Shift_Speed

ok here is the carputer noob question of the day....

is there just a computer u could buy... with all the drives... and have it be small....just the actual computer part in a really scale down manner so it could fit in the glove, under the seat, in the trunk?

also if there is couldn't you just run a wireless keyboard and a trackball mouse in the car... and get a touchscreen monitor for easier access....

yea i bet these were some really DUMB questions... but before you guys bash on me... just remember who created the never ending game!!! haha thanks for your time fellas!

all_bark

iTrader: (5)

check out this thread. I have been very patient waiting for mine. Well maybe not THAT patient but I beleive that Chazzg will be ready to ship my incar pc within the next few weeks.

Read the whole thing. It will give you some help in deciding what to do. Even with Chazzg building you one, putting it in will be a differect story.

The In Car PC by Chazzg

ares

iTrader: (2)

yeah chazz is using a mobo called an EPIA. made by VIA I believe. it is basicly a scaled back computer, it is nearly 100% integrated, including processor up to 1ghz, video card, sound, and ethernet.

its benifits are mainly size, and power consumption. there are pictures of the box either in this thread or the one in "for sale".

drawbacks are expandability, you only get one PCI slot, and everything else is integrated, so no upgrading without replacing it all. its also a bit more expensive particularly if you use a DC-DC power supply.

however on the flip side you have my design, thats a full sized computer, benifits are full expandability, 4PCI slots, 8x AGP slot, and 3 memery slots. it also has an integrated gforce card so you can display proper resolutions for the wide screen that is being used. its also more powerful if you so choose, I got 512meg ram and 1.6ghz. since this is more main stream, components are cheaper.

drawbacks are numerous, power consumption is one, I anticipate mine to pull 200watts, about twice as much as the epia models. heat, I am compensating with 5 fans total. power source, the epias use very little power, meaning they can run off DC-DC PSU, a 2-300watt PSU for my computer in DC-DC would be 400$... so I was forced to use an inverter, and a AC-DC power supply. this is redundant and ineffiecient. but it can easily come out of the car and plug right into the wall. a benifit, but then again the DC-DC supplies have ac-dc converters for this purpose.

the biggest drawback of course is size... I counter acted this and managed to fit the full computer in about the same area as the epia, however this only came by a good amount of work to create room, where the epia just sits neatly in the glove box.

anyway hope this helps to explain the features, benifits, and drawbacks of the 2 main options. theres also the middle option of a micro ATX MOBO, but Im not going into that.

needless to say, I am the only crazy SOB that choose the second option.

chazzg

iTrader: (1)

In the Glovebox you say... Done
All in one small unit..... Done
Wireless Keyspan Remote.... Done
Easy install.....Done
For sale..... Almost Done

chazzg

iTrader: (1)

And my new units are EVEN SMALLER!!!!

Shift_Speed

dayam fellas hook me up please.... tell me how much and the specs of your carputers... and one more question... if i wanted to insert say a cd or a disk... would i have to push the passenger seat up and open the glove and put it in or did you guys make the cd drive portable from the pc and put it in more comfortable spot to reach?

ares

iTrader: (2)

in mine I am mounting the DVD in the mailbox slot. Im keeping the door on it so it can be shut and concealed, and then the DVD is set back in a face plate that Im makingo out of diamond plate aluminum. also in this plate is an ethernet jack, 4 USB ports, and pretty much whatever else I want...

I KNOW that in the case chazz has there, there is a slot for a dvd drive, but I dont think he's using it, he can say for sure tho. in mine, since I hand built the case out of aluminum metal, I did not bother to take up space for a DVD drive that I knew I wasnt gonna mount in it...

its a real pain, my computer is done, ready for install, I would install it, make it run, and then let someone else decide if my final product is worth paying me enough to make another. but the screen is junk, and Ive been told it could take up to 30 days to get the insurance money from the post office... so I cant show a finished product till then. there are already pictures of the computer box fully assembled back on a low teens page I think. and Ive put it in the car and it fit perfectly, mine is the exact width of the glove box, slides right in, and it leaves about 3 inches of room on top of it. I suppose mine is still a bit larger than chazz's after seeing that picture. that thing is tiny...

chazzg

iTrader: (1)

my system has an optional exterbal usb 2.0 DVD-Rom that can be mounted in the "mailbox" slots making the DVD easier to get to.

Scafremon

Well, mine................

Has a DVD drive in the computer case, which will hold the navigation DVD. Since the computer will be located in the glove box behind the drivers seat, it won't be accessible.

So I am mounting a second DVD drive in the mail-slot behind the driver, much like ares. This second drive is a Pioneer Slot-load drive, and will be set-back, so the door will still close and conceal the drive. This drive will be used to play DVD movie, or load software, or whatever.

msink

Hi Guys,


I'm trying to figure out if I should buy an auto pc, or build my own. I think If I could get what I want, I'd buy. This is what I am looking for. My PC must have these specs:

256-512 MB RAM
20+ 2.5" Gig HD
~1 GHz CPU
DVD Drive
Smart/CPU Power Supply
Custom resolutions (800 x 480, 1200 x 720, etc...)
1+ Open PCI slot
PCMCIA slot, or able to accept PCI to PCMCIA adapter
802.11b wirless (USB or PCMCIA)
Wirless modem for mobile internet (USB or PCMCIA)
1+ USB 2.0 port
TV Capable (listen to news on the way home)

Im sure bluetooth is gonna need to come later, i dont know, but it's not on my list yet.

I've heard about the nForce 4 chipset, but have only seen info for an nForce2. Which motherboards come with this chipset, and do you think it's my best bet?

I would like it to fit in the mailbox, but am willing to take a larger, more expandable setup, and place a USB DVD drive in the mailbox if it means I have more options, or a better system.

So, help me out, is anyone making something that will do this, or know where I can get the MB and Case to put this together? My biggest knowledge gap is in the power supply (how it hooks up, what cases can hold it, etc) and the video dept (making sure I can run 800 x 480) either via powerstrip, or the video card can do it on its own.

I'm also not to crazy about the FM Modulation. Sounds like a hack, plus, I assume this means if Im listening to the Radio that i wont be able to hear any sounds from the PC? Which is ont reason Id also really like to have the PC be able to play AM/FM stations as well... I assume once I get TV card, I will get that as well. But, it would be nice to hook into the speakers directly, or at least be able to hear the PC and radio at the same time.

Thanks!

Mark

ares

iTrader: (2)

by your requirements you could go with any type, chazz's system could offer them, of course so could mine.

feel free to click the link in my sig, Ive decided to go ahead and toss out the offer to build a computer like mine for those interested. I see no reason why the things youve mentioned wouldnt be possible. you mentioned the nforce board, that is what Im using, its a great board, by no means a "compromised" feature board as some people might think.

msink

I know chazz wont do custom res, and does not have a PCMCIA slot. With one open PCI slot for a new video card, I dont know if thats how i wanna use it. At that point Im forced to use USB for anything else. Did I miss something? As for yours, i didnt see a smart PS being used. Is it just a matter of selecting that instead of the cheap one? Anyway, I've only seen systems that had some features, but not all. Yours is big, so I'd expect to have some free PCI slots in return, at least 2. It wasnt clear if it had that or not. Im still learning, eventually I will get it all.

mark

ares

iTrader: (2)

actually my computer has all slots open, that would include 4 PCI slots and a 8x AGP slot. even tho it has a built in gforce video proccesor, it still offers the potential to use the fastest graphics slot currently available. as I said, it is not a compromised feature board as it would sound. it also include 4 usb ports ON THE BOARD, and I bought a 4 USB hub to mount in the mail box slot, so then you have 3 on the computer and 4 in the mailbox slot(one is used by the hub of course).

other than those slots, it has 3 memory chip slots, allowing up to 3 gigs of memory if you so choose... haha, donno why tho. but even after the computers built, you can always drop in a 3rd chip to boost it without replacing anything.

as for smart PSU, Im gonna be honest, Im not familiar with them. I assume by this you mean one that turns the computer on when power is applied? I have not seen them, but then again I didnt look... if they do exist, then sure, you could use that just fine. I wouldnt reccomend this, but I suppose you could just set the PC to automaticly reboot when power is lost, then just turn the inverter on and off and the computer will turn back on... of course you then keep the computer from doing its shutdown procedures, which may not be so great...

chazzg

iTrader: (1)

I Can do a custom pc for you. some of the things you want I have tested and do not work well enough fo me to put my name on it. I will only offer options that will work 100%, not 80% or 50%.
but hey if thats what you want i can do it. insted of one of my normal units i can do you a p4 system with all the stuff you want, but it will end up being more $ than my normal units and alittle bigger but will still fit in the glove box.

alphared

I've got everything I need to start install next week. Got all my stereo equip in (cept the cables) and all my pc done. Just have to build the case for it. PC will be custom install in the mailslot area behind the driver seat. going to use the face of the mailslot storage to conceal the pc, for a total stock look. Slot dvd there too. Have to build myself an IR receiver to use the super small IR keyboard I got (it could fit in the mailslot are). Will post pic when I'm done so don't ask for them.

ares

iTrader: (2)

jeez I gotta see this! your gonna fit the ENTIRE PC into a single mail slot???

can I ask how? or did I misunderstand you...

alphared

easily (i hope) all laptop compents, and a epia board.

ares

iTrader: (2)

hmmm yeah I think it is possible, the epia board alone is 6.7" square... of course... the mailbox slot is not tall enough to accomidate most PCI cars should you choose to ever utilize that one slot you have... but that will be a seriously compact computer.

cant wait to see that baby. good luck

Scafremon

.

Scafremon

All's I need to complete mine is:

• Another 60w of DC Power (available in 3 weeks)
• A better 6.4" VGA Touch Screen (available in 3 weeks)
• A New GPS Receiver (Deluo- ordered tonight)
• Navigation Software (have some already, but not sure if i have the best yet)
• Shutdown Controller (should have in 3 weeks)
• 12v DC regulator (Should have in 3 weeks)
• a week's vacation from work, to get all this wired 'safely' in my car