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Carputer

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Carputer

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Scottemotive

Guest
Ok,

im pretty up on PC's, but have no idea about cars,
i got a JTD and wanna know whats involved with installing a carputer? anyone got any pics i can see of theirs?
im looking to build my own pc from bits i already have and getting a touchscreen from somewhere/someone cheap.
any suggestions pls
thanks
 
just install a laptop? easily removed for security reasons and does the same job as a PC!
 
Re: Re: Carputer

i cant afford a laptop, i already have lots of spare PC parts
 
The easiest way is to get a 12v DC to 240 AC inverter from somewhere like maplins...you can then simply plug in your pc as you do in the house...

The sound will be the hardest thing to do, unless you have a line-in on your headunit...(or Ai-net Alpine h-unit)

The cheapest touchscreens i have found were on e-bay...i paid £160 for a 7.2" one...

The install...cant see much, but its in there somewhere...lol
1076796149.JPG


The screen...
1076796285.JPG


Daz
 
Re: Re: Carputer

nice, didnt really wanna cut up my centre section tho for the monitor, so you can just get a normal ATX PSU into a Motherboard whack it in and thats it? ye i think there is a line in on the H3 grundig unit int there?
 
Re: Re: Re: Carputer

if its the standard fiat hu i don't think there is a line in
 
Re: Re: Re: Carputer

Hi,

This is quite an involved proceedure to do! Its not quite as simple as wacking in a normal pc, normal pc power supply or laptop and using the screen.

Best place to start is www.mp3car.com - as for an inverter dont use them, they are extremly in efficient and will create signal noise.

If it wasn't so late i would write more on this subject, but seriously go on www.mp3car.com and look through each section - dont worry about gps, obd - but look closely at the power supply section, because this is the hardest thing to do. Oh and then you've got sound to contend with.

Unless you are prepared to spend £500 + i wouldn't bother + ice

Regards,

John
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Carputer

plus not sure how you intend to control the pc without a monitor
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Carputer

well thanks for that optermistic view, well im just interested at the moment, ive seen a few of these and they look straight forward till the point where you have to power the things, and involved with battery style capicitors etc.. to keep the pc alive while you start the car.
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Carputer

pk i might have laptop coming. nothin special cheap and cheerful only want it for music, wat do i need to connect it to my head unit???

Smee
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Carputer

depends what kind of head unit you have
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Carputer

you need a lead that goes from a headphone style jack plug to a couple of phono leads and a phono input on your head unit similar to the output leads for amps
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Carputer

I am running a cheap 300w inverter, and i dont get any noise at all when the PC is running...(I do get some as the PC boots up, but it goes when the Windows XP logo appears), i have been told that if you ground the PC case, that this noise will dissapear, i just havent got round to it yet...

If you do get any noise, a RCA noise suppressor (ground loop isolator) from maplins should sort it out...

Daz
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Carputer

i got a sony cdx-630m got aux in 2 pres outs, 1 sub out the lot,

Smee
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Carputer

Dont worry about a line in, there are ways around this, for example, i needed a line in for my headunit to run my screen for my Xbox.

My Kenny HU doesnt have one so i had two options,

1)if you HU has a input from a multichanger then you can use that , providing that you dont have a multichanger already, i did so if i used that idea i wouldnt have had a cd player. But if your HU has a single play Cdin the HU then thats fine and you will get a good quality signal! You will need to order one from an ICE specialists.

2)This was what i chose to do, go out and buy an FM MODULATOR, this wil not be as good quality i run my Xbox through one and the quality is fine for what i need it for. All you do is send the RCA's in to the FM Modulator and then plug it into the arial input on your HU, then run a little switch to switch the FM Modulator on/off. i wired mine into my glovebox. this will switch the signal from Radio 1 to the signal from the computer. walla, you have sound!

Both options will cost about £40, but its cheaper that getting a new HU!

Hope this Helps

Paul R
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Carputer

So as far as power goes, how does the invertor fit to both the PC and car battery? a mini ITX motherboard will be used, i got an old CPU loads of ram and hard drives, the screen will be touchscreen 7" i just wanna know whats involved in fitting it with the car, ie for power and how much the invertor prices are etc...
now i know that when the car is started the pc will reboot due to the voltage dropping on the battery, but there are ways around this using backup batteries??? anyone got anything like this or do they wait for car to start before PC boots?

thanks
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Carputer

If you leave the PC on, and turn off the engine, the PC will keep running as the inverter will run fine on 12v...but when you start your car, the PC will cut off as there is too much drain on the battery...

I am currently using a relay, so when i turn my ignition off it cuts all the power to the inverter/PC and i know i'm not using any power...and i just extended the PC power button up to the dash to turn it on and off...

But i am going to change this to a switch that i just turn the inverter on and off when i want, because at the moment i am doing a lot of short runs, and its getting a pain in the ass to turn the PC off everytime...(I may try and use a switch and a relay, so if i want the PC to stay on i can override the relay with a switch)...

Daz
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Carputer

why not fit a ups as well, then it won't die when you start the engine
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Carputer

Hi,

There are various ways to power an itx motherboard - you can get a ITPS120 w which is a regulartor board - no inverting and will protect your computer from voltage drops and such.

It is not necessarily true that when you leave on computer on in your car and crank the engine the computer will restart. It all depends on what componants you have in your computer. If you want to consume as little power as possible and so saving the battery - i would recommend you buy a slim line dvd drive, laptop hd. The reasons for this is that normal desktop pc componants use the 12v rail in the psu - this is when you are going to get restarts becuase the system can't provide the 12v rail. Laptop componants such as the hd i meantion use a 5v rail. Now if your battery goes as low as that whilst cranking your ****ed anyway!

Ive got an opus power supply which is specifically designed for auto use and is one of the best solutions you can buy. Mines the 150w version, shutdown controller - regaulator - drives your car (only jking).

However, these come from america and i actually got mine on ebay. Expect to wait about 1month for one.

Good choice with the itx board tho :)

Regards,

John
 
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