Did some searching... Mini-ITX is the smallest. Here are a couple of links:

Nice features, I think the color matches the interior of the Z!

Here is another one...


I tend to like the first one more, cause it has front USB, Firewire, Audio In/Out jacks...

They just need to make the CDRW/DVD player the same color as the case.

What you guys think??? This can be mounted into the dash, looks like it will fit in a single din slot (maybe slightly bigger)


Is there a way to go from the Line out of the computer right to the amps? Or do you "have" to buy a head unit? Seems like a big waste if that is what you would have a head unit for...

 

theres a HUGE thing around here about this.

I did a full size PC, fits fine, but the screen is broken so waiting on that. only one other person I know of is doing a full sized ATX board. Ive offered to build the custom case if anyone wants one. you can see the details in the link in my sig.

a bunch have done epia computers, and chazzg makes them if you want it pre assembled. he uses a built case. and sets up the components with a smart PSU. a neat setup, much smaller than a ATX board, just has less expandability and power. its a trade off.


both are stored in the glove box, there is not enough room in the dash for any current setup. I can assure you of that.

 

Most of the setups I have seen here are way to big to be a "car pc"

This mini-ITX was interesting because it says on one of them that is was build for european car stereo holes...

Would be neat to have a "pc" in the dash. Anyone know if you can go directly to amps with a "line-out" on a sound card?

 

Not sure if you mean connecting the speakers directly to the pc or having the pc audio out going to an Amp then speakers.

If its PC to speakers, won't work. Not enought power to drive the speakers.

If its PC -> Amp -> Speakers, then should work. You'll need a Line to RCA converter to connect the PC to the Amp. Going to do this on my setup, have the Radio out and PC audio out going into a line converter.

 

Yeah PC to Amp was what I was talking about. Wonder how "good" a PC headunit is vs a "normal" headunit...

All of the boards I have seen use the AC'97 spec with the sound cards. But if you went to a "Flex ATX" form factor (which is slightly bigger, they have a PCI slot for different cards); you could put in a Sound Blaster Audigy 2. It is THX®-CERTIFIED, and has a Digital-Out port.

Seems like the "Digital-Out" would be a better medium to go vs "Line-Out". Anyone know of any Amps that can take a digital-in?

I have the SB-Live (with digital-out) hooked to a 5.1 setup in my office and the sound is incredible!


Here are some on the specs on the Audigy 2:

The only PC-based solution to enable the Advanced Resolution™ era of 24-bit music fidelity with 192kHz in stereo and 96kHz in 5.1

Sound Blaster 24-bit ADVANCED HD audio performance at 106dB SNR in the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 delivers up to eight times better clarity than host audio. The new Audigy 2 chip, premium quality 24-bit/192kHz Digital to Analog Converters (DACs), and a true 24-bit ADVANCED HD audio path ensure "hiss-free" audio fidelity and exceptional clarity of 106dB SNR. Powerful Audigy 2 processing enables full 24-bit/96kHz audio resolution in discrete 5.1 surround sound with playback of Windows Media Audio (WMA) 9 Professional, the Web's first digital 5.1 surround sound audio codec from the new Windows Media 9 Series.

Sound Blaster Audigy 2 is currently the first and only add-in sound card to be THX®-Certified.

6.1 SURROUND SOUND
Experience superior multi-channel audio from MP3s, CDs, DirectSound® 3D games and Dolby Digital® EX movies with a rear center speaker.

Sound Blaster Audigy 2 enhances immersion with improved directionality and ambience perception delivered through an additional rear center channel on 6.1 speaker systems.

Another kool thing would be to slap in a wireless card and swap mp3's with your friends from car-to-car. That would be sweet! Or you could even play games against each other while driving down the road...

 

thats gotta be the fastest way to kill yourself.

but yeah, its called war driving, set up a wireless card and it actively searches for random wireless signals. most people have wireless networks in homes and offices, but dont protect them, meaning you drive by, grab the signal, and proceed to use the internet, or just look around their hard drive if your so inclined.

but again, I have my nav compartment off right now, and I can see behind it, there is about 3 inches of room, I donno what computer would fit, but Im pretty sure I wouldnt want any part of it.

 

Did not mean to imply that the drivers would be playing each other...

And installing a computer with lcd seems cheaper and has alot more funtionality vs the standard way of doing things.

 

it is cheaper, I have a 1.6gig fully capable PC, probably stronger than what your using right now, in my car for 1200$, add 300 for the best nav software around and your still 500$ under that of the factory nav. and you have all that extra function of a pc, or just pull it out of the car and use it in your house.

 

I have seen amps with "Line-In" ports, but do any exist with "Digital Line-In" ports?

Looking for stereo experts out there...???

 

The mini ITX has 5.1 digital stereo out without a need for a sound card. BUT there isn't any headunit of amp that takes a 5.1 digital input. (if there is please post link) Some Head unit has digital input, but thats for cd changers, not 5.1.

 

Wonder if a sound processor box (like the dvd head units have) would do the trick. I will start doing some checking

 

I posted this box a month or so ago. If I remember correctly, it is actually DIN size (7"x2"), so it might fit in the dash. If that is true, it might even mount in a Metra kit with another single DIN HU.

Not sure about the depth, though. I think it is 10", and I'm not sure how much depth there is behind our HUs.

I'd probably still mount it somewhere else, though. It would be interesting if you could get it into the dash, though.

 

Anyone know the depth of the headunit area?

Also as stated above, I'm trying to go straight digital as far as possible in the system... Also I wanted to try and get a 5.1 / DTS system as well.

Seems that I would need a 5.1 processor which would accept the output from the computer and decode it send it over to the "amps" where it would be sent to the speakers.

I'm not a stereo expert, but do computer work... Kinda tip-toeing my way through this stuff, learning as I go...


If I could get the Computer in the dash, and the sound processor controller as well, that would be sweet. Then I could mount the sound processor box somewhere else. I just wanted to have the computer in a "normal" location, because that is where I would be putting DVD's / CD's / camera / etc... into. I did not want to have to reach around to the existing glove-box area to do things on a consistent basis...

I found a sound processor box that takes digital inputs (3 of them), but they are optical inputs and a "high-end" soundcard like the Audigy 2 does not have optical inputs... can't remember the connection it uses (I think mini-din), but it anit optical that is for sure.

Still checking around... cheers!

 

this is a guess, but Id say 8 or 9 inches. I didnt pull out a ruler.

I wasnt considering in the head unit spot, I was only thinking in the nav area, which is like 2-3 inches deep. Im keeping my headunit.

 

Looks like Nissan follows the ISO-DIN spec on stereo sizes (which is a Japan thing). There is the Euro-Din (which only differes from ISO-DIN by the holding bracket). Then there is the good ole DIN (which is the US standard).

The computer I am looking at for the dash was "built" to fit into a Euro / ISO Din location. Which Nissan follows... Looking better already!

So in "theory" the computer I stated above should "fit". I send a request to the manufacturer asking does it fit. Waiting for a response... I think the computer cost around $400 or something

 

You want small?

http://www.cappuccinopc.com/

"THAT" is small. And loaded with everything including...
S/PDIF - S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface)

 

hokie350,

Yeah that box is small, but it's also only got a 16-bit sound card in it... Ouch Not quite the quality I was looking for to run the sound in my car. Plus the connections are all over the place (front, left, right, rear). Would be kinda hard to connect things from the left and right sides of the unit I would think...


I talked with the manufacturer on the C134 that I linked to before. They said ISO-DIN and EURO-DIN specs are 2X7X7 (H/W/D). Thier box is 2X7X10, which means it might fit (depth), but there is a "handle" on the rear of the box that can be removed that should save around an inch in depth. My question is how much depth does the 350Z have in the factory stereo location? I know it's at least 7 inches, hopefully it has more...

 

Maybe I'm just slow, but looks like the 5.1 support from the AC'97 chipset on the VIA Apollo CLE 266 platform, which is used in the C134 machine outputs via a coax digital cable. Everytime I saw this I thought "coax" like cable TV... the big stuff? Then realized that if its not "opticial" and runs through a "metal" connector, they are calling it "coax".

Looks like the CLE 266 chipset is what I am looking for... Rather beefy for such a small little box!

Here are the specs on it:

The VIA Apollo CLE266 chipset is the product of a new vision, blending the power of VIA DDR Chipset technology with the features required for a complete range of digital video functions. These include MPEG-2 decoding and video scaling for high quality DVD acceleration and an integrated 128-bit 2D and 64-bit 3D graphics engine with internal AGP 8X and Alpha Blending for multimedia and gaming applications. Supplied with 2.1GB per second of bandwidth from the ultra-fast DDR memory subsystem, the VIA Apollo CLE266 enables real world performance in key applications like video streaming or DVD playback that equals that of the most powerful PC systems in production today, while operating as part of a fanless power efficient, low cost device. In addition the CLE266 supports CRT, LCD or TV dual display technology, two Video Capture ports and Picture in Picture functionality for multi-channel capability.

The VIA Apollo CLE266 North Bridge is connected to the very latest in South Bridge technology, the VT8235 through a 4X V-Link connection to the North Bridge transferring data at 266MB/s, twice the speed of the conventional PCI bus. This enables CLE266 based systems and devices to take advantage of the integrated support for 6 USB 2.0 ports with 40 times more bandwidth than USB 1.1, as well as ATA-133, the fastest available IDE interface. Additional features include integrated VIA MAC for 10/100Mbps Ethernet, integrated PCI support, 6 Channel Surround Sound AC-97 audio interface and MC-97 modem.

Key Specifications
· Supports VIA C3™, VIA Eden Series, Intel® Pentium® III and Intel® Celeron™ Socket 370 processors
· 66/100/133MHz FSB settings
· 100/133MHz DDR/SDR Memory bus settings
· Support for Integrated VIA AGP 8X 2D/3D Graphics
· Supports up to 2.0GB DDR200/266 or PC100/133 SDRAM
· V-Link 266MB/s high bandwidth North/South Bridge interconnect
· Integrated 6 channel Surround Sound AC-97 Audio Interface
· Integrated MC-97 Modem
· Integrated 10/100 Ethernet MAC
· Support for ATA 33/66/100/133
· Support for USB 2.0, 6 USB ports, UHCI compliant
· Advanced power management capabilities including ACPI/OnNow
· 548-pin BGA VT8623 North Bridge
· 487-pin BGA VT8235 South Bridge

Designed for Fanless, Low Power Solutions
The CLE266 has been designed from the ground up to minimize power usage and heat dissipation. The low transistor count in the graphics core and low voltage DDR memory enable passive cooling solutions, while the CLE266 is fully compatible with the latest mobile power management specifications.

Market Leading South Bridge Technology
The VT8235 South Bridge possesses a complete suite of the very latest I/O and communication technologies including USB2.0 enabling peripheral connectivity 40 times faster than in previous generation systems and ATA-133, the fastest IDE interface currently available.

 

Don't know if this has been posted yet, but here is a DC-DC power supply for your car computing needs.

150W power supply for DC-DC car computer

 

Great Find Neo!!!!