In Car PC Building your own!! Links!
03-28-2003, 09:36 PM
#282
Registered User
Originally posted by ares
"another 60 watts" why are you guys all using these 60watt PSU? Ive seen 150, 200, even 250watt DC-DC supplies. I never planned to use one, so I never researched them, but what is so special about this opus PSU that no other DC-DC unit offers?
"another 60 watts" why are you guys all using these 60watt PSU? Ive seen 150, 200, even 250watt DC-DC supplies. I never planned to use one, so I never researched them, but what is so special about this opus PSU that no other DC-DC unit offers?
I am not 'planning' on using the Opus (though I might if my plan fails).
Here's the deal on the 60w power supplys which I am referring to:
If you buy the Casetronics case for your Epia M mobo, you get a 60w DC-DC power supply. Total cost is $75 for this. My PC is currently running fine with just this 60w PS (running a 60gb 3.5" hd, and a slim DVD drive). i have a feeling though that once i add another DVD slot drive (which uses both 12v and 5v), and some usb devices (GPS, camera, whatever), I may exceed the 60w. Abz123 had problems with his epia M PC on just one 60w ps. So I am going to add another 60w power supply. The cool thing is that the additional power supply should still fit in the case.
In the attached pic, there is one 60w supply under the DVD drive on the right. The new 60w ps will go where i have placed the red memo pad.
One thing that I think makes the Epia so attractive is that we can get all this stuff in this one neat little box. No external AC/DC power supply...no inverter.
Last edited by Scafremon; 03-28-2003 at 09:52 PM.
03-29-2003, 12:26 AM
#283
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Revisiting the Laptop Auto PC
Revisiting the Laptop Auto PC:
OK, I?m into my 3rd day of researching how to get my hands on an Auto PC using the 700TSV screen. So, if what I am about to say has been talked about, or is just missing the obvious, don?t kill me. I had figured a laptop was not going to work, but now I?m thinking it may be just about perfect, if I can get around one issue. There may be more later.
First, most people are not talking about using a laptop, so I?m going to give my reasons why I feel it is good fit for use as an Auto PC. Other than the fact that I have one that is 3 years old, out of warranty, and will be replaced soon:
1. It?s small. It won?t fit in the mailbox, but because they are so thin, will fit just about anywhere else. Under the seat, even under the passenger side dash, where running the VGA cable will be short, and direct.
2. They ?should? be much better suited to being tossed around. They aren?t rugged, but at least they were designed to be moved around all the time. We already know their hard drives are the best option.
3. They come with a screen (which you could probably also take off to save space). But if not, you can take it with you if you needed to. The screen also allows you to administer the PC w/o using the smaller 7?, or having to hook up to a stand alone monitor. The screen would NOT be used in-car.
4. They come with a touch pad. I don?t know if it can be placed remotely, but having a touch pad in place of the ashtray, or just behind that in the funny sloped coin holder thingy, would be a really sweet touch.
5. They come with a keyboard. I know, this is not a biggie, just something you don?t have to purchase. These things come with everything you need.
6. They run quite, and cool. They are designed to run on little power with special CPU?s running at OVER 2 GHz, and low power Graphics cards.
7. They come with usually at least 2 PCMCIA slots, which is a great benefit when you need to start adding stuff. Also USB ports, & Firewire.
8. It?s easy to swap hard drives if you ever wanted to.
OK, now for what I think is really nice, but also a problem. At first, I thought I was going to need to build a conventional PC so that I could have a Smart power supply, that would do certain things depending on what position the ignition was in. For the newbies, let me just give a quick example. When you get gas, and shut the car off, you don?t want the PC to shut off. You want it to be ready when its time to leave 4 minutes later. Basically, you want some timer that will run the PC for a certain amount of time, and then if the car is not started within that limit, either shut down, sleep, or hibernate. There are expensive power supplies that will do this.
Well, a laptop running Windows has all this built in. If you take a look at the ?Power Options? in the control panel, you will see 2 states the laptop can run in, and what to do in these states after some period of time. The 2 states are ?Plugged In? and ?Running on Batteries?. Once your laptop is plugged in using an inverter, or wired direct to DC (if possible) Your laptop will automatically know which state it is in. As soon as you shut the ignition off, your laptop starts running on its own internal battery. So, here is what you can do, for each of the 2 states. For each state ?Plugged In? or ?Battery? you can control 4 items on the laptop
.
Turn off monitor, Turn off hard disks, System Standby, and System Hibernate. Each of these 4 items have there own time limits that can be set. For an Auto PC, you could say. When running on battery, Turn off hard disks after 5 min, System standby after 10 min, and System hibernate after 30 min. Done? now your computer is off, 30 minutes after you shut the car off, without any fancy power supply.
In addition to this, you can set an Alarm, AND, and Action to take place when the laptops battery reaches a certain % of its remaining power. Example, even if you didn?t use all the fancy stuff above, you could tell the laptop to standby. hibernate, or power off when the battery has 90% of its power left. This is in effect a ?timer?. 100% power is a fully charged battery. You shut the car off, and the laptop starts using its internal battery until it?s used only 10% of its battery (90% reaming), this would be about 18 minutes for example. So, after 18 minutes, the laptop does whatever you want. Once powered by the car again, the battery will charge and be ready for the next stop. Just don?t take lots of short trips, or either set a smaller time limit.
Did we all miss something obvious, or have I lost my mind? I think this is great, it?s all built in. Laptops were made do to these kinds of things, and seem to make a great Auto PC. They can be had for pretty cheap too, especially if they are used or refurbished.
Now for the bad part. Shutting the car off sets all sorts of if/then?s into action which are built into the OS. Great! But how do I START the PC when the ignition is turned on without pressing its power button? I DON?T KNOW! This is where I need help. I probably would not mind having to hit a button to do this, but it would have to be mounted remotely, and that means doing some wiring. The best option I think would be to modify the switch/power supply so that the computer comes on when it receives an external power, but I don?t think that would be easy. It has to know its external, and not from the built in battery. So, what do you think? Hmm? Actually, mounting the power switch on the dash somewhere would be a nice idea, because it also acts as the reset button (when held down), and you know at some point you are going to need to hit that thing! Who wants to move seats or whatever to reset their PC while driving? While at it, you could also remotely mount the ?Close Lid? button, which, along with the power button is ALSO programmable to hibernate, standby, or power off. Lot?s of easily set options with these laptops.
Also, the newer laptops now have options for built in 802.11a/b/g and even built in bluetooth. This frees up everything else for other add-ons.
OK, one more thing, how to power the laptop. I could use an inverter, but like most, would like to go DC-DC. My dell laptop has a 2 piece power cord. AC, that plugs into the wall, and AC to DC converter that plugs into the laptop. It outputs 20V DC at 3.5amps into the laptop power connector. Is it possible to cut this, bypass the converter, and wire this directly to a DC source that will give me 20V? I?m no electrician, AT ALL, a complete idiot actually. Can I take a 12V DC source, and amplify it to 20V to power a laptop?
OK, I think I?m done, sorry for the length. I hope this is a workable idea, and that I haven?t missed something obvious.
P.S. Hopefully powerstrip works with some of the laptop cards.
Mark
OK, I?m into my 3rd day of researching how to get my hands on an Auto PC using the 700TSV screen. So, if what I am about to say has been talked about, or is just missing the obvious, don?t kill me. I had figured a laptop was not going to work, but now I?m thinking it may be just about perfect, if I can get around one issue. There may be more later.
First, most people are not talking about using a laptop, so I?m going to give my reasons why I feel it is good fit for use as an Auto PC. Other than the fact that I have one that is 3 years old, out of warranty, and will be replaced soon:
1. It?s small. It won?t fit in the mailbox, but because they are so thin, will fit just about anywhere else. Under the seat, even under the passenger side dash, where running the VGA cable will be short, and direct.
2. They ?should? be much better suited to being tossed around. They aren?t rugged, but at least they were designed to be moved around all the time. We already know their hard drives are the best option.
3. They come with a screen (which you could probably also take off to save space). But if not, you can take it with you if you needed to. The screen also allows you to administer the PC w/o using the smaller 7?, or having to hook up to a stand alone monitor. The screen would NOT be used in-car.
4. They come with a touch pad. I don?t know if it can be placed remotely, but having a touch pad in place of the ashtray, or just behind that in the funny sloped coin holder thingy, would be a really sweet touch.
5. They come with a keyboard. I know, this is not a biggie, just something you don?t have to purchase. These things come with everything you need.
6. They run quite, and cool. They are designed to run on little power with special CPU?s running at OVER 2 GHz, and low power Graphics cards.
7. They come with usually at least 2 PCMCIA slots, which is a great benefit when you need to start adding stuff. Also USB ports, & Firewire.
8. It?s easy to swap hard drives if you ever wanted to.
OK, now for what I think is really nice, but also a problem. At first, I thought I was going to need to build a conventional PC so that I could have a Smart power supply, that would do certain things depending on what position the ignition was in. For the newbies, let me just give a quick example. When you get gas, and shut the car off, you don?t want the PC to shut off. You want it to be ready when its time to leave 4 minutes later. Basically, you want some timer that will run the PC for a certain amount of time, and then if the car is not started within that limit, either shut down, sleep, or hibernate. There are expensive power supplies that will do this.
Well, a laptop running Windows has all this built in. If you take a look at the ?Power Options? in the control panel, you will see 2 states the laptop can run in, and what to do in these states after some period of time. The 2 states are ?Plugged In? and ?Running on Batteries?. Once your laptop is plugged in using an inverter, or wired direct to DC (if possible) Your laptop will automatically know which state it is in. As soon as you shut the ignition off, your laptop starts running on its own internal battery. So, here is what you can do, for each of the 2 states. For each state ?Plugged In? or ?Battery? you can control 4 items on the laptop
.
Turn off monitor, Turn off hard disks, System Standby, and System Hibernate. Each of these 4 items have there own time limits that can be set. For an Auto PC, you could say. When running on battery, Turn off hard disks after 5 min, System standby after 10 min, and System hibernate after 30 min. Done? now your computer is off, 30 minutes after you shut the car off, without any fancy power supply.
In addition to this, you can set an Alarm, AND, and Action to take place when the laptops battery reaches a certain % of its remaining power. Example, even if you didn?t use all the fancy stuff above, you could tell the laptop to standby. hibernate, or power off when the battery has 90% of its power left. This is in effect a ?timer?. 100% power is a fully charged battery. You shut the car off, and the laptop starts using its internal battery until it?s used only 10% of its battery (90% reaming), this would be about 18 minutes for example. So, after 18 minutes, the laptop does whatever you want. Once powered by the car again, the battery will charge and be ready for the next stop. Just don?t take lots of short trips, or either set a smaller time limit.
Did we all miss something obvious, or have I lost my mind? I think this is great, it?s all built in. Laptops were made do to these kinds of things, and seem to make a great Auto PC. They can be had for pretty cheap too, especially if they are used or refurbished.
Now for the bad part. Shutting the car off sets all sorts of if/then?s into action which are built into the OS. Great! But how do I START the PC when the ignition is turned on without pressing its power button? I DON?T KNOW! This is where I need help. I probably would not mind having to hit a button to do this, but it would have to be mounted remotely, and that means doing some wiring. The best option I think would be to modify the switch/power supply so that the computer comes on when it receives an external power, but I don?t think that would be easy. It has to know its external, and not from the built in battery. So, what do you think? Hmm? Actually, mounting the power switch on the dash somewhere would be a nice idea, because it also acts as the reset button (when held down), and you know at some point you are going to need to hit that thing! Who wants to move seats or whatever to reset their PC while driving? While at it, you could also remotely mount the ?Close Lid? button, which, along with the power button is ALSO programmable to hibernate, standby, or power off. Lot?s of easily set options with these laptops.
Also, the newer laptops now have options for built in 802.11a/b/g and even built in bluetooth. This frees up everything else for other add-ons.
OK, one more thing, how to power the laptop. I could use an inverter, but like most, would like to go DC-DC. My dell laptop has a 2 piece power cord. AC, that plugs into the wall, and AC to DC converter that plugs into the laptop. It outputs 20V DC at 3.5amps into the laptop power connector. Is it possible to cut this, bypass the converter, and wire this directly to a DC source that will give me 20V? I?m no electrician, AT ALL, a complete idiot actually. Can I take a 12V DC source, and amplify it to 20V to power a laptop?
OK, I think I?m done, sorry for the length. I hope this is a workable idea, and that I haven?t missed something obvious.
P.S. Hopefully powerstrip works with some of the laptop cards.
Mark
Last edited by msink; 03-29-2003 at 12:30 AM.
03-29-2003, 01:20 AM
#284
Registered User
uh, your comparing a laptop thats cost over 2k to something in the ballpark of 1-1.5k.
Fixing the 7in screen and running it back to your laptop is an option. An EXPENSIVE option. going to add about 600 to the 2K+ laptop, not to mention a psu.
Basically you can put anything (within reason) in the car. Can remove the spare and stick your huge desktop in there. OR Slap a pda in the nav hole. OR Fiberglass the dash and stick an imac in there. People work with what they got, you can use your old laptop and save some cash, but buying a new one is waste of money consider the alternatives available.
The reasons I'm building on are:
1) Cheaper than new pc
2) Totally customizable
3) Upgradeable
4) Built around my needs
5) More installation option
6) Its FUN!
Lastly, there are more resources for this than for a laptop. Really the only ones i've seen with a laptop is in a cop car (yeah I've sat in one)
Fixing the 7in screen and running it back to your laptop is an option. An EXPENSIVE option. going to add about 600 to the 2K+ laptop, not to mention a psu.
Basically you can put anything (within reason) in the car. Can remove the spare and stick your huge desktop in there. OR Slap a pda in the nav hole. OR Fiberglass the dash and stick an imac in there. People work with what they got, you can use your old laptop and save some cash, but buying a new one is waste of money consider the alternatives available.
The reasons I'm building on are:
1) Cheaper than new pc
2) Totally customizable
3) Upgradeable
4) Built around my needs
5) More installation option
6) Its FUN!
Lastly, there are more resources for this than for a laptop. Really the only ones i've seen with a laptop is in a cop car (yeah I've sat in one)
03-29-2003, 01:22 AM
#285
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Remote power switch for Laptop
OK... as stated above, access to the power switch would be a good idea, and I think I have a good idea where it should go.
First, I would think most people would want to lower there NAV door to hide the screen when leaving the vehicle.
If the power switch were triggered by opening the nav door, the PC would turn on when you open the door, which is just what you want, and requires no extra button pushing. BUT, you dont want anything to happen when you close this door (which also would activate the power switch) On my computer, and I suspect all laptops, the power button needs to be held down for about 1 second or more IF the laptop is on. When shutting the NAV door, a button press would NOT be registered by the laptop, and the laptop would still function according to the options you set in the "Power Options" setup within Windows. If you are gone long enough for the laptop to shutdown, upon your return, when you open the NAV door, the PC would be powered up since briefly touching the button does trigger a power on event. Will it work?
Mark
First, I would think most people would want to lower there NAV door to hide the screen when leaving the vehicle.
If the power switch were triggered by opening the nav door, the PC would turn on when you open the door, which is just what you want, and requires no extra button pushing. BUT, you dont want anything to happen when you close this door (which also would activate the power switch) On my computer, and I suspect all laptops, the power button needs to be held down for about 1 second or more IF the laptop is on. When shutting the NAV door, a button press would NOT be registered by the laptop, and the laptop would still function according to the options you set in the "Power Options" setup within Windows. If you are gone long enough for the laptop to shutdown, upon your return, when you open the NAV door, the PC would be powered up since briefly touching the button does trigger a power on event. Will it work?
Mark
03-29-2003, 01:33 AM
#286
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$2000?... You havent shopped for a laptop lately have you?
For $750 I can get a brand new Dell Inspiron 1100 with a warranty. I could probably spend $500 some place else and get the same thing.
That's a 2.0 GHz, 30GB Drive, CDRW/DVD, plus everything else I mentioned above, PCMCIA, USB, PS (obviously) etc.... I dont see ANYONE talking about their Auto PC running 2+ GHz, certainly dont come with all this for $750 or less.
What do you mean it expensive to run a 7" screen to my laptop?? Everyone does this, its costs whatever a VGA cable costs. Laptops have VGA out, the screen has VGA in, what costs $600 to hook it up?
You say "not to mention a PSU" ? What do you mean? All laptops have a PSU built in. The screen doesnt need one either. Why do I nee a PSU?
Mark
For $750 I can get a brand new Dell Inspiron 1100 with a warranty. I could probably spend $500 some place else and get the same thing.
That's a 2.0 GHz, 30GB Drive, CDRW/DVD, plus everything else I mentioned above, PCMCIA, USB, PS (obviously) etc.... I dont see ANYONE talking about their Auto PC running 2+ GHz, certainly dont come with all this for $750 or less.
What do you mean it expensive to run a 7" screen to my laptop?? Everyone does this, its costs whatever a VGA cable costs. Laptops have VGA out, the screen has VGA in, what costs $600 to hook it up?
You say "not to mention a PSU" ? What do you mean? All laptops have a PSU built in. The screen doesnt need one either. Why do I nee a PSU?
Mark
03-29-2003, 07:10 AM
#287
Registered User
The laptop option has been touched on briefly.
here is a previous post in this thread where i touched on some reasons why it wasn't the best solution for me. (if this link doesn't take you to the actual post, the post is dated 3/19). This discussion basically was on the 'portability' that a notebook offers.
As for cost, I've spent just under $500 for the components that are similiar to what I would get from a laptop: 933mhz mobo, 256mb ram, dvd drive, 60gb hd, DC power supply, and XP Pro OS.
While the laptop does have a psu, you will need an inverter. While not expensive, some of us are trying to stay DC.
And like Alphared mentioned, it is kinda fun doing the research on all the components, and integrating the final result into the car, hopefully as cleanly as if it was a factory option.
here is a previous post in this thread where i touched on some reasons why it wasn't the best solution for me. (if this link doesn't take you to the actual post, the post is dated 3/19). This discussion basically was on the 'portability' that a notebook offers.
As for cost, I've spent just under $500 for the components that are similiar to what I would get from a laptop: 933mhz mobo, 256mb ram, dvd drive, 60gb hd, DC power supply, and XP Pro OS.
While the laptop does have a psu, you will need an inverter. While not expensive, some of us are trying to stay DC.
And like Alphared mentioned, it is kinda fun doing the research on all the components, and integrating the final result into the car, hopefully as cleanly as if it was a factory option.
03-29-2003, 08:45 AM
#288
Registered User
abz123:
Can you give us an update on your system?
have any issues popped up, such as hard drive problems?
As i recall, you aren't using a shutdown controller, and are just turning the system on and off as needed. has this caused any problems?
Did you fix-mount your computer case? If not, do you ever hear it sliding or bouncing around?
Anything you would do differently,or are there any upgrades you are strongly considering making?
Thanks for your info and help as always.
Can you give us an update on your system?
have any issues popped up, such as hard drive problems?
As i recall, you aren't using a shutdown controller, and are just turning the system on and off as needed. has this caused any problems?
Did you fix-mount your computer case? If not, do you ever hear it sliding or bouncing around?
Anything you would do differently,or are there any upgrades you are strongly considering making?
Thanks for your info and help as always.
03-29-2003, 08:58 AM
#289
Registered User
Originally posted by aggie300zx
FYI..I found that my slim dvd-rom drive would not work properly using a 34" IDE cable, but did work fine with a 24" cable. Just something to keep in mind when remotely mouting the drive. I think the 24" will be long enough for remote mounting.
FYI..I found that my slim dvd-rom drive would not work properly using a 34" IDE cable, but did work fine with a 24" cable. Just something to keep in mind when remotely mouting the drive. I think the 24" will be long enough for remote mounting.
03-29-2003, 09:32 AM
#290
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Ok, here is my update....DONE...well almost until I can go straight DC-DC with the PC.
I found the problem I had been having. Ironically enough, it was the cheap *** Fry's AC Inverter that was causing all of my grief. If anyone has any questions about how to install all this stuff just let me know, because I troubleshooted every part of this damn setup more than once to find the simple issue.
So, with a different inverter everything so far is working smoothly except for the screen lines which I know is caused by the AC inverter. That will be fixed soon enough when I can take that inverter out of the loop.
I'm so damn pumped!!! FYI...opus has now pushed by the power supply release date to mid-may.
Scafremon,
Yes, the 24" IDE cable will work. That is what I am running right now in the PC. While installing we looked at remotely installing it in the mailbox slot, but it was going to be real close to reach with that cable. Bear in mind we were going to use the whole already in the sheet metal to pass the cable through. I still think it can be done, but I wanted to make sure everything was stable first. Plus this will reduce the mobility of removing the PC from the car, which is important to me. Actually, my PC fits perfectly into a Dell Laptop bag, so I can remove it whenever I want.
My install is very clean in my opinion. Not even a cigarette lighter adapter sticking out. We pushed that through to behind the panels. I will try and post some pics later!
I found the problem I had been having. Ironically enough, it was the cheap *** Fry's AC Inverter that was causing all of my grief. If anyone has any questions about how to install all this stuff just let me know, because I troubleshooted every part of this damn setup more than once to find the simple issue.
So, with a different inverter everything so far is working smoothly except for the screen lines which I know is caused by the AC inverter. That will be fixed soon enough when I can take that inverter out of the loop.
I'm so damn pumped!!! FYI...opus has now pushed by the power supply release date to mid-may.
Scafremon,
Yes, the 24" IDE cable will work. That is what I am running right now in the PC. While installing we looked at remotely installing it in the mailbox slot, but it was going to be real close to reach with that cable. Bear in mind we were going to use the whole already in the sheet metal to pass the cable through. I still think it can be done, but I wanted to make sure everything was stable first. Plus this will reduce the mobility of removing the PC from the car, which is important to me. Actually, my PC fits perfectly into a Dell Laptop bag, so I can remove it whenever I want.
My install is very clean in my opinion. Not even a cigarette lighter adapter sticking out. We pushed that through to behind the panels. I will try and post some pics later!
03-29-2003, 09:36 AM
#291
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Runs great. Really happy with it.
No issues have popped up. It's running flawlessly.
I haven't fixed mount the case. I did, however, put some nice grippy rubber material under the case to prevent it from sliding. I think it's heavy enough so it doesn't bounce. It hasn't been a problem, but if it does I can always brace it or mount it.
I set the bios to restart when power is loss. So, as long as I don't properly shutdown the unit, it will come on when I start the car. (I know it sounds backwards and rigged, but it works). I am using windows 2000 and occasionally it gives me the 'active desktop' nag screen because of improper shutdown. I think you can turn this feature off but I haven't gotten around to it because it's no biggie. Basically click one button and it clears the screen in a fraction of a second.
I have been thinking about going with a VGA monitor. Not top priority. Still weighing the cost/benefits of it
. I wanna see some of these other systems before making a decision. Working on getting wireless internet in the car....need to build or buy an antenna that can be concelled or camaflauged (sp) into the Z's interior.
I have a few ideas for security and entertainment upgrades on the backburner but don't want to say anything about them at this time.
No issues have popped up. It's running flawlessly.
I haven't fixed mount the case. I did, however, put some nice grippy rubber material under the case to prevent it from sliding. I think it's heavy enough so it doesn't bounce. It hasn't been a problem, but if it does I can always brace it or mount it.
I set the bios to restart when power is loss. So, as long as I don't properly shutdown the unit, it will come on when I start the car. (I know it sounds backwards and rigged, but it works). I am using windows 2000 and occasionally it gives me the 'active desktop' nag screen because of improper shutdown. I think you can turn this feature off but I haven't gotten around to it because it's no biggie. Basically click one button and it clears the screen in a fraction of a second.
I have been thinking about going with a VGA monitor. Not top priority. Still weighing the cost/benefits of it
. I wanna see some of these other systems before making a decision. Working on getting wireless internet in the car....need to build or buy an antenna that can be concelled or camaflauged (sp) into the Z's interior. I have a few ideas for security and entertainment upgrades on the backburner but don't want to say anything about them at this time.
Originally posted by Scafremon
abz123:
Can you give us an update on your system?
have any issues popped up, such as hard drive problems?
As i recall, you aren't using a shutdown controller, and are just turning the system on and off as needed. has this caused any problems?
Did you fix-mount your computer case? If not, do you ever hear it sliding or bouncing around?
Anything you would do differently,or are there any upgrades you are strongly considering making?
Thanks for your info and help as always.
abz123:
Can you give us an update on your system?
have any issues popped up, such as hard drive problems?
As i recall, you aren't using a shutdown controller, and are just turning the system on and off as needed. has this caused any problems?
Did you fix-mount your computer case? If not, do you ever hear it sliding or bouncing around?
Anything you would do differently,or are there any upgrades you are strongly considering making?
Thanks for your info and help as always.
03-29-2003, 09:44 AM
#292
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Where is the setting in the BIOS for the EPIA boards? I haven't been able to find it. I've been wanting to set that feature as well, so when the PC gets power it will automatically boot up.
03-29-2003, 10:11 AM
#293
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On the 800, it's under power management => 'AC loss Auto restart'
I don't think I remember seeing it in the 9000. Check via for their latest bios. May have to contact viavspd to have them put in in the next bios upgrade.
I don't think I remember seeing it in the 9000. Check via for their latest bios. May have to contact viavspd to have them put in in the next bios upgrade.
03-29-2003, 10:17 AM
#294
Registered User
thanks for the updates aggie and abz. I'm real glad to hear that you are both having success!
Regarding the power supply aggie: Are you going Opus primarily for the shutdown controller? I'm starting to wonder if we really need the additional wattage that the opus provides. I happened to find a 12v power cable splitter in my junk drawer, and just hooked up my slot drive. The computer powered up no problem, with 3.5"hd, a slim dvd (5v), and the 3.5" slot drive (which uses both 12v and 5v). I played a dvd movie in each drive (but not at same time), and opened up some windows and stuff. I was expecting the computer to reboot, but it didn't. Not sure if this was a representative test of what i can expect, but at least it shows show hope.
I'm still not sure what i want in a shutdown controller. I don't think I want my computer to boot up each time i start the car. I think I'd be ok to hit a switch to turn it on, if I need it for that particular drive. I think the main thing I want out of a controller is the exact opposite of what abz123 is doing: to do a controlled shutdown.
I'm anxious to see pics aggie once you get a chance.
One more thing: have either of you checked out the Mission Control application that comes with the Epia (maybe just the M series - not sure). I checked it out after hooking up both drives, and was getting an alarm. The alarm was because my CPU was running too cool. Interesting. You can also initiate this software to flash up a warning message whenever a particular sensor (voltage, heat, etc) goes out of a min/max range.
Regarding the power supply aggie: Are you going Opus primarily for the shutdown controller? I'm starting to wonder if we really need the additional wattage that the opus provides. I happened to find a 12v power cable splitter in my junk drawer, and just hooked up my slot drive. The computer powered up no problem, with 3.5"hd, a slim dvd (5v), and the 3.5" slot drive (which uses both 12v and 5v). I played a dvd movie in each drive (but not at same time), and opened up some windows and stuff. I was expecting the computer to reboot, but it didn't. Not sure if this was a representative test of what i can expect, but at least it shows show hope.
I'm still not sure what i want in a shutdown controller. I don't think I want my computer to boot up each time i start the car. I think I'd be ok to hit a switch to turn it on, if I need it for that particular drive. I think the main thing I want out of a controller is the exact opposite of what abz123 is doing: to do a controlled shutdown.
I'm anxious to see pics aggie once you get a chance.
One more thing: have either of you checked out the Mission Control application that comes with the Epia (maybe just the M series - not sure). I checked it out after hooking up both drives, and was getting an alarm. The alarm was because my CPU was running too cool. Interesting. You can also initiate this software to flash up a warning message whenever a particular sensor (voltage, heat, etc) goes out of a min/max range.
03-29-2003, 10:28 AM
#295
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Originally posted by Scafremon
One more thing: have either of you checked out the Mission Control application that comes with the Epia (maybe just the M series - not sure). I checked it out after hooking up both drives, and was getting an alarm. The alarm was because my CPU was running too cool. Interesting. You can also initiate this software to flash up a warning message whenever a particular sensor (voltage, heat, etc) goes out of a min/max range.
One more thing: have either of you checked out the Mission Control application that comes with the Epia (maybe just the M series - not sure). I checked it out after hooking up both drives, and was getting an alarm. The alarm was because my CPU was running too cool. Interesting. You can also initiate this software to flash up a warning message whenever a particular sensor (voltage, heat, etc) goes out of a min/max range.
I used it to flash the MB bios but that's about it.
Good to see you guys having success with the 2699R case. Kinda makes me wonder if I have the Morex P.S. like Chazz said he got with his.
Last edited by abz123; 03-29-2003 at 10:31 AM.
03-29-2003, 10:34 AM
#296
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Scafremon,
Did that $500 include the CPU controlled PSU? Those run about $195 don't they? This why I like the laptop. It does the same thing, except for auto-on, which requires a button press.
Also, there should be some way to run the laptop w/o an inverter. My Inspiron 5000 needs 20V DC. Is there a way to get that from 12V DC w/o first going to AC? My first search for something reveals http://www.bydusa.com/product.asp?3=214
Just an example of skipping the AC. Wont fit my Dell, and its maybe too cheap, but Its not an inverter.
So, spending $650+ for someone to build something for me, or $500+ to buy parts and hope they all work, or $500-$750 for a well designed, functional 2GHz laptop, with smart cpu, thats fits under a seat, and comes with a warranty. I dont know, looks like a very nice option. Might need a USB DVD, but maybe not. I dont plan to watch too many movies on my 7", as Ive got a 110" at home, and any CD will be burned to MP3 I would assume. As for the fun, there is still plenty of fun in installing the laptop, and the screen. I did see someone had a problem getting the Xenarc to work with the laptop, so I might have even more "fun" than I want. Thanks again for your input.
edit Also found http://igo.ententeweb.com/MapFiles/d...asht112602.pdf
That will work with Dells and others
Mark
Did that $500 include the CPU controlled PSU? Those run about $195 don't they? This why I like the laptop. It does the same thing, except for auto-on, which requires a button press.
Also, there should be some way to run the laptop w/o an inverter. My Inspiron 5000 needs 20V DC. Is there a way to get that from 12V DC w/o first going to AC? My first search for something reveals http://www.bydusa.com/product.asp?3=214
Just an example of skipping the AC. Wont fit my Dell, and its maybe too cheap, but Its not an inverter.
So, spending $650+ for someone to build something for me, or $500+ to buy parts and hope they all work, or $500-$750 for a well designed, functional 2GHz laptop, with smart cpu, thats fits under a seat, and comes with a warranty. I dont know, looks like a very nice option. Might need a USB DVD, but maybe not. I dont plan to watch too many movies on my 7", as Ive got a 110" at home, and any CD will be burned to MP3 I would assume. As for the fun, there is still plenty of fun in installing the laptop, and the screen. I did see someone had a problem getting the Xenarc to work with the laptop, so I might have even more "fun" than I want.
Thanks again for your input.edit Also found http://igo.ententeweb.com/MapFiles/d...asht112602.pdf
That will work with Dells and others
Mark
Last edited by msink; 03-29-2003 at 10:42 AM.
03-29-2003, 10:58 AM
#297
Registered User
Originally posted by msink
Scafremon,
Did that $500 include the CPU controlled PSU? Those run about $195 don't they? This why I like the laptop. It does the same thing, except for auto-on, which requires a button press.
So, spending $650+ for someone to build something for me, or $500+ to buy parts and hope they all work, or $500-$750 for a well designed, functional 2GHz laptop, with smart cpu, thats fits under a seat, and comes with a warranty. I dont know, looks like a very nice option. Might need a USB DVD, but maybe not. I dont plan to watch too many movies on my 7", as Ive got a 110" at home, and any CD will be burned to MP3 I would assume. As for the fun, there is still plenty of fun in installing the laptop, and the screen. I did see someone had a problem getting the Xenarc to work with the laptop, so I might have even more "fun" than I want. Thanks again for your input.
Scafremon,
Did that $500 include the CPU controlled PSU? Those run about $195 don't they? This why I like the laptop. It does the same thing, except for auto-on, which requires a button press.
So, spending $650+ for someone to build something for me, or $500+ to buy parts and hope they all work, or $500-$750 for a well designed, functional 2GHz laptop, with smart cpu, thats fits under a seat, and comes with a warranty. I dont know, looks like a very nice option. Might need a USB DVD, but maybe not. I dont plan to watch too many movies on my 7", as Ive got a 110" at home, and any CD will be burned to MP3 I would assume. As for the fun, there is still plenty of fun in installing the laptop, and the screen. I did see someone had a problem getting the Xenarc to work with the laptop, so I might have even more "fun" than I want.
Thanks again for your input.from your posts Mark, I don't think you need to pay anyone to build you a system - i think you can do this part easily. Laptop or components: pricewise they are close to a wash from the prices you posted. I haven't searched laptop prices, but my $500 cost does include XP Pro (upgrade academic version for $90), and (2) DVD drives (at about $75 each). One drive will not be easily accessible, the other will be.
There have been a couple issues with the xenarc, but I am confident that those using them will resolve those. There are many car installations of this screen working fine. I'm waiting on buying my screen, to see if this screen option this option comes to fruition.
If you haven't yet, check out mp3car forum . Lots of good info there.
bottomline: I think with a laptop you will still be looking at the same installation issues we are reviewing: safe power, good video, and good audio.
Keep us posted on how you proceed. We all learn from each other.
PS: Awesome Home Theatre Set-up!!
03-29-2003, 11:04 AM
#298
Registered User
Originally posted by abz123
Flite deck?
I used it to flash the MB bios but that's about it.
Good to see you guys having success with the 2699R case. Kinda makes me wonder if I have the Morex P.S. like Chazz said he got with his.
Flite deck?
I used it to flash the MB bios but that's about it.
Good to see you guys having success with the 2699R case. Kinda makes me wonder if I have the Morex P.S. like Chazz said he got with his.
If you'd like me to check some pn's on the power supply I received, I will. Maybe casetronics would exchange this for you? The more I think about it though, I imagine I will end up a bit short on power, especially if i hook up my LCD to the power supply, along with the touch screen.
03-29-2003, 11:53 AM
#299
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No the 800 does not have Flite deck.
Curiosity got the better of me and I had to open up the case....I did get the Morex power supply. I guess they replaced it with the casetronic power supply after people started complaining about lack of power. Gonna have to contact contact Casetronic.
Did your case come with the casetronic P.S. (green)?
Curiosity got the better of me and I had to open up the case....I did get the Morex power supply. I guess they replaced it with the casetronic power supply after people started complaining about lack of power. Gonna have to contact contact Casetronic.
Did your case come with the casetronic P.S. (green)?
03-29-2003, 12:41 PM
#300
Registered User
Originally posted by abz123
No the 800 does not have Flite deck.
Curiosity got the better of me and I had to open up the case....I did get the Morex power supply. I guess they replaced it with the casetronic power supply after people started complaining about lack of power. Gonna have to contact contact Casetronic.
Did your case come with the casetronic P.S. (green)?
No the 800 does not have Flite deck.
Curiosity got the better of me and I had to open up the case....I did get the Morex power supply. I guess they replaced it with the casetronic power supply after people started complaining about lack of power. Gonna have to contact contact Casetronic.
Did your case come with the casetronic P.S. (green)?