bornl33t
12-28-2002, 02:40 AM
Ok, so I was thinking the otherday. Heh "the other day" was back in 1997. Back then I came up with the idea to install a computer into a car. As far as I know I was the first to come up with the idea, but cause I was a kid and lacked funding, and technical knowledge to do it it was shelved. Then in 1998 I saw that a friend of a friend actually put it together.. hmm wonder where he got the idea. But I have to say that he did a good job with the limited resourses. He uses a lcd display for his display and he used his PC ONLY for MP3's.
2003 is finally here and guess what I've dug up again? you're right!
SO here's what I got, what I though would work. What I NEED from you is ideas on how to make it better, or different to avoid problems.
I have
* a 400 p2 with mobo
* a 300 watt power supply
* a laptop with a 15" LCD screen
* a 10 gig IDE ATA/100 HD for a desktop PC and/or a 20 gig HD from a laptop
* a GPS antena
* a touch-pad from a laptop
* a super flat keyboard from a laptop
* 2 ethernet LAN cards
* a Gforce prophet DDR
* isa 56k modem
* 320 megs or PC-133
* a serial port GPS antena
* a cd/dvd/cd-r from a laptop
* toooooones of cables for wireing solutions
* a nice jeep
* an Alpine stereo with input/output connections
* skillz and materials to fiberglass some what complicated interior panels
my primary concerns are
* heat distribution
* accessablily
* removal options ( in other words, when I sell the vehicle I would like to salvage this system without havning to buy a whole new interior for the car )
What I would like to be able to use this for is MP3's, DVD, TV, GPS, digital movies, Mc randy roadmaps, Internet, and whatever else comes up, in other words upgradeable.
Here's what i got, lets hear your ideas.
Since the car vibrates the desktop HS is worthless, it would go bad in a week. The laptop harddrive is a better choise and a few rubber gromets and it shoulda last a lifetime.
The 15" is WAY to big for the car, thus I'd need to find a drop down screen or a indash screen. The indash screens are too expensive 1200$ and more so that's not happening. I did realize that for 300 you can get 5,6 and 7" screens without mounting hardware, in otherwords, fiberglass a new centerconsole under or above the stereo. I don't want to relocate anything.
Where do I put a touchpad so it's accessable at all times since the dash is now cluddered? Where do I put a keyboard?
I could sow the keyboard into the sun guard, but that's semi permanent and I'd have to buy a new one when I sell the vehicle. The though pad could go get mounted into the armrest but that IS permanent.
since IDE cables aren't longer then what? 36" there is NO WAY to move the DVD tray to the front of the dash. Any dvd's will have to be changed during a pit stop. Since the rear seats have plenty of room under them that's where the puter can go in a custom vented ( possibly fan cooled ) plexiglass case with the dvd player.
For internet, a cellphone will work haven't though this one out AT ALL. I would have to use a OEM braket from nokia or whoever I get a cell phone from to use the cell phone and plug it into the car when needed. Internet isn't a high priority here. As for transfering the movies to the car, maybe I could benefit from a wireless lan card? they are fairly cheap right? 80$? haven't looked into this one AT ALL. Don't even know how wireless lan works at the moment.
The TV will have to be purchased to the whole deal, a TV/FM tuner is about 50$ that's no biggie and GPS is TOO easy.
So how does everything connect together?
Power- it's kinda pointless to get power by going DC-AC-DC isn't it? I've found a company that makes a 12v DC powersupply for computers. At 50-70$ a pierce this is a very good solution, ran through a spare slot on the fusebox in the car with appropriate protection it should work like a surgeprotector :D
Sound - Run everything through the Alpine ( which btw plays MP3's too )
HD- do they make adapters to connect a laptop HD to a IDE slot?
Video- easy, the prophet has tv-out and digital video connections
Input- Are there adapters for the keyboard and touch-pad or am I gonna have to splice then into some ps/2 cable? Will the same drivers work?
Then to accessorize I've run LED's and Power switch to the dash and mount them somewhere in the dash and can be used for the alarm as "the flasher"
what do you think? Is this feasable? Do you know anyone that's done something similar? What to do with the dang key board and touch-pad?
I'm not really sure this will really happen just yet. Since the Jeep is not a very permanent vehicle it may not be worth the work if it's only going to be around another 2 years or so. But I wanna feel the water. See if this can be done with a professionaly look without much money. I already have most of the stuff and got what I have FREE!!!
2003 is finally here and guess what I've dug up again? you're right!
SO here's what I got, what I though would work. What I NEED from you is ideas on how to make it better, or different to avoid problems.
I have
* a 400 p2 with mobo
* a 300 watt power supply
* a laptop with a 15" LCD screen
* a 10 gig IDE ATA/100 HD for a desktop PC and/or a 20 gig HD from a laptop
* a GPS antena
* a touch-pad from a laptop
* a super flat keyboard from a laptop
* 2 ethernet LAN cards
* a Gforce prophet DDR
* isa 56k modem
* 320 megs or PC-133
* a serial port GPS antena
* a cd/dvd/cd-r from a laptop
* toooooones of cables for wireing solutions
* a nice jeep
* an Alpine stereo with input/output connections
* skillz and materials to fiberglass some what complicated interior panels
my primary concerns are
* heat distribution
* accessablily
* removal options ( in other words, when I sell the vehicle I would like to salvage this system without havning to buy a whole new interior for the car )
What I would like to be able to use this for is MP3's, DVD, TV, GPS, digital movies, Mc randy roadmaps, Internet, and whatever else comes up, in other words upgradeable.
Here's what i got, lets hear your ideas.
Since the car vibrates the desktop HS is worthless, it would go bad in a week. The laptop harddrive is a better choise and a few rubber gromets and it shoulda last a lifetime.
The 15" is WAY to big for the car, thus I'd need to find a drop down screen or a indash screen. The indash screens are too expensive 1200$ and more so that's not happening. I did realize that for 300 you can get 5,6 and 7" screens without mounting hardware, in otherwords, fiberglass a new centerconsole under or above the stereo. I don't want to relocate anything.
Where do I put a touchpad so it's accessable at all times since the dash is now cluddered? Where do I put a keyboard?
I could sow the keyboard into the sun guard, but that's semi permanent and I'd have to buy a new one when I sell the vehicle. The though pad could go get mounted into the armrest but that IS permanent.
since IDE cables aren't longer then what? 36" there is NO WAY to move the DVD tray to the front of the dash. Any dvd's will have to be changed during a pit stop. Since the rear seats have plenty of room under them that's where the puter can go in a custom vented ( possibly fan cooled ) plexiglass case with the dvd player.
For internet, a cellphone will work haven't though this one out AT ALL. I would have to use a OEM braket from nokia or whoever I get a cell phone from to use the cell phone and plug it into the car when needed. Internet isn't a high priority here. As for transfering the movies to the car, maybe I could benefit from a wireless lan card? they are fairly cheap right? 80$? haven't looked into this one AT ALL. Don't even know how wireless lan works at the moment.
The TV will have to be purchased to the whole deal, a TV/FM tuner is about 50$ that's no biggie and GPS is TOO easy.
So how does everything connect together?
Power- it's kinda pointless to get power by going DC-AC-DC isn't it? I've found a company that makes a 12v DC powersupply for computers. At 50-70$ a pierce this is a very good solution, ran through a spare slot on the fusebox in the car with appropriate protection it should work like a surgeprotector :D
Sound - Run everything through the Alpine ( which btw plays MP3's too )
HD- do they make adapters to connect a laptop HD to a IDE slot?
Video- easy, the prophet has tv-out and digital video connections
Input- Are there adapters for the keyboard and touch-pad or am I gonna have to splice then into some ps/2 cable? Will the same drivers work?
Then to accessorize I've run LED's and Power switch to the dash and mount them somewhere in the dash and can be used for the alarm as "the flasher"
what do you think? Is this feasable? Do you know anyone that's done something similar? What to do with the dang key board and touch-pad?
I'm not really sure this will really happen just yet. Since the Jeep is not a very permanent vehicle it may not be worth the work if it's only going to be around another 2 years or so. But I wanna feel the water. See if this can be done with a professionaly look without much money. I already have most of the stuff and got what I have FREE!!!