Idea for computer-in-the-car!

[joe039]

OKAY
So i was on a long drive home yesterday, and i gone and dun myself some thinking.

I started out thinking, "When i get DSMlink for this thing, i think im gonna try and mount a computer on the dash somewhere.. kinda like a cop's got." then i was thinking, "Man, a laptop would just be a pain in the ass and would just be in the way.. wouldn't serve any other function other than DSMlink." SO then i was thinking, "Why dont i just put a whole computer in here?" and i was like, "Woah. i could put a barebones shuttle in here! I could prolly fit it behind the dash where the passenger side airbag is!" then i was thinkin like, "Ok.. how would i do the monitor..." then i remembered that they sell like 12" LCD flatpanels for hella cheap now, and i was like, "AWESOME!" so now im trying to figure out how i could make the monitor articulate so that i could move it so it would be clearly visible from the corner of my eye, but also be able to be turned so that a passenger would be able to look at it say for watching a movie, or playing a game or something. Im also thinkin about ways to rig up an articulated mouse w/ mousing surface, and a keyboard. i was thinking i could probably do a wireless deal pretty easy and mount the sensor underneath the dash.. and have the keyboard swing around and articulate kinda like a desklamp does. the other hting im thinkin about is power.. im not really sure how i'd do that...

I DUNNO
It's all still in the works in my head, im gonna do some sketches and figure some more stuff out, but what do y'all think about the general concept? has it been done before? Would it be something y'all would be interested in if there was a kit for it?

 

['96_Talon_TSi]

Most guys put it in the center where the radio usually goes. If you get a touch screen you wont need a mouse.

Check out www.mp3car.com They have everything you will need.

 

[ShadowWulf]

Touchscreens can be abit expensive though.

Instead of a mouse you could just mount a trackball somewvere, proably in the center console....or some keyboards come with touch-pads or trackballs similar to laptops.

 

[gsxeclipsed]

I was thinkin the same thing today and i wanna hook it up to my stereo for some music like no more cd's just use windows media.

 

[beat90tsi]

I used to have the same idea for music...I would have used winamp, but my mp3 head unit was a lot easier to install. And with IPODs and the like being so cheap, I don't see the point of mounting the computer in the car just for music. If it was for DSMlink and music, I could see doing that.

 

[420a16g]

sounds like a waste of time and money to me.

if you wanna watch movies and play games in the car just get a flip out screen and a ps2 or xbox then you can play games and watch dvds.

also, putting in a whole computer to run movies, video games, and a dsmlink is a bit overkill.

imo

 

[420a16g]

sounds like a waste of time and money to me.

if you wanna watch movies and play games in the car just get a flip out screen and a ps2 or xbox then you can play games and watch dvds.

also, putting in a whole computer to run movies, video games, and a dsmlink is a bit overkill.

imo

ofcourse you could just do what other people do while they are driving.......WATCH the road instead of a movie or video game.

 

[joe039]

it would prolly be expensive, but my whole thinking behind the comp in the car is that i've got this old lan shuttle here, its a amd 3200 athlon w/ a gig of ram, 80 gb HD, and my old radeon 9800 XT. So it's still a damn good computer, but.. shrunk down. and in a lan box. and if i could put that in my car, and figure out a way to rig everything up i could run just about any PC game in existence, DSMlink, movies, etc, so on. and it wouldn't be so much for ME to use, it would be for my passengers to use during long trips and whatnot (I drive up and down cali A LOT).

<shrug> the only thing i'd need to buy is the screen. i got a wireless keyboard and mouse i can plug in w/ it. and i wouldn't wanna do a touchscreen deal 'cause that eliminates the purpose of gaming in the car w/ it.. and about the ps2 thing, im not very big on console games. i grew up w/ computers

 

[Detail]

mp3car.com forum is sick...

im in school for IT and my love of cars is obvious...what a sick way to match the two.

uhhh, but big bucks for sure

Dan

 

[Defiant]

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144773

http://www.carbotpc.com/

http://www.digitaltechinc.com/mobile_1.html

 

[greathuskie]

how sweet would it be to have a hidden mouse + keyboard fold out from where the passenger airbag normally is...but when you put it back just the put airbag cover back in place

just an alternative to a touchscreen

 

[siueclipse]

www.gsturbo.com/james

check out my pics folder.. i have many picstures about my car computer.

i run everything and anything i want to.

 

[420a16g]

damn siu what kind of screen is that....?

 

[SoilentGreen98]

I've seen a few people on here alone that have switched out the passenger airbag for a custom laptop. It's pretty cool from what I've seen. Also, check out Keith Losier's Talon. He has everything integrated with his monitors in his car which includes a wireless keyboard and a clickless mouse installed into where the armrest was.

 

[Livid]

If it were me ide just remove the passenger airbag and turn that compartment into a computer case. You could put in a 12v power supply video cards cd-rom , ect..

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=67764&item=5750634805&rd=1072&rd=1

 

[2fast420a]

damn siu what kind of screen is that....?

It's a Xenarc. You can get them off ebay and they are touch screen.

 

[newkidd]

is there a way to get a comp to control different acc. like windows heatn ac gauges

 

[siueclipse]

damn siu what kind of screen is that....?

xenarc touchscreen. i have a wholesale account with them cause im special and ride the short bus

 

[siueclipse]

is there a way to get a comp to control different acc. like windows heatn ac gauges

yes

http://www.phidgets.com/modules.php...ons&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=9&page=1

 

[kaioken]

Im thinking of adding a Mac Mini its only 6.5 inches square and 2 inches tall. You can get it with Bluetooth and with Airport. You can also add wireless internet to it.

 

[Chuckt]

Im thinking of adding a Mac Mini its only 6.5 inches square and 2 inches tall. You can get it with Bluetooth and with Airport. You can also add wireless internet to it.

the computers i have made for other ppl (3 not including myself) have been smaller than the minimacs. www.angelfire.com/mn2/arcadecontrols/carpc (single din case) that one is boostergsx's comp i believe. heres my touchscreen before i painted it black along with the rest of the interior www.angelfire.com/mn2/arcadecontrols/cartv5.JPG. all my info was from mp3car.com also. my comp has bluetooth access to conect to my home network while in the garage to transfer files, 250gb hdd, 256 mb ddr ram, dvd/cd rom, 1ghz c3 processor, and opus powersupply to turn the comp on and off with the car.

 

[rodwa4]

i'm thinking it would be sweet to put a comp in behind the dash, put a usb dvd drive in the dash in front of the passenger seat, and mount a long-range wi-fi antenna on the back of the car. that way, i could get wireless internet in my car from almost anywhere in my town. two questions, how to rig the power supply, and also, what size lcd should i get? (i want to put it where the sterio would other wise go). i still have a lot of planning/thinking before i try something like this, but any ideas tips is good.

 

[rodwa4]

oh, and get wireless mouse/keyboard, and just make a small folding table to sit on your lap, the only question is, where to store it?

 

[bOOstd GSX]

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Enjoy... Thanks to ChuckT for throwing the CarPC together for me has been working flawlessly for a few months now.

 

[rodwa4]

thats cool! how much though? see i'm running on a tight budget, as in, have to buil my own comp from scratch... maybe even make my own custom case. where'd you get the keyboard though?