HyperSprite

iTrader: (6)

The m2-atx will do all the same cool power stuff, I just don't think it will run your hifi video and desktop drive. So the Opus is a good choice.

Chris

bay350z

iTrader: (2)

I like the dsatx you can throw anything at it and it won't kill it and it has protection. On the atx's if something get short to overload it can smoke, the dsatx won't. Worth the extra money. I wish i bought it in the first place would of saved me some money.

Jenn350Z

Incredible!!!

L33TZOR

iTrader: (1)

I did the $20 upgrade and found out it didnt support Microsoft Streets and Trips GPS (Pharos). So hence, I had to request a refund. I can still use google earth on my car-puter anyway which is cool and i can still use the Streets maps with the GPS. Never lost is a good feeling. I just had to do the New 8.4 inch touch screen and custom stuff cuz it was easier to read the display after looking at both.

ckny

iTrader: (7)

just checked out your video... as a rr user myself I just wanted to say you did a great job on your install!

Notion

Thanks for the comments guys.

Z1truth

iTrader: (2)

You totally inspired me!
Just bought my Xenarc700TSV screen today as the first piece of my carpc build. Next I'm getting a coreduo 2.0 processor and i945Tt-vfa mobo.
The bug be bitein'..........

Notion

Hey there, glad you're venturing into the world of the Carputer.

However, a word of warning - be very very sure about the exact power usage and the ampage pull of the combined components you are going to buy before dropping your dollars. The Opus 250w power supply that I have is arguably one of the best available and it can only handle a maximu combined Amp pull of 13A which is high for car PC use, but not very high as far as regular PC use.

If this is your first project I'd do plenty of reading over at www.mp3car.com as that community has been going fro a loooooooong time and seen virtually every hiccup you'll come across.

Good luck with your project, it's not easy but it's very satisfying when you've built something completely unique to your needs (and you'll love all the crowds around your car at the club meets when you get to show it off )

I still continue to work on mine, I actually got some more bits working today...

- Now using the amazing 'Digital FX' skin with Roadrunner front end
- Speed sensitive volume driven by the GPS (much better than the stock speed volume on the Bose)
- Volume dipping for GPS speech over music playback
- Gas Price plugin locates cheapest gas stations within area and map directly to GPS
- Weather forcast syncs while in garage over wireless, 5 day forcasts with radar images
- Embedded visualizations tinted over album art display in 'now playing' window
- GPS can embed in album art area of 'now playing' window

I'm considering getting the satellite radio usb thingy-ma-jiggy after having very little luck getting a cheapy fm card to work for the radio. I can still use the stock Bose radio but cannot hear the GPS then as they are on different inputs.

Notion

Dave 90TT

iTrader: (4)

Another good power supply is the DSATX. It is powering a a Kontron 986LCD mini-ITX board, with a core duo 2.13x2 processer, 2 gB or RAM (2x1gB), a SATA 100gB 7.2k rpm HD, DVD burner, an x1300 video card, and a X-Fi sound card, as well as 3 low power USB devices on my carPC.

Notion is right, the power supply is very important, it can make or break your carPC. Don't go the inverter route if you can avoid that.

Z1truth

iTrader: (2)

I have been living on the mp3car.com for the last couple of months. Thats where I found the mobo I'm buying. And the coreduo setup is supposed to use very low amperage for the performance.

Notion

Good stuff, sounds like you will be well on the way to a successful setup then.

This is my second full-blown system and I still get caught by little hiccups, even now I'm dealing with shutdown issues on crank which may be related to the resistance of the cable running from my battery to my PSU - you never know what's gonna trip you up he he he.

Probably going to be gutting an ATX box over the weekend to make a custom chassis too as the vibration from the car keeps kicking my wireless card loose which, of course, crashes the system - all the fun of DIY I guess lol.

ckny

iTrader: (7)

Any hints on getting the music to lower when the gps talks? I'm running road runner with iguidance and can't get it working.

You mentioned sattelite radio - I'm running the sirius connector in the alp1 box and it works fantasticly. Highly recommended.

Notion

Here's the thread where I got my questions answered on that very subject...

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=93821

jjaujou

iTrader: (1)

Hey Notion,

Any regrets so far about going with a "microATX in the glovebox" solution over a "miniITX in the cubby" setup? I was thinking it over, and decided that I really want the graphical capacity to run semi-demanding stuff as well... probably go with a fanless PCI GeForce 6200 though. I'm thinking that it still might be possible to squeeze it all into one of the small cubbies if I use a spare PCI riser taken out of one of the defunct servers I've got kicking around. Any thoughts?

Dave 90TT

iTrader: (4)

You know, there are mini-ITX boards which have a PCI-x 16x slot, which you can put a very nice graphics card in. In fact, I am doing that very thing right now on my carPC. I've got a 986LCD mboard from Kontron with a Core Duo 2.16x2 and a NVidia 7300 graphics card. I could play FEAR on my carPC, were I so inclined...

Z1truth

iTrader: (2)

Hey Dave, how do you like the Kontron mobo? I'm looking at this one right now......
http://www.logicsupply.com/product_i...roducts_id/744
How does it stack up to yours in your opinion???????

Dave 90TT

iTrader: (4)

Well, it has everything the Kontron has, except, the Kontron has the PCI-x and a regular PCI. I like that, because I originally went with a SB X-Fi PCI card for my sound solution. I've since switched to a M-Audio Firewire external sound board, because the performance and quality is better, but with the PCI slot, you have that option.

But anyways, the Logic Supply board looks good, as long as it has all the options you want.

Z1truth

iTrader: (2)

The M-Audio really sounds better than the X-FI......wow that surprises me cuz thats Creatives mother ship! Did you get the M-Audio 410?

I think the only thing I wouldn't have is the reg PCI and the PCI X on the aopen board is good for a NVidia 7 series graphics card, right?

jjaujou

iTrader: (1)

Woah dude... that's a PCIe x1 slot. Your video prospects are pretty slim with that interface. Just checked Newegg out of curiosity, and they've only got two boards: a Radeon X1550 and an ATI FireMV developer card. You're looking for a mobo with a PCIe x16 interface if you want to get a newer card (DirectX 10, anybody? )

Really though... I wouldn't advise going with a PCI Express solution, just because of the power demands of both the interface itself and whatever peripheral you plug into it. x16 cards these days typically have at least an additional 6v rail to connect.

For those unfamiliar, a PCI Riser is essentially an adaptor card that plugs into a PCI slot on the mobo, and has another slot at a 90 degree angle to the first, allowing you to connect a video card parallel to the mobo, versus perpendicular. Link here (It's a PCI Express riser, but you get the idea): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16816101021

doug

iTrader: (5)

i am not sure about the X-FI but the M-Audio is a dual output soundcard... i had the choice of the M-Audio, Rain Serato, ScratchAmp 2 and a couple other products for my DJ Setup. I went with the ScratchAmp 2 with Firewire 400.