Car PCs?

[probedb]

Eyup,

Anyone got any experience with putting PCs in cars? Was thinking of going this route eventually when I get my FD :)

Have ideas about the thing autosyncing wirelessly with the PC when it pulls up near the house etc etc and many other things...plus all my music files are Replaygained so they're all nicely the same volume and stuff...ideas....

Ta!

Paul.

[shaunwil]

I had one a long time ago for mp3's, the majority of the computer was mounted inside a sealed sub box under a 12in sub, didn't have much room and the hd was sat out of the box. Nowadays you can buy kits that actuallt do the proper job, i swapped it all for a rio car head unit.

Good links:

http://www.mini-box.com/s.nl/sc.8/category.87/it.A/id.373/.f

and

http://www.mp3car.com/

Shaun

[kbareham]

Paul
I have one in my FD. I have a VIA mini ITX based machine in the boot. In the double DIN slots, I have the radio and fold out screen. Trackball is in the ashtray. The sound is taken to the aux in on the radio, and there as a wireless bridge connected via ethernet. A USB GPS reciever and Zeitronix wideband datalogger more or less complete the hardware.

Although I can dump MP3's onto the PC from home via wireless, it is mainly built for navigation and datalogging. The datalogger has only just been installed, and I have a datalogit on order to allow me full access to the Apexi PFC. I should be able to log data for a complete journey then review the data indoors when I get home and make appropriate tweeks to the PFC mapping. Well that's the plan anyway.

So far I have learnt:

Do not use a composite video screen, the quality is too poor for small text.

A mouse in a car is useless! The on screen keyboard is only marginally better when you cant read it due to the above! I have ordered a DIN vga touch screen to fix these.

You need a power supply with a startup/shutdown controller to auto start and shutdown the PC when you start the car. This works fine.

In the very cold weather, the PC might not boot. I think that it is due to the hard drive not wanting to spin so well.

2.5" laptop drives are more resilient to vibration that 3.5" drives.

Good luck if you go ahead - it's all a bit time consuming.

Rgds
Keith

[probedb]

Cheers Shaun and Keith!

Keith, to be honest I'd never thought of data logging once I get a APFC! I'll be going for a VGA touchscreen. I'm thinking maybe some sort of camera possibly to hookup for journeys and the like. Wanting a semi-decent sound with line out to amps...I know some mini-itx boards have a single pci slot so i'll investigate.

Thanks again :)

[allstaruk]

I'm seriously considering doing this and building it into one of my rear bins, do these setups just use a normal headunit to link the carputer up to the speakers through a av imput?

[probedb]

I don't think it's necessary thinking about it. You should be able to get a decent enough output from the PC sound card to go direct into an amp. I'm still trying to decide because onboard sound on a PC isn't really up to much quality-wise.

You could definitely put it through a head unit tho!

[Pointman]

Have a look at: www.mini-itx.com This lot have all the info you will need.

A few members on sxoc have them installed, if you do a search you should find a few decent write-ups and pictures.

£150 will get you a new Windows Media Edition machine which is designed to instant on if all you want to do is use it to play audio or dvd, they even have an lcd display for track info etc.

[allstaruk]

I'm considering it, think it could be fun, there are loads of things that you can add into it to

[tr1cky]

Ok guys, this is all very new too me, so go easy :Tongue1

I would like to know, as my knowledge of computers is very limit :( , what sort of set up I need to run something like the 1)Datalogger(not going to be running apex'i,) but microtech(believe this plugs straight into a laptop, can I do the same going this way.2)touch screen to see whats happen and make it easy to use.3) run a camera and be able to record footage.4)run music to play direct to speakers/poss amp.

What parts do you recommend, links would be great :Laugh What cost would be involved and how is th best way of powering the system?? and setting it up??

I want to keep this as light as poss, as it for abit of a project car, the tuning/datalogging will take priority and would like to make it a feature of the car, but if it can run music aswell than its all good- as I won't be running a head unit.

Or am I better off just getting a laptop and finding someway of mounting it into the car on a semi premant basis??

Tanks for any help in advance as that alot of questions!!

Rich

[Pointman]

1)Datalogger(not going to be running apex'i,) but microtech(believe this plugs straight into a laptop, can I do the same going this way.2)touch screen to see whats happen and make it easy to use.3) run a camera and be able to record footage.4)run music to play direct to speakers/poss amp.

1: The datalogger will probably use an RS232 interface to connect to a lappy, all of the mini pcs have these ports.
2: Most people use these, mostly because it is gimmicky (be honest) and saves using a keyboard.
3: More than likely
4: Thats a definite.

Check out mini-itx.com who sell all the parts and have lots of write ups of other peoples installs (with tons of step-by-step pics)

As for software, do not use windows as it takes up lots of resources, the best is probably Media Engine which is designed for car pc`s.
www.mediaengine.org

[kbareham]

Rich
I have a zeitronix ZT-2 wideband datalogger which uses a serial port on the PC

http://www.zeitronix.com/

I ordered the boost sensor and EGT probe too, plus it pick up on throttle position from the standard throttle position sensor. RPM comes form the standard ECU output too.

I'm still trying to get the install completed - the EGT probe is not installed yet. Everything else works fine.

Keith