I would like to install a carputer, with the 2005 DW screen, but retain my stock head unit. I'm a pretty good amateur installer, having installed about 10 systems over the years. No fiberglass work, but anything short of that I can do.

However, I would like to retain my stock head unit (along with the Phatbox MP3 player) for a number of reasons, but also install a carputer. I wouldn't use the carputer for MP3's, but I would use it for DVD's, and Nv, and other things.

Here is my dream list of what a carputer would have. If someone who is more expert in this than me (carputers are uncharted for me) could comment on the feasibility. Money is not really a problem, within reason (no $20K systems...)

1. GPS navigation with speech prompts
2. Remote DVD player in glove cubby...possibly long USB cable to it?
3. graphics card (not integrated graphics) nothing too top of the line, because of heat, but enough to play some games beyond minesweeper
4. Wireless mouse or thumbpad
5. Touch screen (comes with DW setup)
6. Maps and Nav data stored on hard drive
7. Output voice and sound to current amp and played through speakers. Maybe add self powered center speaker for for DVD surround?
8. OBDII interface. Not for real time monitoring, but ability to reset codes, and data log, and check error codes

I'm probably asking for a bit too much, but thats what I would like. Anyone with knoweldge of this feel free to give any info you have, or point me to any threads already discussing this.

Thanks
Dave

 

Oh, and the other thing I would like is a motherboard that fits in a SFF PC, and is able to use a Pentium M, which is low heat, and low power consumption.

Dave

 

First you should really check out the forums at mp3car.com, excellent source of knowledge over there. Unfortunately many of them are European, so cut them some slack

1. GPS navigation with speech prompts - I use IGuidance. Lots of people use this or Destinator.
2. Remote DVD player in glove cubby...possibly long USB cable to it? - I am putting a USB DVD-RW in my upper glove box, using the single DIN converter from DigitalWheelz to mount it, and making a custom faceplate to fill in around the front
3. graphics card (not integrated graphics) nothing too top of the line, because of heat, but enough to play some games beyond minesweeper - No suggestions other than you'll probably have to use PCI, and I would recommend ATI, fewer heat/cooling issues
4. Wireless mouse or thumbpad There are both bluetooth & RF mini-keyboards /w trackballs or touchpads included in them
5. Touch screen (comes with DW setup)
6. Maps and Nav data stored on hard drive - See #1 and check out MapMonkey
7. Output voice and sound to current amp and played through speakers. - Assuming you have the SAT button on your radio and it is not currently being used: pickup a PAC AAI-NIS to convert the SAT button to an aux input. Connect PC to this Maybe add self powered center speaker for for DVD surround? This will be difficult, and probably sound like junk. Getting decent soundstaging with a stereo environment is hard enough, I doubt 5.1 surround sound would sound very good without a LOT of work and a LOT of money and designing the entire sound system around that purpose.
8. OBDII interface. Not for real time monitoring, but ability to reset codes, and data log, and check error codes - I believe it's name is ELM, but search over at mp3car.com; they also have a whole section in the forums dedicated to ODBII integration

For the SFF Pentium M mobo, do a search for the "MB890 Pentium M Mini ITX" or the "MB890F Pentium M Mini ITX." Both of these are in the mp3car.com store. They are pretty much the defacto standard for small form factor Pentium M boards, as is the MB870 and MB850 for the SFF full P4 boards. I am currently deciding between a full P4 2.8 or a Pentium M 2.0... tough call, because I <3 more power.

 

About the P-M versus the P4. You can multiply the clock speed of a P-M by about 1.5 to determine the actual processor power is has in comparison to a P-4. In other words, a 2.0 PM is about is powerful (benchmark wise) as a P-4. This has been shown in real world applications, as well as benchmarks.

WHich is why I love my Dell XPS2 P-M 2.13 laptop with a Geforce 6800 Ultra grpahics chip....it plays games faster than many highend desktops.

Thanks for the advice and help!
Dave

 

You may want to look into CoPilot from alk technologies for GPS...and as amthar said, mp3car.com is your best place for research. I spent countless hours on there researching before I built mine. You may also want to consider using a flash based hard-drive for the OS for extra system stability. Look into different front ends and decide what will suit your needs best. Most likely you will endup using the carputer for your mp3s eventually, I had a kenwood music keg a long time ago and the pc based mp3s are much more user friendly. Make sure to diagram all your wires and maybe even bench test the system with its peripherals befor running everything in the car and make sure to use a powered usb hub, it will save you alot of headaches.

 

Just my opinion but its a complete waste to have a carputer installed and NOT use its functionality to play music
Why have extra devices when you dont have to?

 

Thanks for your opinion. You know what those are worth.

Dave

 

I highly recommend the ATI video card. I have used ATI's video cards (AGP form) for years now and they rock! I am currently saving my older ATI Radeon 9000 (i believe or maybe it's an 8500) for my carputer. Also, for RF remote - ATI makes the Remote Wonder which is awsome as well. It has full nanvigation of the mouse, programable buttoms, default fwd, rwd, play, pause, nxt trk, skip fwd, skip bkwd... And it works without any like of site junk. Mine works at about 40' away too! I'd recommend one of the mini wireless or bluetooth keyboards for as needed basis, and using a smaller remote (like the ATI wonder) on a day-to-day basis because the keyboards are still way to bulky

You guys without the OEM navi are lucky to be able to get the touch screen and use the upper glove box. That is a big hold up on my carputer, as I have no "easy" place to mount a DVD rom drive reachable from driver's seat without major modding Other then that, I've had all the parts ready to go except a power supply and the complete idea of my instal..of course and the time to do it. I'm thinking about trying to squeez the motherboad down next to the bose amp to the left of the spare tire but it's going to be SUPER right. I'd love for it to workout and look 100% stock in the trunk

 

I have been considering trying to displace the tools that are in the bulky black plastic flooring to the right of the spare tire elsewhere in the car/trunk. There is some space in front of and behind the tire. If I can relocate all of these tools, I think I can use that area to hide a car PC. Plus with the fender vent you could provide some air circulation for the PC.

Just an idea I've been toying with, nothing serious.... yet

 

I've got my amps and cap where the spare tire used to be, mounted to a board, and bolted down. So, since I don't have the spare tire anymore, the tools are kind of useless, although I still have them there.

I will probably put the carputer there.

I'm still torn between a regular Small form factor PC, and one of the specialized ones on MP3car.com (Opus, etc...). Probably will go with one of the specialized ones.

As for the ATI cards, do they still make/sell any of them in PCI form, rather than AGP? The specialized cases only have PCI slots (and only 2 of those), not any AGP. And, they are PCI not PCI-x...

Dave

 

quick question.. why do you need to use a powered usb hub?? i think the one that i'm using is not powered and it seems to be working fine (at least so far)... also a suggestion would be to determine which front end program you plan on using before you purchase your gps program because not all gps programs are embedded in all front end systems (if you plan on using a front end program)

 

Are you asking me? Because I didn't say anything about a powered USB hub (I think I didn't, at least)

However, I have seen through research that with the long USB lines, if your carputer is in the back of the car (whre mine will be), and the hub upfront, you should have a powered one, due to line loss up to the front of the car.

Dave

 

what do you mean by a flash-based harddrive?

Dave - Yes, ATI still makes PCI cards...go to www.pricewatch.com and you can find the lowest price and specs/comparisons of all the cards and prices.

For front end software - everyone seems to be going with Centrafuse. I have it and it's ok. Better with a touch screen for sure and it nicely integrates things. Only thing I don't care for is the mp3 player setup compared to winamp I like winamp personally.

 

Ah, ok, thanks, I should have thought of that. Duh.

Dave

 

As far as powered usb hubs, here is why...a usb port gives up to 500mah, my wifi adapter alone uses 500mah, gps mouse around 90mah, ir receiver up near 500mah, then theres bluetooth, wireless joystick...etc. Those values don't even include loss for distance.
Flash based hard drive is basicly like a compact flash card that is used as a hard drive, this way no moving parts and no read or wright errrors while flying down the freeway or going over bumps. Unfortunately they are slower than conventional hard drives, so its up to you if you can sacrifice some speed.
Front end, I personally use centrafuse since I found it the best fitting for my needs. I use Copilot 8 for my gps. Copilot doesn't embed but goes into full screen mode and I use a program called alt-tabber which basiclly I have set invisibly on the touchscreen to alternate from front end to gps to whatever and my mp3's still can play and be controlled while gps (w or w/o voice) is running.
As far as putting the carpc next to the bose amp, you most likely will get interfernce into the bose system and posibly vice versa.

Ok, my fingers need a rest and my girlfriend is coming over .......