tritons oldsPC thread! may have found a mobo

Post by **Sparkfist** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 5:59 pm

Well if you really want a cheap computer... you can get a used G3 iMac off ebay for under $50. So you know it will really only run 9.1 (you'll likely only have 64MB ram), but invest another $20 and you could install OS X. There you got a computer for under $100 that will work in your car and the iMac has a low power draw compared to a standard computer.

Post by **marshallh** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 8:39 pm

I don't know how many other people have been down this route, but I have (I used to be at MP3Car for the better part of a year.)
Here are your options:

1. Find a used laptop, or strip your old pc to the bare minimum of what you need. You want it to make it use as less power as possible.
2. You'll need a power supply. Either you can use the inverter method (not a bad idea at all) because it's cheap and easy to install. (You'd need to wire it straight to a fusebox on your battery.) Get around a 150W or more. You might be able to get one for less than $50.
3. If you have a little more money (~100$) then go for the DC-DC converter route. The MP3car store has some OPUS power supplies which will work, or the new 220W model that they just released.
4. I assume you've got a screen? You could grab an old video card with C-Sync out (or just build your own converter box.) A matrox Mystique will work with a PSone screen, and you can use a 7808 to run the screen off the PC's 12v line.

Any more questions, ask away

Marshall

Post by **Triton** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 11:17 pm

1. plan on using laptop drive if i can get one cheap, only ahve 1hdd usb and gfx card not much else.
2.will probably do the inverter method, no prob bout the fusebox part, need to rewire under the dash anyway
3.as above
4. got a psone screen al wired for vga(waiting for male/male adapter) think an ati rage 128 has csync and can do a low enough clock cycle?

Post by **Triton** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 5:51 pm

this computer here i am considering getting, worth it? tis freaking cheap

Post by **Sparkfist** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 6:13 pm

Old technology! I'm suprised you'd want to use a computer that is first generation pentium. I hope you don't plan to install anything higher then 98 plus.

Post by **Triton** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 6:16 pm

well its cheap lol

Post by **Triton** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 10:23 pm

oops, didnt read the desctiption of that right. ive found another computer to use and its good for the price a gateway profile 2 with a fried power circuit, has a 14" lcd too! plus its free, even if i cant get it to work i can get a mobo for it on ebay for about 35$

Post by **Triton** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 8:29 pm

hmmm, i can still get the profile 2 for free, dunno if i can fix it either, or if i can i dont know if i want to use it, it has no expandability and no legacy pots (serial parallel etc) i will take it for the LCD but i dont know if thats usable or not either, i guess i will find out lol

Radon199 · Post by **Radon199** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 8:49 pm

It's free, id just get the damn thing, if you can't fix it atleast it would be fun.

Post by **Triton** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 7:36 pm

is this motherboard worth the BIN price and is it any good as far as specs go?