Carputers, and VGAs

Mr. Cool · Post by **Mr. Cool** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 9:25 pm

Okay, so when Im 16, Ill probably get a car (probably something really cheap). I know I want to put a computer in it, and I found a great company (LogicSupply.com) that makes them. It will cost about $480, but thats not all that bad. I have two questions.
1. What would I have to buy so that it would be internet enabled, and I could just park outside a Starbucks or borders and get free wifi?
2. I know that theres a difference between VGA screens and normal LCD (TFT?) screens, but what is it? Could I view whats on the computer on a TFT screen?

madc0w · Post by **madc0w** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 9:40 pm

1. as long as there's good wifi and you have a card
2. you can, but you would either haver to get a vga to composite converter or mod a screen to take in vga.

Radon199 · Post by **Radon199** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 10:06 pm

I did this, it's not to hard, just depends if you want to mod the screen into the dash like most people do or just mount it to your dash. Most people just put a normal tower in there PC and then take one of those $50 12V to 120V converters from car shops and hardwire it to their car batery terminals (keeps it from melting your lighter plug)

http://www.mp3car.com/ is in my mind the only site you will need for this, it has everything from plogs to plugins to operating systems designed for CarPC.

Be warned tho, this will run you anywhere up to $1000 to do if you want the best and it to look atleast somewhat stock.

Also you have to remember it is ILEGAL for the driver to be able to see any form of a screen whyle their driving unless it has information that helps the driver in his tasks (gps, maps, car temp... ect.) and if your cought playing a DVD or having a Mp3 player screen expect to get fined or even have your licence revoked (and since your a new driver you don't want to get any demerits)... remember tho, as long as you have a GPS screen up your good to go.

Reploid Ayla · Post by **Reploid Ayla** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 10:19 pm

you actually wouldnt be able to have it visable from the driver's seat while driving, that is if it is a full use computer. So you wouldnt be able to watch a video and drive. For it is illegal. Might as well geta laptop and use when able...

Mr. Cool · Post by **Mr. Cool** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:10 am

Im going to put really god tint on the side windows so that the cops won't be able to see whats on the computer screen. Im thinking of getting a gps reciever, seeing as imobile exec (the car software Im going to get), comes with a navigation program. Do home pcs take up much more power than a mini itx car pc would?

madc0w · Post by **madc0w** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:13 am

it should take more, but since you are running it off your inverter, it really doesnt matter

teraflop122 · Post by **teraflop122** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:22 am

BTW: a large variety of the Mini-ITX boards have composite-out AND S-Video out built right in, so that would be quite easy. You could mod a PSone screen to take VGA, or just use the composite and save a heap of trouble. The visual differences on such a small display would be minimal.

Your best bet would prolly be an Epia MII10000, as they're cheap, have all the TV and VGA out features, support 5.1 surround sound, and have the PCcard slot for a Wi-Fi card built in already (I guess the PCI slot would work too

).

EDIT: You know what, scratch that. You might as get the standard M10000 and save a few bucks

PS: Only get the Case, Motherboard, and miscellaneous non-pc stuff at Logic Supply or that other site. You can get the rest of the components from eBay and newegg.com for much less.

Post by **marshallh** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:45 am

Awesome to see a fellow carputer enthusiast here! I was over at mp3car for a couple months but moved here (some of the members are excrement). Definitely cheaper to build your own carputer, you could either use a $30 PSOne screen or use a $250 Lilliput 7" touch screen. The Lilliput screens support vga, but have a very odd native resolution of 800x480. So, most poeple use 800x600 and stretch it to fit.

As far as a power supply goes, you can get an Opus 150W supply, or a small 80W Morex PSU (I have it.) Or you can build your own 250W PSU from Mastero's plans (just search for him.)

Mr. Cool · Post by **Mr. Cool** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 8:22 pm

So the point of a power supply is what? aTo be able to use it after the car is turned off? Can't you do that anyways if its connected to the battery?

teraflop122 · Post by **teraflop122** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 8:25 pm

The power supply takes the 12v from the car battery and turns it into everything the computer needs

Speaking of that, you'll need a car adapter to regulate the current from the battery.

Radon199 · Post by **Radon199** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 9:50 pm

I know the idea of DC to AC to DC again sounds anoying, but if your a novice or don't want to rip up your carpet to run wires to the engine compartment (plus actuly finding a hole through the firewall that dosn't have something in it)

If you have the drive and the patence (and can stand taking up some carpet in your new baby you may as well install the screen in the dash too (plus when everything looks stock noone will be able to steal your screen)

NiN^_^NiN · Post by **NiN^_^NiN** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 9:56 pm

I've got a carpc and mp3car.com is the best place to ask about this stuff.

Using a Power supply thats made for In car / 12v applications is best.

Inverters use a lot of power and is a waste cause u want the power requirments down for the car cause onces u factor in audio lcd etc u dont want the battery and altanator to be working overtime

Take my setup for an example

i have a 80w PSU for the mini itx system im using and have a Subs and speakers all running with the carpc at the same time.

Cause the PSU is 12v it runs better and doesn't put to much of a load on the cars electrical system.

I do warn you it can be an expensive hobby

I paid:
$700 for a JVC Headunit with Line In
$700 for a 7" Xenarc VGA Touchscreen built into a flipout case for the dash.

$100 on quality RCA cables

$500 on PC
$120 on PC Case and Morex 80w PSU

Then you have other things like 15ft VGA cables and 2 x 5ft USB cables then GPS recievers for $120.

If you use a composite LCD you won't be happy at all u really need a VGA screen and the Xenarc is the best vga LCD there is you can get a lilliput thats cheaper but there not as good.

Think carefully about how much u have to spend.

It's better to do it right the first time cause u will be paying more in the long run and starting with an inverter really isn't reccomended.

Radon199 · Post by **Radon199** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 10:04 pm

It's not recomended but if you just want a cheap MP3 player/GPS unit you can't get much cheaper that a old PC on the back seat, a inverter, a audio2tape device and a old 15" LCD monitor on the floor. Thats prolly still gonna run you $300+ depending... and will most likly melt your cigarrete lighter >.>;

soundwave · Post by **soundwave** » Mon Oct 17, 2005 10:27 pm

Nin, please say thats Australian Dollars...

NiN^_^NiN · Post by **NiN^_^NiN** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 2:37 am

Thats aussie dollars but its still close to the USD mark

The mini itx system will cost u around $500 with a PSU i think

then $550 for the screen

then you can do the other stuff on cheap like a tape adapter for audio unless the cd player hase a AUX in etc.

check out www.digitalww.com for the LCD screen

then look for the type of PC u can use you could spend the money on the LCD then use a invertor with an old PC to start off with then slowly save up for a GPS reciever then start buying a PC to use.

It cost a lot more if u try to do it legally like a proper XP licence on the machine and buying the GPs software etc.