Win XP will thrash easily with less than 512 MB and laptop HD are slow. I agree hibernate is painfully slow with 512 - faster to clean boot.

 

Sure it will work, but the application base/development is not nearly as developed as the PC community has done.

 

I was figuring I'd use a "quick switch" app. That way I could run 800x480 when in my front end (where I'll be 99% of the time anyways) and 800x600 when I want to use raw XP.

 

The PAC-AAI-NIS adapter gives you to inputs, not just one. You press SAT once for "SAT 1" and then either SAT again for "SAT 2" or you use the channel button (not sure, don't own one myself, just know it gives you two inputs).

My plan is to do exactly the same thing as you are talking about. I am installing several other xenarcs in my car other than just the digitalwheelz dash LCD. I am connecting them all to a VGA splitter so that all screens can see my carPC. They will also have VID 1 and audio connected to a 1/2 din DVD player in the upper glove box (using RCA splitters). The audio out from the DVD player will also connect to the other input on the PAC unit. This way I can make the car sound system play the car PC output, or the DVD player output. Also, because each screen is also getting the DVD audio feed individually, I can have the carPC outputting to the car sound system while the xenarcs get the DVD audio feed and can be listened to using wireless headphones. My passengers can all watch a movie while I still hear my nav (or mp3s )

In addition, the MII10000 and MII120000 both have a single PCI slot, but you can install a 2 slot PCI riser in them to give you two PCI slots. The power draw of a single PCI video card will not be substantial enough to over tax your power setup.

Most motherboards come with a soundcard built into it... and even have a LINE-In port (important for expandability of the car PC).

 

assuming i get the SP13000, how good is the built in sound. I used to have a AVN 2454 and the sound was great! I would like the sound to be comparable if not better to that. If I would need a sound card, which one would u suggest?

 

anyone?

 

Onboard sound is good enough for me and many other people

If you consider yourself an "audiophile" then you probably dont want onboard

Its really just fine though

 

onboard sound and onboard video is the way to go.

i've tried all combinations - just too big of a headache.

for instance, did ya know: if you power down an extigy while still connected to a running pc, it will crash the pc? just one of the "issues" I had to work around. I couldn't have the extigy power off for example when you get out to fill gas, cause when you start up again, the pc will be locked up. So came up with a power supply with 2 diodes that powers the extigy by either the computer power supply or the car's switching power line (so it can still be on to receive power from the HU, even if the pc is rebooting - that was the whole point of getting the extigy). What a P.I.A.! And the remote control is flaky... the list goes on and on.

Keep it all as simple as you can and you'll save yourself a ton of headaches.

 

As long is it as good or better than the BOSE, which many of you guys think is terrible anyway, thats all I really want. On board sound is going to give me BOSE sound quality or better?

 

The s/n ratio and thd for computer audio is going to be better than most car equipment. External units (USB) are supposed to be better cause they are located away from all the electrical noise associated with the PC (which is why I went with the Extigy).

That being said, on board sound is usually not the highest quality. If you can squeeze it in, an aftermarket stereo sound card (like from M-Audio) or USB solution (like Extigy or Audigy) will be top notch.


BTW, the stock system sucks IMO because of the stock Nissan speakers (not really any Bose component, though the amp is pitifully small).

 

i'm not an audiophile or anything. I hear a lot of good things about the soundblaster audigy 2. I was thinkin about just using that and hooking it up to my stock bose (through the use of the SAT button and PAC audio). What do u think about that?

 

it will work fine. The only reason I used the Extigy is because it can operate independently of the carPC being on/off etc. The audigy2 requires that the PC be working (on) based on what I've read. SO if your PC crashes, you're out of luck - no sound.

And if you're running windows, it WILL crash. At least I can just switch to CD and keep on going with some tunes.

 

it will crash huh? Why is that? The extigy is your solution to the the PC crashing, you think thats the better option?