15 replies to this topic

[Bates]

Hi,

I've given up on the idea of an EEE pc for the car. Instead I'm looking to install a mini pc. What do you think of one of these:

Via C7 1.5GHz Small Car PC Tiny Slim Mini-iTX XP Pro - eBay, Desktop PCs, Computers. (end time 11-Jul-10 09:10:18 AEST)

or:

ASRock S330 Mini Silent Desktop PC 4 Boat,Car&Caravan - eBay, Desktop PCs, Computers. (end time 01-Jul-10 11:56:28 AEST)

I plan to use run Centrafuse, OziExplorer via usb gps etc. Which one of these would be better?

As I'm new to setting this up, any advice would be appreciated.

[Pulse-R]

The firsty one is designed for car, the second one isn't

also, the first one has TV out and VGA, etc.

for a car-specific application, the first one will be easier.

[Bates]

Thanks! What do you think of the Poraris systems?
http://www.porares.c...spx?CatID=27344

Edited by Bates, 28 June 2010 - 08:17 PM.

[Pulse-R]

if you're familiar with pc's, then you know the specs you want.

if you want it to work in the car, you need a car-type power supply/controller.
or a way to suspend/resume by the accessory wire...

should make the choice of "off-the-shelf" a lot narrower, or start to look for other ways to do things.

like any pc, it comes down to what features you want, and how much you want to spend.

[Petes]

Has anyone had any experience or opinions with the porares car pc as seen in post 3?
Thanks Pete

[KGB]

Only 512Mb RAM, only 40gb HDD, takes up space in the dash that would normally be used for a touch screen - unless you mount it elsewhere but then you don't have easy access to the dvd drive.
Whats the price? It would want to be pretty cheap to make me consider it.

[Petes]

If you go to the porares site and go to products it says that they stock dedicated car pc's such as Intel core 2 quad 2.66GHz 4gig ram with 160gig HDD upgradable to 500gig HDD. They also supply a lot of other components for car pc's, I am wondering if anyone has used any of their stuff?
Thanks pete

[KGB]

No doubt they do, I was just commenting on the one you linked to in post 3 as requested. I don't know much about the brand and haven't heard of them before so can't comment in general but I'd still be interested to know a few prices if you have access to them.

[sneh]

For the specs of the car pcs available, you dont get much for your money. Most dont even include the power supply. I built my own from parts I got from pccasegear.com.au, and got an m4atx 12v power supply from minibox.com.au. All up cost me about $700 not including screen - I had that already. Its all fitted it all into a mini itx case, with a USB dvd drive to mount in the front. You definately need a touch screen though. Xenarc and Lilliput seem to be the most popular. I've got a mini usb keyboard to hide away for when I need it.

I'm trying to find another case for the xenarc screen, as I have to fibreglass a new facia for my car, as there is nowhere to mount the screen without it looking crap. I dont want to use the case in the panel if I cant get a replacement case to take the screen back to standard when I want to upgrade. I did a first fascia, figuring I would mount a standard sized head deck underneath the screen and dvd drive, where the cig lighter and ashtray live, but then found I would have to cut into the ducting at the bottom of the heater box to get enough depth for the head unit. So scratch that. I'll leave the deck up top, with screen underneath. Just need time... It was my first go at glassing, and didnt come up too bad, except for an airbubble I missed, and a couple of the tight corners not staying down how I wanted. A good learning experience tho.

As for front end software, Im not sure. I didnt get a response when I asked. but the bit of information I can find on MP3car.com, It seems pretty good for Aussies. Just not too sure about the nav part.

[Petes]

The price for a Car PC Dual Core 1.6G CPU 1G RAM (Up to 2G) 80G HDD 5.1 Sound is about 690 including case and power supply you can buy a cheap 500g HDD and ram and upgrade,I was going to mount the case under the front seat and use the existing colour screen in my car with a touch screen overlay and use centrafuse software the case is the size of one of those micro pc cases and has a smart power supply
Thanks pete

[Big_Valven]

With CarPCs, I always ask what you want to do with it. Buying a PC with massive specs is kinda defunct if you don't need to do much with it. A lot of the time, there is a normal headunit that will do 99% of what people want out of a carpc.

[Petes]

My situation is that I have a BA falcon wagon with a full colour 15Hz screen, the stereo which is very basic ie can't play mp3 disc and needs a special cable to play ipods or bluetooth phone is intregrated in with the climate controls. I want to be able to be able to listen to mp3' and have the ability to have a GPS and bluetooth phone without having to run cables I would also like to be able to play dvds in the rear for my kids as I do a lot of trips with them.I have 2 alternatives,
Option 1 is to run a second headunit ie dvd player or in the tissue box holder which means buying equipment to retain the sreering wheel controls and a arcade video convertor to convert from 30Hz to 15Hz which will cost me about $900
Option 2 is to run a car pc with touch screen overlay on the facory screen which will run the video conversion with a 500gig HDD I should be able to store more than enough music and movies plus the ability to run a GPS, bluetooth phone and lots of other features I can still use the steering wheel controls and the whole thing will still look stock standard.
I don't know to much about car PCs or car audio I am still researching and picking up equipment so far I have a zapco 1000.4 amp, helix precision splits, sinfoni 90.2 a jvc in dash dvd player and I will be getting a seas sub and running rainbow coaxials in the back.Marty from FHRX has talked me into getting a bit one and he will be doing the installation after he's worked out what I will and won't be using IE sinfoni or jvc deck.Any other ideas or advice on problems would be appreciated.
Thanks Pete

[KGB]

^^^^ Thats the sort of info you should put in your FIRST post dude - otherwise its just like you're asking random questions. Hopefully now a couple of people can make some better suggestions.

[ss-rotel]

HERE's something a little off center. What about an Apple TV? PRETTY much a Mac Mini without the optical drive. they, if you can find one, are cheap. I think Apple are about the release something "new" like it, but i know that the TV can be easily hacked to run XBMC, and you can use a XBMC app on an iphone/ipad touch to control it. you'd need a wifi AP or an apple Airport and an inverter, but it would be pretty cool to control you're tunes with an Ipod touch as the remote



i'm looking @ building something with a little more functionality, from scratch.

The Antec ISK300-65 case runs a 19v Laptop powerpack to a 3.3-5-12v DC-DC converter internally, (the new ISK300-125 runs a 240v int. PSU), so with a 12v laptop car powerpack, i'll be able to run an ITX M/board with out a funky JAYCAR special PSU or Inverter. The plug in the case is the same as an Asus laptop BTW.

have an Atom 330 m/board. SSD drive and the Asus WL-138G AP wifi car, and will run WinXP home, Itunes, and haltech software is the plan. I have an Alpine IVA-W200R, in a 2005 VTiS Jazz, which is currently in the middle of big engine build, (looking @ 300BHP turbo), and plan to the use the haltech software to spit out gauges in the "game" display on the headdeck, and use itunes and my touch via the WIFI card, that has AP sofware bunded, to control it.

Also lets me RDP into the car PC to access the Haltech maping/setup/loging.




Also something to think about, managed to pick up, for like $4 delivered, CF to IDE addaptors. AND they seem REALLY quick, even with Cheap CF cards. Not worth the effort if you wanna store stuff, (SSD may work out cheaper), but u only need 2gb for a basic XP install with a few apps, all of which are cheap on Ebay

[smithjaguar]

I do not know much about the brand and have not heard of them. I heard about the first car PC Intel Core 2 Quad 2.66 4gig RAM, 160gig hard drive upgraded to 500gig hard drive.