Vimana's Carpc Build

[Vimana]

Just thought i would make a post about the car pc that im building and installing.

I will be using my current HTPC and replacing that one with a newer one, but it will be sufficient for a carpc.

Specs

Zotac Ion dual core atom with wifi

4gb ram

SSD HDD

TV tuner (undecided yet)

Stock screen for now until i decide if i will replace the stock cubby hole one or replace the bose unit.

Black Box Mobile Case

DCDC intelligent PSU

GPS

Bluetooth dongle

Wifi mini keyboard

Remote IR

The unit will be mounted next to the bose amp. I have already added RCA plugs onto the spare AUX input instead of buying the cable that plugs into the loom.

Need to work out the best way to get video from the mobo to the RCA. Do i use a VGA to Composite adaptor?

Just need to wait for the case and PSU before i can install.

Need to work out how to bypass the screen in motion cut out also.

Can anyone tell me if the stock screen is good enough to display centrafuse on movies?

[Nightcrawler]

Yep, a VGA to composite adapter can be sourced cheaply off Ebay.

Give Brad a PM Tommy Kaira RL or call 0427 999 093 - he does the English conversions and can get rid of your motion cut.

Where are you in Adelaide? I had 4 x V35s around at my place in Northgate today fitting up the Angel Eyes headlights we did in a group buy.

And you should check out the Skylines Australia:SA club - www.sausa.com.au - we would love to have more V35s in the club.

[Vimana]

Rofl... We are in northgate also... Lightsview section. I did an amp sub and headunit install in a friends 300zxtt today

[runner4life]

really annoyed I had to miss the antics today

[Nightcrawler]

Ah yours is the white one I keep seeing in that open-sided carport (I am a property valuer, so am around there a lot) .... I hope you have a good alarm/kill switch/club-lock!! Nice looking car btw ... one of the V35s at my place today lives in Lightsview too - he has the black Series 2.

[Vimana]

Nah that one is not us, but close. Ours is in a double garage :-)

[Nightcrawler]

It's all good Sam - turns out that Paul (manc01) had the ballast, but was missing the internal cable, and Dog With Bone was missing the ballast and cable (so obviously both guys had their HIDs removed at compliance and are running halogens) ... so we will have to do another fit-up day. Might also pay for you to make sure you have HIDs - look very closely in decent light at your headlight globe - not the ocatgonal part that is the shield/reflector, but the actual globe inside it (you can see the base of it from standing outside your car and without removing the light) - if the globe is somewhat oval/almost rectangular in shape (like the high beam globe), then you have halogens and need a cable and/or ballast - of it is round you are ok.

[Vimana]

Just a small update.

Im not using my current HTPC as a carpc any more. Ive decided to recycle a netbook with a single core atom processor. This has now been modded to have a couple of wires soldered onto the motherboards power button. These 2 wires then go to an auto power up set of relays which basically send a .5second pulse to the motherboard power button to turn it on when i turn the key to accessories. It also has a usb connection to disable the relays if the computer is already on in case of a double engine start situation. I made this with the help of a post on mp3car.com Shut down will occur when the dc-dc power supply is turned off by the key triggering hibernation of windows, this is set in the windows power functions

Centrafuse is up and running with destinator australia. Ive just ordered a usb gps for this also.

Next is to mod the nav screen to stay on while driving.

[Vimana]

The next stage of the car pc is complete.

i have cut the 4 RGBsync wires from the nav brain to the screen and added a four pole double throw relay inbetween so i can swap between the nav display and my carpc. I did originally have it plugged in via the aux input in the boot but that is not high resolution enough to display a pc properly. Its fine for tv and movie watching though. The 4pdt relay is activated via accesories through a switch on one side and grounded via the reverse light signal. This means when the carpc is on and i put it into reverse the relay deactivates and the reverse camera is displayed as per normal. When put into drive the carpc image comes back providing the switch is activated if its not, the nav screen remains.

The carpc now has bluetooth phone and audio and a usb gps running destinator australia for navigation. Centrafuse front end is ok has all the needed features for driving like nav, music, tv, movies and what ever else a pc can do, but i think i might purchase a copy of version 4 soon so i can have access to the app store.

[Manya]

I just purchased my v35 this week and i'm still working out my car PC "proof of concept" using android (still deciding if i'm going to hack up a good phone or something standalone).

Anyway, does the screen support VGA input via the 4 RGA wires, or is it simple 480i RGB.

[Vimana]

Its rgbsync. Has no vga input.

[Vimana]

[jbenj]

nice mate, is that running from the OEM screen?

[Vimana]

Yes. thats why i have used the rgbs wires from the nav brain.

[itpesaf]

so do you still have the use of the controls? if not how do you control the screen? and is the standard software still on the screen like fuel consumption?

edit,. I should read first then post how much did it all cost you?

Edited June 16, 2012 by itpesaf

[Vimana]

Not much. already had the netbook. a 4pdt relay was under 10$

[itpesaf]

daam - wish I had your skills

[Deep Dish V35]

itpesaf - its not as hard as you think. just some confusing abbreviations..

laptops are too slow to load in my opinion, unless you can boot from flash..

would be easy to add a touch screen overlay but that will get in the way of the pop-up mechanism. a wired/wireless track ball in the centre console can work for the mouse pointer...

[Vimana]

itpesaf - its not as hard as you think. just some confusing abbreviations..

laptops are too slow to load in my opinion, unless you can boot from flash..

would be easy to add a touch screen overlay but that will get in the way of the pop-up mechanism. a wired/wireless track ball in the centre console can work for the mouse pointer...

Not sure why you say it would be slow. The music/laptop is playing before the screen has even come on.... Only takes about 5 seconds to come out of hibernation.

[Vimana]

Also you say its not that hard, have you actually done it?Ive gone a little further than most people who just plug it in via the aux input in the boot.