[All] [Generic] Carputer Guru Anywhere?

[Rubber Chicken]

Hey guys, I gave up on building a carputer coz it were doing my head in and now i've gone back to it and can't remember anything I did

Basically I am after the carputer starting by itself,
black to black on battery
red to ground
grey to ignition...

is that right or am I missing something?

Thanks

[timlowthian]

I have just sold mine and kinda miss it

What car Power supply are you using to power it?

[Rubber Chicken]

If I remember correctly I think it is M2-ATX

How come you sold it?

The way I feel with this right now I would happily buy a ready made one! I've literally just walked in from another full days worth of it! Pulled the screen apart and wired the buttons to sit right next to me! So much effort though but must be the hardest part, USB cables and so on will be a doddle

[timlowthian]

I needed money but was the worst idea every to sell it as regretted it so much gonna build another one i think!

As far as i can rememeber it was wired in exaxtly like you say!

What have you done for a screen was never happy with mine?

[Rubber Chicken]

I'm using a freebie I got a few years ago, touch part is broke though so it's just simply a screen ripped it apart from the casing and fitted it that way


And added a bit of chrome tile trim to make it look pretty and fill in the gaps


It is in and working now just need to sort it all out to switch on with ignition which seems to be more effort than I thought, so I've had to lengthen the control panel wires that were attached to the screen casing and not got them sat next to me until I realise what I'm doing wrong!

[jasongtr]

never heard of these, can i ask what are they, and if they are what i think they are why would you want a computer in your car? (what with the technology in phones now

[Meko]

A car puter is just having a computer in the car that links up to a touchscreen panel and replaces your stereo.
It's not just so you can work from your car but it's an enhanced car stereo; 250gig hard drive full of films and music? sat nav running straight from the computer etc. If anything you could say it's a prototype of car stereos of the future.

I've got an old laptop that i've been hoping to use for a carputer, but never got round to it


You can't really compare one to a phone

[jasongtr]

oh ok, they sound quite good

[Meko]

here you go.. bit more detail of them and how they go together http://www.stevieg.org/carpc/install/building/

[Rubber Chicken]

Yeah, options are up to you how far you go! Cameras hook up, diagnostics, gauges, internet, bluetooth, possibilities are endless reason I'm doin it honestly though is coz I can and thought it would look cool! Kept me busy n given me summit to do, lol.

[matt-mr2]

im interested in having a carputer and just found this on ebay 2 din sized no work moding the console to fit a monitor i think i'll get one
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Navisurfer-2-DIN- ... 2a106491a4

[SonicSW20]

I just wouldnt trust a HDD in a car.

[Rubber Chicken]

Whats not to trust? Alot of modern cars have them anyway

[Meko]

like he said ^^ why not?

We're not using MFM hard drives any more when you have to park the heads. Having a hard drive in a car is no different than having a hard drive in a laptop in the car; and cold weather won't affect it either as so many people leave their (work) laptops in the car instead of taking it in the house every night

[SonicSW20]

Whats not to trust? Alot of modern cars have them anyway

Vibrations, bumps and shocks aren't good for a running HDD.

Meko, it is different to leaving a laptop in the car overnight, as said laptop would be switched off.

[Rubber Chicken]

Carputer switches off mate...when you turn your car on the ignition switches it on, when turn it ignition off carputer goes off. All it is is a glorified car stereo, if you ever really looked they sell premade ones on the net and have no issues, they even sell them in halfords. I'm sorry and I don't mean to be funny but I really don't understand where you're coming from with this issue!

[SonicSW20]

The HDD is running when the car is moving yes? Continuous vibrations, knocks and bumps to an operating HDD WILL reduce its life, which is why I wouldnt use one in a car. Solid state ftw.

[Rubber Chicken]

Nobody seems to have any real issues with that to be honest bud.

Aslong as you dont do a complete numpty botch I'd say you'd be fine, people just stick them under seats or in the boot with no issues for years and years...pretty positive most new cars have a HDD in aswell mate, especially the BMW's and their iDrive and all this parking malarky most cars have, even these inbuilt satnavs and storage systems must have a HDD.

Not being funny with ya, just saying I think you're being a little over cautious or paranoid about the subject. Rightfully so but if you read around there's very little issue on this matter.

[Meko]

Whats not to trust? Alot of modern cars have them anyway

Vibrations, bumps and shocks aren't good for a running HDD.

Meko, it is different to leaving a laptop in the car overnight, as said laptop would be switched off.

it doesn't actually matter. Laptops are designed to work when on the move, and they're a lot more durable than people give them credit for. And it doesn't decrease their life span; older hard drives, maybe but modern hard drive are build for durability.

I've worked in IT for 19 years (since leaving school) and computers are a lot tougher than you'd think

[turboqueen3]

,,,