4Puter Project (Toyota 4Runner Carputer)
 

Hi all,

I'm copying the pics and some of the text of the full article I posted in the Spanish 4Runner forum.

Specs:

- VIA EPIA M10000 Mainboard
- 512Mb DDR RAM
- Morex mITX Case with 12V 60W power supply
- Combo DVD/CD-RW Samsung Slim
- 80Gb Fujistu Slim HD
- Sirf III USB GPS
- Lilliput In-dash 7'' VGA Monitor, TouchScreen, TV Tuner and 4x45W amp integrated.

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The Morex mITX case and theSound Blaster Live 24 Bits USB I'll put in the glove box.

http://img227.echo.cx/img227/7806/dsc026680bf.jpg

The trunk compartment carputer adapted. I know cuttings aren't fine but they aren't seen later hahaha

https://img308.imageshack.us/img308/...sc026653nz.jpg

I reused the stock tools strap

http://img308.imageshack.us/img308/9531/dsc026663xi.jpg

Reinforced with alu to prevent the plastic box to bend

http://img308.imageshack.us/img308/7631/dsc026675cc.jpg

Testing. SB don't goes here, it was a test.

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/4341/dsc026729ii.jpg

Here goes the box:

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/5821/dsc026739gt.jpg

How to integrate an USB 4m extension cable and power switch and LED cables in one cord at a time? I did it with network 8 wires cable, 4 for the USB, 2 for the switch and 2 for the LED. It works!

Do do easier putting and removing the carputer without having to connect or disconnect things inside the case I used a serial 9 pin connector to integrate the LED and the switch connectors.

http://img330.echo.cx/img330/7114/dsc026754hi.jpg

I used the additional serial space to put it and connected it internally to the mobo.

http://img330.echo.cx/img330/3323/dsc026769gv.jpg

http://img330.imageshack.us/img330/8256/dsc026778pz.jpg

Testing hw it looks

http://img330.imageshack.us/img330/4315/dsc026789hj.jpg

Hole seems done at size

http://img330.imageshack.us/img330/5313/dsc026792en.jpg

Yeah!

http://img227.echo.cx/img227/7462/dsc026802cc.jpg

What do you say I have in the truck Mr. Agent? :P

http://img227.echo.cx/img227/6417/dsc026828mf.jpg

Only rests the screen and a fan in the lid

More pics

Glove box removed to do the holes

https://img284.imageshack.us/img284/...sc028369sq.jpg

Hole in the glove box bottom to the USB connector to pass through, it will go to an USB 2.0 4 ports hub.

https://img284.imageshack.us/img284/...sc028387bt.jpg

https://img284.imageshack.us/img284/...sc028398tc.jpg

Joining the custom USB/LED/Swith cord

https://img113.imageshack.us/img113/747/dsc028407zt.jpg

https://img218.imageshack.us/img218/...sc028417xt.jpg

Switch and LED place

https://img218.imageshack.us/img218/...sc028427lz.jpg

The wire that comes from the swith/LED and the one that comes from the trunk ready to join

https://img218.imageshack.us/img218/...sc028445kh.jpg

LED/Swith cords united (I've respected the same colors MoBo connectors have).

https://img218.imageshack.us/img218/...sc028457ky.jpg

LED and switch

https://img218.imageshack.us/img218/733/dsc028467wr.jpg

This is finishing

I've received the screen and I've begin to play with it...

http://img284.imageshack.us/img284/1734/dsc028513oa.jpg

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/1010/dsc028535qw.jpg

Soldering ISO connectors to the screen

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/1605/dsc028557ci.jpg

Putting the frame (Look how it's different in european 4Runners than yours)

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/591/dsc028568hc.jpg

Testing...

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/7508/dsc028601dy.jpg

The connector made contact with the bottom of the radio hole and I could not push the screen so I trimmed it with care

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/6268/dsc028587lp.jpg

And the final result, hidden (Yeah, I needed to clean the interior... I've done today)

http://img284.imageshack.us/img284/3765/dsc028591pl.jpg

Last pics

http://img319.imageshack.us/img319/4615/dsc028610oj.jpg

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/1011/dsc028628wu.jpg

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/1285/dsc028631ik.jpg

Tipical videoclip pic

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/8349/dsc028658px.jpg

As I'm not good designin skins I've added the Yota logo to the defaul In Car Terminal (iCT) skin.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/8360/dsc028660lq.jpg

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/8308/dsc028673mc.jpg

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/8620/dsc028698ji.jpg

Hope you like it.

David

David,

GREAT job! been wanting to do this forever. Now I have a great reference. :bigok:

Bob

If you want to do this you can use a normal 7'' VGA TouchScreen, integrating it in the double DIN hole you have... I prefered because I've to move down the screen to access the heater controls, but this is not a problem at all.

David

wow thats nice :)

that is so sweet. awesome job!

how does the computer get power, do you have a dc to ac converter or what?

The power supply is a DC-DC, works with 12V.

I'll replace it with a M1-ATX when I return from holydays because the M1 survives the engine cranks.

I've stock dual batteries but diesel starters demand a lot of current so it drops below 11V and restarts the carputer.

David

WOW - I am very impressed - that looks SICK!!!

WOW x 1,000,000! That looks like a lot of work ... with an awesome outcome! Looks like something my brother would want to do. :D

Hope you used a good laptop drive. Ive installed a couple of these into friends cars, and the standard hard drive just dont hold up.

What Power supply are you using ? Ive had best luck with the Opus units, (Pricey but they auto start and shut down and handle the crank loads very well)

Yeah, the HD is a 2.5'' unit. I'm using the standard Morex power supply, but I'll be switching into a M1-ATX. It can be configured to autostart and stop and survives engine cranks.

It also has a remote output for those using amps.

David

Nice. What Frontend software have you used ?

I Like Froodo player, and Media Car.

nice work man! a friend of mine recently did this in his A4, really cool stuff. my only complaint (from using his) was the accuracy of the touch screen. i wonder if a small wireless mouse with a flip out pad would work...

That is danged cool. What GPS software are you running on that system?

Michael, I use In Car Terminal, you can test the shareware version from www.cartft.com

It's a lot more stable than other frontends like Frodoplayer, MediaCar, RoadRunner...

The navigation system I use is named MapMonkey, it is designed to work with touchscreen and it uses the Destinator 3 maps.

The GPS receiver is a Sirf III chip based one, it has got up to 9 satellites inside of home!

David

Nice job, I still can't figure out why the european models have only space for a single din radio. You could probably swap in a North American dash piece with the metal bracket which goes in behind to hold the double din + an empty pocket to hold some cd etc.

Yeah, I was at the dealer looking at the parts file and we saw it was interchangeable.

But as long as I'm not using any CD or radio (CD=carputer and radio=screen) I could save on this hehe.

David