I'm planning on this for my 1st carputer system. i'v always wanted to do this ever since i got my 1st car. any opinions or thoughts are welcome.

so here is what i'm planning on buying at the moment...

Jon's CarPuter:
Hard Drive: 500g sata $170
Memory: 1g pc-3200 DDR $110
MotherBoard and CPU: On Board 10/100 LAN, 6-channel Audio, Integrated Video, and a AMD 64 3000 754 $100
DVD/CD Drive: Burns dvds+-r @ 16x52x32 external USB Thin $75
Wireless B/G: usb dongle $20
BlueTooth: usb dongle $15
Screen: Lilliput 7" In-Dash Motorized Touchscreen $460
GPS: USB Weatherproof GPS antenna $75
Power supply: opus 250w $200
Total: $1225

I have a bunch of 8awg with a fuse holder i'll use to give the Opus power.
The CD/DVD burner will sit in my glovebox, as will a mini wireless keyboard but i can't find any! suggestions?

Is there anything i'm missing or i should watchout for?
Is using the onboard sound ok? would i notice a difference if i used a high end soundblaster add in card?
also Is it worth buying a digital to analog converter like this one?

only thing holding me up is a box to hold it all. i guess i'll figure that out when i get to the install...

the puter will feed my Eclipse CD5000 with a signal at the end of the day which will goto the rest of my upgraded sound system.

 

Looks like alot of fun!

 

Looks like you've got everything set. You're not going to find a mini keyboard that's also wireless. As far as the soundboard, see what the onboard sounds like then upgrade.

 

hrm. seems your carputer is nicer than my home computer...

 

Is this a Micro ATX, or what? I'm curiouse to know where you're putting it :O

 

If this isn't microATX, then you need to change some of those components. I would hope you know that 2500Q is nothing for a PSU. And you definetly should go for socket 939 over 754 man...trust me, not much more but will definetly be worth it.

Nice plans and have fun man!

 

Don't bother with 754, build a 939

no need for the digital to analog converter

just use the onboard sound, but I'd buy a better mobo.

Logitech DiNovo keyboard?


you don't need that much ram, or that much speed btw

 

show me a mb cpu combo you would reccomend instead if you don't mind and the reasons for it.
i do understand the 939 runs cooler and i coudl easily overclock it but what i want to get should be more then enough...
i think i do need that much ram&speed...running gps, mp3s w/gfx, and movies all at once.
Can anyone show me a better dc-dc converter with the ability when you switch off the ignition the PC can go into shut down, standby or hibernate modes automatically? and 250w should be enough anyways. i should only be drawing aroun 175 tops i figure.

i just thought of this...i can have word on it and write papers while at college and transfer it wirelessly when i get home...
or just buy a lap top.

 

edit123456

 

you probably only need a cool 1GHz and 256mb of ram. I'd be more worried about durability (extreme temp, moisture, shock). Pretty nice setup better than anything I own or even have access too. It sounds like your going to be rendering some 3d models and editing audio while drive down the road.

 

Also, one of those mobile power supplies that still puts the PC through a normal shutdown procedure when you turn the car off.

 

He has that listed.

You seem to be on the right track but like others, you're overdoing it a little bit. The motherboard and cpu I'm ok with since it's only $100. You're basically going to be using the computer for 2 things, audio and navigation. 1gb of RAM is way overkill and the money could be better spend on a case or minikeyboard.

I think the next biggest thing to worry about is a case. It doesn't seem so important but it is. It should probably be aluminum with adequate cooling and also be sturdy/forgiving enough to withstand the bumps of the road. Computers don't like movement.

It doesn't really seem like cost is that big of an issue to you either. HAve you considered going the laptop route? Most people build the carputer due to cost and could much easily go with a laptop for more money.

 

like a nice laptop in a dockstation or something? and still use the touchscreen but have it all hidden away? i wouldn't want it out and about while driving...
my main goals:
1Touch Screen Access to media collection to play mp3, movies, dvds, cds
2GPS NAV
3Internet both wifi and through my cellphone. possibly even a wifi router which i happen to have a lynksys one lieing around, so i could allow others to leech off my car useless but i have it and it's doing nothing...another check box to mark off i guess or useless feature just to have a feature.
4RW DVD/CD burning
5gaming
6porn

 

You can easily mount a laptop in the glovebox or under the passenger seat. You would just want to be able to still access the cd drive. This way, it will come with video support, compact harddrive, and the dvd burner.

Laptop prices have been plumetting recently. I would think you could get a laptop for about $800 with all the things you want, and then the touchscreen for $300. There are also plenty of 12v car chargers for laptops.

 

You are absolutly correct!!!!! BUT!!!! you can have much more flexablity with a mini, a laptop is not very stable in the cars inviroment........been there done that. Besides by the time you purchase everything to get the laptop in your car you could have already bought a mini .....


Chef

 

personally, if I was doing it myself, I would build a mini. On the other hand, some people are not as handy with computers. Building computers for a specific use like this is kindof complicated and would require alot fo wiring. A laptop, although more expensive, is a much easier route for someone to go. It's basically plug and play for everything, no fabrication except for screen mounting and wiring.

If I ws building a carputer for myself, I could probably get away with spending about $500 using a few spare things I have laying around. If someone has allready set a price limit at over $1k, I would say just get a laptop.

 

here's an idea for you, you know those mini joysticks, that laptops have (right between the g and the h keys.) how about getting one of those and putting it right on top of the stick shift. , to me its the perfect location.

 

with a left and right mouse button on it as well?

 

ah, nou, for the left button, all you have to do is tap the joystick, and for the right button there is software out there that lets you do it with out an additional button.

 

see that little thing in the middle, well thats what im talking about
(got rid of the picture cause it was to big.)

 

well he said he was getting a touchscreen, so thats not necessary at all.

 

The keyboard situation is EASY TO SOLVE!!! Go online or any half decent computer store and look at their PDA accessories. Purchase a Dell Wireless Bluetooth keyboard intended for their Axim. It will perfect and can be folded and thrown into the center console. Done deal!

Core 2 Duo FTMFasdfkljaweflkjsdfhW ... PS I don't know what "asdfkljaweflkjsdfh" means but you get the point . Everyone is going to take that idea ... thank my roommate for that one.

 

well then if thats the idea, then a carputer isn't necessary either, is it now?, , when you are driving what part of the car does your right hand touches more besides the steering wheel?. got it the shifter, well my point is convenience, as an not having to reach out for the screen to touch it everytime you want to do something with the system. (or having to unfold a keyboard for that matter) you can do a lot if not everything with a mouse on a computer this days.
anyways it was just an idea if you like go for it, if not, i will

 

that idea actually is really awesome. i like it alot controlling the computer without moving your hand or body at all. people at 1st would have NO idea how you were controllling it because your hand is over it...i'm thinking of my thumb aactually moving it...also i'll usually be running a skin on road runner which is a front end. so nav music movies etc...i wonder if i can rip one of those buttons out of any laptop...this project keeps getting more and more expensive but much much much more interesting.

 

that is gonna be fun to drill apart a shift *** and thread wiring all te way through it. My only concern would be that you've addressed the issue of navigating through the button, but your also going to have to install a click button somewhere. It might get confusing having a bunch of buttons on the shifter. BTW, are you auto or manual?

 

auto tragic =[

 

people.... you do not need a button, those things are design so when you give the a quick tap they act as a button also, so there problem solve, i say go for it, it'll be perfect.