getting closer (carputer setup)

chuyler1 said:
Those of you who want to do their own in-car-computer project, here's your starting point...

http://www.mini-itx.com/

It is a motherboard sizing in at 6.75" by 6.75" that uses a 1.6GHz Pentium M.

story0026.jpg
Click to expand...

Got it.. love it.. I have the EPIA M10000 1Ghz mobo. I dont need anything more because I mainly only play MP3's and DVD's.


Dexter said:
nah elemental man i give you mad props dude! theres no need to compete though we all doin cool s*** and yours was the first ive seen mounted like that
Click to expand...

Your gunna LOVE having a carputer. So far its the first and only thing I have seen that can grab the attention of both males and females and make them say "DAMN thats soo cool"... try getting your average girl interested in cams or a new clutch and all they will say is "what is it?"

I showed my boss at work and he was impressed and I am getting a somewhat better position at work. The network administrator was REALLY impressed when I was able to sign on to the buildings wireless network and access local computers, but he has since turned WEP on.
 
Just sharing my research. I am pre-planning my carputer setup. I have been building computers since high school and will probably look into one of these as a barebone, or quite possibly a similiar shell. The footprint is exactly what I am looking for, and in these (they come in quite a variety) you can stuff a P4 if you wanna. Prices for a Full system are still kinda high, but you're paying for the size in this case.

mocha_5042_io.gif



It's dimesinos are 6.18" x 5.75" x 2.2"

Check the site out:

http://www.cappuccinopc.com

Anyway, my 2 cents!

Z-Cast
 
I'd stay away from P4s they get pretty hot. If this is something that will go in a glove box or under the seat, you will definatly need some kind of active cooling. (Maybe redirection the floor vent under the seat to blow through the case.

That case looks really sweet.
 
HP have some small work stations, and since puters are meant to have fairly low working voltages i'm sure it would be no prob to just didtch the inverter and run it that way.. these workstations are a bit bigger than a single din radio, and as for cooling i guess there are several options, re route a duct, except when the heater is on, it will cook... pack it in ice, but lets face it thats silly...


has anyone thought about making a custom case and mounting the cpu in the engine bay with a cooling duct, of course if your car crashed, then so would your puter..... but its a thought
 
i would suppose that ambient temps inside the engine bay would get way hotter than inside the car. . and there is alot more possiblity to damages casued by vibration if it were in the engine bay. . .maybe. . i dunno
 
as the title says, getting closer :)

bondo1.jpg


bondo2.jpg


bondo3.jpg


still have more to sand. some more bondo. then primer. then filler and more primer. then paint...etc etc

btw, i am sneezing up a storm due to all the sanding. damn it!
 
Dexter said:
black mica

the main area is going to be the sunlight silver.
Click to expand...

That'll be quite nice, how will you be applying the paint to get a smooth clean look, spraypaint, sponge, I know paintbrushing doesn't get all that great a result.
 
dexter....i am plannig on doing a carputer setup similar to yours. same touchscreen lcd and bondo-ing it into the bezel. I will be looking for some help from you when the time comes around! Quick question. with the LCD, how much room did u have on the top or bottom or sides of the bezel of free space? meaning, how much did you have to bondo? is there enough room for lets say..a USB port to be had? curious, b/c i am designing mine first before i get dirty, and i have lots of ideas, just would like to know what is possible, since youve done it this far....


thanks


z-cast
 
zcast said:
dexter....i am plannig on doing a carputer setup similar to yours. same touchscreen lcd and bondo-ing it into the bezel. I will be looking for some help from you when the time comes around! Quick question. with the LCD, how much room did u have on the top or bottom or sides of the bezel of free space? meaning, how much did you have to bondo? is there enough room for lets say..a USB port to be had? curious, b/c i am designing mine first before i get dirty, and i have lots of ideas, just would like to know what is possible, since youve done it this far....


thanks


z-cast
Click to expand...


The sides of the LCD trim have to be shaved down a little, and the top and bottom fit in perfectly, like it was meant to be there. You could possibly put some USB ports in there on one side or neat the buttons if you are clever about where your cutting.
 
how did u cut down (shave) the LCD? sand, sand, sand it off, or what? Can the housing come completely off for you to do this? What about just completely removing the LCD housing all together? is it possible or are there too many "important parts" that need to be covered?

z-cast
 
unlike you guys, i did not trim the LCD bezel itself. i cut the inner diameter of the hole in the radio trim with a dremel disk so the LCD would fit. slopped the bondo on the sides and just kept building it up
 
Dexter said:
unlike you guys, i did not trim the LCD bezel itself. i cut the inner diameter of the hole in the radio trim with a dremel disk so the LCD would fit. slopped the bondo on the sides and just kept building it up
Click to expand...

that fit in the hole in the dash?
that was why i trimmed the sides of the lcd off. ..cause it would not fit inside the plastic supports on the dash were the stock HU would clip against. ..unless you cut that out too i dind't think it would fit eh?
 
actually . . . .nevermind. . .. the lcd itself isn't that deep and since you mounted it flush i could see it clearing the plastic crap on the dash. . ...i went for more of a recessed look to try to battle glare problems (still doesnt' work to well) but i would suppose every bit helps
 
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