Computer in the car [Archive] - Overclockers Forums

QuantumPC

05-05-04, 09:17 PM

I am curious, does anyone have a custom modded PC for there vehicle?

I want to make an ITX computer for my car so I can just run all my songs off my HD and over the speakers, and watch movies, ETC, and not have to mess around with cd's.

Wait, are there any portable music devices that allow you to store mpeg or avi vfiles on them, and still function as an mp3 player, yet play the videos when an external monitor is attached..?
That would be another good idea..

Just wondering..

t1mex

05-05-04, 09:20 PM

i believe alexia does...

IZON

05-06-04, 08:24 PM

I haven't built it yet, gimme a sec...

Alexia

05-06-04, 09:27 PM

Originally posted by t1mex
i believe alexia does...

My carputer project:
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=278159

I personally haven't see a particular device that does MP3 and videos besides a set top DVD player for your living room.

Suran

05-06-04, 11:28 PM

Just FYI, it's illegal to have a movie playing on a screen where driver can watch it in many states. ;)

An idea I had was to take a scanner, gut it, mount an ITX board in there, get an LCD screen, and mount it to the glass of the scanner. Talk about portable sexiness. Just my $.02 though. That'd be a pretty intense mod.

Let us know, eh?

chkptcharlie

05-07-04, 01:04 AM

i know of alot of people who have laptops for their car, not for the song value but for tuning their cars. Autotap software, and such.

but you'd really have to be into racing, to want/need something like that.

Suran

05-07-04, 01:14 AM

Originally posted by chkptcharlie
i know of alot of people who have laptops for their car, not for the song value but for tuning their cars. Autotap software, and such.

but you'd really have to be into racing, to want/need something like that.

To quote F&F

'Not a bad way to spend 10 grand'. :D

chkptcharlie

05-07-04, 11:32 AM

lol, well when you sink in big bucks into an engine, some form of forced induction or nitrous... mabey both. plus a fuel managment, headwork, and a list of other things, you want to make sure everything is running in harmony, and in it's "happy zone" because if not the engine could go b00m. what better to help keep all that in balance than a small computer?

i know if i could find a cheap laptop, i'd have it set up in my car for such purposes

Mark620

05-07-04, 07:02 PM

I want a computer in my car but I am afaid it would get too hot for it and ruin it(while it is parked in the sun for hours)....

Suran

05-07-04, 07:21 PM

Originally posted by Mark620
I want a computer in my car but I am afaid it would get too hot for it and ruin it(while it is parked in the sun for hours)....

Solution 1 - use older hardware which is less sensitive to heat

Solution 2 - don't park in the sun

Solution 3 - crack yer windows

QuantumPC

05-07-04, 07:51 PM

I am mounting a 15 inch LCD in the middle of the 2 front seats ( so it is visible to all passengers)

I am not using a keyboard or mouse, but instead buying a 5 inch touch screen LCD and mounting it in the steering wheel.

Also, i intend on building this pc directly into the car and using a usb(maybe) CD rw so that it can still play cd's if someone has one, and also burn my music for my friends, all well in the car.

Aww think.. parked watching some movies. [can u say babe magnet?]

As far as illegal to have a screen the driver can see, I will take my chances...

Is this b*tched out or what?

btw, PC used will be a dell dimension 8200
1.7 ghz p4, 128 MB RDRAM 800

I intend on using my 10 GB mp3 player/portable HD to transfer movies from my house to the carputer, as well as songs.

Any other input?

Suran

05-07-04, 08:01 PM

It isnt illegal to have a screen the drive can see... it's illegal to have a movie playing ON that screen.

Another idea for transferring files... put a WAP in your garage.... when you park in your garage, you'll be able to access your PC over the network ;)

QuantumPC

05-07-04, 08:06 PM

that would be awesome.

Also, having a movie playing.. i could have one of those privacry screens over it:)

Or, just not do it at all when the car is moving because its dangerious.
But, ya

Also, i should add that when i refer to "my car" it is not mine yet, really.

Its still my parents.. and I am 14.. but.. I could have my mom drive me around... it'd still be cool tho eh?

Also, chances are I am still gonna hook it up into her car, but have the touch screen LCD in the back so I can operate it..

Ideally I would like a VW Vanagon.. and turn it into a techie hangout

Smirabi

05-07-04, 11:58 PM

seems like you must have an aweful sweet rig in your room or something already to be talking about dropping this much time and money into a car you dont yet own and will likely not be spending as much time in as your room... just a guess. i like the idea, but if it were me, i'd want to spend my money where i spend my time.

ares350

05-08-04, 12:40 AM

I made one, dont feel like resizing them to fit though.

no issues with heat thus far(used it on 90degree days in the sun in a black car. it worked fine even before the AC cooled the car down.

it did hang up once when I didnt open its vent for 45minutes. I need to install intake and exhaust fans.

its only fan is the CPU fan, which is a loud as all hell 90CFM 80mm fan. it works though, AMD 1700+ with a xenarc touch screen monitor

snwman

05-08-04, 02:41 AM

i have one but looking to sell it possibly, just got xm radio and dont really have the need for the carputer anymore.

specs

mini idot pc
800mhz 384mb ram
80gb wd hd
s video, composite vide, vga outputs

screen

custom molded indash 7" liliput LCD touchscreen, no need for mouse or keyboard and looking retarded.

system works great but like I said no need after I got the xm.

Suran

05-09-04, 03:20 AM

How much you looking for on that carputer, snwman?

chkptcharlie

05-09-04, 10:20 AM

hmm.... interesting, a large mobile AV machine.

sounds to me like a portable porn machine, and we all know that isnt what someone needs while driving. people here in america are bad enough when they dont have any form of distractions.

QuantumPC

05-09-04, 10:58 AM

Suran

05-09-04, 12:15 PM

Originally posted by chkptcharlie
hmm.... interesting, a large mobile AV machine.

sounds to me like a portable porn machine, and we all know that isnt what someone needs while driving. people here in america are bad enough when they dont have any form of distractions.

Firstly, just because that's what you assume it would be used for, for whatever reasons, does not mean that it is. Secondly, if you read the thread, and it doesnt seem like you have, you would notice that I've already pointed out the legality of that. Thirdly, he has already said he doesnt intend to watch anything whilst driving.

QuantumPC

05-09-04, 12:55 PM

Amen

chkptcharlie

05-09-04, 06:15 PM

*sigh* was just trying for a little humor in the thread... geeze guys.

i like the idea, the onlything i might wonder about would be power stability. if you could put a battery backup on it you might be better off, becaue i wouldnt want to accidentally shut my car off if it's running a computer. ya know.

QuantumPC

05-09-04, 08:20 PM

Ya, i was pondering about that 2.....

chkptcharlie

05-09-04, 08:57 PM

here a method that might work.

i dont know of the room you have in your vehicle, but usually when i work on av setups they are in larger vehicles(like broncos and suck) well anyhow, you could run a second car battery somewhere in the back of your vehicle, and hook it up paralell, so that the voltage is still the same, but the amperage is higher. then run a high power diode between the two batteries on the red wire, so that it would only charge from the vehicle, and not give it's power to anything except the power inverter that you'd use to run your computer.

sorry if that dosent make much sense, but it's just an idea.

Suran

05-10-04, 05:19 PM

A simpler method would be to use a UPS hooked to an inverter. Simply turn off the inverter when you turn off your car, set your PC to shutdown, and you're done. Oh, you can turn off the UPS after the comp shuts off, but... you don't need to. With the inverter off, no current is going from the battery to anywhere.