Car-puter / GPS DIY Build-up

[HangOver]

The short story

I now have all the bits I need for my Carputer, (I think) so I will get it started, soon………………ish ;)

Pics will accompany the build and fitting.


Long Story
This is a long post, and you will probably notice that I have added to it over time. Basically it's what I acquired/bought and some reasoning behind it.


I posted this here for 3 reasons.
It may help someone else planning this sort of thing.
I may give me a bit of motivation to get it started.
I’m really bored at work and if I type it looks like I’m working at least ;-)


What I want:
A “carputer” that can be used mainly for GPS but also play mp3’s.
Yes I know I can just go buy a NavMan and have it all already done but PC’s are just so much more versatile. I want to be able to play MP3’s, store photos & video clips, have the RAVE CD and other techie manuals. Possibly watch a movie or two on long drives, (no me the wife) I’m also toying with the idea of a reversing camera in the future. Maybe even add a TV and/or radio receiver, try doing all that on a Navman ;-)

Cost:
As little as possible ;-)
Before you say, “just go buy a laptop”, I have one but I do not want a new laptop exposed to the sort of environment an off roader is exposed to.

What it should be:
As small and low wattage as possible to save on the batteries and leg/luggage space.
As rugged as possible to cope with the dust and knocks a carputer in an off roader will get.

The main components I will need are:
Donor computer, (Motherboard & cpu, video, audio, ram, harddrive, cd/dvd drive, Mouse & Keyboard)
Suitable power supply
LCD screen
Case
GPS receiver
GPS software & Maps

Motherboard:
The donor computer was the easiest to sort out I had a couple of spares in the garage.
The one I selected was is an Intel motherboard with onboard Video and an 800-900 PIII processor. The motherboard while not exactly a power house will be ample for playing MP3’s and a GPS system. These applications aren’t exactly CPU intensive. Also the slower CPU speed means less cooling will be required and thus less wattage is used and cooler CPU is useful for the back of a Rangie on a 35+ day.
I wanted a motherboard with as much “onboard” as I could get to keep the size small. This one has onboard audio and video so that’s a good start. I don’t want to use any PCI cards if I can help it so the overall height of the case will only be the height of the motherboard plus the cpu + heatsink + fan. That’s the theory anyway. I’m not interested in a network port. Although it might be handy, once the system is setup and fully patched the only updates it will need will be MP3’s I hope. These can be added using a USB drive.

Video
Shared onboard video, not a lot to say really other than I will need an LCD monitor that will accept a 15pin VGA input. I could have beefed up the video but at the cost of increasing the case size and internal heat. That and it’s really not necessary for the applications it will run.

Audio
The onboard sound is stereo and other than it possibly needing a bit of amplification before it gets to the existing Rangie speakers it should suffice. Once it’s finished I’ll try it out and if it needs it I’ll install a small amp.

Ram
The motherboard has x4 SDRam slots so I put in x1 512MB module.
I selected 512mb of ram as this should be more than sufficient ram for the task and two 256 modules would draw approximately twice the power of one 512MB module. I know we are only talking about a few watts here and there but they will all add up.

Hard Drive
In trying to keep the case as small as I can, (and I just happened to have one) I decided to use a HDD from a laptop. The internals of a laptop HDD are designed slightly differently to desktop drives and will stand up to more knocks and bumps. I bought a laptop to desktop (IDE)adapter from ebay which on connection didn’t work !
After testing the drive at work I found it was the actual drive that was buggered not the adapter. Oh well I would have to use a standard 3.5 HDD.
I didn’t really want to use the desktop HDD but as I only had one laptop HDD it will have to, (what do your mean I’m too tight to buy a new one!).
I will mount the HDD horizontally above the motherboard as close as I can without danger of shorting circuits. This will make the case long and wide but not very deep. I intend to mount the case in the Rangie vertically but not too sure where yet.
When the case is mounted vertically this inturn will make the HDD vertical as well.
This will help to prevent the HDD heads smashing on the platter while it is reading/writing data if there are any hard bumps.
I am also going to try and mount the drive on some sort of padding or spring to dampen any knocks as, excluding fans this is the only moving part in my carputer.
Bit of an update, a mate gave me a small (12GB laptop HDD so I can use that J

CD/DVD drive
Probably won’t bother, I might put an external IDE connection to the case or just unscrew the top if I need to connect an additional drive, (temporarily).
.

Keyboard & Mouse
I will probably take a keyboard and mouse along for the ride but not connected. Eventually I may get one of those foldable rubber keyboards and a wireless mouse if I find I need to use them often but hopefully not.

Power supply
I do have a 600w inverter, (I did have I just sold it) that would power the computer and any suitable monitor without any problems. An inverter has it’s advantages and disadvantages. Advantages: Easy to install and you can run any other appliances from it you need.
Disadvantages: Mostly the thought of having a live 240v power supply in your vehicle and probably under one of the seats hmm. The other is that, (I have heard) an inverter constantly draws power whether used or not and is not as efficient in it’s use of power. I would be converting 12DC via the inverter to 240vAC, then a transformer from 240v to something more suitable for the carputer or use it’s existing PSU which would increase the size of the carputer case and cause more heat. These conversions would decrease the available battery power.
The alternatives would be to find suitable 12v transformer from a laptop and do some surgery on it or buy, (yes, buy) a purpose made 12v PSU for a motherboard.

I checked out ebay and bought a small PSU board for about $45. Damn I had to spend money on it!
When I bought the PSU and tested it I found that the motherboard components fouled the components on the PSU. Not a good thing. I bought an ATX motherboard socket extension cable. Money again ! $8 This moved the PSU away from the motherboard and possible shorts, (not mine, the electrical type).

I have just thought that the mini-psu I bought will have a maximum watts out so I will have to ensure I don’t exceed it. I have been thinking that I could run just the motherboard/CPU from the mini-psu and doctor the other innards, (fans/HDD) to run straight from the battery. I’m not sure how reliable that would make it but I might give it a go.

LCD Screen
There are loads of LCD screens available. They seem to be vastly cheaper on ebay than local suppliers. I want one that has a minimum of 800x600 resolution and about 7” to 8” screen.

The optimum screen for me would be a 800x600 resolution on an 8” or more touch screen that natively runs on 12volts and has a backing plate for fitting to the dash, but I’ll just have to wait and see what the E-bay gods throw my way.

He He Look what they threw; I collected my 8” LCD screen from the post office this morning, ($207 inc postage)

Specs:
Touch Screen 800x600 native resolution he he he up to 1024x768
x1 VGA and x1 RCA video ports
Built in speaker
Ball & Socket base stand/mount, (it’s part plastic not sure if I should use it?)
Native 12v and only 10w power consumption
Oh yer and it has a remote control, Why??


GPS receiver
There seems to be two different connections wired and blue tooth.
As I don’t yet know where I am going to mount the carputer or the GPS receiver in the Rangie or in relation to each other I don’t know which to get. The longer a USB cable is the crappier the connection gets especially if your device is USB powered.

I bought a wireless bluetooth GPS receiver from ebay, (approx $100 arghhh) so it can be mounted wherever is best on the day. It has a magnetic base which isn’t a lot of use but it may stop it sliding around too much. I also bought a USB bluetooth receiver from ebay for a few bucks. I will hardwire this directly to a USB port on the motherboard inside the case as I don’t want it sticking out from the back of the case. It’s quite small, about the size of your little finger.

The GPS receiver can be 12v powered us an inbuilt rechargeable battery or inbuilt solar power. I hope it will last a full day without a recharge. I tested the receiver for sensitivity in the house with my laptop. It works great. I took the receiver in another room inside the house and it still worked. It doesn’t look like connectivity is going to be a problem.

Case
I am trying to decide to either build a custom case, (more hassle) or just buy the smallest case I can find and mod it to fit the stuff I want to cram into it.
Still thinking………


GPS software
I chose and have bought OziExplorer it seems to be one of the defacto GPS systems in Australia. The bits I like are that you can add your own custom maps and buy the map “packs” as well as download them if you have the time. So maps are not an issue and can be had for free.
I already have a PDA running TomTom GPS software for the car which works great around the streets and this can get me where I’m going off road if needed with spoken directions but Ozi picks up where the Gazetted roads GPS systems stop. These are certainly, (for me) the best of both worlds TomTom on road excels, off road Ozi is great.

GPS maps
I have quite a lot of WA maps and some of other states too but as I mentioned before they can be downloaded as needed for free before you plan to travel in a particular area so that’s what I’ll do.

[fraser130]

Just for your information, Jaycar in Melbourne recently had a 12 ATX power supply for $99.
I have also seen 14' LCD displays that use an external 12v supply on ebay in the past.
Cheers,

Fraser

[HangOver]

Just for your information, Jaycar in Melbourne recently had a 12 ATX power supply for $99.
I have also seen 14' LCD displays that use an external 12v supply on ebay in the past.
Cheers,
Fraser

Thanks I was thinking about an 12v ATX but they are heaps bigger than the 12v PSU I go, you will see when I post pics. They wiould be suited to those running large HDD, a good video card etc, DVD burner etc.

I saw the some 12, maybe 14" ?? touchscreens on ebay going for under $100 which look VERY tempting. The things that swayed me was the amps/watts required to run one of those was a lot higher and I wanted one with two video inputs so if I want I can add stuff later like a reversing camera or whatever. BUT if you just want a large touchscreen they are damn good value. I VERY nearly bought one!

If anyone else is looking for a touchscreen they certainly would a good cheap option.

[WhiteD3]

Will follow this thread with interest as I've been thinking about (one day) doing the same thing.

[GRRILA]

Love the idea of a carputer but it looks like a ****e load of work! I feel like a bit of a dill but what are you putting this in? The pic on you avatar is making me think it's going in a Range Rover classic?

[HangOver]

Love the idea of a carputer but it looks like a ****e load of work! I feel like a bit of a dill but what are you putting this in? The pic on you avatar is making me think it's going in a Range Rover classic?

The hard part is deciding what will go where.
Your right it's an 81" Rangie Classic

[werdan]

Before you say, “just go buy a laptop”, I have one but I do not want a new laptop exposed to the sort of environment an off roader is exposed to.


The silly thing is a laptop is designed to be more forgiving in external environments than a PC is. The 2.5" drives are tougher and the power through the CPU/motherboard is filtered through a battery so you don't get any nasty spikes.

I have an old Toshiba PIII with a !00gb hdd, mounted to the cargo barrier behind the back seat of my Defender. It runs off a $40 DC/DC converter from Jaycar so there's no excessive battery drain. It only has one USB port so I've run it to a unpowered USB1.0 4-way hub and have it connected to the 7" touchscreen's touch control, a membrane keyboard mounted on the drivers sunvisor and a USB-type GPS 'mouse' (BU-303) which magnetically attaches to the roof whn in use. I'll eventually mount it somewhere more permanent like the inside the roof of the snorkel or somewhere when I could be bothered. :) I'm running OziExplorer which is just grouse!

I also have a wide-angle reversing camera feeding into the screen which is brilliant. I have better rear visibility than my old Commodore sedan. No blind spots in traffic! The only catch I've found is during reverse key-starts. The screen blanks for a second or so which can be very unnerving. Best not to rely on it then.

Later this year, I'm going to replace the standard LR radio with an in-dash DVD player. I'll feed the laptop's audio into the AV inputs of the DVD unit for playing MP3s. I'll also add a wifi adapter to the laptop so I can upload songs over the home network while the car is in the garage.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/12/80.jpg

Now you see it..now you don't! :):):)

[WhiteD3]

The silly thing is a laptop is designed to be more forgiving in external environments than a PC is. The 2.5" drives are tougher and the power through the CPU/motherboard is filtered through a battery so you don't get any nasty spikes.

Werdan, I take you point(S). Could you show us a pic of the laptop mounting?

Also, what OS are you using?

Cheers.

[spudboy]

That keyboard idea is brilliant!

[101RRS]

Brand new 1.7ghz laptops - currently advertised for $450 after cashback advertised in the junkmail - why built your own carputer? I just drove from Newcastle to Canberra with the laptop sitting in the drivers door pocket - gives access to to the DVD - the GPS works a treat - I have a DVD/MP3 player car radio (I have my MP3s on 9.5g DVDs) but the laptop can plug into the front of this like an MP3 player.

It would seem one of these cheap laptops with a $50 power supply - a $200 7" screen will work just as well as what you are doing, at about the same price but a lot less mucking around.

But then I guess half the fun is building what you are building.

Garry

[werdan]

I'm running Win2000 at present because the computer only has 192mb memory and XP would probably struggle a bit. They way laptops are going, it would be easy to upgrade pretty cheaply soon. Also, upgrading the laptop shouldn't affect the rest of the setup either.

Here's the laptop mounted on the cargo barrier. It's just held there with some Velcro 'one wrap' (special Velcro that has the felt material on one side and the loops on the other - used for cable wrap) I wanted to be able to remove the laptop quickly if need be.
I had 2 vertical straps as well but I found that the base unit of the FM900 radio held it in place anyway so I just placed some adhesive Velcro felt between them instead, to stop them rubbing. Add to that the rear seat being in place, the thing is not going anywhere.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/12/75.jpg

Here's a shot from the other side. The red circles show where I've added more adhesive Velcro felt to stop it rattling against the cage. The blue circle shows the DC/DC converter also mounted against the cage but below the level of the drawers in the back so it's not going to get knocked.
The Toshibas are great because they have a standard sort of DC connector. Some other laptops I've had from work in the past like Dell have used proprietary plugs which means it was cheaper and easier just to use a 300w inverter and the standard charger.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/12/76.jpg

Finally, here's a pic of the camera mounted above the window washer squirter for the rear door.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/12/77.jpg

[werdan]

That keyboard idea is brilliant!

Thanks. I got the idea after seeing a mate's CD holder. It was a Jim Beam promo giveaway that stuck to the top of the visor and holds 10 discs. I used to have a regular mini-keyboard mounted on the cubbybox but it kept getting knocked and stuffing up Ozi. I'd seen these keyboards at the computer swapmeets for $15 and just put two and two together. :D

[101RRS]

I find the on screen keyboard that win XP has in it works pretty well saving the need for a physical keyboard.

Garry

[werdan]

I find the on screen keyboard that win XP has in it works pretty well saving the need for a physical keyboard.

I have fat fingers. :D

[jsp]

I am thinking about how to put a PC into my 94 softdash classic.

I put one in my P38 RR about 2 years ago - nearly 3 and the laptop has just died - pretty good considering I paid $200 for a old laptop thats now about 7 years old.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/12/73.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/10/562.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/06/886.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/12/74.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2008/02/217.jpg

Hey Ron - where's yours?

[101RRS]

I have fat fingers. :D

Mouse key or stylus on a touchscreen works great

[p38arover]

Hey Ron - where's yours?

I told you not to ask....

I'm about to buy a "new" laptop for my T4 and FaultMate MSV systems (don't ask :) ) so I might use it for the nav system as you have done. I thought I might add the EAS reset tool into it as well. I've got a Toshiba 2510CDS that doesn't work on the internal screen (fine for the in-car app) but it has only 32 Mb of memory.

I need to get the touch screen so I can move on. Money has been tight but I've sold my investment property (at a loss) so I might be able squeeze a few dollars from that.

[HangOver]

The silly thing is a laptop is designed to be more forgiving in external environments than a PC is. The 2.5" drives are tougher and the power through the CPU/motherboard is filtered through a battery so you don't get any nasty spikes.

Your right most HDD are more robust than the desktop versions even more so the older the drive/computer.
I'm not sure about the battery acting as a filter though, if the power goes AC, (or DC) input > battery > components how come you can happily remove a battery from a laptop when its running from mains without a flicker?
I dunno I never was any good with electronics, just the parts as a whole, you could be right, I think it's one of those "please explain" moments ;)




I also have a wide-angle reversing camera feeding into the screen which is brilliant. I have better rear visibility than my old Commodore sedan. No blind spots in traffic! The only catch I've found is during reverse key-starts. The screen blanks for a second or so which can be very unnerving. Best not to rely on it then.


I like the idea of a reversing camera, it's on my "one day" list



why built your own carputer?
It would seem one of these cheap laptops with a $50 power supply - a $200 7" screen will work just as well as what you are doing, at about the same price but a lot less mucking around.
building.
Garry
Because you can ;)
Seriously though I did think, why bother I was going to go for the DVD/mp3 player and gps navman type setup but it's horses for courses I suppose like the laptop or DIY computer. Both have merits. There's nothing wrong with using a carputer, laptop or GPS unit but the latter is most expensive, the laptop is quick and painless but the carputer can be repaired easily.



If you have a cheap laptop you don’t mind knocking around go for that, if you have a heap of computer parts DIY is quite simple.
I have worked with computers for years and building a 12v pc is a piece of cake really. It'll probably end up costing about the same as the cheapest 300-ish GPS unit+ a $100 mp3 player but the end product will surpass the functionality of the out of the box scenarios. That and a saving of $300 would get me a set of imported airbags:D

[HangOver]

Just thought I'd add that I have decided to try and build a roof mounted console to house the UHF so I think what the hell put my computer in there too !
So forget all the stuff I said about making the computer small as possible, now it doesn't matter. I'm glad I thought of some where to put the damn thing:D

[dobbo]

A thought for your CD/DVD player. In dash would look the part. Just a matter of extending and running the loom for it. And a thought on the location of the case being an early RRC have you got the airconditioned dashboard or the non airconditioned/glovebox variant? I guess with your location you'd need the A/C so you have no glovebox, why not mount a small case behind the dashboard where it is nice and safe and dry and have a remote power button mounted in the dash. Admittedly both ideas need a bit of unscrewing and/or trimming of the plastic fantastic dash but all will be hidden and well protected from the elements and unfriendly folk in your areas of travel.

I am a tightar5e v8 owner so your ideas appeal to me.

I need pictures though

[dobbo]

I experimented a few years ago with an old CD/rom and a 7805 circuit hard wired to a car, after reading an article on the web, it worked. Why not butcher a PSU you have and just hard wire the thing to the car? A bit of buggering about to save a couple of bucks but your doing that allready. Also a quick replumb of the AC vent could give you very effective cooling capabilities.

[HangOver]

A thought for your CD/DVD player. In dash would look the part. Just a matter of extending and running the loom for it. And a thought on the location of the case being an early RRC have you got the airconditioned dashboard or the non airconditioned/glovebox variant? I guess with your location you'd need the A/C so you have no glovebox, why not mount a small case behind the dashboard where it is nice and safe and dry and have a remote power button mounted in the dash. Admittedly both ideas need a bit of unscrewing and/or trimming of the plastic fantastic dash but all will be hidden and well protected from the elements and unfriendly folk in your areas of travel.

I am a tightar5e v8 owner so your ideas appeal to me.

I need pictures though

I thought about putting it in the passenger footwell as a false floor or firewall mounted But... I have decided to relocate the electronic ignition there and other bits n pieces.
I have the aircon unit so VERY little space behind the dash, just not enough.

I have some other jobs I need to do on the RR before I start on the console/carputer but I will follow it up with pics.

[defenderbilby]

This is a great thread on car computers. I am thinking along the same lines for the Defender.
How does this GPS work on the computer. Is it just a matter of down loading a software and pluging in an atenna into a usb port?
Or do I need a GPS unit such as a Garmin and plug that into the computer?
If not a generic GPS is there a antenna /box unit for the computer?
Can I run different GPS software? I have seen (few years ago) a laptop with ozexplore which was great for plotting where you had been and wanted to go but I understand that is different to the voice turn by turn used in the city which is fantastic but a very different system.
Thanks,
David.

[p38arover]

How does this GPS work on the computer. Is it just a matter of down loading a software and pluging in an atenna into a usb port?

Yes. I bought a GPS receiver of eBay. It just plugs in to teh USB port. Not expensive


Or do I need a GPS unit such as a Garmin and plug that into the computer?

No, not needed. Run OxiExplorer on the PC.

For street navigation, one could use a copy of something like Destinator whuich can be found on bit torrent sites. :angel:

[cockie55]

My system is based upon a DC powered mini ITX size motherboard (170mm X 170 mm) running Core 2 duo mobile. 2 1/2 inch SATA HD sitting in a 5mm extruded heatsink style case that only 2 inch deep.

Features inc wireless broadband and network with exterior high gain antennas, 2 GPS mapping platforms, Analogue/digital TV, AM/FM radio, Dash mount DVD burner/multi card reader head unit, 5 X channel dual amp audio set up, mobile phone integration, rear camera and more.

All controlled via 8 1/2 inch overhead VGA touch screen (Centrafuse front-end) and voice recognition.

Current upgrade is sorting OBI 1 engine management and a remote controlled under vehicle camera.

Yeah I know ....more $ in this than my D1 worth... ..I will post a work log one day

[HangOver]

dash mount dvd burner ?
got any pics?

that sounds like one very expensive, (but cool) setup did you fit it all your self?

Is your PC PSU built into the unit or external?

[cockie55]

Yes HO I made up this dash DVD/CD burner / player using 12.5 mm deep slot load (more robust) Pioneer unit together with a multi card reader USB, firewire and audio sockets. This together with a USB hub, bluetooth and IR pick ups all sit inside a butchered 1X din size pocket I got from Supercrap. I will put together a work log of pics shortly when i get current engine managment and under car remote controlled camera project finished.

I have a on board DC Commell LV-677 MB so PS is this 185W multiple voltage USB featured (bat monitors etc) DC DC critter I got from Carnetix. It powers the above USB hub as well as triggers to 2 amps. Case and PS sit under drivers seat with quick connects in case of gnarly water crossings. This PS allows computer to boot (to touch screen) and shut down all at turn of ignition only. No switch / software / mouses / keyboard etc required. I do have a small factor keyboard incorporating trackball mouse sitting atop visor if I ever need to by-pass touch screen.

COMMELL LV-677 Intel Core Duo/Core Duo 2 Mini-ITX express Motherboard (http://www.commell.com.tw/product/SBC/LV-677.HTM)

CarNetix P2140 (http://www.carnetix.com/P2140/CNXP2140.htm)

[HangOver]

Yes HO I made up this dash DVD/CD burner / player using 12.5 mm deep slot load (more robust) Pioneer unit together with a multi card reader USB, firewire and audio sockets. This together with a USB hub, bluetooth and IR pick ups all sit inside a butchered 1X din size pocket I got from Supercrap. I will put together a work log of pics shortly when i get current engine managment and under car remote controlled camera project finished.

I have a on board DC Commell LV-677 MB so PS is this 185W multiple voltage USB featured (bat monitors etc) DC DC critter I got from Carnetix. It powers the above USB hub as well as triggers to 2 amps. Case and PS sit under drivers seat with quick connects in case of gnarly water crossings. This PS allows computer to boot (to touch screen) and shut down all at turn of ignition only. No switch / software / mouses / keyboard etc required. I do have a small factor keyboard incorporating trackball mouse sitting atop visor if I ever need to by-pass touch screen.

COMMELL LV-677 Intel Core Duo/Core Duo 2 Mini-ITX express Motherboard (http://www.commell.com.tw/product/SBC/LV-677.HTM)

CarNetix P2140 (http://www.carnetix.com/P2140/CNXP2140.htm)

Are you running dual batteries?

Just wondering as I have all the stuff i need now and if i make changes best to decide now before I begin.

[cockie55]

Are you running dual batteries?

Just wondering as I have all the stuff i need now and if i make changes best to decide now before I begin.

Yes HO I have dual batteries but not so much for the base system as it only uses less than 100w mainly due to a mobile CPU and on board video. The 2X amplifiers are the power hungry bits.

[p38arover]

How do you start up the laptops when your start the car?

I can see it could be relatively easy to do with a motherboard arrangement but dunno about a laptop unless one hacks into it.

A motherboard has the advantage that one doesn't need 240VAC. Surely one clould run the 12 rails from the battery - maybe regulated to 12V, ditto with the 5V rails.

A laptop generally needs between 15-19v DC. I suppose one could use a universal battery powered inverter that gives out the requisite 19 volts DC.

See Jaycar Cat. MP3463

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ (http://javascript<b></b>:MM_openBrWindow('ShowLargephoto.asp?id=9327&IMAGE=','','scrollbars,resizable,toolbar,width=460 ,height=500'))

2.9A 12V Notebook Power Supply $34.95

Notebook or alternate use DC power supply. Can supply from 13-24 VDC at 3.5 Amps from an initial voltage of 12 to 13.8 volts. Comes with a 10A fused car socket, the DC power cord can be wrapped and stored within the power packs housing. Supplied with 7 attachments for Apple, Compaq, Dell, HP, IBM, ACER, Toshiba and amongst other brands.
* Input Voltage 12- 13.8
* Output Voltage: 15/16/18/19/20/22/24VDC
* Output Amperage: 3.5A
* Suitable for most laptops: Apple/Compaq/Toshiba/Dell/HP/IBM/Gateway/Sharp/Acer (ensure that the polarity is correct before connecting the supply to any device.)

[HangOver]

How do you start up the laptops when your start the car?


I'm not sure how he has done it but i know you can buty startup/shut down controllers for PC stuff so the computer boot and powers down with the car ignition, (or not) it can be configured several ways.

[jsp]

Ron, laptops are EASY!.





Do you think you could whip up a wiring diagram for your power on/off set up? I'm having a bit of a time understanding what you did :oops:

Sure, here's one I prepared earlier :)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2008/01/462.jpg

Theres two relays. one wired to the laptops power resume button. The lower one in the above pic. When its energised its closing the contacts of the button on the laptop effectively turning it on. The power to the lower relay is controlled also by the upper relay, which is a normally closed relay. Hence when its energised by the laptops PS2 port it opens and stops the 12 volts getting to the lower relay hence opening the contacts of the laptops power button. This way the power button is not simply "held down" all the time the ignition is on. The main idea though is the laptop goes into hibernation after 5 minutes on battery. But untill it goes into hibernation, the the PS2 port is putting out 5 volts, keeping the power cut to the second relay, hence the laptops button cant get pushed while the laptop is on - if it was a simple case of the laptop is on, you turn the cars ignition off, the laptop goes to battery mode and starts counting down 5 minutes, then you start the car up again within that 5 mins, the ignition switched relay still wont close as the laptop switched relay is still open. If the ignition switched relay closed it would turn the laptop off!.

I hope you get what I mean :)


If your laptop/notebook doesn't have a PS2 you can run a small relay from the USB port as well.

The above taken from another forum ;)

[VladTepes]

This is good stuff.

Inc is unusually quiet.

maybe "Dave's Interesting Things" could sell car-computers. I;m sure Dave has heaps of spare time......

[cockie55]

That is very neat JSP

[Disco_owner]

The short story

I now have all the bits I need for my Carputer, (I think) so I will get it started, soon………………ish ;)

Pics will accompany the build and fitting.


Long Story
This is a long post, and you will probably notice that I have added to it over time. Basically it's what I acquired/bought and some reasoning behind it.


I posted this here for 3 reasons.
It may help someone else planning this sort of thing.
I may give me a bit of motivation to get it started.
I’m really bored at work and if I type it looks like I’m working at least ;-)


What I want:
A “carputer” that can be used mainly for GPS but also play mp3’s.
Yes I know I can just go buy a NavMan and have it all already done but PC’s are just so much more versatile. I want to be able to play MP3’s, store photos & video clips, have the RAVE CD and other techie manuals. Possibly watch a movie or two on long drives, (no me the wife) I’m also toying with the idea of a reversing camera in the future. Maybe even add a TV and/or radio receiver, try doing all that on a Navman ;-)

Cost:
As little as possible ;-)
Before you say, “just go buy a laptop”, I have one but I do not want a new laptop exposed to the sort of environment an off roader is exposed to.

What it should be:
As small and low wattage as possible to save on the batteries and leg/luggage space.
As rugged as possible to cope with the dust and knocks a carputer in an off roader will get.

The main components I will need are:
Donor computer, (Motherboard & cpu, video, audio, ram, harddrive, cd/dvd drive, Mouse & Keyboard)
Suitable power supply
LCD screen
Case
GPS receiver
GPS software & Maps

Motherboard:
The donor computer was the easiest to sort out I had a couple of spares in the garage.
The one I selected was is an Intel motherboard with onboard Video and an 800-900 PIII processor. The motherboard while not exactly a power house will be ample for playing MP3’s and a GPS system. These applications aren’t exactly CPU intensive. Also the slower CPU speed means less cooling will be required and thus less wattage is used and cooler CPU is useful for the back of a Rangie on a 35+ day.
I wanted a motherboard with as much “onboard” as I could get to keep the size small. This one has onboard audio and video so that’s a good start. I don’t want to use any PCI cards if I can help it so the overall height of the case will only be the height of the motherboard plus the cpu + heatsink + fan. That’s the theory anyway. I’m not interested in a network port. Although it might be handy, once the system is setup and fully patched the only updates it will need will be MP3’s I hope. These can be added using a USB drive.

Video
Shared onboard video, not a lot to say really other than I will need an LCD monitor that will accept a 15pin VGA input. I could have beefed up the video but at the cost of increasing the case size and internal heat. That and it’s really not necessary for the applications it will run.

Audio
The onboard sound is stereo and other than it possibly needing a bit of amplification before it gets to the existing Rangie speakers it should suffice. Once it’s finished I’ll try it out and if it needs it I’ll install a small amp.

Ram
The motherboard has x4 SDRam slots so I put in x1 512MB module.
I selected 512mb of ram as this should be more than sufficient ram for the task and two 256 modules would draw approximately twice the power of one 512MB module. I know we are only talking about a few watts here and there but they will all add up.

Hard Drive
In trying to keep the case as small as I can, (and I just happened to have one) I decided to use a HDD from a laptop. The internals of a laptop HDD are designed slightly differently to desktop drives and will stand up to more knocks and bumps. I bought a laptop to desktop (IDE)adapter from ebay which on connection didn’t work !
After testing the drive at work I found it was the actual drive that was buggered not the adapter. Oh well I would have to use a standard 3.5 HDD.
I didn’t really want to use the desktop HDD but as I only had one laptop HDD it will have to, (what do your mean I’m too tight to buy a new one!).
I will mount the HDD horizontally above the motherboard as close as I can without danger of shorting circuits. This will make the case long and wide but not very deep. I intend to mount the case in the Rangie vertically but not too sure where yet.
When the case is mounted vertically this inturn will make the HDD vertical as well.
This will help to prevent the HDD heads smashing on the platter while it is reading/writing data if there are any hard bumps.
I am also going to try and mount the drive on some sort of padding or spring to dampen any knocks as, excluding fans this is the only moving part in my carputer.
Bit of an update, a mate gave me a small (12GB laptop HDD so I can use that J

CD/DVD drive
Probably won’t bother, I might put an external IDE connection to the case or just unscrew the top if I need to connect an additional drive, (temporarily).
.

Keyboard & Mouse
I will probably take a keyboard and mouse along for the ride but not connected. Eventually I may get one of those foldable rubber keyboards and a wireless mouse if I find I need to use them often but hopefully not.

Power supply
I do have a 600w inverter, (I did have I just sold it) that would power the computer and any suitable monitor without any problems. An inverter has it’s advantages and disadvantages. Advantages: Easy to install and you can run any other appliances from it you need.
Disadvantages: Mostly the thought of having a live 240v power supply in your vehicle and probably under one of the seats hmm. The other is that, (I have heard) an inverter constantly draws power whether used or not and is not as efficient in it’s use of power. I would be converting 12DC via the inverter to 240vAC, then a transformer from 240v to something more suitable for the carputer or use it’s existing PSU which would increase the size of the carputer case and cause more heat. These conversions would decrease the available battery power.
The alternatives would be to find suitable 12v transformer from a laptop and do some surgery on it or buy, (yes, buy) a purpose made 12v PSU for a motherboard.

I checked out ebay and bought a small PSU board for about $45. Damn I had to spend money on it!
When I bought the PSU and tested it I found that the motherboard components fouled the components on the PSU. Not a good thing. I bought an ATX motherboard socket extension cable. Money again ! $8 This moved the PSU away from the motherboard and possible shorts, (not mine, the electrical type).

I have just thought that the mini-psu I bought will have a maximum watts out so I will have to ensure I don’t exceed it. I have been thinking that I could run just the motherboard/CPU from the mini-psu and doctor the other innards, (fans/HDD) to run straight from the battery. I’m not sure how reliable that would make it but I might give it a go.

LCD Screen
There are loads of LCD screens available. They seem to be vastly cheaper on ebay than local suppliers. I want one that has a minimum of 800x600 resolution and about 7” to 8” screen.

The optimum screen for me would be a 800x600 resolution on an 8” or more touch screen that natively runs on 12volts and has a backing plate for fitting to the dash, but I’ll just have to wait and see what the E-bay gods throw my way.

He He Look what they threw; I collected my 8” LCD screen from the post office this morning, ($207 inc postage)

Specs:
Touch Screen 800x600 native resolution he he he up to 1024x768
x1 VGA and x1 RCA video ports
Built in speaker
Ball & Socket base stand/mount, (it’s part plastic not sure if I should use it?)
Native 12v and only 10w power consumption
Oh yer and it has a remote control, Why??


GPS receiver
There seems to be two different connections wired and blue tooth.
As I don’t yet know where I am going to mount the carputer or the GPS receiver in the Rangie or in relation to each other I don’t know which to get. The longer a USB cable is the crappier the connection gets especially if your device is USB powered.

I bought a wireless bluetooth GPS receiver from ebay, (approx $100 arghhh) so it can be mounted wherever is best on the day. It has a magnetic base which isn’t a lot of use but it may stop it sliding around too much. I also bought a USB bluetooth receiver from ebay for a few bucks. I will hardwire this directly to a USB port on the motherboard inside the case as I don’t want it sticking out from the back of the case. It’s quite small, about the size of your little finger.

The GPS receiver can be 12v powered us an inbuilt rechargeable battery or inbuilt solar power. I hope it will last a full day without a recharge. I tested the receiver for sensitivity in the house with my laptop. It works great. I took the receiver in another room inside the house and it still worked. It doesn’t look like connectivity is going to be a problem.

Case
I am trying to decide to either build a custom case, (more hassle) or just buy the smallest case I can find and mod it to fit the stuff I want to cram into it.
Still thinking………


GPS software
I chose and have bought OziExplorer it seems to be one of the defacto GPS systems in Australia. The bits I like are that you can add your own custom maps and buy the map “packs” as well as download them if you have the time. So maps are not an issue and can be had for free.
I already have a PDA running TomTom GPS software for the car which works great around the streets and this can get me where I’m going off road if needed with spoken directions but Ozi picks up where the Gazetted roads GPS systems stop. These are certainly, (for me) the best of both worlds TomTom on road excels, off road Ozi is great.

GPS maps
I have quite a lot of WA maps and some of other states too but as I mentioned before they can be downloaded as needed for free before you plan to travel in a particular area so that’s what I’ll do.

This is a great post ,

I've been thinking about converting my laptop into a Carputer also , have Oziexplorer and all the maps ,Simpson desert , Kimberly's , vic high country , cape york , all courtesy of the internet, all I need is the GPS reciever ,Bluetooth seems to be the way to go , but do I have any options if I want to install a GPS reciever Antenna and run a cable back to a reciever inside the dash and have a permanant set up?

[incisor]

anyone using an asus eeepc with oziexplorer.. ?

just been commissioned by a client to do it for him ....

something different...

[loanrangie]

anyone using an asus eeepc with oziexplorer.. ?

just been commissioned by a client to do it for him ....

something different...

I was thinking about the eepc but what OS does it run and what is the connectivity like ? Bugger, i just googled and they run a Linux distro.

[werdan]

I was thinking about the eepc but what OS does it run and what is the connectivity like ? Bugger, i just googled and they run a Linux distro.

They run an Intel Celeron-m processor and are XP compatible according to the asus website. ASUS | Eee PC (http://eeepc.asus.com/global/product.htm)

You just have to supply a copy of XP yourself.

[incisor]

I was thinking about the eepc but what OS does it run and what is the connectivity like ? Bugger, i just googled and they run a Linux distro.
comes with linux but xp is installable

got to find out whether it is better in xp or linux with wine

let you know when i get it in my hot little hands :P

and i get paid by a nissann owner to do it, bless em :P

[HangOver]

This is a great post ,

I've been thinking about converting my laptop into a Carputer also , have Oziexplorer and all the maps ,Simpson desert , Kimberly's , vic high country , cape york , all courtesy of the internet, all I need is the GPS reciever ,Bluetooth seems to be the way to go , but do I have any options if I want to install a GPS reciever Antenna and run a cable back to a reciever inside the dash and have a permanant set up?

I'm pretty sure you can buy GPS recievers with ariel sockets but the bluetooth gps reciever I have sits in the car usually on the dash or passenger seat and has only ever dropped a signal once going through a tunnel. Even works fine in the house. I only got bluetooth so i can use it with my PDA in the daily driver as well as the RRC
If you want hard wired consider the USB type and most of the USB recievers are waterproof so you can mount it in or out of the cab.

[HangOver]

comes with linux but xp is installable

got to find out whether it is better in xp or linux with wine

let you know when i get it in my hot little hands :P

and i get paid by a nissann owner to do it, bless em :P


if it's one of the cheaper ones with XP and the 2GB HDD, it would be a no go. Or the 4GB HDD maybe. if its the top of the line unit with 8GB it might be OK but XP+GPS maps+MP3's etc 8GB wont go far. Saying that excellent choice with it using static ram HDD
Will it be GPS only?
I seem to rememebr linux variants are a smaller install then XP?
But then both can be reduced I suppose if you have the time.

[cockie55]

This is a great post ,

I've been thinking about converting my laptop into a Carputer also , have Oziexplorer and all the maps ,Simpson desert , Kimberly's , vic high country , cape york , all courtesy of the internet, all I need is the GPS reciever ,Bluetooth seems to be the way to go , but do I have any options if I want to install a GPS reciever Antenna and run a cable back to a reciever inside the dash and have a permanant set up?

I am not a great fan of USB and bluetooth GPS's with built in external antenna recievers or some issues with touch screen front end. I have one of these mini PCI GPS boards with external antenna mounted on top of snorky

COMMELL Technical Support Center (http://www.commell.com.tw/Product/Peripheral/MiniPCI/MP-954GPS.HTM)

It may work for you if you have a sacrificial mini PCI slot in either your MB or laptop

[Disco_owner]

cockie55

That's a great option , but I doubt I have a spare PCI Slot on the Laptop , I'll check it tonite , if so this would mean I will have a USB spare for connecting other devices if need be, ie Camera , external USB Harddrive , etc , will any external GPS Antenna be compatible with this card ? where did you get your Antenna for the GPS from ? and what typre of Coaxial cable did you use for connection to Card from Antenna ?

Hangover thanks for Info . I am still considering the USB option if laptop doesn't have a Spare PCI slot left...

[cockie55]

cockie55

That's a great option , but I doubt I have a spare PCI Slot on the Laptop , I'll check it tonite , if so this would mean I will have a USB spare for connecting other devices if need be, ie Camera , external USB Harddrive , etc , will any external GPS Antenna be compatible with this card ? where did you get your Antenna for the GPS from ? and what typre of Coaxial cable did you use for connection to Card from Antenna ?

Hangover thanks for Info . I am still considering the USB option if laptop doesn't have a Spare PCI slot left...

Only mini PCI you have in laptop is probably wireless card.

You do not need special antenna. coax is fixed to antenna and board connector end is standard though I just purchased a Commell antenna (see bottom of that site) so I knew I had a compatible connector. I then snipped couple inches off connector end to create a pigtail inside case with SMA female to male screw connector mounted on outside of case.

Co axial cable connector types is the most confusing ...I get my coax stuff from these people.

Rfshop RF Wireless Microwave Coaxial Connectors Adapters Loads Antennas Cable Assemblies pigtails (http://www.rfshop.com.au/Home/tabid/423/List/1/Default.aspx)

Don't forget you can use a USB hub if you are short. I have a made up a dash mount unit which incorporates a powered (5v) USB hub, firewire connect, audio and multi card reader plus a slim line slot load DVD/CD writer/.reader

[cockie55]

I just posted these pics on other thread that started on hands free phone and got to screen mounting so but maybe it more use here.

This is my 8 1/2 ' touchscreen in a D1. I chose overhead as I think it provides a better and safer view when driving. it is located out of any glare and half the sighting distance compared to dash mount.

It is also fully adjustable (mount comprises a non-slip rubber bush) so with finger touch I can swing it down towards me for driver square-on viewing or swing up for other passengers to view. Screen size and position allows rear seat viewing.

Screen has VGA and 2 X RCA video channels so I can scroll between VGA computer and cameras hanging of the RCA's.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachments/computers/6258d1200825639-carputers-mobile-phone-control-touch-lcd-2.jpg

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachments/computers/6259d1200825679-carputers-mobile-phone-control-touch-lcd-3.jpg

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachments/computers/6260d1200825717-carputers-mobile-phone-control-touch-lcd-1.jpg


It is hung off a stainless bar and spacer arrangement (hidden) using the factory overhead console/sunshade fixings. All wiring down the right hand A-pillar.

PS. QA... on front bar mount antennas in pic ...they are both high gain RFI's and connected to computer ...the black (left hand) one is broadband wireless and white (middle) one wireless network.

[CraigE]

Ron, laptops are EASY!.



If your laptop/notebook doesn't have a PS2 you can run a small relay from the USB port as well.

The above taken from another forum ;)

So what does one actually need to do this. I hate having to turn my laptop on and off from a secure place all the time?
Is the diagram of what is required or how a laptop on off works/
I am assuming looking at the diagram you will need 2 relays (what size and type?), a fuse and a PS2 or USB cord??
Thanks
CraigE

[bruiser69]

Save yourself the grief & money,
Laptop will not last offroad, believe me!

Check out Logic Gear XL488 GPS. (Google it)

Unit runs WinCE and will accept 4gb SD cards.

Has 512Mb RAM. 4.3" touchscreen, inbuilt Li ion battery, bluetooth handsfree for phone, Etc Etc
AV input for reversing cam etc, will play any video, audio or still format.
Tutn by turn voice commands, 2D or 3D, red light, fixed cameras & school zones. You can also download free offroad contour maps from Govt site, and unit will detect and use them. Us price <$180, Aus $399 or less if you shop around.

[cockie55]

bruiser69 this is a carputer thread....that Kmart handheld unit you mention will do bugger all....not to mention having no external antenna so hanging it out the window to pick up a signal is hardly fun

[bruiser69]

bruiser69 this is a carputer thread....that Kmart handheld unit you mention will do bugger all....not to mention having no external antenna so hanging it out the window to pick up a signal is hardly fun

I don't agree. First of all the 488 and 350 are basically computers running WinCE with 20 channel GPS module included. This means they can run ANY application designed for WinCE. Hypo (from 4WD & camper trailer site) took the Logic Gear 350 , which is the pocket sized cut down version of XL488 on around Aust trip, inc across Simpson desert without being out of coverage for entire trip. He used Oziexplorer CE and a collection of over 2000 contour maps downloaded for free from Govt sites. These have POIs as well as every offroad track you would ever need. He has given me a copy, and DVD has over 600,000 POI inc repeater stations, airstrips, homesteads etc for anywhere that 2d/3d maps don't cover.

If you want to have a full spec PC in vehicle, do what my mate Graeme did, and install one of the in dash DIN mount PC'S designed for this application.
He did this because a serious offroad trip thru West & central Qld destroyed his new laptop/GPS that hehas mounted in previous troopy.

Cheers..B:)

[D3Jon]

anyone using an asus eeepc with oziexplorer.. ?

just been commissioned by a client to do it for him ....

something different...

Bought an Eee for that very reason and can confirm that it works a treat :) I've got the 4Gb version (only one officially sold in Oz at the moment). Really pleased with it. Much faster than you might think too, boots really quick into XP (faster than my 'powerhouse' desktop because of it's solid state disks).

A few pics first... (didn't happen without pictures right :D)

http://www.jonmurray.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/IMGP3110_reduced_%5B640x480%5D.JPG

http://www.jonmurray.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/IMGP3097_reduced_%5B640x480%5D.JPG

http://www.jonmurray.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/IMGP3098_reduced_%5B640x480%5D.JPG

http://www.jonmurray.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/IMGP3105_reduced_%5B640x480%5D.JPG

http://www.jonmurray.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/IMGP3102_reduced_%5B640x480%5D.JPG

My tip is don't get the 2Gb version off Ebay as it has a slower processor, lower capacity battery as well as less disk space. ;)

On my Eee I'm running XP Pro, OziExplorer 3.95, Garmin MapSource 6.13 & ER Viewer 7.0, only uses 1.77Gb of the 4.0Gb drive. :) Not running any anti-virus at the moment as too memory hungry, just relying on Windows firewall. But the Eee takes DDR2 memory sticks and can easily be upgraded to 2Gb of 667 Mhz without any drama's. Mine's running absolutely fine with the standard 512Mb of RAM with the swap file set at another 512Mb.

I also use a 4Gb SD HC card (dirt cheap now) in the inbuilt card reader for map storage, so I have also installed 2Gb of Sat images for use in Ozi as well.

It comes with all the XP drivers for the wireless, screen, touchpad, network adapter - and they work fine.

Thought about keeping Linux and running through WINE, have seen a thread elsewhere that this can be done with USB GPS devices (albeit with a bit of a fiddle), but I'm using an older GPS (Etrex Summit) via a USB to serial converter lead and I figured this would never work in Linux/WINE without writing my own driver.

XP installed seamlessly, the Eee drivers went on without a hitch and then Ozi and everthing else went on just like a normal PC. It's actually faster than a normal PC IMHO because of the lack of moving parts (e.g. hard drive) and obviously more robust.

Rumour has it that Asus will soon be bringing out a version with a larger screen that will also be a touch screen, more memory and XP installed, although obviously the price will be higher because of the Windows licence costs.

If you need any info on my set up then don't hesitate to ask :)

Jon

[cockie55]

I think these are a great little unit but there significant limitations attached to these subnotebook platforms that seem to circle around the solid state drives.

Advantages of power reduction with a solid state drive are lost when it does not don’t have a memron D2 processor. Solid state drive allows it to boot quickly and makes it less susceptible to shock damage but it is permanently soldered to the board so can’t be swapped out

Biggest issue is solid state drives have a finite number of "writes" that can be made to them.

I think Asus have tried to address this with merging writable partition with a read-only recovery partition. This allows everything on the file system to be updated and still reset to factory defaults later by simply clearing the writable partition. Storage on the image I don’t think can be fully recovered. As an example if a software package is uninstalled, no space is freed, and if a package is updated it may simply double the space. This does not auger well for this thing having multiple applications.

I am hoping one day for a solution to this “finite number of writes with solid state drives. Have a very powerful mini ITX board boots quick smart off a slightly stripped down version of XP (using nlite) and I have to say I have had no problems with my note book HD in a pretty bump environment.

However this MB also has a Compact Flash on solder side that one day when something to more than just XPe (embedded) becomes available to reduce writes to the card, I will then utilize MB to its full Offroad Carputer potential.

[HangOver]

Biggest issue is solid state drives have a finite number of "writes" that can be made to them.
This was and (to a larger extent if using cheap drives) can still be an issue but....... In the last 5-10 years the write cycles have increased from around 10-100k to about 1million, in better quality drives, (server stuff) you can now expect in the region of 2-5million. This coupled with the drives now speading data writes to different blocks, (not like a standard HDD that uses the next available) will likely see your drive out last your system.
This will of course vary on the quality of the drive.
*If you want to extend your HDD life reduce the XP swap file ;)



As an example if a software package is uninstalled no space is freed,
Have I misunderstood here?
Are you saying that if you uninstall a 10MB app. you won't get 10MB of disk space back?

[D3Jon]

I think Asus have tried to address this with merging writable partition with a read-only recovery partition. This allows everything on the file system to be updated and still reset to factory defaults later by simply clearing the writable partition. Storage on the image I don’t think can be fully recovered. As an example if a software package is uninstalled, no space is freed, and if a package is updated it may simply double the space. This does not auger well for this thing having multiple applications.

There was no recovery partition on my Eee. Recovery is carried out via a USB memory stick after installing the Linux OS & apps onto it via another PC. Or you can do it via external USB DVD and the supplied disk.

The above works after a complete repartitioning of the solid state drive (e.g after installing Windows).

Jon

[FXST01]

It's been almost years since the last post on this subject, how are the carputers holding up? Any thoughts on what you have improved on?

[FXST01]

Guess not then!

[steelo]

Have I misunderstood here?
Are you saying that if you uninstall a 10MB app. you won't get 10MB of disk space back?

????????????? :confused:

[HangOver]

Guess not then!

i dont seem to get notifications, pretty random I just happened to notice you post.
Anyhow, the carputer held up pretty well considering.
I sold the 2 door a little while ago and the computer is still in it, it was working when sold.

I have plans to do something simmilar but this time im just going to take the easy option and use a laptop 12v powered and a remote mounted touch screen.

When I get around to it .............. ;)

[nugge t]

Mine has held up extremely well having covered about 20,000kms of remote desert travel.

The screen is a 10.4" touch running windows XP. radio, music and destinator navigation all run through Centrafuse and OzExplorer runs straight off Windows. Reversing camera gives a great view of whats behind. It could also run my phone and engine diagnostics if I wanted but chose my trusty Scan Guage 2 and haven't hooked up the phone as I go away to get away from the bloody thing!

A 6 port USB hub handles all of the extras and with a blue tooth mouse, I don't need a keyboard as I can use the in computer one and mouse if needed.

Having all the music on the hard drive is great as it does away with CD's and then getting ruined and I can listen to 6 consecutive hours of Slim without having to do anything :D

More details here

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/members-rides/116468-nugge-ts-110-defender-build-18.html

[Tins]

It all looks great, but I wonder if you thought about using a Mac Mini? There are heaps of pages on google and vids on youtube of Mac Mini installations in cars.

Apologies if anyone else has suggested this, but I just spotted this thread and haven't even come close to reading it all.

[nugge t]

Not a Mac person so I stayed with an XP based system. There are a surprisingly large number of car computer systems available. The probelm has been more with the software side. Centrafuse went into limbo for a while but seems to be back up and running again now.

I like the integration as it replaces the radio and CD player, is your reversing camera, navigation and phone if you want.

The only thing I have had trouble running through Centrafuse is OziExplorer as it conflicts with the Navigation for the GPS. There is a GPS splitter but I couldn't get it to work and it is no big deal for me as when I am in remote areas and using OziExplorer I am not using the Navigation anyway so I exit Centrafuse and run OziExplorer from Windows.

For me the entire exercise was about having a big screen for OziExplorer and the 10.4" touchscreen works great...you can actually see where you are headed:D

[Ranga]

Just stumbled across this, and was wondering if the evolution of tablet computers have pretty much made a car-puter redundant. Thoughts?

About the only think I can think a tablet wouldn't do it reversing camera.

[nugge t]

Could be but when I did mine nearly 3 years ago the tablet screens were very poor in sunlight and as I am not into the whole apple music thing, it was a lot easier to copy my cd's and not have to worry about what happened if I changed my base computer.

Don't think they had radio then and Ozi Explorer wasn't available for them.

Guess I will look into again when I change vehicles but I'll stay with what is working for now. :D

[sheerluck]

Just stumbled across this, and was wondering if the evolution of tablet computers have pretty much made a car-puter redundant. Thoughts?

About the only think I can think a tablet wouldn't do it reversing camera.

On DealExtreme they have Android GPS/tablets that have AV-in, so the reversing camera issue is a non-issue.

I've been working on getting a Raspberry Pi to integrate with the in-dash screen in the D3. Have trialled a number of different RPi distributions and found most are slow and unworkable for in car use.

I'm going for the car-puter purely to use the OE screen and it's functionality. If I didn't have that alternative, I'd go for a tablet. (Though if I can't get the RPi to do what I want, I may yet go that way).

[VladTepes]

Raspberry Pi? Rubbsih.

I like Strawberry jam donuts and Apple Turnovers through.

[Judo]

Raspberry Pi? Rubbsih.

I like Strawberry jam donuts and Apple Turnovers through.
How do they look on the dash of your Disco?

[sheerluck]

How do they look on the dash of your Disco?

Probably alright for the first day, get a bit sticky and fly ridden after that.

And the GPS function is a bit lousy too.

[Judo]

Probably alright for the first day, get a bit sticky and fly ridden after that.

And the GPS function is a bit lousy too.
Good short term solution then.