Car Computer?, Ideas? Options

[cnelson]

I would like to install a car computer. I need to know about how much it would cost me. I just want to take an old laptop mount it somewhere power it up to a touch screen monitor then somehow rig it so when the car comes on so does the laptop and when the car shuts off so does the laptop. I also want GPS. I know its a big under taking but i have high hopes on how sweet it would look. I posted in pittfire's theard but he hasn't been around in a couple days so i made my own topic. -cnelson.

[NgoFcukinWay]

http://store.mp3car.com/?Click=9830

[cnelson]

Hmm, i know i've looked on there before but heres what i really want to do and i know with a bit of modding it can be done for under 500USD. I just need the help of some people to point me in the right direction. ok heres the outline for the project;

A: Buy a touch screen in dash 7in monitor. 250USD.
B: Get a laptop off ebay cheap, then use an external harddrive to get more out of it. 200USD.
C: Rig the laptop and screen to turn on with the car and turn off with the car. Thats what i run into troblue, i don't know how i would do that. I would then just mount the laptop under the seat or somewhere run a USB hub in an easy to reach place.
D: Like i said somehow i have to rig the laptop to turn on with when the car starts and off when i turn the car off. I also need to install a converter from 12v to 19v which is what laptops take. Then i need to run the cables to the touch screen in the dash. Now will i also still be able to use the radio somehow?
E: And i need to know how to hook up the speakers for all this. Probably won't be hard but i still don't know how to do it.
F: In a nut shell that is what i have to do. Also i need to hook up a GPS system somehow and a backup camera. I know its a big under taking but i really want to do it.

Also i read though the "How-To" on mp3car.com that the guy made on the celica but he builds his computer from scracth thus there is a lot more information that i don't need in that making it harder to understand. I know my way will work, i just need some of those question answered. Thanks. -cnelson.

[orvillescelica]

Im not sure which guy on mp3car.com you were talking about, but that might be me. i posted on there a while ago about my experience building a car computer. If you want to use a laptop, search on there for that. Also, there was a member on here that made a carputer using a mac laptop, shid i think. He doesnt post here anymore, but if you search for his posts on teh subject you might find wha the used as a power supply.

-Your other option is to use one of the carputer power supplies on mp3car.com and wire that to your laptop instead of using the battery. They are made to turn on and off with the car and delay to shut off the computer properly. That way you can turn off your car and walk away like normal without worrying about the computer. This would also take care of your voltage conversion problems.

-You can keep you radio, i did. I ran the computer audio through the aux port on my head unit actually.
-GPS is as simple as buying a map program like microsoft maps and trips and a GPS receiver. Some programs come with the reciever, or you can buy one on ebay for $35.
-Back-up camera i dont know, search mp3car for that.

Feel free to ask more specific questions and ill field them best i can, but i built my computer from scratch so rigging it to work with the car was easier than adapting a laptop.

[cnelson]

Ok, well here is a more general question, about how hard is this going to be? I mean i'm not a complete noob when it comes to this stuff. but never done something this big before. -cnelson.

[cnelson]

also how do you keep the radio working and how do you hook up the touch screen?

[Hanyo]

also how do you keep the radio working and how do you hook up the touch screen?

to hook up the radio you can buy a radio reciever card for the PC. radio link. To hook up the touch screen you just hook it up like hooking up a regular screen to your normal computer.

The MOST important thing with car computers is: RESEARCH!

The secret to making a sucessfull system is finding the right parts that make the install easier. I'm sure you can find a cheap generic touch screen to fit your car, spend 10 years of electrical engineering classes to learn how to make a circuit board so the touch screen will hook up to the pc. Spend another 5 years in school to learn computer science and develope your own computer software to work with the touch screen.. ect ect ect...

If you research enough you will find a touch screen that will EASILY hook up to any pc. Software that comes with the touch screen so it will work with the PC.

There is no "set" way to make a car computer work. Its all ingenuity. You can be as creative as you like utilizing the full power of the PC. Or you can make a hybrid car computer utilizing the normal stero of the car with the pc. The possiblies are end-less.

[cnelson]

But if i'm useing a laptop chances are there won't be a spare PCI slot for that radio card right? Also someone said if i don't use regular radio i would need an amp for the speakers? And that i would have to be carefully about the battery saying that a computer or would take up lots of power? I was looking at this screen; http://store.mp3car.com/ProductDetails.asp...tCode=MON%2D001

[orvillescelica]

its true that you are restricting yourself by using a laptop. There will probably not be an extra slot to add cards, extra memory, or a lto fo the things you want. It comes down to what you think you can do, what you want, and what youcan live with out. Like Hanyo said, its all about improvising; figuring out what you can do with what you can get with the knowledge you have.

If you dont NEED to use an amp if you dont use your existing head unit, but the sound will come out horrible and low if you dont. Most head units have an amplification system in them, so i would suggest going through a head unit either by an aux port or an fm transmitter.

Im really not quite sure wha tyou are asking about the battery, can you please clarify?

thats the exact screen i have, its great.

And to answer your question, if you dont take the time to do research about the build and plan it out, it could be the hardest thing you ever do.

[cnelson]

Ok, first question. Does your screen fit good? Next question. If i have that indash screen how would i be able to keep my head unit? I mean if i have to use an amplifer i have to no big deal really. Nex thing about the battery; Somone said that if i run a laptop and everything else at the same time that'll take so much power i'll have to have a high-end battery and a really good alternator to charge the battery. I don't know if this is true or not? Also so upgraded space i'm just going to use a external harddrive probably. And buy a laptop with like 512 or 1gb of ram should be fine. But how can i keep the radio? I know i would need that card but is there anyway to hook that car up to a laptop like a PCI slot on the outside somehow? Thanks for all the help. -cnelson. If i was going to shot by like; april to have this done is that possible?

[orvillescelica]

1) i used a gooseneck mount, so "fit good" wasnt an issue
2) there are several soultions including relocating your headunit somewhere else, getting rid of your center vents and installing the screen there, using a gooseneck mount, the options are as limited as to what you can think of. If you want ideas, research mp3car.com to see what others did
3) No, it will be just fine. The amount of current the car battery provides is enormous. Getting an optima yellow top isnt a bad idea, but not needed. There is a carputer cacuator out there to help you see what you can handle. Again research mp3car.com to find out your power limits.
4)I dont know about addig a radio function to a laptop, search mp3car.com to find out what other did.
5) i dont know how much time it will take you. It really seems you need to do some more research before you even start to buy parts. IF you dont youll jsut end up wasting money on things you dont need or cant use. I dont mean to sound mean when i say research, i jsut cant answer a lot of these questions. There are a lot of other people and a lot of other examples more qualified than me to help you. Thats where mp3car.com comes in. I knew nothing about building computers or car electronics before i read up on stuff there. Building a carputer is not a science, every single one is different. What one person does might not work for another person and vice versa.

[Hanyo]

Another radio tunner for your laptop

try this out..


I got an idea for you..

My laptop has a power save fuction, which means when i plug it into the wall it will go at max performance mode and give me its full power. When i disconnect it from the wall it will go into max battery mode and automatically hibernate after 1 minutes of inactivity. what this means for you is: when your car is turned on and the power inverter is working, your laptop will function well. When your car is off and your power inverter is off. Your laptop will automatically turn off.



As for radio signal out put strength. Since the sound from your laptop will not be loud enough for your car amplifier. You will need something to boost the laptops sound, or else you will notice a quiet performance and static. so you will need this: In line amp


Since this amp is usb powered it will shut down when your laptop is turn off. Therefor you will not need to worry about laptop draining your car battery. please note. this amp is not strong enough to power actual speakers. SO you will need a seperate reciever to drive your car's speakers.

And yes i do recomend you getting a larger battery for your car. Since you will be using so much electricity. Most likely you will have an amp and subwoofer. So you might as well be safe then sorry.



This post has been edited by Hanyo: Jan 17, 2007 - 1:54 AM

[cnelson]

Ok, now what if i put my head unit in like my glove box would that work? it has an AUX input so i could just run something to the AUX input from the laptop right? And i was looking at that line amp, looks good but kinda of a lot of money. I'm going to go search mp3car and if i have more questions i'll post back later. -cnelson.

[cnelson]

Also, how does this thing work; http://store.mp3car.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=80
-cnelson.

[cnelson]

Ok, mp3car is down right now, so i'll ask questions here; I would need a laptop with VGA out right? To hook it up to the touch screen? Whats VGA stand for? I would need a head unit or an amp to get good sound right? I also don't understand how the radio would still work? I mean if i keep my head unit in the glove box i understand but i don't want the head unit mounted anywhere. is there anyway to just use the laptop for everything? -cnelson.

[orvillescelica]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGA

as for the radio, it would still be hooked up to the stereo harness, so it works just like it does now except that now one of the channels or the aux output would allow you to hear whats on the computer.

Yes, there is a way for the laptop to run everything, but i dont know how, youll need to look it up.

[cnelson]

May radio only has a AUX input not output, so i guess it wouldn't work? What if i got a computer like this; http://www.xenarc.com/product/cp-id8.html would that be able to do everything easier then trying to use a laptop?

[orvillescelica]

i mean the AUDIO output from the aux. Your head unit will work fine.

Of course that would be better than using a laptop since that is a computer specifically built for a car. I dont know what that computer includes, its specs, etc. It will probably solve your power concerns, but you might run into the same radio func, audio adaptability, and screen problems you have now, i dont know. You have to look that up yourself.

Everything can be done, you just have to find out what others have done to solve those problems. a simple google search or a good hour scroll through some example builds on mp3car.com can answer most of these questions better than i.

[cnelson]

Ok, i'll look into it, i'm working till 7:30 i'll post back later. -cnelson.

[cnelson]

Ok, heres my idea. I drew it out pretty simple. But in theroy i think it SHOULD work.
What does everyone else think?