Have a look through this
https://www.fiatforum.com/i-c-e/117202-car-puter-car-pc.html
https://www.fiatforum.com/i-c-e/117202-car-puter-car-pc.html
Going to go for a carputer!
- Thread starter roboticgimp
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Going to go for a carputer!
Centrafuse is an excellent front end for a CarPC; RoadRunner is cool for the price (nothing) but it's not quite as polished. I reckon Centrafuse is worth the price, not that you couldn't just pirate it off the web for free. Bad karma perhaps 
but there are plugins for OBD interfacing and just about anything else you'd want to do.
I opted for this approach:
Yup... the Ghetto CarPC solution mind you, this box is rugged enough I could stuff this thing under the bonnet... I kicked it a few times and nothing happened, plus it's waterproof. And everyone knows in the 8v Active's there's plenty of space under there! Although it looks like sh*t now I plan to carpet and paint it. The advantage is it is designed around my desired feature set:
- vibration proof power fixings, board mounting and HDD mounts,
- +v in from the ignition for auto on/off (time configurable)
- Wide input power support, survives them engine cranks
- wifi so when I park up and go inside the house the CarPC will resync its music with my playlists on my PC before standing by/powering off
- bluetooth (my phone will pass GPS data to it via this), also for internet and radio on the move, again via the phone for now.
It runs off the M3-ATX pico-psu style power supply, I've tested it and was surprised at the run-time I got out of a nearly-dead punto battery (it powered it happily for about two whole days whilst I was testing).
Do post some photographs, I love looking at stuff like this. Of course I've been too lazy to install anything myself so now it's sat on the floor somewhere.
What OS are you using? If you're using Windows, have you tried looking at the Windows XP "Performance" editions? Incredibly cut-down versions of XP without all the crap, they boot like greased lightening and take up barely any memory, perfect for a Car PC. Mine is only a cheap board from eBay (not including the touchscreen everything else was well below £100) but it rivals my desktop's performance now it runs fast XP.
but there are plugins for OBD interfacing and just about anything else you'd want to do.I opted for this approach:
Yup... the Ghetto CarPC solution
mind you, this box is rugged enough I could stuff this thing under the bonnet... I kicked it a few times and nothing happened, plus it's waterproof. And everyone knows in the 8v Active's there's plenty of space under there! Although it looks like sh*t now I plan to carpet and paint it. The advantage is it is designed around my desired feature set:- vibration proof power fixings, board mounting and HDD mounts,
- +v in from the ignition for auto on/off (time configurable)
- Wide input power support, survives them engine cranks
- wifi so when I park up and go inside the house the CarPC will resync its music with my playlists on my PC before standing by/powering off
- bluetooth (my phone will pass GPS data to it via this), also for internet and radio on the move, again via the phone for now.
It runs off the M3-ATX pico-psu style power supply, I've tested it and was surprised at the run-time I got out of a nearly-dead punto battery (it powered it happily for about two whole days whilst I was testing).
Do post some photographs, I love looking at stuff like this. Of course I've been too lazy to install anything myself so now it's sat on the floor somewhere.
What OS are you using? If you're using Windows, have you tried looking at the Windows XP "Performance" editions? Incredibly cut-down versions of XP without all the crap, they boot like greased lightening and take up barely any memory, perfect for a Car PC. Mine is only a cheap board from eBay (not including the touchscreen everything else was well below £100) but it rivals my desktop's performance now it runs fast XP.
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roboticgimp
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Er, i think your setup is superior to mine, all i've done is buy an out of the box solution, i take it you custom fitted all the ports on the box? Looks pretty good to me.
My carputer turned up yesterday and i've got a cut down version of xp installed and centrafuse 1.20 xle, i had troubles with the 2.0 beta version, so i'll wait till its fully stable.
As soon as i get to a state ready for an install i'll post some photos!
My carputer turned up yesterday and i've got a cut down version of xp installed and centrafuse 1.20 xle, i had troubles with the 2.0 beta version, so i'll wait till its fully stable.
As soon as i get to a state ready for an install i'll post some photos!
Excellent! I look forward to it. I've not tried Centrafuse 2.0, by the time I'm done it might be a finished product which version of XP are you using? You may as well fire up services.msc and knock out anything you won't need there, that will make a massive difference.
I went to maplins and bought the stuff on the cheap, fitted the ports and all, yeah (you can see my shoddy measurements still on the front panel) when I've sorted the airflow issue so it won't catch fire I'll think about installing too
which version of XP are you using? You may as well fire up services.msc and knock out anything you won't need there, that will make a massive difference. I went to maplins and bought the stuff on the cheap, fitted the ports and all, yeah (you can see my shoddy measurements still on the front panel) when I've sorted the airflow issue so it won't catch fire I'll think about installing too
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roboticgimp
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I'm using XP Pro with SP3 installed, already stopped most of the services, just testing it properly outside of the car now. Will have to wait till weekend to do cable runs in the car!
It looks like everybody is doing well.
I got my screen through on Monday and most of the wiring (theres a lot)
Im just in the process of getting Tiny XP just need to download it
I have been having a look at some of the Linux options but i think that i will initially Use Tiny XP allong with roadrunner as i am a Noob to the whole PC thong so this seems the option with the most support. Then i can upgrade when im a little more confident.
I have managed to obtain a M2-ATX Start up Shut down controller and the screen will be connected to a power regulator to stop any spikes that may get through.
I am getting slightly Jealous of u 2 having boot space as i have absolutely none so i am having to modify the Glove compartment to house the lump of the comp that i have.
Would anybody see the benefit of having a Carputer sub section that we can use to chat and i have quite a bit of usefull info for others to benefit from.
I got my screen through on Monday and most of the wiring (theres a lot)
Im just in the process of getting Tiny XP just need to download it
I have been having a look at some of the Linux options but i think that i will initially Use Tiny XP allong with roadrunner as i am a Noob to the whole PC thong so this seems the option with the most support. Then i can upgrade when im a little more confident.
I have managed to obtain a M2-ATX Start up Shut down controller and the screen will be connected to a power regulator to stop any spikes that may get through.
I am getting slightly Jealous of u 2 having boot space as i have absolutely none so i am having to modify the Glove compartment to house the lump of the comp that i have.
Would anybody see the benefit of having a Carputer sub section that we can use to chat and i have quite a bit of usefull info for others to benefit from.
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roboticgimp
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I take it that you realise Tiny XP isn't exactly 100% legit? You could use nlite, which is what i', doing, currently still playing with the config though, up to my 4th xp install!
Sounds good, yea i would like to find out more because im looking into putting one into my car, Just not to sure about doing it myself though.. Like i can build pc's thats not a problem just not sure how i would hook it up to my car etc
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roboticgimp
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Which is the problem that i have hit now. The M2-ATX power control board is fine, but i'm running mine off a gel battery (which has powered my carpc for 3 days now, without turning off) which i'm going to install into the boot along side my pc, then i'm going to run a switch to the cockpit which will turn the stereo on. Then to turn off, i just hit the off button in the centrafuse software and walk away while it boots down. That's the plan, but in reality....... who knows
Which is the problem that i have hit now. The M2-ATX power control board is fine, but i'm running mine off a gel battery (which has powered my carpc for 3 days now, without turning off) which i'm going to install into the boot along side my pc, then i'm going to run a switch to the cockpit which will turn the stereo on. Then to turn off, i just hit the off button in the centrafuse software and walk away while it boots down. That's the plan, but in reality....... who knows
lol yea good luck with that... let us know how it goes & obvi pic's when you got it all done so i can get an idea!
I have put the idea in the Site Ideas section so if you would like to see a subsection then please put your opinions in there as they could get lost/ not seen here.
With the power thing that would mean that you would have to wait for the comp to boot everytime you get into the car. you need to put it into sleep mode and wire to the ignition so it wakes up when engine cranked this can be done i have the instructions for how to do this with the power regulator i will try and write a guide when i get the time.
And you are saying that tiny xp isnt quite legal i didny know that:devil:
With the power thing that would mean that you would have to wait for the comp to boot everytime you get into the car. you need to put it into sleep mode and wire to the ignition so it wakes up when engine cranked this can be done i have the instructions for how to do this with the power regulator i will try and write a guide when i get the time.
And you are saying that tiny xp isnt quite legal i didny know that:devil:
What 8" touch screen, 120gb Harddrive, 2gb Ram, wireless net, DVD/CD, Fm radio, Digital TV/Radio, Mp3 player, bluetooth and the ability to send all in high quality digital sound for my ICE, it is all on one easy to use large screen which is done by touch, not navigation key and it is illegal to use your phone whilst driving in the UK but not to use an installed computer.
But if you can get me a phone that can do all of that and more then i have Three.
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roboticgimp
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Just about configured Centrafuse with the pc, got a fairly quick boot up of about 12 to 18 seconds straight into centrafuse software. Below is a couple of pics of it setup outside of the car. I have already run the cables down the side of the car via the internal trims.
On the fascia i have added the mount for the screen, so i can still have my stereo installed along with the screen as well.
On the fascia i have added the mount for the screen, so i can still have my stereo installed along with the screen as well.
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My cell has 2gig storage space, voice commands(removing need for touch), bluetooth, fm radio (and I can get it a FM transmitter if I want), 3g for internet etc.
Use it in conjunction with a cheap fm radio and all it dosent do from your list is play DVD movies on a big screen (Altho I can convert them to play on the cell if I want).
Oh and this is not a new technology phone, the newer ones have wifi and many other things you would need to add to the pc.
Use it in conjunction with a cheap fm radio and all it dosent do from your list is play DVD movies on a big screen (Altho I can convert them to play on the cell if I want).
Oh and this is not a new technology phone, the newer ones have wifi and many other things you would need to add to the pc.
thats a ncie wee set up though i thought your was a dedicated car pc, so your keeping the car sound system standard and just adding this to it?
the car pc has much more expandability, ive the iphone myself which still doesnt come near to the spec and possibilities of a pc
though now that i have the SDK it would be possible with some more programming skills to rewrite OBD for linux and create a program in the iphone. if only
the car pc has much more expandability, ive the iphone myself which still doesnt come near to the spec and possibilities of a pc
though now that i have the SDK it would be possible with some more programming skills to rewrite OBD for linux and create a program in the iphone. if only
