Carputer 101

Opus is great,I have a friend who has an Opus. I juts dont have deep pockets to get an OPus. But i am running pretty much the same setup as my friends,and I only paid $80 for mine,and it does the job fine. Even my screen is powering through that,the screens uses 8watts(cut the adaptor wire it to the ,i think it was the 12v line,i have to check.).

 
never thought about the laptop hd, thats a really good idea. but i was always confused on what mb to buy.
Mini Itx are the best IMO, they are small and compact,take less power,and my M10000 has a 1ghz processor, thats enough to run Gps software,play music, run windows with a frontend, and play dvds, what more could you ask for in your car. Now if you really want to go tiny, search for the Nano ITX, FYI they are expensive.

 
i just sold off my carputer as i rushed the idea and lack the funds. this time i'll start from scratch tho this one was already loaded and ready to go. just not ts monitor and the fact i didn't kno how to splice the molex to wire it up. when i get the cash, i'll reinvest and do my homework first.

 
Mini Itx are the best IMO, they are small and compact,take less power,and my M10000 has a 1ghz processor, thats enough to run Gps software,play music, run windows with a frontend, and play dvds, what more could you ask for in your car. Now if you really want to go tiny, search for the Nano ITX, FYI they are expensive.
yeah i see a lot of people running the m10000. man why did you have to start this thread! i want to buy one now! lol //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

 
yeah i see a lot of people running the m10000. man why did you have to start this thread! i want to buy one now! lol //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif
Started it because,i recomennded it to someonelse thread,and some other guy started asking questions,and i did not want to hijack his thread, so i started this hehe

 
i just sold off my carputer as i rushed the idea and lack the funds. this time i'll start from scratch tho this one was already loaded and ready to go. just not ts monitor and the fact i didn't kno how to splice the molex to wire it up. when i get the cash, i'll reinvest and do my homework first.
Just like car audio as i said before, 90% install and Planning.

 
glad to help:)

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif you're worthless.

Anyways, from what ive found so far from testing in a true SPL vehcile, its difficult to properly burp your setup via a carputer. It became way too inconvienent to screw with a touchscreen during a run...plus everything in the vehicle was vibrating so much, you couldnt keep your finger on the touchscreen in the right place to start/stop the track your were burping on.

I ended up getting a 50 foot remote for doing burps, and it still became a problem. I also went thru several sound cards and never did find anything I liked, I had the M-Audio USB MIDI interface, the Turtle Beach usb dongle, and onboard audio and all of them were fairly noisey. The one device I found that I did not buy, which i sitll might is the Silverstone DAC usb converter for the audio output. They're only $110 but unfortunately only have 2 volt outputs.. and their tech support people are terrible, I had to teach them about their own product.

I mainly ended up using my carputer as a portable Termlab, which has actually worked out great. I highly suggest this to anyone with a Termlab as it comes in real handy.

headterm.jpg


 
Anyways, from what ive found so far from testing in a true SPL vehcile, its difficult to properly burp your setup via a carputer. It became way too inconvienent to screw with a touchscreen during a run...plus everything in the vehicle was vibrating so much, you couldnt keep your finger on the touchscreen in the right place to start/stop the track your were burping on.

I ended up getting a 50 foot remote for doing burps, and it still became a problem. I also went thru several sound cards and never did find anything I liked, I had the M-Audio USB MIDI interface, the Turtle Beach usb dongle, and onboard audio and all of them were fairly noisey. The one device I found that I did not buy, which i sitll might is the Silverstone DAC usb converter for the audio output. They're only $110 but unfortunately only have 2 volt outputs.. and their tech support people are terrible, I had to teach them about their own product.

I mainly ended up using my carputer as a portable Termlab, which has actually worked out great. I highly suggest this to anyone with a Termlab as it comes in real handy.

headterm.jpg
I never did recomend a carputer for competing,in fact whenever i go to get tested i shut the computer off to conserve power,and use the HU. But as far as daily driving and listening carputers are great!

 
I have this:::

http://photo-origin.tickle.com/image/117/0/7/O/117079963O457958434.jpg

I can get a 100 dollar LCD kit to make it work with anything, VGA, S-video, composite inputs and the rest. Off ebay. BTW, its 17" of goodness... haha Ive been wanting to put a carputer in my car now... but Im not sure where i can start. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif IF only someone caoudl do this for me... :| //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif :p

 
I have this:::http://photo-origin.tickle.com/image/117/0/7/O/117079963O457958434.jpg

I can get a 100 dollar LCD kit to make it work with anything, VGA, S-video, composite inputs and the rest. Off ebay. BTW, its 17" of goodness... haha Ive been wanting to put a carputer in my car now... but Im not sure where i can start. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif IF only someone caoudl do this for me... :| //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif :p
I can get screens too cheap. prob is you wwould want to have touchscreen. that's why they are expensive. lilliputs are the cheapest best touchscreens while Xenarcs are the most expensive yet brightest best touchscreen. I don't mind helping you on building a carputer.but since you don't know anything I would say read more about it first cause you want to be able to maintain it by yourself.don't rely on someone else to maintain it. you should learn it.

 
If only I had the money right now.... I've always thougth about doing this in my car. I've built several PC's and it seems like it would all go together pretty stright forward and easy. I subscribed to this thread, great info here. thanks!

 
Hey mega, I too have built a car pc. I pulled out the single din HU, and single din 7" flip out in replacement of a double din DVD player. Here's my problem, the 7" flip out has VGA input, where as the Double Din has composite (RCA), now, before I got the DD I bought a VGA adapter to RCA/S-Video. I tried to use that, it doesnt work. I need the drivers to make it work that way, or so I am told. I went to the site, and I dont think there's any. I am also running an EPIA mini itx, I just have the 1.3 GHz board/processor combo. Any ideas, or ways I can put my PC back in my truck on the DD hu? It was just GREAT to scan thru 3000+ mp3s, videos, pictures, AND upload my car show pics AT the show, lol.

Appreciate the help already, lol.

 
Hey mega, I too have built a car pc. I pulled out the single din HU, and single din 7" flip out in replacement of a double din DVD player. Here's my problem, the 7" flip out has VGA input, where as the Double Din has composite (RCA), now, before I got the DD I bought a VGA adapter to RCA/S-Video. I tried to use that, it doesnt work. I need the drivers to make it work that way, or so I am told. I went to the site, and I dont think there's any. I am also running an EPIA mini itx, I just have the 1.3 GHz board/processor combo. Any ideas, or ways I can put my PC back in my truck on the DD hu? It was just GREAT to scan thru 3000+ mp3s, videos, pictures, AND upload my car show pics AT the show, lol.
Appreciate the help already, lol.
if you have the m10000 Epia(like mine) they have an RCA out and an Svideo(use SVideo if possible,much better even if you are converting it to rca) to actually enable you must get to bios first and enable video out sources. Can you link me to your motherboard? if you have the space and power hook up a video card,get a i dont know the name right off the top but turns one of your pci slots sideways,so you dont take up height space.

edit: its called a Riser card

 
2.5 IDe to 2.5 laptop

http://www.mp3car.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=23&products_id=190

Slim Type CDROM/DVDROM/CDRW Adapt

http://www.mp3car.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=23&products_id=83[/URL]

RCa to headphone cable

http://www.mp3car.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=23&products_id=121

Variety of touchscreens most sizes( i have the lilliput 619)

http://www.mp3car.com/store/index.php?cPath=25

Gps(use this one cause the other one(303) has an internal battery problem and its not weather proof(by weather proof i do not mean you can leave it outside,itshould be called Water resistant,keep in side say by the window.)

http://www.mp3car.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=43&products_id=147

Little keyboard great!(meant for PS2 but works great usb,plug n play)

http://www.mp3car.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=43&products_id=104

Neat little BT gadget, there are softwares you can use where you connect via bluetooth and you canactually see whos calling and let it talk through the spkers and you talk on a mic

http://www.mp3car.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=43&products_id=106

HDDs(dont buy from here,try new egg much cheaper.

http://www.mp3car.com/store/index.php?cPath=33

RAm(you really dont need more than 3200,but stick with having atleast a 512mb stick)

http://www.mp3car.com/store/index.php?cPath=34

MOBOS stay away from the pentiums ones,they have a huge heat problem(i think its because they take in more voltage)

http://www.mp3car.com/store/index.php?cPath=30_54[/url

Powersupplies,cant go wrong with opus,lots of ppl have complications of the M2ATX,but thats only because they installed it wrong! I hooked mine up perfectly i enjoy it.

http://www.mp3car.com/store/index.php?cPath=21

MR fancy pants satelite radio(subsription required to use)

http://www.mp3car.com/store/index.php?cPath=53

I actually built my case,which i recomend to customiaztion,but the one with the blue heatsinks is the best bet for prefabbed

http://www.mp3car.com/store/index.php?cPath=28

DVD/cd roms, I got the Pioneer one($145) for like $80 from zipzoomfly.com and its a DVD BURNEr!

http://www.mp3car.com/store/index.php?cPath=39

Shutdowns/Startup controller(note the OPUS and the M2ATX already have a built in one)

http://www.mp3car.com/store/index.php?cPath=29

 
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Megalomaniac

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