For ages i have wanted a car pc so when one popped up on OCAU uber cheap i decided to buy it.

The box comes tuesday or wednesday and the screen friday or monday.

the box consists of:

VIA PC1500 (mini-itx, 1ghz nehemiah)
512MB PC3200
40GB 2.5" IDE Samsung
2.5" > 3.5" IDE adaptor
Morex 60W DC > DC PSU

the PC draws a measly 43w at full load
i also have a 30gb usb 30gb hard drive (ipod) to use
i still need to buy a GPS mouse, im not sure which is best yet (usb or bluetooth)
and an external usb laptop dvd drive

the screen is an ebay one which i picked up for 200 delivered, its an 8 inch touch screen which isnt bad.

the plan is to keep this all removeable in the cressida cos i wont have it for much longer, however i will properly install it in my next car

pics and details will be up when i get it all :)

What a cool idea... Cant wait for pics:D

Yeah, I've thought about doing one too, I just can't be assed. Definately interested in pics and how you went installing it.

hope you researched the screen as well...no point having a decent system, but crud graphics, or lousy viewing angle etc ;)

I've been thinking about doing a car-pc for a while, I've got 2 40GB laptop drives and a compact mboard and 2ghz celeron, even ram too i think but... eh.. I'd want to make it wireless so i could upload new music and stuff from my pc to the car. Is your screen retractable? I want to go retractable because then if you need too you can 'hide' it.

Only thing stopping me is a PSU and wanting to build this for zero dollars, so far all parts have cost a fat $0.00c, nice eh?


GPS mouse?

graphics arent an issue with the mobo i have, as its not exactly running games :)

its a 8 inch normal screen, fold out would cost alot more and it will be fibreglassed into the dash, so it will look factory!

the plan is to keep this all removeable in the cressida cos i wont have it for much longer, however i will properly install it in my next car

pics and details will be up when i get it all :)

save time and chuck it in the AU lol add TE50 kit voila!

*imagines my dad with a carpc* somehow that wont work!
he struggles on a normal computer enough!!


all the stuff arrived yesterday (except the screen)

ill put it all together later on this week and put it in :)

Cant wait :)

graphics arent an issue with the mobo i have, as its not exactly running games :)

not my point... lousy resolution/connection can affect even normal activity, such as windows (if using it), or watching dvds etc...

to anyone else looking into this, theres a reason why theres thousands of threads in the screen section of www.mp3car.com ;)

have any of you thought about a media center type thing I have a product called VRAM DJ its a 3.5" HDD Media Player it was $150 plus the hard drive and they are like $150 for 400gig or close enuff to it looking at it it wouldn't be much different in size to a HU here are the specs now there is a newer version than mine

It has VGA s-video optical audio video y red green blue and rca oh and coaxial

Supports NTFS and FAT32 HDD file systems
Preview window of picture playback
Display movie file name up to the length of 40 characters
Subtitle font size and color is adjustable
Supports photo slide show
Elegant case housing design
Comprehensive design of Remote Control

Multiple OSD and subtitles languages:
Supports multiple OSD and subtitles (English, French, German, Italian, Spanish,Portuguese, Swedish, Danish)
Supports multiple subtitle formats (SRT, SUB, SMI)

Brief specification:
Supports MPEG4, MPEG2, MPEG1 format
Supports various audio/video formats: DivX, XviD, AVI/ASF, DVD/MPEG1, MPEG2/MPEG4/MPEG
SP/MPEG ASP/MJPEG, SVCD/VCD/DAT, MP4
Supports music format: MP3, WMA
Supports TV mode: NTFS and FAT32
Supports PC mode: NTFS and FAT32
Supports TV type: PAL and NTSC
Supports TV video output: composite, S-Video, component YPbPr, VGA
Supports audio output: digital optical (SPDIF), digital coaxial, analog stereo
Supports most of OS: Windows 98SE/2000/ME/XP, Mac OS X
Supports high-speed USB 2.0 interface
Light and compact aluminum/plastic case
Case dimension is 20 x 14.9 x 5.2 cm
Weight is about 600g (not included 3.5 HDD)

I've been lurking around mp3car but the more I read the more I know it's gonna cost me because like everyone else there I know I'll get carried it away with what it must be able to do etc.

Also the topic of boot up times looks like a huge pain in the ass.

Carputer installs are a large learning curve, you will like it. This isnt going into a magna?

Good to hear yours is under way mate.

I am just after the computer to go with the screen.

In about 2-3 weeks I will be starting my CarPC build. I've got the screen (thanks Bigs!) and the power supply is on order from the USA (but is backordered atm).

My plan it to build it with a cheap Socket 775 mobo with integrated graphics. For the CPU a Pentium E2140 (the new low-speed dual core chips, basically Core 2 Duos that didn't make the cut) is my choice because it is ridiculously cheap ($83), low power consumption and low heat production.

Will make my own post as soon as I get started.

mitchello you might be better running something like this: http://www.via.com.tw/en/initiatives/empowered/pc1500_platform/index.jsp

sure its only 1 ghz or so, but you only need to run music/videos and a gps...

got mine all up for 150 delivered with a 2.5 inch hd, some ram and a dc to dc power supply :)

I've considered that, but I'm not sure it will play high quality DivX files properly. I would also like to be able to play some games (on low) on it as well, and I think the Via would struggle.

Where did you get all that for $150?

i got it from ocau - www.overclockers.com.au

it should be sweet foir divx, i dunno how or why you would play games in your car lol, spose it would be cool for a while ;)

Yeah well the games thing sort would be a W?BIC, but would be fun :P

Did you buy it from the OCAU forums?

I havent had a prob running a 1.2GHz Via and 512mb ram stick for the past 18months. It handles divx movies, DVD playback, mp3s and GPS routing without any cpu problems. Im also benchmarking my carputer atm and it can encode CDs and DVDs too. I got and older NFS working on it too, any new games will have trouble playing with the onboard video card.

got any software tips for me bigs?

i have used nLite to cut down on what i dont need

what front end are you using?

Watching this thread very closely!
I plan on using a laptop (p3 800) with a busted screen as a carputer. Looking at putting some sort of linux on it.

Hmm well if it will play DivX then I may get one of those instead. Considerably smaller and less powerhungry than my original idea.

just thought id let people know (though no doubt if you have read up on the topic u would already know) it would be better to use laptop hard drives in you carputer not only because they are smaller but because they are designed to be more shock resistant then your normal hdd

The other great thing about new notebook drives is they use the same connectors as their desktop counterparts (SATA), so you don't need funny adapters like the PATA drives of old.

All new hard drives of any size can handle 350 Gs or more. If the car experiences more chock then that you would have more things to worry about then your hdd. Vibration has been known to kill hdd, but only long term and in older cars where the suspension is not doing its job. Ive run a 3.5" drive for 18 months regularly travel down corrugated dirt roads and I havent had a problem with it.


got any software tips for me bigs?

i have used nLite to cut down on what i dont need

what front end are you using?

I havent used nlite but Im planning to play around with it, I boot normal xp pro now in about 22 seconds and thats enough for me. I used Media Engine front end for ages and it was great, ive since moved to Road Runner as it supports my wlan and cd ripping/burning and a easy to use skinning software. Also check out Centrafuse and Street Deck, they both are probably better and more user friendly but they both cost too.

You can get GPS for free if you buy a gps receiver. I made a download pack and some instructions to get it all going ages ago. http://bigs.omfg.net.au/index.php?p=download&id_cat=4

There are other GPS software with more features and updated maps but most of the time you will have to pay for it.

Dont use onboard sound, very bad quility and trebly. I would recomend dishing out up to $100 for a good 6 channel external usb sound card, its well worth it.

If you have any questions about anything else, ask. Can I ask how you planning to mount the LCD?

Bigs, what did you do about bootup times? Stock head unit takes about 3 or 4 seconds to start playing after I crank engine/hit the power button, I think anything over 10 would make me pretty agro.

Were you booting from a memory card or usb stick and not writing to it?

Had a bit of a brainstorm.. external usb hdds are getting huge and cheap, if it's possible to boot from one, why not basically have the mobo in the dash and keep the hdd in the glovebox? Can pull it out at anyones house to transfer music/videos, and solves the problem of short lifespan of a hdd too, since external ones are pretty rugged.

Also BT2 + wifi card = wardriving.

im using a 2.5 inch 40gb hd at the moment cos it uses considerably less power and just normally booting windows xp

got a question for ya bigs,

my morex dc to dc has the same pins and my mobo, how do i join then? im assuming some kind of adaptor but i have never seen such a thing before.

its a 20 pin connector on both sides, i will also need it to split to a few molex plugs...

any ideas?

Bigs, what did you do about bootup times? Stock head unit takes about 3 or 4 seconds to start playing after I crank engine/hit the power button, I think anything over 10 would make me pretty agro.

Were you booting from a memory card or usb stick and not writing to it?

Had a bit of a brainstorm.. external usb hdds are getting huge and cheap, if it's possible to boot from one, why not basically have the mobo in the dash and keep the hdd in the glovebox? Can pull it out at anyones house to transfer music/videos, and solves the problem of short lifespan of a hdd too, since external ones are pretty rugged.

Also BT2 + wifi card = wardriving.

The boot time has never really bothered me personally by the time I back out of the drive stick it into drive the carputer is playing. I have read on mp3car some people have got there xp hibination boot times down to 12 seconds, but some mega tweaking is involved. If you know your way around linux there are some lite distros that can cold boot in less then 4 second, I read one running from a solid stat that he timed at 1.5 seconds. Im happy with my 20 second boot.

I think you will find that these external hdds are just full sized hdds in an enclosure with usb integration. That idea will work fine but you must have a bios that supports usb booting and you will be wasting precious glove box space. This would be a good idea for a secondary drive although I just use wlan to connect to mates files.

You should check back to my mp3car log in a few months, you should see the wLAN setup im planning. 18dbi gain 5km range omni directional external for the car and a 24dbi gain grid antenna for the home, I should be able to get some mad range to my home pc as well as some crazy wardriving range :) hehe, I cant wait.

im using a 2.5 inch 40gb hd at the moment cos it uses considerably less power and just normally booting windows xp

got a question for ya bigs,

my morex dc to dc has the same pins and my mobo, how do i join then? im assuming some kind of adaptor but i have never seen such a thing before.

its a 20 pin connector on both sides, i will also need it to split to a few molex plugs...

any ideas?

I dont understand the problem, you mean the PSU and mobo have female connectors?

i sent you a PM bigs :)

Also BT2 + wifi card = wardriving.

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA

You know your a nerd when you know what that means

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA

You know your a nerd when you know what that means

lol true.

phew, im safe

thanks for the spam in my thread guys :P

I have run into some MASSIVE software issues, mainly related to onboard drivers, the guy i bought from has been a huge help and i think im begining to get on top of it, atm im running 4 bit colour ftw lol

once i have the drivers sorted im gonna get onto building a mount for it, i think i SHOULD be able to make a box small enough to fit behind the dash and make it 100% stock looking :)
much like bigs before he went and got that huge mofo screen :)

lol true.

Self confessed so it's all good. We're talking about putting computers in the dashboards of our cars after all...

edit: back ot.

thanks for the spam in my thread guys :P

I have run into some MASSIVE software issues, mainly related to onboard drivers, the guy i bought from has been a huge help and i think im begining to get on top of it, atm im running 4 bit colour ftw lol

once i have the drivers sorted im gonna get onto building a mount for it, i think i SHOULD be able to make a box small enough to fit behind the dash and make it 100% stock looking :)
much like bigs before he went and got that huge mofo screen :)

You can have that box if you want.

got some dimentions for me mate? how much you want for it?

It should fit into your car without mods, i used the stock double din cage side walls to fit over those little rubber things at the back and the front cage legs screws into the plastic cross section. you can have it for free I was going to throw it, just pay for postage.

http://202.87.18.9/uploads/boxdash.JPG

bigs, clear your PMs!

I think you will find that these external hdds are just full sized hdds in an enclosure with usb integration. That idea will work fine but you must have a bios that supports usb booting and you will be wasting precious glove box space. This would be a good idea for a secondary drive although I just use wlan to connect to mates files.

Yeah they are all just standard drives in a metal case with an IDE/SATA to USB adapter inside.

bigs, clear your PMs!

ok its cleared.

Now clear your pms!!! lol

i do not have pms :P

inbox cleared ;)

i have fixed a few of my software issues, i have gotten boot times down to around 20 seconds, which isnt much really, get my screen friday or monday :)

Hey,

My carpc is about 90% done.
The only physical thing left is to fit the screen into the dash, now that should be fun! [I have a TE so any suggestions would be much appreciated, although its almost done]

I was just wondering what Front end, GPS and engine diag. apps you are using?

I am using RR and havent really decided on a GPS yet, probably Destinator.

Anyway, should be posting pics sometime after the weekend, if all goes well.

regarding boot times .. I used windows XP Beast edition and using hibernation it took seriously around 10 seconds to boot and around 5 to shut off. I was using a p4 2.0ghz 533fsb, 40gb hd and 80gb lappy hd. The Beast edition is from people under the name of eXPerience. I'm not sure how legal it is, but if you are worried you can google how to change the key it uses to a legal one of your own.

where would i find this beast edition?

Google TinyXP beast edition. I imagine you will have to get the software via torrent. Obviously downloading any version of Windows via a torrent site is highly illegal. So i offer you this information on an educational basis only. I recommend you dont download it but ultimately thats up to you :)