I've been toying with the CarPC idea for a while now, even sorted the neccessary parts about 6 months ago! Been very skint and very bored this week, so work has finally begun

I've made the mistake I've always made, and the project is already in a "usable but ugly" state! Same thing happens with any project (try building an arcade machine, having the games playable, but you havent painted the cabinet yet... i guarantee it will remain unpainted for a month! trust me, i've been there!!!)

Anyway, I've done all the important wiring stuff, and now have a running system the pc is interchangable with a playstation2 which is nice spent my lunch hour playing computer games in the car, wipeout fusion soundtrack pumping through the sound system is great computer for music, navigation, and xvid, ps2 for games and kosher dvds i think :slayer:

Center console should be painted up all nice and sexy (well, back to standard looking grey!) by the end of the weekend, and that should hide all the messy wires etc and house the power switch.

All I need now is to find a decent mounting solution for the screen! I think over the console's cubby hole and ashtray for gps, and over the center dash heater vents for games/dvd when parked.

I see Luke has taken a stab at the car pc, anyone else here got a computerised fiat? Go on, show off, post your pictures! (My pics to follow soon ) Not much of a fiat presence on the mp3car forums!


edit: 'pc' is too short for the search, so i'll throw in "computer" and "laptop" keywords i think!

Glad someone else has put plans forward for the car PC Mines all fine and working (auto powers on/boots with the ignition and modded the lilliput touchscreen so that auto powers on with the igintion also), have my music library running off a usb2 2.5" hard-drive (so i can synch easier now ive decided against using wireless).

Only problem im having now is making the top console to house the screen. Ive gone very drastic and cut the whole middle dash out and modded a puntoGT console to mate the screen to the gearknob etc.. GT console holds the stereo and will also hold all the switches and status LEDs.

Also has 2 80mm fans with red cold cathode rings for the side panels to provide cool air into the console, and double up as footwell lighting


What PC frontend are you using for your carPC? I still cant find one i like

Mine's going to be a modded laptop with a dead screen. Got a nice aluminium project case for it, and it will live under the passenger seat (or *MAYBE* boot if I can be bothered with the extra work) whilst I'm in the car, and on the table at home when I'm not in the car! I reckon the best security is to leave nothing desirable in the car

I'd thought of fabricating a fiberglass shroud on the center console for the screen, but I think clippy-onny will do the trick to start with. I can always improve later on! Good luck with yours, sounds pretty ambitious

Looks like you're using the same center console as me. Clips right into a punto sx though, bet it couldn't have been as easy for you!

I haven't gone so far as a frontend yet. I use a vanilla install of windows xp, freedrive for gps, and winamp for music. As I said, a 'functional' system, but not pretty, same goes for the software setup, not just the wiring!

I hear good things about Frodoplayer, and have given RoadRunner a try a while back on my regular pc, not in the car. Can't really remember to be honest. You probably know all about this place, but just incase: http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=60

I'm going to concentrate on constuction of a case etc for now though. If I have a nice UI and everything running nicely, I'll never build a case, just have it sitting under the seat all exposed!!!

Hopefully I'll have some pictures next week

Anyone else here gone in for this kind of thing? Come on, don't be shy!

yea ive been nosing about MP3car for quite some time Where i originally got my inspiration from.

Ive gone full out, so yea pretty ambitious. Ive used a mini-itx board (via epia) into a custom case (was an old switch box ) as it fitted like a glove Im just in the process of mounting in the car permanently along with mounting the screen. All will be moulded with a fibreglass facia to give it an OEM look - and make it a hell of alot harder to nick should the cretins wish to try. I did toy with the idea of using a laptop board, but as the case would have to go under the dash, it was just a little too big. the mini-ITX was the perfect form, although i wish id gone for the nano-itx now to make fabrication a little easier!

Fitting the GT console was a real pain, i had to cut out the gearlever area a little as the movement area on the cinq is more than the punto, and had to make all new mounts as there arent any for the cinq - rivnuts are your friend :worship: Also had to cut a section out of the rear middle to stop if fouling the handbrake.

As for the software, ive tried frodoplayer and wasnt too impressed. The only one that ive been impressed with is centrafuse, the only issue was integrating with the GPS. At the moment im just using iTunes, but after a short test its too fiddly to use on the touchscreen when moving. However, im considering changing the steering wheel to one with a couple of buttons on, then using the USB gamepad hack to skip tracks forward/backwards (for use when moving) and then battle with the rest when stationary. Also seen a good micro-keyboard with built in touchpad at maplins cheap - which i shall get to use for when i synch my iPod.

Looking forward to see some pics, always good to see other peoples take on a carPC installation. Good for inspiration I had planned to have mine finished today, but crap weather put a stop to that as i have to fabricate outside as the kitcar is taking up the garage space Still, if i dont take all week rebuilding my engine i should finish it next week Will have to really as i cant go back to uni and leave my car parked up unattended with it looking the way it currently does!

Well, I had to go to a work conference on Saturday, so nothing got done. Then I went out and got royally pissed Saturday night nd spent all yesterday in bed, so again, nothing got done!

Here's some pics of the progress so far then: (sorry my camera is crap at closeups!)

Some wiring. Not very exciting. Looks a bit of a mess too, but trust me, it's all well thought (and laid) out The whole lot can be removed by unscrewing three little screws on the block, should make life a whole lot easier if I ever need to remove the console. Three wires and the block stay in the car, wiring, switch, cig lighter etc removed with console... which is just as well since the cables will be fixed to the inside of the console to ensure they don't foul the gearstick and handbrake!



Next we have more wiring. The screen and 4 way power adapter will be connected to those molex connectors. Very handy for disconnecting and reconnecting. I won't be leaving the screen or computer in the car unattended, so this quick disconnect will make life much easier! You can see that the ps2 cable runs from under the passenger seat, audio to the headunit, yellow video rca loose as no screen connected. You can also see the powerswitch (Not to mention that my car needs a bloody good clean!) These wires will run under the console when fitted properly



Here's my test equipment at the moment, easier to hook up a ps2 (2 cables) than a computer. Also boots faster etc... And in all honesty, a game of wipeout fusion at lunchtime beats a game of solitaire hands down!!! :devil: You can just about see that I've modified a molex connection for the screen. I've not bothered with the ps2 as it runs off an inverter with its normal wall socket plug. The lappy will run off a cig lighter socket charger (4 way adapter under seat, again, no ugly wires!)



Here's the console. It will hide a lot of the cabling, house the powerswitch, and for satnav the cubbyhole will allow the screen to be mounted inconspicuously and so as to cause the least distraction Also, I just wanted a console anyway It has been primed, needs a few coats of dark grey on top now. Would benefit from some wet and dry first I think!



And finally, here's a pile of computer crap. A laptop with a busted screen (removed), touchpad, and a 50/50 keyboard. The machine itself works great though Handy powerbrick with a ciggie adapter at the end, some cat5 (no wireless for me!), video cable, nice aluminium case for the gubbins to live in, and an oldskool keyboard complete with integrated rollerball



Hopefully I'll get my arse into gear and get more work done on the damn thing this week... Though I get the feeling I'll have to complete Final Fantasy 7 again first!

Tip: Don't ever have a 'usable but unfinished' project. It really slows things down!!! :bang:

guys this sounds soo cool

ive wanted to add a pc to a car for years, parents wudnt allow it, now ive got my own car i want to, but only problem is the panda is easily broken into

so i might have to make it a removable pc? hmm anyways your projects and looking and sounding amazing

i migth work on this my self soon , nice laptop, monitor maybe a keyboard and mouse and such.

J

edit:- how have you guys connected your sound system to the pc? as thats wat id want to do.

Hi Herps,

One of my number one requirements for the system is that it doesn't damage any factory bits of the car When it comes to resale I want to be able to turn the car back to stock if needed. Adding a center console means I can drill holes for cables, switches, and even fiberglass a shroud for a more oem look in future, and remove the whole lot at a later date without leaving a scratch

The only tell tale sign will be some heatshrink on the ciggie lighter wires, and you won't see them when the stock ashtray is refitted! Go this route and I'm sure your parents won't mind Either that, or they'd never have to know! :devil:

I think Luke is a bit more hardcore in his modding, but this is my first car, and though she aint worth much, she's the singlemost expensive possession of mine right now! I don't want to go to town on her just yet... Maybe in a few years when she's ready for the knackers yard :idea:

Security is another big factor for me. Not that the hardware itself is all that expensive (all hardware is either old broken bits of mine or cheap crap off ebay), i just don't want the broken windows/locks etc to be honest. So I'd agree that a removable system is your best bet Mine will also be removable to transfer files conveniently over a wired network connection as I can't justify paying for wifi!

With a bit of forethought you can meet both these requirements And if the system helps in a practical manner (eg satnav for £100 not £250) i think your parents might change their tune

There's a ghetto panda carpc on mp3car forums by the way

thanks for that, im gonna try and match it in with the panda and scuh, just worried about security and stuff, will have to make it removable, may use a laptop in the boot or under the seat ><, dads looking for a touch screen at work for me as well so that wud be cool , gonna make it al hidden so no chavs want to steal my car and it will look radioless lol

how would i connect the car speakers up in the car?

MrDT said:

There's a ghetto panda carpc on mp3car forums by the way

Click to expand...

https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-classic/77999-panda-computer.html

thanks
J

herpsuk said:

how would i connect the car speakers up in the car?

Click to expand...

I'm using a headunit with aux-in, so it's a nice and easy setup run a y-splitter 3.5mm to 2xRCA cable from the soundcard to the headunit and bob's your mother's brother Note - you might need a ground loop isolator to kill the background electrical noise.

There are other options available such as fm modulators, these can have varying results, from great to not so great! It works like a little radio transmitter when connected to ipod, laptop, or anything that has an audio output. You then tune in your radio to that frequency

Some headunits even have optical in now I think!

If you want to remove the radio unit completely, you'd need to run cable from the soundcard directly to your amp (if you have one!?)

thanks for that

im gona use a tape aux thingy for my tape playing HU for now lol(the one u use for an MP3). And ill save up for a new HU to go with it

Nah i aint got an amp ive got a classic sound system, an old grundig lol, about as old as my bro lol.

hm replied in the panda thread with a little bit on wat im gonan do, gonna look and measure up tonigth and find computer bits(and money lol)

J

grr had to retype it all my mate turned pc of :'(

herpsuk said:

im gona use a tape aux thingy for my tape playing HU for now lol(the one u use for an MP3).

Click to expand...

lol that's one option i forgot about XD

i have one of them tape converted things in my big box of crap. got no tape player though! should work perfectly adequately alongside your pc, though i've heard they can damage the tape heads or something, but i doubt you listen to actual tapes these days right?

then again, my girlfriend has her 'sting and the police' tape in her car and insists on playing it far too often, so you never know!

well i use it for my ipod, so why not my laptop lol

i dont realy care if it damages it its worthless in my eyes, and if i ever tried to sell it. will get a new HU oneday with AUX. Yeh should work great, wundt be to hard to set up either , nah i never ever listen to tapes, mp3 and such all the way :slayer:

J

Well, the console is all painted up and installed

It doesn't match the existing interior plastics, but to be honest i quite like the twotone look (well, threetone tbh, nice bit of silver for the main top bit)! The finish could be better if I'm totally honest, but in all I'm very happy with how it turned out, could have been a damn sight worse!

Installed the power switch, it works nicely, and stays securely in its place without having to hotglue it, which was a nice bonus.

All the wiring has been safely and securely routed through the console. A four way ciggie adapter comes out from just under the handbrake and goes directly under the passenger seat, so nicely hidden wiring, with the convenience of plugging in whatever the hell you can plug into a car power socket The screen gets its power from a molex connector that can be tucked behind the console when not in use. I might tidy this up at a later date, but it works nicely as it stands.

The ps2 av cable just runs under the passenger mats, the audio rca's plug into the back of the headunit, and the video rca plugs into the screen when it's in use, otherwise it lives under the mat!

The computer cables haven't been routed yet. They will pretty much follow the same path as the ps2 cable, but since the headunit only has one pair of aux inputs, i'm wondering if it might be worth building a little switchbox to flick from pc to ps2 input. Might be more hassle than it's worth (not to mention introduce interference), depends how often i switch from ps2 to laptop, so maybe i'll leave it as a 'possible future improvement'.

The ps2 and computer both live inside my little cottage. I'm not going to go leaving them in the car, takes 30 seconds to hook them up and disconnect them, so if that's what it takes to save me from a broken window/screwdrivered lock, so be it!

When they're in the car they just sit under the passenger seat. I'll probably work on a more secure fastening system in future, perhaps a carpeted mdf base with the computer bolted in place, and the ps2 kinda 'wedged' in place between that and the 'blocker thingie' (stops bottles etc rolling the length of the car) under the passenger seat. We'll wait and see on this one

The screen mounting is a bit :bang: at the moment. I've found a very simple way to rig it up when the car is stationary, involving cuphooks and the heater grille. Yes, it's ghetto, but it also works perfectly! Sadly it's not stable enough to hold the screen in place when i thrash the car round corners etc, which is 100% neccessary if I'm going to use it in conjunction with a computer as a satnav device.

Finally, I need to start thinking how I might mount my old webcam under the bonnet so I can video some driving shorts, and maybe take stills (maybe rename them blurs lol) of nice cars i may come into contact with out on the road. Could be useful for the 'spotted' forum (https://www.fiatforum.com/spotted-you/78566-pictures.html)

Apologies for the lack of pictures in this post, I'll put some up as soon as I can get to the car in decent light (my camera is poo). Turst me though, it's coming along nicely, this stuff is far easier than you might imagine... Come on guys, give it a go :devil:

Hi guys, good to see you are interested in car pcs,
I had one in my doblo van , have now changed it to a removable tablet pc, MP3CAR is a good site but is mainly american and the people on it aint very nice, if you go to www.digital-car.co.uk its a great site which is mostly british cars and much more friendlier people who will be able to help you with anything you need to do to your car pc, MP3Car is the dark side

edit: Corrected URL

Sounds like you're making good progress - putting me to shame (having not done any and back at uni now )

Im interested in having a computer in my car, i am just curious if it would be easier to use a Micro ATX box and have it in either glove box or somewhere like that, ok the main problem there would be circulation of the air and keeping it cool, but im pretty sure it would be a hell of a lot easier. The great thing about Micro ATX is that they are proper small. Im sure there would be somewhere nice and easy to stick it!
Any ideas?

platty599 said:

Im interested in having a computer in my car, i am just curious if it would be easier to use a Micro ATX box and have it in either glove box or somewhere like that, ok the main problem there would be circulation of the air and keeping it cool, but im pretty sure it would be a hell of a lot easier. The great thing about Micro ATX is that they are proper small. Im sure there would be somewhere nice and easy to stick it!
Any ideas?

Click to expand...

If you want small, look into Mini-ITX, they are smaller than the Micro ATX boards Thats what im running Very good on power and are all integrated. If you want smaller, Nano-ITX is available, but at a cost and compramise

Keeping it cool would only require a couple of fans modded into the glovebox - one to draw air in, and one to extract it the other side.

Ahhh....Intresting.
Have u any pics of your Mini-ITX, just for idea purposes.
What spec is it too? Can you have it runnin decent games on it. Im either lookin at having a decent comp in the car for gamin. Or have it fo a massive music Database, connected to the soundsystem in the car!

platty599 said:

Ahhh....Intresting.
Have u any pics of your Mini-ITX, just for idea purposes.
What spec is it too? Can you have it runnin decent games on it. Im either lookin at having a decent comp in the car for gamin. Or have it fo a massive music Database, connected to the soundsystem in the car!

Click to expand...

Take a look at mini itx stuff here: http://www.mini-itx.com/projects.asp

The projects are good starting points, but very rarely finished nicely.

I'm going to be using an old laptop with a broken screen, mainly due to the power issue. A good incar computer psu will set you back about £150, a laptop charger about a tenner. Do the math

The specs on my machine aren't exactly astronomical, but anything over dvd decoding, xvid, mp3 and satnav would be overkill lol. I'll probably run a few emulators (everything up to and including the ps1 works great) for classic games, but you're not likely to play the newest games in the car anyway, just something 'pickup and play' that kills 15 minutes at lunch If you do want brand spanking new games, you could always stick an xbox360 or something alongside it

I haven't got round to taking pictures yet sorry. Been very busy at work, and packing for my holiday (off to Alcudia in 3 sleeps time )

If you do start messing with car computers, be sure to keep us updated

My Ultimate plan is to get a car pc in there, at the moment i'm using an xbox modded with 120gb hdd, loaded with games music and video's, it does what i want, when i turn my radio on, it turns on the invertor, which turns on the xbox, which loads, and instantly starts playing music (a random playlist)

only downside is the fact that to change tracks etc, i need to use the xbox controller, i'm looking in to taking one apart and mounting it as a steering wheel control, but this seems near impossible to do...

just put jimmy carr on genius!