Hey Toe I didn't know what Megasquirt was so I looked it up. It seems like a really ambitious project. Good luck. You should definitely do a "how to" as I am dying to convert my CC carb to fuel injection, but 2-3Grand for bolt in system is really steep.
Keep us posted on how that goes.

 

Excuse me. Would it be possible to get pictures or a list of what you used to build your computer? Buying and installing the screen is easy and i appreciate the labor you put into it. But how dou plug in a computer into a car? And where does the navigation system go? part of thecomputer or separate system?

 

No problem Bobby.
It's easier to answer you question in reverse order.
All a navigation sysytem is, is a GPS antenna and software to translate the signals received from the antenna. Nowadays there are USB GPS antennas that plug into the computer, so simply yes, the computer is the navigation system.

As for the computer itself, it is just a computer like a laptop or a desktop. A laptop either plugs into the wall or runs on a rechargeable battery for power, a desktop plugs into the wall, a carputer is simply powered off the car battery exactly like an audio amp would.

The only components you need for a working computer are:
- motherboard with CPU (AMD, Intel Pentium, etc)
- power supply (this the only difference between laptop, desktop & carputer)
- Ram
- hard drive
- keyboard
That's it, it won't do much, but that's it to have a working computer.
Add an operating system like Windows or Linux and a DVD drive and some software....
and then you can play MP3, watch DVD, play games, basically anything your home computer can do except surf the web or check email
and that is possible if you add a WiFi card.

These are the specific components I used
Voom PC (carputer)

Some people like Toe want to hook up and monitor their engine functions. Again someone out there has made a cable of some sort that will either plug into the sensors and the computer or plug into the existing car engine computer and then usually someone else will have written the software to translate the signals.

There is an entire website dedicated to this MP3car.com and I spent about 2 years "lurking" there and learning before I bought my first piece of carputer equipment. I'm trying to digest that knowledge for everyone here.

I hope that helped.

 

You have no idea how much that helped. I had no idea I could it could be so cheap and easy. I have a computer background and i'm jsut gettign into the car electronic aspect. My friend from school is into both like a mad man he could help me out big time.

Just so you have an idea of what i'm doing. I'm taking a camaro red LED digital dash and installign it into my 86 trans am. Now the trans am has the very long dash with the big 4 gauges. The digital dash will only take up the first two gauges. And there will be a nice empty space to the right of the steering wheel where I hope to install a lcd screen. Make a frame out of fiberglass and bolts it right in. If it doesn;t work or i have too much trouble find a screen small enough but not too small i will jsut do what you did and install it into the radio bezel. I'll gladly make a thread like you did in teh spring time. This winter is going to slow me down havign it be so darn cold. You can fidn the dash i'm talking about on ebay. Type camaro digtial dash.

Let me know what you think. one thirdgen lover to another.


Also do you prefer any specific software for the gps system? i don't want to download something that is total junk haha. THANKS FOR ALL YOU HELP!

 

It's been four months since I started this project, but I finally put together some more "how to" as far as mounting the computer or amps inside the back seats. Without further delay the project continues...

 

continued

 

8,9,10

 

steps 11, 12, 13

 

14, 15, 16

 

17, 18, 19

 

20,21,22

 

23,24,25

 

26,27,28

 

29,30 plus what's to come.....in case the lcd touch screen fails or freezes I wanted a qwerty keyboard back up. So I installed a mini ps2 keyboard in the ashtray. It is completely hidden with the ashtray door closed and is attached to the door with velcro. It attaches to the the computer via USB port.
Every cable (computer or audio in the entire system is hidden behind panels or under the center console or under the carpet.

 

keyboard

 

Excellent write up. Thanks.

 

Has anyone tried to mount something like this in the digital dash info center area?

 

This thread seems to have died, but I cam accross this

http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/em...tigo/index.jsp

that would actually fit in a single din radio slot. an entire computer.. I think this may be what I end up using. USB ports right up front, then just take a VGA cable down to an LCD screen. or even just mount it behind the screen..

thought some one might like this. (not to steal the thread, but it has been dead for a wile now..)

 

That's really nice. I used the "mini" form factor and now they have the "pico". Amazing how things change in a year. In our cars however you would still have screen placement issue.
Sure this would fit in the DIN space but where would you put the screen?
Mounting behind the screen is not a good idea becasue you need access much more often than you may think. These things require tons of trouble shooting especially once you get into the wi-fi stuff.
Good luck and post a thread on your progress.

 

I personaly wont be doing wifi no one in my town supports it lol. I would run a usb hub to bring the USB to the front though.

 

It's been a while but the project is not dead.
So now follow along as I install the DVD+/-RW slot drive inside the dash pad, again so that it would not take up any extra room in the car.

 

continued

 

still going

 

final set

 

installed pics

 

thats awesome, very nicely hidden.

 

Now I concentrate on voice activation AND response for various functions...
First there was K.I.T.T...
then his evil twin K.A.R.R....
Now there will be their unknown hot sister...
K.I.M.M Knight Industries Millenium Model

(I figured I go with a sexy female voice since my wife will probably divorce me for all the time I spend on this car)

 

Amazing job on everything! I would love to do this but I don't know much about electronic stuff (all the wires tick me off). That and the fact that I want to upgrade my suspension first.

I was thinking, could you use an LCD screen than comes out of a narrow slot in the dash then flips up so you can still maintin more of the stock look? Or are those really expensive?

Anyway, great job!!

 

Hmmmm Isn't this whole hobby really expensive?

As for your screen idea, that would definitely be possible with the right creativity and skill. You may be interested in this guy's flip up setup.

 

Amazing you have in spired me

 

Yeah that is pretty neat. Thanks for the link.

By "really expensive" I meant would it be a significant amount more than the kind of screen you used.

 

Racing Geek,
For a flip up lcd screen, you would use the same one I used, but you would have to design the "pop out" and "flip up" mechanisms so cost wise it would be more, but by how much depends on your designs. I haven't seen a pre made stand alone flip up screen yet, only those that come built into OEM headunits.

 

thats sweet, i always wanted a pc in my car. great job

 

Glad to see you still working on this! Dont they make slimmer slot load dvd drives? Or are those just CD drives... I thought I remembered seeing one that someone was able to mount in their sun visor. Not that you'd want to change now since you have it mounted...

I was going to hide my drive behind my dash somewhere, and just leave the slot exposed...sort of like a cd player.

Looks good!

J.

 

That is a slot load DVD+/-RW, usually used in laptops, it's mounted in an external case. you would only save about a 1/16 of an inch on top and bottom for a total of an 1/8" if you didn't use the external case. BUT, then you wouldn't have the nice pre-fab'd plastic housing.
I'd be interested in seeing a visor mount system if you could find a link. Always loooking for new ideas.
In fact with everything my carputer can do, it doesn't have an am/fm radio and I happen to have a couple head units laying around so I'd like to mount the face plate to the sunvisor and put the actual head unit under the seat or something.
Ghetto By the way on your gauges, I took a cue from you and kept my service lights when I converted to the digital dash. Love your set up.

 

Thanks for the compliment man. The gauges came out good and I really like the set up. Oh...just a tip on that if you do it similar to mine. Dont use a 194 or 164 bulb to light the SES light or the Brake light. It gets too hot. My SES one looks like it melted and slid down some.

Ide use a cooler tiny bulb, or an LED. That should be ok. Mine was on for awhile while I was working on something with the key on...and thats when it happened.

Ill find a link to the visor mount cd drive for ya...it was pretty nice.

J.

 

Here ya go bro. I think this guy posts on here... Anyway, Ill post up some pics of the install, and then a link to his build page. He has a pretty slick set up and it turned out well. Its a 4th gen camaro too....so some of it could apply for ya.





It doesnt actually look much slimmer than yours now that I look at it. But its hard to tell. I dont think his is a burner either. Might just be a dvd-rom. But...its cool and worth checking out anyway.

Those pics arent til like page 6. Here is the link to the build.

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...at-delete.html

J.

 

Cool Stuff...

Here's my car computer... it's a VoomPC has a 12v power supply (I think it can run from 6 to 24v) 100 gig HD, 1 gig of RAM, 1.6 mobile pentium processor running XP... It goes inside that black amp looking case and its not much bigger than a CD...



It's going in this car... This is not my actual car, but I have this same dash with Xenarc 8.4 inch touchscreen in it waiting to be installed...



Check out this video! This voice recognition program will let you speak commands to your computer via microphone and it will respond with whatever wav or mp3 file you tell it to. I used a few samples from my personal 4,841 KR phrase collection. You have to create the voice commands (type in the phrase to respond to) and then tell the program which wav / mp3 file to play as a response.

Keep in mind, the following Demo, I'm speaking rather loud because my lap top computer is in a lower shelf of the desk, kinda boxed in, fans running loudly & I have no idea where the built in mic is, but it did very well as you can see! Computer is a 1.7 Ghz with 512k XP OS.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...95752202482161

I do sell the 4,841 phrases DVD if anyone interested... $50

http://knightregistries.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3795

Raf

 

Ghettocruiser- Thanks for the pics. I did use LEDS behind my dash indicator lights, but only because I figured while I had the whole dash apart, I'd upgrade to all LEDs. It's too bright though, I used the 9 LED 194 replacements from superbrightleds. They are great for the turn signals and high beam indicator because they are set much further back but for the check engine and brake etc, they are only like 1/2" behind the plastic film and instead of just illuminating the plastic film you can see the hole outline of the LEDs if you know ehat I mean.

That visor install is BRILLIANT! I love installations that don't take up extra room or can be completely hidden. I never thought of that. Damn I wish I hadn't cut up my stock 83 dash now. Now if I can only figure out out to stuff a subwoofer and amp in the driver's side rear well and make it look good. I like things that are hidden but look good, does that make me crazy? Who knows. Time to learn fiberglassing I guess....

Luvofjah - speak of the Devil, I'm the guy that bought the "links" and "how to" from you on eBay just yesterday! I'm vulture83 on eBay. Small world I guess. I haven't got around to reading any of the material yet. We have almost identical hardware setups.
Thanks for the links

 

Microsoft sells navigation though, think it's called "Autoroute". Guess you could download one and try it out, I have one in my library already, just no car pc to try it on yet. Lol

Should work fine on any laptop too though, if youbuy a $60 sattelite navigation antenna for it.

 

Dude if I was to build something like this my "Whats up" display for my EBL Flash would be a permanent mainstay in my car.

 

dude i ve been trying to put a computer in my car but i wasnt sure what kind of case to use i love the amp case.

 

This is an AWESOME Thread! I've learned tons, and when I get the Money, I'm totally going to use your Set-up and instructions, NightCruzer. You've put alot of effort and time into this, and that's highly respectable. Again, great Job, and thank you.

 

I know this old, but thought people who havent seen it would like too. that CD in the dash pad is awsome thats totaly what I'm going to do. I'll be using a micro-ITX board with an AMD sempron 140 45W CPU and a notebook hard drive. in a custom case that I'm working on that should fit in the cuby be hind the touchscreen. (I hope need to go messuare it all)

 

if any one is still wondering about the carputer thing here is a link to form-factor sizes for motherboards and cases. If you wanted to build a custom enclosure or just wanted size reference

http://www.formfactors.org