Cheap car pc!

[Ugzz]

http://www.thetechzone.com/?m=show&id=671

im sure alot of you have seen these, but now there better smaller cheaper etc. Makes julian fries! - :D

link update just a few days ago (1-24-06)

course the Mini-itx boards and cases are coming down, and granted you can put a real cpu in the mini-itx.. but for a compact tiny all in one.. not a bad deal at all..

[thewilson]

Amazing. Really awesome price starting at 399

[Ugzz]

yeah thats what i was thinking. and hey it might be one of those cpu soldered in deals.. but eh.. do you really expect to play the latest games in your car for only 400 bux? heh

[jalmir]

400$ even if it's a VIA is a good price, it's cheap, reliable and it does the job!

I wouldn't go with that but it's my own personnal choices! :P

[kizzo]

That is pretty cheap. If i ever got a car pc id use it for basic stuff like winamp, wmp, maybe some random games or somethin so i wouldnt need the GREATEST computer out there anyways.

I just dont see myself playing doom 3 in my elantra when i can play it inside my house

[Ugzz]

400$ even if it's a VIA is a good price, it's cheap, reliable and it does the job!

I wouldn't go with that but it's my own personnal choices! :P


yeah im too greedy when it comes to computers, i aint gettin a car pc until i can get a full gaming card and a true surround sound card in it.. and have it be small, cheap, and easy to install.. lol -ill keep dreaming for now.. but its only a matter of time until some manufacturer does the job..

[sofoiks]

Hello elantra lovers!
Have a question anyone of you ever dismantle the middle console where the radio is? Does anyone know how much space is where the radio is "depth"?

[sofoiks]

Anyone know the space, depth and other measures where the radio is?

[kizzo]

Its single DIN and if you take out the pocket under it its double DIN. It will fit any standard din size headunit and with the removal of the bottom pocket as well it will fit any standard double din size unit.

[cobase]

Probably around 8" deep from the top of the radio to the bottom of the cubby hole. The HVAC controls are not that deep either, maybe 4" or so. These are totally un-exact measurements, just what I remember seeing.

For the price of the computer, remember you also need the screen that's around $200+. I managed to build one with used eBay parts for just under $500 with the GPS receiver, turn-by-turn talking navigation, MP3s, etc.

It ain't pretty (esp. in the trunk) but it works... or worked.
Ugly CPU in the Trunk (http://www.wam.umd.edu/~cobas/Car/CarPC/CarPC1.jpg)
Screen hanging off the dash, for now (http://www.wam.umd.edu/~cobas/Car/CarPC/CarPC2.jpg)
Plenty Bright in the daytime (280cd/m2) (http://www.wam.umd.edu/~cobas/Car/CarPC/CarPC3.jpg)
Almost too bright at night (http://www.wam.umd.edu/~cobas/Car/CarPC/CarPC7.jpg)

YouTube Vid: Before the GPS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzrlaXdZ0WI)
YouTube Vid: With GPS and neat WinAMP skin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKvuxbqNIPY)

I also have to say the computer part is a piece of cake, it's all the power wiring from the car that's been a pain for me. Two weeks ago some connector melted and now I'm in the process of running thick wire from the battery - PITA. The cig. lighter is limited to 15A --> 180W.

[cclngthr]

You need a minumum of 300-450 watts to run the computer and that would take at least a 600-1,000 watt inverter. I would overdo the inverter to be on the safe side.

[Ugzz]

cobase, are you using an inverter for power? that is one franken-rig if ive seen one lol.. but regaurless of that you have full braggin rights that you have a working touch panel pc. so its all good in my book :)!

[sofoiks]

thanks for the info im waiting for my screen that i ordered from ebay the im gonna report

[cobase]

Hey, at least the really ugly part is out of sight. Currently I'm using a 100W 12V-DC power supply, which is weak for a desktop and means I can't add any more drives or cards and such. I even down-graded the CPU to save wattage. Like Colin said, you really need 300W+ for a desktop. The easy solution is to start with a used or damaged laptop that'll run under 100W. The other easy solution is to find a 400W power inverter on sale - I got one for $20, and use a desktop that way. The proper solution is a programmable 12V power supply that can keep the computer on during engine-start, shuts the computer off (or standby) when you take the key out, starts back up when you put the key in, etc. But those are $80-$250. Oh yeah and measure the double-din dash opening carefully before you pick a screen. Mine can be made to fit, but I'll basically make a new case for it, without the buttons and frame. Bleh.

[Ugzz]

so you dont have any problems with the HD or anything? i figured a regular desktop strapped in wouldnt like the kind of punishment the road can dish out. any issues?

also.. im amazed you got away with less then 100w on the computer and im also amazed that a 400w inverter was enough.. i did a roadtrip and we had a 300w inverter.. actualy it was 300 peak.. so i duno what it really was .. and when we plugged in 2 laptops the overload circuit would beep when both of the laptop fans kicked on (like every 10 min). but it did work i guess. lol

as for the engine start-stop.. how is yours wired now? if you forget about he pc and kill the ignition does the whole thing just go down? im assuming your just careful about it heh..

[cobase]

I would have thought a desktop HDD would die in the car, but from my brief experience and from reading opinions on mp3car.com, apparently it's not a big problem with modern drives. Some people cushion the drives a bit with foam or something but that's it. 100W is tight for a desktop; you have to start thinking about wattages of components so I don't recommend it. Mine was wired into the cig. lighter circuit with the power button on the console and the thing ready to hibernate. I had to remember to push the button before taking the key out or after starting the car. Not a huge deal but not so streamlined. Beside hibernation and de-hibernation is slow. Standby (with sustained power) would be better. I'm re-doing the power cables more properly now... slowly, since it's like 20F outside. :(