| slmurano04 |
| Just wondering if any1 has one? And what kind of computer,software,etc you are running? I was also wondering if you look online you can find computers that are very small i found a couple for about 200 r 300 on ebay not car pc but desktop comps small though wondering if those would work as a in car pc ? |
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| Kris |
| Yes, Mr.Z (zebelkhan) has one. Search for his posts and you will find detailed description... |
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| zebelkhan |
I heard my name so I ran over here as fast as I could!!!!!!!
I actually tried two different PCs One I bought (Morex 3988 case with EPIA mini itx board) that fit very nicely under the passenger seat. But it was too slow. Then I built a faster one inside a plexi glass case and it runs beautifull. It is small enough to fit under the passenger seat but it fills almost the whole space so I do have occasional cooling problems.
You can use one of the small ready PCs, as long as it fits where you want it, and you can feed it the power it needs. I do not recommend a very high powered PC because you will have to use an inverter for it and it will require special wiring from the battery and alternator. I did not want to use an inverter so I designed mine to use less than 150Watts and invested in a 12v DC-DC power supply unit which also has a shutdown controller so it will boot the computer when I start the car and properly shuts it down when I turn the car off. If the PC you plan to buy has video-out, and you have a color monitor in your MO, you can use it with an adaptor, otherwise you will need to get a small VGA monitor for your PC. I have touch screen on my monitor but as backup I also have wireless keyboard and mouse, as well as a USB touch pad.
Oh, the only problem I can think of with a desktop in a car is that it is not designed for the vibrations in the car so if you lay it down sideways, you may have issues. They also recommend the hard drive to be oriented in a certain way to minimize shock damage. A desktop usually has a 3.5 inch HD which is not as durable as a 2.5 inch laptop drive found in most carputers when it comes to vibrations and shock.
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I have a few pictures in my gallery which you are more than welcome to view. |
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| CoolMomo |
hey, how did u make the power supply unit?
i am about to add media player on my mo, and i don't want to use inverter as well..
i was thinking about using universal power adoptor for notebook for my media player using a cigar jack. but i don't know if it will work.
i need a help |
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| zebelkhan |
quote:
Originally posted by CoolMomo
hey, how did u make the power supply unit?
i am about to add media player on my mo, and i don't want to use inverter as well..
i was thinking about using universal power adoptor for notebook for my media player using a cigar jack. but i don't know if it will work.
i need a help
To guide you correctly I need to know the power requirement (volts and watts) for your media player.
For a PC, I bought this one but it maybe overkill for a media player. |
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| CoolMomo |
ok. the spec says..
input : AC90V~ 240V50/60Hz 1.5 A 50/60Hz 1.5A
output : DC 12V 3.5A |
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| slmurano04 |
| Hey does any of you guys know where i could pick up or if some one has one for sale a car pc for around the 300 mark? I got the screen and all that stuff. I love the way you have the screen under the console thats awesome!! |
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| CoolMomo |
the spec that i wrote above is power adaptor.
which means..
the player itself needs 12V 3.5A
i believe cigar jack is 12V right?
it must be easier then... but donno how.. |
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| zebelkhan |
quote:
Originally posted by CoolMomo
the spec that i wrote above is power adaptor.
which means..
the player itself needs 12V 3.5A
i believe cigar jack is 12V right?
it must be easier then... but donno how..
You are correct. As long as you get the polarity correct, the cig lighter jack will work, but unfortunately only when the engine is off. When you start the car, the voltage can drop to 9 volts, and then shoot back up to 18 when engine first starts, and then stay constant at around 14.5 volts when engine is running.
I could be wrong but more than likely, your player will require constant 12 volt, which means you will have to regulate the power coming out of the cig lighter jack.
The power requirements (42 watts) are low so I don't think you will need any expensive PSUs. This adaptor from Radioshack may work. |
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| CoolMomo |
thanks a million times!!!!!
I bought a similar adaptor but same spec as shown!
and it works like a charm!!
I got video module from GNET CANADA
Audio module for pac AAI-NIS2 from Ebay (thanks to 06murano)
and finally the power!
now i am waiting for install on sat.
can't wait.
i will update once i am done..
thanks!~ |
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