computer to carputer help

pimpalero2003 · 03-13-2008, 12:18 AM

im wanting to make a car puter but i dont know shit about computers and components.
what i want is to be able to play music videos nav maybe phone and internet i have a deck with aux in so if i can get rca outs i can put them to my deck then to speakers...
so anyone have idea what i need and how to connect crap??
im looking at maybe a 10in monitor.
anyhelp would help.

CharleyO99Alero · 03-13-2008, 12:38 AM

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Here ya go ...

http://g.s.scandoo.com/search?hl=en&...q=Car+computer

Be sure to read this how-to ...

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...1858814,00.asp

Hope this helps.

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Ryan from Ohio · 03-13-2008, 12:31 PM

http://www.mp3car.com/

lonnie · 03-13-2008, 03:57 PM

Well the mp3car site has some good stuff but you better get ready to give them one of your balls, but thats not to say it wouldn't be more convienent to buy something already made for that application. You could get a regular pc and run it off of an inverter. The Lenovo A61e is a compact comp, that could mount in the trunk or under the seat or even in the glove box its like 3X10X9.5, and run it right to your monitor as long as you have the video card that will give you what you need. They make small keyboards that you could mount somewhere or have in the front somewhere. Then you could mount your 10in monitor on the roof...I have a 9.2 up there and its not bad and I'm kinda tall. Pretty easy. The only thing is you would have to turn it on every time you got in the car but there may be ways around that. Just my opinion just seems it might be cheaper to build your own setup.

pimpalero2003 · 03-13-2008, 04:40 PM

ive read things of people making them for like 280..
and i found the screen 10.4in in the center of my dash.. i know that they make a 12v power supply and a timer thing.
if i do just a reqular computer itd prolly be more but idk also have to find software stuff.
readingon that mp3 site i dont understand half the crap hahaha

03-13-2008, 05:42 PM

Basically just buy a microATX sized mini-computer, make sure it has a good size hard drive and some kind of insulation (depending on your winter climate). Also, computer hard drives aren't good with vibration, so a laptop hard drive might be a better choice. A wireless card is also nice so you can sync from the driveway. If you know what your doing you can buy the microATX motherboard and parts, and build it right into your car. Hit eBay for the LCD monitors, make sure they support VGA or DVI - don't waste your money on something that only has composite input if you're using a computer. Touch screens are nice too but will run you a few bucks more. Lastly, find software that is easy to navigate and use from your drivers seat. Something like Windows Media Centre or Nero Home - you can purchase an IR remote to navigate these as well. As for audio, simply wire it out of your sound card, into a Y-RCA adapter then into your deck. With long enough DVD ribbon cables, you can build a DVD drive right into your dash. This also applies to inputs, outputs, headphone jacks, etc. As for power, you're PC won't need a dedicated power supply if you have a clean 12V source that can be spliced into Molex connectors somewhere. But use caution in ensuring that this is clean and consistent power - use means of filtering it if not. ATX motherboards use very simple means of powering on and such - you can wire this directly to your ignition to either power on or wake-up the computer every time you start you're car. Almost all computers have a low-power standby state in which they can live off a lithium ion battery for up to 2 weeks, this would barely tax your car battery and would eliminate having to boot up everytime you start the car. I've also helped a buddy wire it to his remote starter, so he could turn the machine on and off from inside the house and access it wirelessly. Add in a $10 microphone and your whole rig just went voice activated. It's amazing how simple this technology is, and how much you'll pay for it in new cars. Want Bluetooth? Get a $25 Bluetooth card and have at 'er hoss.

It's really one of the easiest, cheapest and coolest mods you can do to a car. I'm sure you could build a 250-300 GB machine with wireless, DVD playback and 1 monitor for under $300. If not for the bitter, cold, winters and hot and wet summers of Canada - I'd do this in my car!

pimpalero2003 · 03-13-2008, 05:49 PM

thats y i was wainting my own parts other premade was expensive my screen is like 300 bucks touchscreen and support the vga 10.4 in which ill have to glass into dash...
anyone on here have one???

03-14-2008, 01:01 PM

I'm tempted to do it, and possibly write a tutorial or something on it. I wouldn't be able to put it in the car until at least May though.

pimpalero2003 · 03-14-2008, 04:38 PM

prolly b4 me.
been thinking just a lap top with a broken screen change power source and delete things out of the windows folder so its faster and put a bigger hd in.

Ryan from Ohio · 03-15-2008, 08:46 AM

Few issues to consider...

You need a good DC to DC converter. Taking DC to AC to switch it back to DC wastes a lot of power.

Next is your hard drive Vs. bass. Dont you have subs?

pimpalero2003 · 03-15-2008, 03:45 PM

yes i have subs none in the car at the moment but will soon

03-15-2008, 03:50 PM

An old laptop is probably your best bet, but high capacity laptop drives aren't exactly cheap. Given you do have subs I would advise keeping this inside the cabin, under a seat or in the glovebox - but either way, crazy amounts of bass won't be much good for it. Most laptop manufactuers or third party OEM make car power adapters that don't need to convert to AC and back like inverters. The lithium ion battery will be a good backup if your car is off.

[ion] C2 · 03-15-2008, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pimpalero2003

been thinking just a lap top with a broken screen change power source and delete things out of the windows folder so its faster and put a bigger hd in.

LOLLLLLLL good luck with that.

03-15-2008, 04:27 PM

So here's what you'll need:

8" LCD Touchscreen ($150)
A laptop ($250 for a decent P4 model)
A large hard drive ($100 for a 120 GB)
A power adapter (let's say $20)
Wiring (vga cable, usb, audio $20)
A Wifi antenna ($40)
Mounting hardware (maybe $10, just something to bolt it down)
External DVD Drive (assuming you wanted to load DVDs from your dash, $30)

$620 total

pimpalero2003 · 03-15-2008, 04:41 PM

found tops with broken screens for around 150 and 10'' moniter 300. i got a couple dvd players from old computers.
but would mounting in the trunk be better since my subs are in the back seat?
and i can make some mounting hardware.

pimpalero2003 · 03-15-2008, 04:44 PM

and when i said delete things i read on that mp3 site that theres things u delete to boot up quicker then a program to get even more fat trimmed off

03-17-2008, 08:31 AM

10" Monitor for $300 is unreal, it better be a touch screen for that price. You need to mount that computer as far away from the subs as possible. And even then, excessive vibration could kill your hard drive. There's a few things you can do to boot up faster, but not by much. Your best bet would be to leave the thing in standby at all times, wire the power to your ignition and the computer will instantly wake up when your start the car - plus it will remember whatever you had running last (movie, songs, web site etc).

I'm thinking maybe move the subs to the trunk if you want to pull this off.