Car Computer

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steven765
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Car Computer

Post by steven765 »

So I've been building my carputer lately. Given the outlay of money I've been putting into tools and crimpers. And time spent configuring the operating system. I was wondering if there is intersest buying pre assembled units?

Windows has been the biggest pain. I'm using nlite to strip it down to bare essentials and turn off as many services as possible. I'm even toying with the idea of getting the developer tools for XP embedded.

And before you flame me for not using linux, if you can get a distro working with wifi, a deacent gps program, cellular wireless, and XM sat weather more power to you. I just don't have the time.


Would anyone want to buy pre assembled units. Also anyone else build one I'd be interested to hear experiences.
bulwnkl
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Post by bulwnkl »

Forgive my dense-ness: What is it you're building?
Zooom
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Post by Zooom »

bulwnkl wrote:Forgive my dense-ness: What is it you're building?
if I am reading him correctly...a computer (probably a laptop) with OBD II capability for doing diagnostic and holding on board all tech and diag and bulletin data along with specs and to be rough environment capable.....like a Snap-On MODIS I guess...

this is the type of something I recommend to alot of the shops I work with for using Ross-Tech VAG-COM in their shops on the VW's and Audi's....and usually they end up buying a cheap laptop instead and don't give a rats arse about the grease and crap that happens to it.....
bulwnkl
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Post by bulwnkl »

OK. That's what I thought initially. I think it was the part about gps, XM satellite weather, etc. that threw me.
Atomis
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Post by Atomis »

I put a carputer in my car, was one of the most fun things I did with it.
I had gps nav, an odb interface(if you use the ecutek software you can press the rear defrost button and record everything), A sat radio interface and a few other interface gizmos I have a brand new touchscreen like the one in the pic if anyone is intrested.....i paid 700 for it id take 6 if anyone wants it.

Image

Image


Image
steven765
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Post by steven765 »

Actually I'm going "just" a bit further, then the laptop under the seat. I'm building a custom computer using an ITX mother board with a via low power cpu, integrated flash for the hard drive and thought it currently has a stripped down windows XP. I have the SDK's for win XP embedded so I can build a custom OS with only the drivers and components I want.

I'm also looking at a second battery, possible commericial lithium ion isolated from the primary to power it all.

For display I've ordered the xenarc mdt7000

At full completion it should have ODBII, WWAN (cellular internet), WiFI, GPS, and possibly sat comm weather receiver. Given I'll have 100Gb of space for music, the XM radio is rather redundant :)

I've even toying with the idea of spending the time to configure the wireless to be shared when i'm connected to the cellular network, so friends could surf in the car with their own laptop.

TV and sat comm data would be nice, but a bit much, however I joke at work if i did add them, I could run a forward command post.
haha
cliffhanger
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Post by cliffhanger »

I will have to say I am definitely interested! It sounds pretty cool, can't wait to see how it all turns out and what you end up spending. Good Luck!
'05 Baja-T M/T white/silver
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Atomis
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Post by Atomis »

mine did have bluetooth and when my phone was in the car it would link to it and i would have streaming internet radio because of the unlimited 3g I chose the laptop because of its low power and internal battery consumption. i had it wired to the ignition key so it would send a pulse to turn on and i learned alot from the guys at mp3car.com


This wasnt my first carputer, only my most sucessfull. if anyone has any questions ask me I can help!
steven765
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Post by steven765 »

Slight update, I've stripped down a windows XP build to 670Mb and booting using 58Mb of memory. Which isn't too shabby. From the POST beep it's about 23 seconds to a working screen 26 till loaded.

I fussed with XP embedded, it's nice strips it down to 300Mb, but boots in about 30 seconds. Which threw me for a loop, until i discovered you have to BUY the service pack 2 AND the Feature pack in addition to the development tools.. AND then buy a license for each installation of xp embedded!!! SP2 has most of the performance imporvments that speed up XP,

From the message boards it looks like SP3 will be even speedier.. can't wait
So on that note screw embedded, it's nice but no service pack and no security patches == bad bad day in my profession.

I found some IDE flash hard drives that plug directly into the ide slot which will be interesting to try.

Now the real fun, Getting a GPS and WiFI with external antenna's

My biggest complaint with this whole process is parts:
xenarc is backordered for 2 weeks.
wifi for 8 more days
some custom SATA connectors I've still not seen!!

And I love the M3 power supply. Super job boys. My only complaint would be have an override button to start the PC and a pin header to extend the Status LED to the dash.
cliffhanger
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Post by cliffhanger »

I have no idea what half of that means. You are certainly welcome to work on my computer anytime.
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jaxed
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Post by jaxed »

steven765 wrote:Slight update, I've stripped down a windows XP build to 670Mb and booting using 58Mb of memory. Which isn't too shabby. From the POST beep it's about 23 seconds to a working screen 26 till loaded.


Can't you just use standby mode? I'm not a car-puter person, and I know nothing about them.. but I know when I close my laptop lid it goes to standby (read: low power consumption) and when I open my lid, its up in like 2 seconds. Certainly standby mode wouldn't drain the car battery... ?

Jus wonderin'
steven765
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Post by steven765 »

jaxed wrote:
steven765 wrote:Slight update, I've stripped down a windows XP build to 670Mb and booting using 58Mb of memory. Which isn't too shabby. From the POST beep it's about 23 seconds to a working screen 26 till loaded.


Can't you just use standby mode? I'm not a car-puter person, and I know nothing about them.. but I know when I close my laptop lid it goes to standby (read: low power consumption) and when I open my lid, its up in like 2 seconds. Certainly standby mode wouldn't drain the car battery... ?

Jus wonderin'

I built a custom computer.. no laptop.

Now I'm just sitting on my hands waiting for parts which is getting old quick. Note to vendors, don't lie if you don't have something tell people, otherwise they get pissed and A tell everyone about it on message boards
Perforamnce PC's
Turbometrics
and B NEVER shop there again
Atomis
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Post by Atomis »

Hey man I have a xenerac touch screen from mp3car like in my pics i bought it as a replacement since i scratched my old one it came in 2 weeks ago i paid 483 plus shipping if you where intrested id sell her for 400 plus shipping just pm me.

I had an xp embeded install that was perfect i even had a 5 gig solid state hard disk it ran off 12v and it was awesome (Fyi i have a few licenses and the dev kit for XPE and VistaEmbeded.) It just isnt fast enough or versitile enough for car computers, Standby and sleep mode are available for 'desktops' you just have to enable them and make a lid switch wire run to your key so when you bump start it goes out of standby and when you turn your car off and leave it off for 20 minutes it goes into standby

One of the best things you can do though is get your ODBII cable connected to your computer there is so much you can do to your car and monitor. I had a 3g phone in my car so the internet was always there I cant tell you how many days I was sitting in my office updating my playlist or messing with my cars ecu (you have to mod things so you can remote start your car via the pc ) but I think everyone should get a car computer......they are so much fun
steven765
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Post by steven765 »

Wait you have an extra MDT-7000? 483 sounds more like the non radio amplifier model

Yea I forgot to mention ODBII is definately in the works too for me.
Atomis
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Re: Car Computer

Post by Atomis »

I put the monitor up on ebay for 150 less than what it retails for if you want to snatch it

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0233329269

I also put the service manual set up.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 0233403008
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