In Car PC / 'Carputer'

[sdl]

Anyone else tackled a similar install? How did you get on? Would like to see pics. If not...you know you want one!

[Morr]

Anyone else tackled a similar install? How did you get on? Would like to see pics. If not...you know you want one!

Not done one yet, but been wanting to for ages, still waiting for the price of touch screens to drop a bit further.

That's one very neat looking install you've done. What size screen did you use, 7" or 8"?

I'm sure many others here would also be very interested in any further details you could post.

[sdl]

Car PC

Touch screen is a 7" Xenarc, and cost about £250. Glad you think it looks neat as spent a lot of time getting it how I wanted it.
PC is a 1.2Ghz Epia M11000
120Gb Maxtor HDD
512MB PC2100 DDR RAM
Slimline DVD/CDRW Optical Drive
Opus 150w Power Supply
USB GPS Receiver (Destinator 3)
Oh yes, you will need a head unit with AUX IN, had to upgrade mine!

[Assasin-uk]

Nice job, very impressed..

Carnt help wondering though (and im an IT Manager) what do you actualy use the pc for?.. i need to know this so i can convince the mrs i need one too..

And is it plug and play..

[sdl]

Nice job, very impressed..

Carnt help wondering though (and im an IT Manager) what do you actualy use the pc for?.. i need to know this so i can convince the mrs i need one too..

And is it plug and play..

It runs Windows XP, and MediaCar Software. I have my entire CD collection ripped to MP3 on there. Divx Files, watch DVD's, GPS Navigation, and will do all and anything a PC does. Will probably network to my desktop for easy file transfer of new music etc. Don't waste money on a GPS system when you can build one for not much more!

[andy_enuff]

How does it power up/down? Does it stay turned on when you turn off the ignition or something? I'll post some pics of my installl soon - tho no PC as yet (there is a 600W power suply tho for 'future expansion'...

[sdl]

How does it power up/down? Does it stay turned on when you turn off the ignition or something? I'll post some pics of my installl soon - tho no PC as yet (there is a 600W power suply tho for 'future expansion'...

It was worth spending a bit more money on the clever OPUS power supply, it powers up when head unit is switched on as has 'remote' feed (same as for amps) Power supply monitors / regulates voltage and can be set to shut pc down after 10 secs, 20 mins, 40 mins, 60 mins. Mine is set to 20 mins.

[andy_enuff]

Just had a look at their site. Nice supply. Might have to get that added to the optional extras i have, i've got loads of pc's lying about at home that could go in my car. How difficult is it to set-up the machine to run the in car entertainment stuff along with the gps?

mine Currently has:

_ Cat 1 Cobra Alarm
_ 2x Directed audio 15", 800w subs
_ 1 x Phoenix Gold 500w monoblock amp
_ 1 x line driver
_ 1 x 1/2 farad capacitor
_ 1 x 2 Phoenix Gold 300w 2 channel amp
_ 1 set of Alpine SR series components
_ Fibre glass custom door panels at front
_ Custom A pillars for tweeters
_ Fibre glass rear install with red neons
_ Fold-down rear seats - red neons on amps
_ Tinted all round
_ Red neons underbody
_ Custom aerial control on radio
_ Alpine CD/MP3 player
_ 6 disc cd changer
_ Mains inverter with supply to front passenger footwell


AND WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR 7" screen FOR £250??

[sdl]

Car PC

GPS Software Destinator 3 integrates with the MediaCar software, and will run while playing MP3's if you so desire! Other alternatives are Navigator 4 and Media Engine.
Post pics: that sound like a LOUD install you have.

[andy_enuff]

It's getting there, needs a custom panel wher ethe rear window light is in the boot which is going to house a red neon and 2x Phoenix Gold Octane -R 70W 6x9s - the whole system is bass heavy at the moment. Then it's an upgrade to the amps for the subs - it needs another 500W monblock... Oh, and a headunit that has an auxilary in - the alpine unit i have is messy - if you use a cd changer you get no aux in.. GRRR.

[sdl]

Just had a look at their site. Nice supply. Might have to get that added to the optional extras i have, i've got loads of pc's lying about at home that could go in my car. How difficult is it to set-up the machine to run the in car entertainment stuff along with the gps?

mine Currently has:

_ Cat 1 Cobra Alarm
_ 2x Directed audio 15", 800w subs
_ 1 x Phoenix Gold 500w monoblock amp
_ 1 x line driver
_ 1 x 1/2 farad capacitor
_ 1 x 2 Phoenix Gold 300w 2 channel amp
_ 1 set of Alpine SR series components
_ Fibre glass custom door panels at front
_ Custom A pillars for tweeters
_ Fibre glass rear install with red neons
_ Fold-down rear seats - red neons on amps
_ Tinted all round
_ Red neons underbody
_ Custom aerial control on radio
_ Alpine CD/MP3 player
_ 6 disc cd changer
_ Mains inverter with supply to front passenger footwell


AND WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR 7" screen FOR £250??

You sound surprised....try cartft.com

[andy_enuff]

Looks good, is it hard to get the pc to work with the screen - having worked with ibm touchscreens for years they tend to loose their calibration, is this pretty sturdy? Plug and play pretty much? If so i'd better have me one!

[sdl]

Looks good, is it hard to get the pc to work with the screen - having worked with ibm touchscreens for years they tend to loose their calibration, is this pretty sturdy? Plug and play pretty much? If so i'd better have me one!

Xenarc screens are high quality peices of kit designed for in car use, there are cheaper screens available. I have read no bad reports on the Xenarc screen, but have read many on other screens such as the cheaper Lilliput.
Touchscreen runs off the USB and all you need to do is load on the software that your screen will come with. The screen has 3 connections, USB, VGA and of course power. It can run from your cigarette lighter but is obviously better if it shuts down with your system, as on your desktop pc.
Go for it...let me know how you get on.

[TimberSurf]

I have a workmate (computer Boffin) who fitted all the bits of a puter in his car boot. sound is rigged to stereo, touch screen etc, but also runs voice recognition (so hands free, selection of music), bluetooth to phone(gets his emails on the road) and WiFi (for uploading DVDS, MPGS, etc) from home PC when parked in drive (also syncs Outlook, my docs etc)
Now thats wot I call a techno 'head' !!!

[Big Jonah]

Geeeez, guys, I'm impressed!

I'm just happy if I don't leave a trail of smoke as I trundle along or don't have oil every where in the engine bay!

Just one question before I put one down on my wish list (item number 698....), how do these systems fair off-road?

I can imagine the hard drives aren't to happy being bounced around muddy tracks on Salisbury Plains...