My Car-Puter pictures

[justin146]

I have had a couple of people ask me about my car computer, so I figure I'll just post some pictures. I am not quite finished with it yet.. I still need to flush mount the screen into the console. I just havent had the time. The computer itself is under the back seat( the small side)... it is a HP Evectra. I use Rand Mcnally Streetfinder with a USB GPS for the navigation. Feel free to ask me any questions.

 

[IAmTodd]

That looks awsome! What kind of screen is that? Touch screen?

 

[IAmTodd]

Another question, how do you power it?

 

[Creager]

where did you go for a DC/DC power inverter/supply?

looks good, only thing thats stopping me from doing it is the fact i cant find the right **** to power it. using a DC/AC inverter is impractical since the computer converts the power back to DC, thus making too much interferance and resistance.

 

[justin146]

That is a 12 volt 7" VGA touchscreen... it has a USB interface. The computer uses a power supply just like a laptop charger(19v)... so I just bought a car laptop charger and hardwired it to the wires that used to power my stock sub amp. It gets power all of the time, but it doesnt draw enough current when the computer is off to run down the battery. I also have a drycell battery mounted where the stock sub was so I can crank my truck without the computer shutting down from losing voltage. I just used a big diode so the drycell can charge from the main battery, but the truck doesnt pull juice form it while cranking. I forgot to mention that my XM runs through the computer... I can make my own MP3s if I wanted to.

 

[briwayjones]

Sweet! I've been wanting to build a carputer but funds are low. What kind of screen is that? Xenarc?

 

[justin146]

The screen is a Tview, cost about as much as a Lilliput, but it came from an american company with a warranty... not some sketchy guy from Tokyo. Zenarc screens cost way too much. This is like th computer I have...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=51118&item=5173442612&rd=1

 

[briwayjones]

I'll have to look into Tviews, I haven't heard of them. How well can you see them in the day time? That's a big complaint about the Lilliputs is that they're not very bright and very difficult to see in the day. I was going to use spare parts I have around. Probably start with somewhere between a 350-550Mhz. Of course the most expensive stuff I don't have and need to buy like a screen. What kind of Power supply/startup/shutdown control do you have? I might have to talk to you more about the capacitor you have so that the computer doesn't shutdown when you crank. I don't think it would be worth it if you had to shut it off while you crank the car.

 

[Jefe]

where did you go for a DC/DC power inverter/supply?

looks good, only thing thats stopping me from doing it is the fact i cant find the right **** to power it. using a DC/AC inverter is impractical since the computer converts the power back to DC, thus making too much interferance and resistance.

http://www.opussolutions.com/
I have one of their 90W DC-DC power supplies and it works great

 

[justin146]

this is kinda crude, but you get the idea. The diode keeps the ignition from pulling current from the rear battery when starting. When the voltage of the trucks battery goes below the voltage of the rear battery, the diode becomes reverse-biased... Isolating the computer from the trucks electrical system...

 

[MONMIX]

okay I am jealous

 

[justin146]

I found a few more pictures. Let me know if any of the pictures quit working. Sorry for the poor quality, they are from my camcorder.

 

[Bruces expo]

dude that is sweet my buddy has a 04 expo he was gonna do the same thing

 

[Creager]

http://www.opussolutions.com/
I have one of their 90W DC-DC power supplies and it works great

Aww Jefe you made my ####in day!

 

[410Fortune]

How much?

that is a SWEET ass setup......I want I want.

 

[jwrezz]

I don't see any pics.

 

[justin146]

can anyone else see the pictures??

 

[have2goski]

i can see them and it is looking pretty good

 

[trucku]

Hey get a wireless NIC card and you can get the internet whenever you are next to hot spots. You can also get updates download music. In the city here there are a lot of hot spots. Actually right now in my house I can get free internet on at least 2 people who have not configured there wireless security.

 

[trucku]

Also with the wireless..you can set up your home network for file sharing and use pc anywhere or similiar software and use it like a regular pc downloading files..seting it up.. Get a monster hard drive and and you can copy dvds to it and play in car. ..Now i got to go do this..Thats a great idea..looks great.