in-car pc setup - suggestions/opinions? (NERD alert..)

[raz0r$harP.UK]

Hi!

I'm toying with the idea of installing a mini PC in-car.. I think it's got a fair bit of promise..in theory anyway. Looking at a mini-pc, boxed and mounted in the boot (near the battery compartment), and then running cables to a 7" widescreen TFT LCD in-dash.

With that sort of steup, I'd be able to possibly do the following:

- mp3 / movie playback

- gps navigation

- fm tuner

- software & games

- connectivity to amps / speakers / sub

- lcd I'm looking at has two video inputs, so I could possibly run the 2nd one to a camera for either rear view vision or one in-cabin)

I guess it's kinda similar in principle to the Xbox mod thread. Dunno if it's actually worth going through, but I'm definitely looking at that as an option for my system.

The main constraint for me at the moment is scraping together enough cash. In the meantime, anyone got any thoughts on the plans? Am I crazy or just a geek with too much spare time on his hands? Actually, don't answer that last one

[bambinator]

Potentially this could be very cool, depending on how much effort you want to put in. There are some nice 7in touchscreens available cheap from Xenarc, and windows software designed for this purpose is available. If you want to use another OS, it's a bit more work. Have you checked out www.mp3car.com for ideas? There are some awesome setups there, and lots of advice and tips. I was considering doing it in my previous car, but the present one doesn't really have enough room :-(

[Nav2k]

theres a 7.2inch lcd going around for $180ish on ebay.com.au , guys in melb so u can pick up.

its slimline, but u need to mount it and make an enclosure urself cos its got chips hanging off it at the back.

the idea doesnt sound bad, dont see why it wouldnt work. they had some issues about the hard drive vibrations from the road...mp3car.com should cover it.. good luck!

[funkymonkey]

i've got a 9.5" screen (diagonal, just fits inside double DIN) with some custom wiring (LCD is off a IBM Thinkpad with ultra bright backlight) to an XBOX (best PC you'll ever get for 200 bucks) which has the power module taken out and a DC-DC power converter/stabiliser circuit added.

That way when I start the car the xbox boots but when i turn the ignition on the power dosen't cut out or spike, the xbox keeps working. A lot of people fit mini PC's n Xboxen n PS2's in their cars with power inverters and kill the gear that way in the long run, coz computer circuits are sensitive to little fluctuations.

One of my amtes is running a MicroAT mobo + 6-13.8V DC PSU, 250GB HDD, slimline Kb + trackball mouse on doortrim. Cost him in excess of 1800 bucks, but its got motion detection power on + video capture using a ccd camera, GPS trackin using a GPS module and some other funky stuff. Plus the bastardo's got winamp I have to use XBox Media Player. Mine hasn't been mounted yet, but it works fine in the dry mount (outside the car but powered by the battery.)

[SuperGimp]

You could get a mini pc under 400 minus the screen. Most micro mobos u can buy are 200, u just need to add ram and psu. They are ideal for cars as they are small, can be cooled easier and dont have heaps of components as its all onboard.

A DC - DC inverter/converter is ideal but u can run DC - AC inverter as this only produces a sine wave output cause your psu to make a low hum, decent psu should fully negate any surges from the inverter as long as it isnt on when the car is started.

I have ran a incar puter with a old monitor not a lcd either and it ran fine apart from the noise. Just make sure when you choose computer parts (if you dont make a mini box) watch your wattage, ie done run a 300w psu on a 250w inverter. yeah you prolly already ko this.

I was also toying with the ideal of a UPS for my larger box, although not much research yet.

PS if your gonna run all this stuff get a really good alternator and battery (deep cycle) for proper / long term use.

[raz0r$harP.UK]

Yeh I've been checking out mp3car.com for some ideas, and they don't sound too tricky.

For the HDD vibration, I was thinking of possibly using memory cards / flash memory instead.

[Nizman]

Hey guys, I just happen to have a mini-ITX complete system that im trying to sell. It has a mini power supply, 180 Mb of RAM and a hard drive and is currently installed in an old VCR case (with room to spare) and hooked upto my TV to watch DIVX. The board pictured below is smaller than a magazine so you can fit it in car somewhere easy. Its exactly what you need and Im only asking $450 for the lot.

All you would need is the power converter for the car a little screen and your away.

Specs:

VIA EPIA Mainboard Specification

Standardized Embedded Solutions for Total Mainboard Connectivity

Form Factor - Mini-ITX

- 170mm x 170mm

- Micro ATX Chassis Compliant

Processor - VIA Eden™ ESP 5000 processor

- 100/133MHz Front Side Bus

- low power consumption

- Optional Fanless

- VIA C3™ E-Series processor (EBGA package)

- 100/133MHz Front Side Bus

- 128K L1 and 64K L2 cache

Chipset - VIA Apollo PLE133

- VT8601A North Bridge

- Featuring integrated AGP 4X graphics

- VIA VT8231 South Bridge

TV-Out - High quality scaling and filtering

- S-Video or Composite video output

- Supports NTSC/PAL TV formats

Main Memory - Two 168-pin DIMM memory sockets

- PC100/133 SDRAM support

LAN - VIA 10/100 Ethernet LAN onboard

Graphics - Integrated AGP4X with 2D/3D Graphics Acceleration

- Motion Compensation for DVD playback

Audio - VIA VT1612A AC'97 onboard

- 3 Audio Jacks - Line-Out, Line-In and Microphone-In

- Sound Blaster, Sound Blaster Pro Compatible

- Digital I/O compatible with consumer mode S/PDIF

Expansion Slots - 1 PCI slot

Onboard IDE - ATA/100/66

I/O Ports - 3 Audio Jacks - Line-out, Mic-in and Line-in

- Four USB ports (two USB ports located at rear side)

- 1 EPP/ECP parallel port

- 1 16C550 compatible serial port

- 2 External PS/2 Compatible Keyboard /Mouse ports

- 2 TV output ports (S-Video or optional RCA TV out)

- 1 S/PDIF out (optional and multiplex with RCA TV out)

- 1 RJ-45 LAN port

- 1 PCI slot (Note: support for two PCI devices)

Interested?

[funkymonkey]

grommets are wonderful for absorbing shocks... just mount everything inside the case with grommets, that's what I did for the xbox.

Another alternative is to fully submerge the hardware in a non conducting fluid. May sound stupid, but tis been done before. Its conducts heat like crazy and absorbs a lot of shock.

[gaZooGA]

have alook at http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/, theres heaps of information here

[Isurus oxyrinchus]

Found this thread... Weird...

I have a question, I want to run a Full size PC in my car.. 'Enough room'...

a 15" TFT run off an AMD 2200 system, with decent card, 80 gb hard drive etc...

Good computer, but I need to know, can you buy a 500w inverter with a stabilizer so that there are no power surges or fluxuations?

I want to keep my PC safe....And I'll be running the computer into a Car Amplifier.. with a 15" sub, and another Amp for the front speakers...

[Guest INASNT]

Someones been watching 2 much fast and furious :wassup:

[paulr33]

i reckon moten management with a connection to a laptop under the passenger seat and then its video out to a tv on the dash for real time engine management and diagnositics would look shit hot

[Milo]

till the lappy crashes from runnig to many mp3's haha wonder what would happen.... the old blue screen of death + car = ????

[bless_you]

vibration + RAM = o oh spaghettios (not good)

i have seen this before the gentle road vibration will kill the ram, so be verry cautious