ok picking up in the middle. What did you have trouble with. I've built all of my computers so its kinda gotten to the point I can do it in my sleep. What specificly did you have troubles with.

 

Well, first off, I think it's important to define the playing field. I too build all my own machines, as well I've been coding since 1976 (os kernels, device drivers, network stacks), designing analog circuits since 1978 and digital circuits since the late 80's. I WAY too well understand computers and interfaces.

There was nothing "hard" about doing the car computer thing, but it was time consuming to get things talking right.

You'll find trouble coming up with the answers to things like:

• How to get more than one piece of software to talk to a single USB device
• Dealing with Windows' buggy hibernate mode (more correctly, coming _back_ from hibernate)
• Power, as in "what happens when I turn off the ignition?"
• Handling clocking noise in your audio system
• Dealing with a device that REALLY prefers to run off of a switching power supply (your truck is effectively a linear supply)
• Power regulation. Many devices don't like seeing things go from 12.6->13.8v and back again
• Grounding. If you do run a switching supply, then the ground that the computer sees will be different than that of the truck. See above for "clocking noise". This can also wrek havoc with things like XM radio receivers and OBD II modules that are inherently on BOTH sides of the ground.
• Heat... Lotso stuff in a small space. You can run a fan, but if you off-road, that's a bad idea.
• Shock... See my avatar? Think of that landing while rocking out to an MP3 streaming from a hardrive.

This is a LOT different than spec'ing a motherboard, processor, DVD burner, putting it in a case and installing Windows XP.

 

after installing my computer in the car today, its my second install in a year. (first was in my honda accord.)

1, xport3
2, this is an issue, but if you stay away from usb devices, its better, ive yet to have any problems with this.
3, opus, m1atx and m2atx, etc. specific for car applications, dc-dc with a shut down controller.
4, not a problem... see above.
5, again, above
6, heat is always an issue, i worry most about parking, not about driving, fans and a strong AC work wonders, but what happens when its parked in the sun?
7, as for shock, my new setup has a memory foam shock mounted hd. it doesnt osillate like a rubber substance, and gives enough to cushin it enough to make it last a little longer. the other parts are built pretty sturdy.


i JUST finished the wiring, etc for my carpc, havent gotten my monitor mount quite yet. i love it and have greatly missed it having it between cars for nearly a month. happy to see it reinstalled in the vehicle.

a full write up will be performed soon enough, when i install everything and get it all good, ive been benchtesting it for 2 weeks now, tweaking it until everything was right.

i researched for a long time to do this, and spent alot of money on it, but it was less than a indash nav unit from pioneer or the like, and i can do SOOO much more with it, like surf the net with wifi, etc.

i would install it in the dash in place of the HU, but unfortunatly im forced to keep the headunit until i can afford amps (probably never).


any one in the socal area is welcome to come to the www.mp3car.com socal meet, saturday the 19th of august(one week from tomorrow) at cal poly pomona, parking lot f4. more info can be found here: http://mp3car.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=80900

 

Yeup... you and I found similar answers.

I wasn't spouting based on these things still being a problem for me (they're not), but more of to point out the differences from building a desktop versus a car PC.

btw... padding wise, check out the "vibration pads" here:
http://www.surplussales.com/Cab-Rack...hockmount.html

I LOVE surplus!

 

So what would you recommend for a budget system. I'm looking for a mp3 rig as well as something with wifi and a nav system and dvd's if possible

 

A lot depends on what your definition is of "budget". The hardware is the costly part - I got lucky on eBay and ended up with a nice compact system for cheap. It doesn't have a lot of horsepower, but it's fast enough for me and I don't need DVD support. Check the MP3Car.com forums and you'll also find people putting full-size "junker" AT's in their cars. That can save you a lot of cash.

Cheaping up the computer side still leaves you with having to come up with an interface... a 7" touchscreen panel runs about $400 list, you can find them for about $300 on eBay and the mp3car forums. But when I first tried doing this 3 years ago, I had a straight 7" monitor with a thumb mouse (like this) and that was looking to work "okay", though dangerous in the sense of having to take your eyes off the road to make anythign happen.

Software wise, there's more support for Windows than anything else, but there's starting to be more support for Linux. That can save you the cost of a Windows license and the typical non-free accompanying Windows based software.

There's also the option of spending $300-400 on a eBay laptop, add a thumb mouse, add a laptop stand for the car, and jack the audio into a head unit that has external input. We're back to the dangerous thing though...

 

What about your software (the pictures you have on the first page) is that software something that came on the box you bought?

 

Nothing was on the box when I bought it... There are a number of links at the bottom of the first message, including links to the software I'm running:

• Software
  • Windows XP
  • Centrafuse
  • A.I.M.E.E. XM interface
  • WiFi Hopper
  • MS MapPoint
  • Xport3

 

Hello Midiwall,

Have you tried MapMonkey? It uses the Destinator 3 maps. I recommend it as it's tought for touchscreens not like Map Point.

Some friends have achieved to run Tom Tom in PC but it is still slow as it must be run in an Pocket PC emulator and so.

I've my carputer installed since more than a year ago and I'm very very satisfied, it's probably the best interior mod I've done to my 4Runner!

David

 

Yeup... I wasn't impressed. It has a real bulky feel. Actually, CentraFuse has it's own nav built-in, based on the Destinator 5 maps, it's bulky too - hence my using MapPoint.

There's a CF plug-in now for MapPoint that makes things a lot easier to handle. You don't have to fight the toolbar like you're imagining.


Yeup! I agree!

 

Plug & play, car computing is not, and I really don't think it ever will be. I've been through the trenches with this stuff. I agree it's better now than it was 2-3 yrs ago. The screen options have gotten a lot better.

For sure, a car computer is not exactly cheap if done right, I've gone through 3 versions of mine, and finally have a stable solid system. I would say the #1 necessary item would be a touchscreen, any other control is dangerous.


For nav: I have Delou Routis, works really well with a touchscreen.
Power: Opus, opus, opus. 1 device, all your power problems will be solved.
Heat: Haven't had a problem yet up to 100 or so outside, Cold however is an issue, below 20 degree's the HD will not function properly and the computer will not boot.
Shock: 1 80gig 2.5hd down, nothing you can really do. Rubber is a good idea, but I can't make it fit in my case. Reality is, you have a truck it's going to get shocks.


I have said it before, keep your headunit. As reliable as a carpc is now (and it can be), the last thing you want is a blue screen on a long trip. Keep your headunit, and use a aux in. Then you have a good FM tuner still (without the need for another device), and always have the ability to pop a cd in when all else fails, and it will.

 

thanks for the info I might be PMing you later in the year about this project.

 

where are you out of red3.slow? im sure there is a mp3car meet close by, as they pop up all over the country. ive been organizing the soCal one for the last few events. check out the forums on mp3car, the gathering one specifically, to see if there is a meet near you.

i really need to get all of those pictures up on the internet. still not done with it(never will be...)

 

exactly what I want... awesome!

 

Wow! Nice install....Thanx...this gives me hope that someday soon I can try something once I get the funds.

"Actually, it's not that bad - the one major exposed wire is the lead for the GPS receiver which is sitting up on the dash. There's some duct tape holding it in place right now. It'll get tidy'd up, but I need to pull the dash to get the cable behind it. That's now pretty low on my list of things to do."

LOL...Install that Bluetooth, and you can get a bluetooth GPS, and get rid of that "pesky" GPS cable...

I'd probably want the Bluetooth, for use with my cell as a modem, with a GPS, and with my Palm.

 

I thought about it, along with a bluetooth keyboard, but the issue at that point became putting the load on the PC that I'm using. Bluetooth ain't a lot to load down a machine, but I'm not running a lot of power to start with.