[Thrais]

I've always known I wanted a carputer. I've been dreaming of it while stuck in traffic, like a fat kid dreams about ice-cream. So many buttons to push, so much fun eyes-off-the-road distraction...

Ok, so I'm  kidding about the distraction part, but not about the carputer. In fact, thanks to eBay, I got a pretty good deal on the brainz of what will be my carputer.

I won this auction last week: http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220614957197&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Not too bad for $76 bucks:

Jetway J7F2WE2G Motherboard with a VIA C7 2.0GHz CPU.
* 1GB DDR2 Memory (Single SIMM)
* 40GB 2.5" WD Hardrive
* 4 USB Ports (2 front, 2 Back)
* 1 Firewire Port (Back)
* 1 PCMCIA Slot on the Back
* 1 Compact Flash Slot on the Back

The motherboard alone is about $130 when new...

So it came in today and I promptly took it apart in the name of science.


It seems to run a little hot, around 50 deg celsisus. First I will install Win 7 on it, then get a better fan for the CPU heatsink (its really noisy and I should probably replace the heatsink with a bigger one)

On its way from eBay is a usb GPS.

Lots more to plan and read, but I shall make updates with photos here
I'm hoping to install it in my trunk, and run VGA over Cat6 cable for the monitor (the cable is slimmer and I could fit it under the carpet easier?

 

[Dazzler]

Great thread Thrais.. will enjoy following your progress (bargain  )

[Thrais]

Some progress updates:

- I have installed Win 7 on the carputer. I find it runs a little hot, so I would like to upgrade the heatsink/fan for the case as right now the temperature is 50 degrees Celsius.

- Looking at Centrafuse as a front end software.

Things that are coming from eBay and prices:


What I still need:
- A touch-screen monitor and a way to mount it! I am hoping I can somehow attach it where the top tray/storage box is. I would fish the wires through without taking apart the whole console. Ideally I would love an in-dash install for the screen, but I cannot find any fascia kits for my car...

- A little USB touch-pad (Like these cool looking ones Adesso makes http://www.adesso-shop.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=10)

- A tiny wireless or USB keyboard. Perhaps even tiny a Playstation3 Bluetooth keyboard! They are palm sized.

- A DC/DC powersupply. Currently reading up on them http://www.cartft.com/catalog/guide


AND... Perhaps the BEST NEWS yet.
I have been dreading having to pull a power wire from the battery to the trunk. I would not have attempted it myself and I was thinking of asking the company that did my tints (they also install stereos) to pull one. BUT, I just found out the 12V outlet in the trunk is on all the time. Even with the engine off! So my guess is that it draws power directly from the battery. I'll have to read more on it, because I dread coming back to my car only to find the battery dead one day haha... but I'm hoping I can tie into the power wires going to the 12V outlet

More updates coming once the stuff arrives from eBay!
I'm planning on running cat6 cable for VGA and maybe even USB haha, as I have loads left over from wiring my home network.

[Mutley]

Great thread. I want a carputer too. Was going to put one in my last car but will probably put one in the i30 at some stage.

Have you looked into riderunner instead of centrafuse?

[Dazzler]

Sounds like you are having fun Thrais... (looking forward to more updates)

[i30mania]

I am on that project too,
I want to share when its complete.

For OBD2 software I recommend DashCommand  8)

[Thrais]

Thanks for the ODB2 software suggestion. I'm still waiting for it!

The BU-353 USB gps receiver has come in, and it is great!
I did a test-drive with in tethered to my netbook. I set my netbook's power options so it does NOT go to sleep when I close the lid.

I used an awesome little program called TurboGPS http://www.turboirc.com/tgps/
To record / track my route. I drove about 40km with it going into town and when I got to my destination I exported the route as a KML file and then into Google Maps! Worked more seamlessly than when I've used my gps enabled phone, and the readings were far more accurate.

You may think, why do you want a logger / tracker program. Good question. I don't know. I guess I like maps, and I'd like to look at the end of the week and see all the pretty lines of my routes for that week on a map... so nerdy yes haha.

I am still looking for GPS nav software, but for now I have an old Garmin and honestly I am pretty good with directions (Just don't ask my girlfriend)

[clackerz]

You may think, why do you want a logger / tracker program. Good question. I don't know. I guess I like maps, and I'd like to look at the end of the week and see all the pretty lines of my routes for that week on a map... so nerdy yes haha.

I fully understand.  I'm a cyclist when I'm not driving a car <waits for the rubbish to be thrown> and I'm a gadget freak when it comes to this.
I have a Garmin unit that records Route, Speed, Elevation, Cadence, Heart Rate, Distance etc and I upload all of this and then analyse it to the nth degree.......

[i30mania]

I have Garmin and iGo8 for PC on my netbook, igo8 is just great with the suitable screen resolution.

I was thinking to buy BU-353 but I choose a bluetooth gps module instead.