Carputer part 3

Topic: Carputer part 3 (Read 8131 times) previous topic - next topic

Carputer part 3

Reply #15 – March 07, 2006, 04:01:13 PM

I would have to look at it when I got home. but it wans't a huge name brand, a few years old, not the greastest card, but not a 10 dollar one either. and it is pci. Network cards kept getting used fixing the families or friends machines so now i am low, which sux, cause a need a different one than my netgear, having combatibility issues with my MB and domain with that card. I also have like 7 machines up at all times in my home for my test domian so lots of spare parts get used on em.

I always bring home junk from work and the wife compains about all the parts all over the place. heheh. I had to stop bring broken stuff we were throwing out home :(

If you want know more about the capture card, remind me, I should be home a bunch end of this week and can give you the info. see what else I have laying around. I have to pack up the office anyway, be a good time to "5S" as it were.
that reminds me, still need to fix in the inlaws machine... newegg here I come..

Carputer part 3

Reply #16 – March 11, 2006, 09:28:01 PM

I did get my laptop on my birthday, belive it or not. It works just like they said. Already redone.

Now the only real problem I have. I need to fit the 9.4" screen to the dash. I am thinking the first two din slots and the clock. It is about the same size as 3 din slots, sitting horizontaly.

Carputer part 3

Reply #17 – April 11, 2006, 02:18:31 PM

I am getting really sick of the screen situation. I have fried the one screen, and now I can get it to turn on. So I bought another one, and it was DOA. I am starting to get pissed off at this. I have some updates though.

I will prolly stay away from a wireless internet card, at least for now. I will go twoard the wifi way, leagally of course.

I had a dc-dc laptop power supply that seems to work well, Havent checked to see if it survives cranking yet, but more on that now.

I have ordered a 160watt dc-dc power supply. It provides 8amps on all three rails, 3.3v,5.5(or is it just 5?) and 12v. The good thing, I do not need the 12v rail, it is not used at all for the mini-itx motherboard. I will also only be around 30-40 watts overall, as long as I dont go crazy with the usb parts. So the power supply is good for 6-24v, and is guarenteed to survive cranking, so I will run the 12v screen,and laptop power supply through it, so they will both stay on even while cranking the car. and being that both are only 5 amps or so all together, that leaves me room for a small fan for my fanless motherboard.
I also have a small usb keyboard, and a shiznitty usb trackball, They both tested fine and installed on bootup.
The laptop will have one or two small(5-10 gigs) hard drives, and the desktop will have a single 30 gig hard drive. For now at least

So here is a new checklist.

Gotten(I learned english very well)
usb keyboard/trackball
Power supply(should be on its way)
Laptop, of course
power supply, for laptop and desktop.
Windows/linux
and that mini itx motherboard.
Hard drives.

Still need to be gotten
Ram for the stupid little itx motherboard, man its picky.
A WORKING screen
a keyboard/screen switch. thinking this right now http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3609875
oh, and I have taken the laptop apart, but i havent soldered(?) the mother board power connection yet.
a slim slot load dvd with encloser.
A externally powered usb hub.

I think that is pretty much it, I have an amp, Havent really looked into the wiring, but I am sure it is really straight forward. I should
really get a buttload of wires too.
I am sure I will mess up alot.

Anyways, I think I am many hours, and about $150 dollars away, depending on what screen I end up with.

I guess I will do a new price total, man this stuff adds up fast!

$219 for laptop
$120 for mini-itx
$80 for power supply for mini-itx
$20 for laptop power supply
$40 (yuck I am dumb sometimes) for mini keyboard/trackball
$100 gone, to shiznitty screens

And still to go
$20-30 for dvd enclosure
$75ish for cdrw/dvd slim slot load
$25ish for keyboard/mouse/monitor switch
$? for a screen, I might sell out and get a xenarc, or lin-itx or something like that. I dont know

That is alot of money, And right now all I really have is a laptop taken apart with a busted screen! Someone should try to modivate me or tell me I will pull it all together.

Carputer part 3

Reply #18 – April 11, 2006, 02:57:25 PM

Carputer part 3

Reply #19 – April 11, 2006, 03:04:26 PM

That's a lot of work for 30GB....

Carputer part 3

Reply #20 – April 11, 2006, 03:20:42 PM

I took my carputer out of the cougar a few weeks ago. I ran into too many complications with it draining the power.. I had to replace 1 alternator, and the battery twice, Once from the battery literally exploding. So I thought I don't need anything in there that's for leisure only and would compromise the way the car's meant to run. I did however find a more contemporary solution to installing an iPod into it.

(sorry for the dirtyness of the car)

Good luck with yours man, and I hope you don't run into the same problems I had. When it works, it's sweet.. but when you get in your car, and it doesn't start (like many have seen mine do at Cat Jam 05), then really, it's not worth it. It's a $1300 lesson I had to learn.

Carputer part 3

Reply #21 – April 11, 2006, 03:26:42 PM

To be fair, Alex, I think the problem was mostly related to the car and not the computer...but the computer didn't help things.

The Mac mini is still the most economic, stylish and practical solution. What you did was groundbreaking with both the mini and our cars. It's going to be hard to top that, all in one pacakge, for that price tag. Still, I like the new solution for the iPod.

Haystack, is there a safeguard for that car power supply? In other words, is it made to not drain the battery too much?

Carputer part 3

Reply #22 – April 12, 2006, 10:19:46 AM

Yeah, there is alot of information for it, gimme a couple of minutes to find a page for it and I will let you see.

"While in deep sleep mode, M2-ATX constantly monitors your car battery voltage levels, preventing deep discharge situations by automatically shutting down (using a built-in shutdown controller) until battery levels reach safe levels again. No more dead car batteries, no more computer resets during engine cranks, along with multiple timing schemes, small formfactor and very competitive price makes the M2-ATX the premier solution for dc-dc ATX vehicle / car PC power supply solutions."

http://digitalww.com/M2ATX.htm

However, it wouldnt work with a mini mac, they need 19v in I think? pretty much the only option is a CarNetix CNX-P1900, I have heard opus has a version of it, but here is some information on that.

Low battery monitor prevents drained battery, even during Standby/Sleep
http://digitalww.com/CNX-P1900.htm

What are you running as a power supply Alex? I forgot. also, you wouldnt happen to be getting rid of the xenarc now would you?

Carputer part 3

Reply #23 – April 12, 2006, 10:55:03 AM

Ironically I what running the p1900 power supply and That's what was giving me the problems.. preventing a drained battery? Well that clearly wasn't the case with me. If it did that, then I would still have the system in my car.

Also, I don't have a Xenarc.. I have a Lilliput and I think i'm gonna hang on to it.. in case one day I wanna attempt this again.

Carputer part 3

Reply #24 – April 12, 2006, 10:55:03 AM

Carputer part 3

Reply #25 – April 12, 2006, 02:41:19 PM

ah I see. Did you ever track it right downn to the power supply? I would assume it would be more likely to be a power wire pinch. If it is draining the battery, you may be able to get it traded in on another one? then you would know for sure.

Carputer part 3

Reply #26 – April 12, 2006, 02:47:18 PM

Yeah i traced it down to the power suppply. Actually from what it looked like.. it may have been something to do with its startup/shutdown controller. Actually I observed numerous flaws with the entire unit itself so i'm pretty sure it was the power unit. Mind you, I was also one of the very first people to get it.. I ordered it the day that Carnetix released it. I'm sure newer versions may have most of those bugs worked out. Also whatever warranty it had, may already be exceeded. I also have the entire system out of the car now.. so it would be a lot of effort to wire it all back up to diagnose. I have plenty of other things to worry about this year then the carputer. So I took it out. Since I did, my car has always started up, nothing draining the battery anymore, so that's one less thing to worry about. Things are just too hectic this year for me to worry about it.

Carputer part 3

Reply #27 – April 12, 2006, 03:09:12 PM

ah I see. that clears alot of things up there. Good luck with it.

Carputer part 3

Reply #28 – April 12, 2006, 03:37:25 PM

No man.. Good luck with your setup! I sure hope you have better luck then I have.

Carputer part 3

Reply #29 – April 12, 2006, 04:25:01 PM

I just wanna know one thing, I am gonna put a poll up for it,

But do you guys think a laptop and a mini-itx system is too much?

The laptop is just for gps and internet, not really for anything else. The desktop/linux computer is for a no hassel mp3/dvd player. I think it makes perfect sense, but most people think it is way over the top.