ok it's time for me to start buying carputer parts. I am going with the digital wheelz screen of course.
Here's where I need the experts and whoevers to tell me my best option

Here are the things I will most likely be using the carputer for
Mainthings:
Music
Internet (wifi)
playing DVD's
navigation
using my ipod with itunes
connecting my cell phone for ringtones and things like that (webjal for anyone who knows what that is)

Occasional things:
emulated games (nes, genesis, snes, maybe n64)
playing other video files (mpeg, avi, mov etc.)
use of microsoft office
maybe burning cds

Would I be able to get away with the miniITX SP13000 motherboard, how much RAM would u suggest? I want minimal amount of lag, that would really bother me if it took too long to do something.

The other option I was going for was the Pentium M mini ITX (2.0ghz). Would that be a waste of money getting that motherboard for the things I want it to do?

Thanks for your help!

 

A pentium M is noticably faster in everything it does, but you don't really need it. The SP13000 will work adequatly to do everything you want, but if you got the money, I don't think you'll regret the Pentium M.

I wouldn't build a carputer with anything other then 512 mb ram.

 

The pentium M is expensive. The alternative is a P4. I used a 2.4 Ghz Northwood core and it withstood a hot summer with no problems.

(The onboard ATI graphics chipset on my mainboard was another issue - it would overheat like crazy).

I am switching to another P4 board with Intel on board graphics.

 

I think it'd be cool for you to include voice recognition software... I've always wanted to be able to take notes verbally while driving... It'd be like having a personal assistant.

 

There is a sub carPC forum for threads like this.

 

Will you be using a PCI video card? Or running at 800x600?

 

there is some new software coming out that uses an array microphone that is supposed to be phenominal. there was a post on the forum recently, I forget the link. The review by a guy who got a sneak-peak of it was really imrpessive.

 

I wasnt planning on running a video card.. do u think I should? I can scrap the idea of using emulation for N64.. jus nes and snes should be fine with me

 

well i jus saw that u weren't talkin to me, but do u think I need one anyway for what I am doing?

 

The issue is that 99.999% of onboard video chipsets will not run at 800x480 resolution, which is the native resolution of the xenarc screen. Specifically, no Intel chipset will do so. You can run at 800x600, but everything is stretched vertically.

However, the SP13000 will, supposedly, output 800x480 with the latest BIOS flashed to it. Some onboard ATI-based chipsets will do 800x480. The MII10000 and MII120000 do not output 800x480 natively... so you would need a PCI video card that would allow for 800x480. None of them SAY they support 800x480, but you can tweak some to run 800x480 by using an application called "Powerstrip."

I would read the "Reference Information" thread under the Car PC subforum on here. I already put a lot of information you're asking about in it.

 

I've gotten 800 x 480 to work - it looks sharp, but it is not practical. I personally think the optimal resolution for a 7" screen is 800 x 600. The 480 height just is too small to run WinXP - all the dialogs are designed to big - makes it a real pain. And the scaling to 800 x 600 is great - virtually no difference in appearance compared to 800 x 480.

And most games will play just fine with the "slow" Intel graphics solutions because the resolution is set low anyway (640 x 480 or 800 x 600 max).

 

my main concern with a video card is the power draw, I am trying to avoid any power issues. And also I need a sound card and I haven't seen too many mothers boards with 2 PCI slots. Speaking of sound, I am going to have the carputer in the trunk and I have a DVD player in the upper glove box. Is it possible to get sound from both? How am i gonig to do that, I know for the carupter I am gonig to use the PAc Audio thing twith the SAT button, but what about the DVD player? How have you guys handled this.. ive seen many people with carputers and something in the upper glove box

 

I don't know why you're suggesting 512

I would suggest nothing more than 256 primarily because 256 will be quicker to resume from standby and hibernation than 512. Anything lower than 256 will suffer in performance but I find anything more than that isn't necessary for the uses of a car computer

 

Getting everything on the ITX board - audio and video. I have a USB DVD player in my glove box (USB hub by gear shifter)

 

how about macmini for $500