much trouble; would you mind:

1) Posting up some links to some software that you have used for your CarPC?

2) List up some indicative prices?

Thanks

Stan

[Howie]

I've got a bu303 model i think the one just before the current one. I've heard of a hack you can do to make it pick up quite a number of satellites pretty quickly... you remove the battery type cap inside the unit completely, and it'll pull 7-8 sats in no time.

I've heard that tint also adverse affects performance of the gps modules.... i'm thinking of discreetly housing it on the front dash somewhere, or by my sunroof.

Btw ob1, what aussie maps are you running? I think i've got 2005 Q2 map monkey maps for australia.

Hey stan, the software's called Roadrunner.. it's an open source front end for carpc's. Check out mp3car.com for links to RR and other front ends. It's pretty easy to configure, there's a mod for just about anything you want. As for indicative prices... budget about $300ish for an epia motherboard and suitable case.. around $110-160 for a dc-dc power supply with startup shutdown controller, and $300-$500 for a vga touchscreen depending if you want flip out or non-flip. Then get a hold of a laptop 2.5" hard drive, plus any accessories you want (bluetooth, gps, consult, etc).

[satanic]

Cheers Howie;

I'm trying to look for one of those thumb ball mice you have - can't seem to find one anywhere!

[Howie]

I'm trying to look for one of those thumb ball mice you have - can't seem to find one anywhere!

If you get a touchscreen you won't need a track ball

But you want a mini-trackball... there's a few from ebay sellers here

http://search.ebay.com.au/search/search.dl...&category0=

[satanic]

I'm tossing up between getting a motorized touch screen (which does not have internal disc drives) or getting a motorized screen (with internal DVD drive) + mouse.

i'll be running all the softwre etc off my laptop so it won't always be in the car. Having the motorized touch screen would eliminate my "portable" function of my laptop as it'd need to be in the car for the screen to show anything.

[MANWHORE]

Good job. What is that godforsaken ugly round thing around the screen though?

[Howie]

I'm tossing up between getting a motorized touch screen (which does not have internal disc drives) or getting a motorized screen (with internal DVD drive) + mouse.

Which parts specifically are you referring to? the taiwanese 1-din carputer with a slimline internal dvd rom?

If you're not planning to build a carpc but instead plan to use a laptop. Best set up .... is either get a Lilliput 7" touchscreen (motorized or not is your preference), and run the vga cable and usb to your laptop. That's it.

I was going to build a carpc out of a laptop also but there's too many drawbacks.... lack of startup/shutdown, inefficient if you're powering from a car cigarette lighter or a inverter, ended up being more costly if you had to buy a laptop to do it.

[satanic]

I'm looking on ebay at the moment; my plan is to get something decent with AUX IN (such as all the new Pioneer stuff) where you can plug any external device with VIDEO OUT into it.

There is a whole heap of Pioneer stuff on ebay for sale at the moment; looks a little dodgy!

[Howie]

My recommendation... carpc's and video-out do not mix.

If you plan to get any sort of decent resolution on a screen, you're going to need one with vga inputs rather than composite video in.

Best to get a screen that'll do at least 800x600 or better yet 1024x768.

For instance :

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Lilliput-7-motorize...1QQcmdZViewItem

OB1, have you had a play with the Google Earth GPS plugin yet?? It looks fantastic!

Edited August 10, 2006 by Howie

[satanic]

So something like this is not good:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Pioneer-Avic-n1-Das...1QQcmdZViewItem

The above ebay item looks SOOOO tempting; pity it looks so god-damn dodgy!!!

[Howie]

good if you're planing just to run a playstation or a gamecube, but as a pc monitor it'll suck pretty badly.

Edited August 10, 2006 by Howie

[satanic]

Right, thanks for that... anyone an ebay expert and can tell me if those Pioneer decks are any good?

[ob1]

1) Posting up some links to some software that you have used for your CarPC?

2) List up some indicative prices?

all software links and discussions can be found on mp3car.com. I agree with Howie's prices above - this is how i would RECOMMEND to make a carPC, but it can be done for significantly less i.e. just chuck a regular old PC in there powered off a 150-220W invertor from Jaycar. Run it to a non-vga, non-touch screen and voila, a cheap ass car pc.

I've got a bu303 model

I've heard that tint also adverse affects performance of the gps modules

what aussie maps are you running?

i checked and mine is bu303 as well...solid little unit!

I have UV reducing glass, not tint, so meh. I'm sure metalic tint would affect the signal the most, but i think ANY obstruction is bad e.g. even driving under a heavily tree'd street will knock off a few satellites. HAVING said that though, i have NEVER had my map reading an incorrect position whether i have 3 or 9 sats in view. The major thing you will lose is accurate altitude, but that doesn't really matter for a car

The ID file in my destinator maps says "Version 2003.Q2.2200 " so mine are older than yours.

Good job. What is that godforsaken ugly round thing around the screen though?

Unfortunately, due to my pov budget right now, i can only afford to use a PSone screen that is NATURALLY round:

http://www.extremetech.com/image_popup/0,1...id=98532,00.asp

I was hoping to be able to cut it off square, but the damn PCB runs the full diameter under the round section

If you plan to get any sort of decent resolution on a screen, you're going to need one with vga inputs rather than composite video in.

OB1, have you had a play with the Google Earth GPS plugin yet?? It looks fantastic!

Screens that accept composite inputs are not THAT bad. Mine in the images is running 800x600 composite, NOT VGA. There is no doubt VGA is better and i hope to pick one up soon, but i can definitely live with composite, considering this screen was only ~$100 brand new.

I havent played with GE GPS plugin yet....how does it work? I dont have a GPRS connection to the car, so can you download the map images for a region and store them locally?

[Michael_1882]

Nice car pc.

Stan you might want to check out this thread

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/in...howtopic=121951

But as someone mentioned ealirer mp3car.com is an awesome sight, theres alos some stuff on caraudioaustralia.com

[ob1]

For reference, here is the software i run:

"main" program a.k.a the frontend - RoadRunner:

http://www.rrdownloads.net/

GPS routing - FreeDrive (also requires maps from Destinator, a commercial product):

http://www.freedrive.co.uk

GPS track history - GPS TrackMaker:

http://www.gpstm.com/

Rear view camera/capture - Capture!:

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=58683

Consult logging - NissDataScan logger:

http://members.optusnet.com.au/impakt01/nd...ssdatascan.html

WiFi stumbling - Netstumbler:

www.netstumbler.com

[Howie]

Screens that accept composite inputs are not THAT bad. Mine in the images is running 800x600 composite, NOT VGA. There is no doubt VGA is better and i hope to pick one up soon, but i can definitely live with composite, considering this screen was only ~$100 brand new.

I havent played with GE GPS plugin yet....how does it work? I dont have a GPRS connection to the car, so can you download the map images for a region and store them locally?

Think it stores it locally... but i was more interested in the fact that you can upload data from your trip and dot out a virtual path on google earth of where you been, how many hotspots you found on the way to work, and basically a lot of cool shit