7 replies to this topic

[nugge t]

Hi all. I am a keen 4WD'er who does a lot of remote travel and do some freelance travel articles for a 4WD magazine. In my last truck, a highly modified H3 Hummer set up as a 2 person tourer I had a Pioneer Avic and a HP PDA running Oz Explorer. I have just changed trucks to a 110 Defender which only has a single din radio slot.

I have looked at the single din with fold out screen options but worry about the mechanisms after bouncing around on heavily corrugated roads for endless hours, and the inevitable dust etc.

I am really keen to do a DIY car pc with a 7 or 8" screen built into a roof console and the screen folding down with a mini accentuator which I think would hold it nicely and minimise vibration and allow a touch screen to be used on uneven surfaces.

I am looking for a general navigator, radio, ipod interface, phone, reversing camera, off road mapping/navigator (probably OzExplorer). Centrafuse seems to be a option.

The system will need to be tough and capable of handling the toughest conditions with heavy vibration, heat and dust all a given. Whilst I don't want to throw $'s away, I am looking for a system that will go the distance. There is a strong possibility that the build will feature in the magazine.

Computers are not my strong suit so I was hoping to tap into the experience of the board for recommendations of componentry to build a gun system....I have been searching the net endlessly and have hit the wall!

Be really happy to share my build with the forum. I am an active member on a number of 4WD forums and appreciate the enormous wealth of knowledge lurking out there!

Cheers.

Edited by nugge t, 07 November 2010 - 08:56 PM.

[D34M0N.inc]

Well the best thing i can think of on a couple of points would be a ssd hard drive (dont have any moving discs etc so can handle lots of bumps etc) and no cd drive just use flash drives. And with the fans for the pc make up some sort of filter (girls leg stocking things would do the trick) 

Just a couple ideas anyway  

[Big_Valven]

As D34mon alluded to, it's not a simple build, but entirely do-able as long as you're patient, do your homework, and put in the effort needed to get it right. Coming here is a good start.

I will share as much information as I've collected doing installs in rugged vehicles so far.

1. Forget crimp connectors, spade lugs, and quick-disconnects. You need locking connectors and wire connections need to be wrapped securely, soldered, and insulated with heatshrink, not electrical tape. Anything less is asking for trouble when in constant dust and vibration.
2. Solid state drives are a must. No question.
3. I would forget about any real mechanisms, either DIY or domestic, for a screen. If it has a moving part, chances are it's going to come loose. And unless you weld it in place each time you fold the screen down, it's going to shake to buggery and be virtually unusable on corrugated roads. The only setup I HAVE seen work was for highway patrol cars, where the screen had a manual hinge, a stop bracket behind the screen, and an elastic strap to hold the screen against the stop bracket when down.
I would consider customising the dash to hold a double DIN screen.
4. Passive cooling is probably necessary. Fans clog up, get noisy, and fail.
5. It WILL take more work than you think There are barely any glues or adhesives that work in the rugged conditions and temperatures you will encounter, for example.

That said, personally your requirements don't seem to preclude a fairly mid-range headunit and a 7" handheld Pocket-PC based GPS navigator installed permanently. I have seen several of these running OzExplorer and there are permanent and rugged-install units available, for one I am sure you have heard of VMS Australia. When you look at it that way, justifying a car PC is difficult.

[nugge t]

Hi Big_Valven & D34MON,

Great suggestions there. I had looked at the VMS gear and it is really good. The problem is the 5" screen size as I particlarly wanted to get to a 7".

The reason being that when you are offroad or in remote areas the next reference point may be a very long way away and so if you come to a fork in a track it is hard to tell which one to take as you cannot see where it goes on the small screen. By the time you zoom enough, you can not read anything as it is so small.

Oz Explorer, and I think Mudmap is the same, are not navigators as such. They will not tell you to turn left on a track 200kms away and follow for the next 150kms..... You can set waypoints and then follow them which is what I do currently simply because of the screen size..and it takes a fair bit of time. I guess it is really screen size which is pushing me this way.....and I like to do something different.

Also was wanting to integrate sound, phone etc. From what I have seen of Centrafuse it looks perfect for what I require.

I might have laid the dust side on a bit thick..it isn't so bad that the whole inside of the truck is coated in red dust and I get out looking ,like a moon man, BUT it will get in. The vibration is that bad though and any weakness in suspension etc WILL be found out.

I was thinking of frabricating an aluminium frame. I have a reasonable workshop with a turret mill, lathe and aluminium welding so i wasn't planning on a plywood frame but more a machined housing.

Seriously, I am not a trye kicker. Just as an example, this is a battery box I did for my H3 with the H3 logo machined in the top plate and back filled.



I really like to do something a bit different, and well. My H3 was twice featured in 4WD Action magazine as well as appearing in 14 travel and technical articles, with a few more to come.

This is the start of a new build on my 110 Defender Crew Cab.

Would you have suggestions/recommendations on the hardware?

[D34M0N.inc]

A custom enclosure with rubber bands or something for the motherboard etc would be handy to have as it would absorb alot of viabrations and shocks. Just an idea anyway. Love the bracket for the batt  

[nugge t]

Well I think I am starting to get a bit clearer understanding....what do you guys reckon of these components for the pc and screen?

http://tekdis.com.au/product/373/VTC6100

http://tekdis.com.au/product/273/VTK33M01



I haven't gotten prices yet which might cause a re-think and I have asked about SSD.


I think I have worked out a way to modify the dash so the screen set down into the top and then can hinge up which will allow more support behind it. Also think I might be able to hook intot he A/c to give a bit of cool air to it to stop it frying as it will be close to the windscreen.

Also had another look at VMS and the bottom line is that their 8" screen units are all custom for specific vehicles and with offroad come in at nearly 3k!

[D34M0N.inc]

Some good gear there mate  

If it is to much why not go custom? Can get a better setup if you do it custom yourself  

[nugge t]

The pc is $1,500 and they say the screen won't work becasue the cable is too stiff to allow opening closing...not sure they understand my design idea there..it isn't like a laptop.

By custom do you mean buying individual components and putting a pc together???

I wouldn't know where to start I have to admit. I am flat out working out if an off the shelf is right!!

D34M0N.inc, on 15 November 2010 - 01:49 AM, said:

Some good gear there mate

If it is to much why not go custom? Can get a better setup if you do it custom yourself