Carputer!, yay! Options

[orvillescelica]

I never show off stuff i do, but im actually pretty excited about this. I finally got done with my permanent install of my Car computer. Thanks to all who have helped out by answering my wiring questions.


This is the first time ive built my own computer. Here is the bench testing of the special car computer power supply and setup of the software. To simulate the car battery, i used a 60V variable power supply i borrowed from my lab.


I couldnt find a place to properly put the tiny case i had made. So I ended up ripping all the components out and turning the glovebox into a computer case.


Final install of the monitor. Notice the special Celica front end skin i created!


Here are the specs:
VIA EPIA Mini-ITX M10000 motherboard
6.5 IBM laptop hard drive
Toshiba slimline DVD-Rom
M1-ITX 90W powersupply
Lilliput 7" touchscreen monitor

I-Guidance GPS software
Holux GM210 GPS reciever
Media Engine front end
Windows XP

[orvillescelica]

Thanks for the compliments guys!!

very cool. you should mold that screen into the dash.\
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I actually didnt want to mold the screen in. While some people like the factory look, i like the 'functioning work in progress' look. It makes it all look like its there for purpose, not for show. Plus, i wanted to keep my head unit and not rely on my computer soley for entertainment.

looks good. I like the celica skin .. now if only it wasn't running windoze
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Yeah, i know... But all the relevent software that i wanted to use was for windows.

o yea had how much did the system run you??
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the major costs were: motherboard and power supply together cost $225, The monitor was $250, and the GPS software and reciever was $150. All together, the entire system to have GPS, DVD, MP3, etc.. was just under $750.

thats absolutley awesome man - i build comps all the time - my only question to you is where do you have the exhaust fans hooked up?? unless you got water cooling which in this case i would think would be very stupid - also what about shock reduction? do you have any?
looks great keep up the good work.
nobody
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I have a 3" case fan mounted at the top. Its the blue thing in the pictures. Half of the fan is over a hole to exhaust and the other is tilted so as to promote circulation of air over the motherboard. The entire back of the glove box was cut out, so there is also plenty of ventalition that way. Even this i think is an overkill since the board never gets very hot even after running for a long time. Shock reduction is basically mounting everything with some bubble wrap underneath it.

Build me one! Anyone given thought to the Mac Minis? I got a friend who wants to try that.
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The mac minis are very cool because they are SO tiny. You could mold one into a single DIN area supposably. I was considering this too, but really wanted to buid my own computer to see how i do.

For all those interested, i got tons of help here: www.mp3car.com