in car pc

dragon · Post by **dragon** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 12:56 pm

Should do, yes - I intend to use my old laptop as the "computer" (thus avoiding the whole PSU issue), and I hope to have this under the seat out of the way and use the screen on it's own (along with some on-screen keyboard software) - it it works well, I'll be a very happy man

robkendall · Post by **robkendall** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 12:59 pm

does your laptop run off straight 12v.....had loads,and ive found that no 2 brands have the same input voltage!
some toshiba ones have 18v, some ive seen as low as 9v

rgrds
rob

dragon · Post by **dragon** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 1:20 pm

Indeed you are correct - I've seen them as high as 24V - I think mine uses 18.5V, but I have got a regulated multi-voltage adaptor that plonks in a cigarrette lighter, which I picked up on ebay for about 7 quid, which will give me the correct voltage AND sort out the potential spiking/overcharge from the car 12V. Also using the laptop has the advantage that the battery will keep the unit poweered up whilst you turn the engine over so it can go in the normal 12V supply (my radar detector reboots when I turn the engine ever due to a minute loss of 12v as you engage the starter) - also means I have a "suspend" mode which can be used when I get out of the car - the laptop battery will keep the system in hibernation for days without the car being started/being plugged into the electrics - just need to be careful not to leave it too long else it'll drain the car battery quicker

robkendall · Post by **robkendall** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 2:20 pm

sounds like a lot less hassle to go the laptop route....maybe like you gaz, and have a touch screen.
hopefully will have it sorted eventually!

rgrds
rob

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Thu Jul 29, 2004 1:14 pm

I got my mini pc today

What do you think of that then ?

robkendall · Post by **robkendall** » Thu Jul 29, 2004 2:13 pm

looks good.
is the space at the side of the cpu socket for the hdd?
looks like youre gonna have to get a laptop hdd for it.
might email the seller see if theyve got more!!
rgrds
rob

MatBat · Post by **MatBat** » Thu Jul 29, 2004 3:22 pm

Wow martin has hands as big as a PC!

dragon · Post by **dragon** » Thu Jul 29, 2004 5:32 pm

Looks neat... you're still going to have to overcome the PSU issue though, I'd imagine?
How much did you pay for it? I reckon you could build that for Â£120 or so with parts from mini-itx.com?

Just noticed they also sell a natty little PSU for powering mini-itx boards within a vehicle
for only Â£49: http://www.mini-itx.com/store/default.asp?c=10#p1807

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Thu Jul 29, 2004 6:10 pm

Yes it's a place for a laptop drive. I have a 15gig drive for it.
cost me 40 for the pc.

Came with a laptop type psu & some cpu thermal stuff.

Murf · Post by **Murf** » Thu Jul 29, 2004 9:42 pm

very neat!
mat beat be to the "either thats a tiny pc or martins got huge hands joke"!
it shouldnt need a full ATX psu as it has a DC input jack on the side, probably run it off a cigar lighter notebookjk adapter.

i dont think the mini itx psu's have low dropout components so they probably wouldnt survive crank, also they are only 60w so tou'd have to be VERY carefull about your choice of components!
the itx motherboards are pretty neat as well, thats what i would have used if i had the money to buy new stuff!!!

LASEROWL · Post by **LASEROWL** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 7:39 am

http://www.itx-warehouse.co.uk/productlist.aspx?Cid=36

Intresting site with loads of stuff ideal for your car pc. They even stock a voltage dropout device, see link.

allthingsvolvo · Post by **allthingsvolvo** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 4:40 pm

Hi chaps is this any good for your projects ? runs on 12v plays mp3 !!!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... eName=WDVW

http://www.pricerunner.co.uk/sound-and- ... 16/details

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 10:20 pm

not unless u just want movies/mp3

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Sat Jul 31, 2004 10:17 pm

My little pc is kick arse cool !!

1gig pentium cpu / 128ram / 15 gig hdd / cd-rom drive/ 10/100 ethernet and I have a 56k modem built in!

runs win98 and i'm using it to post this message

robkendall · Post by **robkendall** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 8:15 am

as an answer to the cranking up yje car,killing pc problem

hows about running it off a capacitor first?
theryre readily available for running things like amps and such.
am sure this would work,and not cause a problem?
rgrds
rob

Glival · Post by **Glival** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 9:18 am

There are also mini-ITX cases available that fit in a DIN-slot (car-radio); unfortunately, they're a little too deep to fit in a 480.

If you don't need a lot of disk space (if your mp3s are on CD for example), you could buy a compactflash-card instead of a hard disk drive; it's quite expensive and has less space, but should be enough to install Linux + some programs. The advantages are less power consumption, no moving parts (more reliable on bumpy roads

) and it's smaller. But since it costs about â‚¬150 for an adapter and a 512MB CF-card, I don't think it's worth it

Some weeks ago Bakke told me he was working on a project:

Looks nice

Daniel #1250 · Post by **Daniel #1250** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 5:10 pm

the painted center console with lcd screen looks nice indeed...

...Maybe I should take my old compaq and put in the car...only problem is the keyboard..it's too big...What should I use instead? a mouse? a touch pad? or a (expensive) touch screen?

robkendall · Post by **robkendall** » Sun Aug 01, 2004 8:51 pm

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 64817&rd=1

only just over an hour to go...similar to MHUKs setup i think
would bid meself, but am skint at mo

rgrds
rob

Website · Post by **coyote1980** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 8:20 am

Wouldn't this be great: you get home, park your car, leave the PC running, have a strong WiFi card inserted and you can upload new music for the next day from your desktop inside your house

I think in the car a touchscreen would be best to control the PC..

robkendall · Post by **robkendall** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 1:15 pm

what size screen is that (for both bakke and murf)
what did it come off?
rgrds
rob