What do I need to install a Carputer? In Dash PC Computer

[Gamble97]

If you guys want to see pics of mine it's here:
97 dsm gsx eclipse carputer LOTS O PICS & MODS! LOOK - MP3Car.com

 

[95CarbonEclipse]

If you guys want to see pics of mine it's here:
97 dsm gsx eclipse carputer LOTS O PICS & MODS! LOOK - MP3Car.com

I seen that thread on there the other day. Where is your DVD drive installed at with that setup? I kinda like that with your deck below the flip out, but I also like how clean it looks with just one unit up front. Either way, it looks good.

Infinite - I too was curious as to what front end program you are using. Everybody seems to like RoadRunner quite a bit, but I think that it requires WinAMP and I've heard that WinAMP sometimes has shutdown issues. Also, where did you mount your DVD drive?

 

[Gamble97]

I hate winamp. I don't have a dvd drive. I could put on in there but I see no point. It's not like I'm literally going to watch dvd's. Any music or whatever I want I can transfer via usb memory stick.

 

[95CarbonEclipse]

Any music or whatever I want I can transfer via usb memory stick.

Good point. Even if you wanted to watch some music video's or something you could always put them onto a flash drive. Hmmm... I'm leaning more and more towards just intalling a flush mount Lilliput Touchscreen. Even my chick likes that a lot better then the flip out.

Do you guys think that the spare tire area underneath the trunk floor is enough space to keep the motherboard breathing well? If not... I wonder if I could vent it to allow fresh air in and to circulate it better?

 

[Gamble97]

Lots of people put them there.
Also some of the main reasons I kept my headunit is to make things easy. If the motherboard goes bad or hard drive fails or it doesn't boot up or whatever I still have music to listen to. Plus I love my alpine I can't get rid of it.
Also this way it's much less fabrication work. And if you never did any type of fiberglass or anything before your in for a real treat. Because it's not easy and takes a long long time.

 

[95CarbonEclipse]

Lots of people put them there.
Also some of the main reasons I kept my headunit is to make things easy. If the motherboard goes bad or hard drive fails or it doesn't boot up or whatever I still have music to listen to. Plus I love my alpine I can't get rid of it.
Also this way it's much less fabrication work. And if you never did any type of fiberglass or anything before your in for a real treat. Because it's not easy and takes a long long time.

I don't f*ck around when it comes to making something look nice. If I can't do it or don't feel comfortable doing it... I'll pay somebody that can. I know a few bodyshop guys that I'm sure could do it no prob.

I think I'll try and mount a few USB ports up front to the right of my voltmeter (cigarette lighter) in the blank spot or inside my center console armrest, so that I have easy access to them.

 

[Gamble97]

PM nexus, I think his name is. His work is TOP NOTCH. I have never seen better fiberglass work, he does side jobs.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Is that centrafuse? How did you put the words eclipse in there, I can't figure it out. Mine just says centrafuse.

CF is fully skinnable. Go to the install folder and locate the images. Its very easy. I was the one helping with the original skin along time ago. I also was the main graphics designer for Mobile Media Center. After MMC went down, CentraFuse was the next logical step. And so I started helping them out with skinning stuff. Then I lost the car to a Police Impound, and dropped out of the rat race. Recently getting back in and will be using LinuxICE for my Front End/Operating System as the front end also is fully skinnable as well and thats what I require out of a front end. Plus I don't feel like paying for CF.

The LinuxICE Project - Openice.org
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2EpbnWVULT8&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2EpbnWVULT8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

Its a full OS made for in car entertainment. And has the ability to look and feel just like the iPhone.

 

[95CarbonEclipse]

I just seen those newer '08 LED backlit Lilliput Touchscreens (629GL-70NP) on Ebay for $240. That's not bad at all.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Damn dude, killer price! Grab one, or two ...

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Been getting a few pm's about this. So I figured I'll throw down some tips and how to's when it involves Car-PC's

Tip #1: MP3Car.com - Your source for mobile computing solutions! - All Blog Entries is a great website to have in your bookmarks. Join the forums if you wish and get all your information taken care of.

Tip #2: Figure out what kind of space you have to work with in you car to work with and keep it in mind at all times.

Tip #3: Figure out what you would like your Car-PC to be capable of so you can be sure to have all the necessary hardware and software available.

Tip #4: Throw down a budget for the entire build. Now you can't be too lean because this is something that's expensive right from the get go, but afterward it pays for itself. If you look at the price of a Car-PC vs. an in dash DVD/Navigation system. The PC will ALWAYS come on top from features to cash. Less money gets you more when it comes to a PC!

Next you have to throw these tips together. Order yourself a screen, Motherboard, Case (unless your like me and a few others that build your own), CPU, Memory, HD and have a disc for whatever operating system you wish to use waiting. I say install everything on the computer before full installation in the car. This way the computer is done and all you have to do is wire it up.

Alot of people like molding their screens to their dash's. Selmer has done it, I did it. Others are ok with spending a little more cash on a motorized screen. Now remember these aren't screens that you'd purchase at a audio shop. These are actual computer monitors. They have a higher resolution and connect via VGA or S-Video. They also have a USB touch Pad installed that will install itself onto your computer as a USB Universal Mouse. You will get software with the screen to calibrate it properly. The best way to mold your screen is to take it apart. Its best to buy a Lilliput Screen because of the price difference since your going to be hacking things apart. But Lilliput is anal about connections so please try to keep from disconnecting any harnesses. Sometimes its a PITA to get working again.

As you can see here, I cutted the lower button half off of the screen bezel. After I did this, it fit perfectly into the stock 2G faceplate. I used superglue to hold it in place while I did the molding. These two peices are plastic so they are still flexible, even if it doesn't seem like it. So start out by using some sort of Resin to fill the hole around the screen. But please don't overdo it, Fiberglass resin is a very good hard compound to use, but a PITA to sand down later. Get the Resin as far up as you like and fill the rest in with Bondo. Sand until your new screen bezel is perfectly smooth. And Paint accordingly. I like to use two types of paint. First is the rippling paint, but I usually hold the can far away to try and pull off the same patern that the original peice had to begin with, then I will go over it with glossy black paint. Use Semi Gloss, it matches stock better. Now you should be able to mount the screen back in place and you are set.

The computer you can mount anywhere, but take into account that it still is a computer. So try to mount in the coldest spot possible. Out of direct sunlight. IF you use a Mobile Processor the heat problem wont be as extensive, but you still have to worry about it... All the new Power Supplies are setup like Amplifiers. One end connects to the pc, the other has the same connections as an Amp. Constant 12V, Ignition Switch and GND. The Ignition Switch wire is actually just a button. When it gets power, it will power on your pc with memory in tact because of the Constant 12V. When you turn off the car you can set it up to turn off the pc, or my favorite, put the PC in Sleep mode. I use sleep mode because it takes virtually no power so you wont wake up to a dead battery, but yet loads almost instantly back to where you left it. All this stuff is very simple to do, its the same as a regular desk top.

As for sound, there are multiple ways you can go. But let it be known you must get a few cables for amplifiers. If you have a motherboard with onboard sound (2ch, 4ch, and 5.1-7.1) then your set to go. These are better for car pc's. They require less from the computer and take less power. You need to get some cables now. One end will have the normal sound plug, which looks like a long pin of metal seperated 3 times by plastic... You plug your pc speakers into the computer with this same cable. The other end will have 2 RCA's to connect to amps. Now if you have a 2Ch onboard sound, then what you want is a 4CH Amplifier. Connect the cable with two rca's to 2 spliters. Plug the now 4 rca cables to your amp, left and right, left and right. And now you have 4channel stereo, same thing a regular stereo puts out. Most amplifiers have a pass through RCA setup on it, so you can connect a set of regular rca's to go to a sub amp. As you get more into 5.1 and 7.1ch audio it gets a little more interesting, but very fun.

In my car I have true 5.1DTS. Music plays on on all 4 normal speakers plus the sub. Movies use all speakers in surround sound mode.

Now you have a basic Car-PC! ENJOY! Now you can go into Bluetooth Connectivity with your front end program. FM Tuner, XM Tuner. USB connectivity. Navigation. Games... You name it. All your doing is combining the most advanced car stereo with a computer. So you get all functions. I have my PC Running Link, a Navigation Software of my choice, Bluetooth for phone calls, FM and XM. And since my PC is x64 with onboard GeForce 6, I can play some games too

I'm going to post this in the Tech Articles. Selmer and Gamble, if you would like to add anything to this, Please go ahead! I did everything I could to the best of my Knowledge, or atleast everything I'm thinking of right now.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/articles-exterior-interior/320862-car-computing-101-a.html

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Also, here's something new I been keeping up to date with. The Fusion brain. you can control your car with this thing. IT can monitor heat and speed, distance and light! You can actually have it hooked up to your headlights, and with a light sensor it can turn on your lights when it gets dark and will turn them off when there is light. This would ofcource be voided once you turn off the car because the brain loses power. So its a perfect DRL thing for a carpc guy. Also They built the software so you can add things to your existing front end program... So next to your time on your front end program you can have it tell you Temp of your coolant, Speed of your car, and even distance of a vehicle front and back of you.

Also it is like a relay kit, so you can have it control lights, switches... Pretty much its a computerized switch.

A friend and I are working on building a Digital HVAC Controls so I can ditch my stock HVAC controls for Gauges and run my HVAC system through the PC, enough control that my cockpit temp will be monitored...

<object width="400" height="302"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2568597&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=&amp;fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2568597&amp;server=vimeo.com&amp;show_title=1&amp;show_byline=1&amp;show_portrait=0&amp;color=&amp;fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="302"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/2568597">Fusion Brain Version 4 Demo</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user866882">Robert Wray</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.

 

[Defiant]

Isn't anyone making a DIN-fit PC yet? It's insane that the automotive entertainment industry is plodding along the way it is.

 

[selmerguy]

Isn't anyone making a DIN-fit PC yet? It's insane that the automotive entertainment industry is plodding along the way it is.

I know for a fact I have seen a double DIN PC. I am pretty sure someone makes a single din with moterized flip out screen too.

 

[Gamble97]

Isn't anyone making a DIN-fit PC yet? It's insane that the automotive entertainment industry is plodding along the way it is.

Yes but they are stupid expensive. Like around the $2k range.

 

[95CarbonEclipse]

Yea. In my search for an easy, full function, in dash PC, I came across a double DIN sized one for $2100.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Here's a fully built Double Din computer setup, But its 3k!
Guru Double Din Car Computer All-In-One 1.83 GHz, Intel Core Duo

But if you compare it next to the highest end double din stereo you can find....

The Pioneer AVIC-Z3 7" Touch Panel 30GB HDD Multimedia A/V Navigation Server, Quickest one I could find. Its half the price and half the machine. Sure it has a 30gb HDD. Wow! Navigation, Cool! The Car-PC can do everything it can and way more. And that one for 3k, is just pricey. You can build one for half the cost.

 

[95CarbonEclipse]

As you can see here, I cutted the lower button half off of the screen bezel. After I did this, it fit perfectly into the stock 2G faceplate. I used superglue to hold it in place while I did the molding. These two peices are plastic so they are still flexible, even if it doesn't seem like it. So start out by using some sort of Resin to fill the hole around the screen. But please don't overdo it, Fiberglass resin is a very good hard compound to use, but a PITA to sand down later. Get the Resin as far up as you like and fill the rest in with Bondo. Sand until your new screen bezel is perfectly smooth. And Paint accordingly. I like to use two types of paint. First is the rippling paint, but I usually hold the can far away to try and pull off the same patern that the original peice had to begin with, then I will go over it with glossy black paint. Use Semi Gloss, it matches stock better. Now you should be able to mount the screen back in place and you are set.

Do you have pics showing the steps you went through when molding your screen into your dash?

 

[InfiniteGSX]

No... But I will have some for my 1G pretty soon. Cause I'll be doing it again.

 

[Defiant]

Three grand? What the hell, do they think they're selling airplane instruments or something? Someone should tell the guys at Acer. Their netbooks are charmers, and for less than $400.

 

[InfiniteGSX]

Yeah well nothing beats making it yourself. I mean seriously if you have the tools and materials to make half of the performance parts on your car, wouldn't you?

I just made something for the first time for my car. And its soo much nicer then paying tons of dollars for it.

 

[jemsoccer]

I just got a Lilliput 7" touchscreen monitor for Christmas and plan on molding it in soon. I just be running an older laptop in my car with a dc-dc converter. I also just bought myself DSMLink v3, so I'm hoping it will work well w/ my new touchscreen-laptop setup.

 

[AZN29]

check the new item on EVOSCAN site...
EvoScan OBDII Mitsubishi MUTII DataLogger Scantool

is toutchscreen LCD display, Mitsubishi datalogger, GPS, multimedia, EVO and 1998-1999 Eclipse ECU Reflash. good investiment.

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i have one on my 95 Eclipse!

haha black box tuning ftw

 

[Gamble97]

haha black box tuning ftw

Haha 2 year old thread revival for no reason