[the VTEC guy]

wow that is fantastic installation. Frankly this is the first time I realised there are such things available in market. just fundu! definetly an inspiration to install on in my car.

[nisarg86]

He he. car-pc threads are heating up.
Netarchie. would definitely love to test the Phone function. PM me you number.
if you are saying that normal mic is doing pretty good job. then Andrea that i got would be definitely better.
After seeing the screenshot.Wish i could use that OBD function in my swift. :(
Will bug you if something comes up in my mind.
Happy Carputing.

[srishiva]

With so many neat carputer installs, who wants to have a head unit anymore in cars? These are so flexibile and can do anything(you can pay your gas bills, toll bills through bluetooth and add them up to car maintenance)

[Turbo Head]

Amazing Installation, to be honest this is one of its kind I have ever seen. Needless have to say that you have left me thoroughly impressed

[ghpk]

Congrats, Congrats and its Awesome.

Don't take your car to Auth. Service Center, They'll keep your car till they show it to company officials and make it a OEM equipment, with such a good neat, clean, impressive, tempting, useful, equipped, mind-blowing, and what not, its just outstanding all others.

feel like coming mumbai, one reason (sshhhh to meet frankmehta) and see this carputer.

Congrats again.

[wildon]

wow.. Simply the Best installation and execution i ever seen on a Car :-)

[StarVegabond]

Hi Netarchie

thanks for asnwering my previous lot of questions, i have some more

1. I understand that you have positioned the PC under the seat, is it driver's seat or passenger seat ?, is there any restrictions for the seat movement due to this positioning ?
2. What benefits / flexibility you have experienced with a PC Vs an fully integrated PDA/smart phone. i would guess screen size to be one, any other benefits ?
3. How do you see the comparison of your car PC Vs the rear/front seat entertainment system.
4. How is the performance of FM/AM radio when you are simultaneously using the GSM phone as well as GPS, have you found any interference issues ?
5. What is the additional weight of total unit including additional wire harness?
6. how good is the visibility of the movies/etc from the rear window seats ?
7. How much time (in hrs/days) you spent on this project ?
8. how much it cost you in all ?

thanks in advance.

[navin]

What NetArchie has done is very impresive. I am not easily impressed but this impresses me maybe becuase I know absolutely nada about computers. The fit, the integration, the execution - it not the tangled web of wires older car PC installs looked like. You could well get a Atom laptop (about 20K) and a 7" screen (5K) and use that. I am quite sure that there is software outhere that can offer any/all audio controls including Time Alignment (names of these software would be nice).

This might be the BIG game changer for car audio.

If car PCs like this become more popular and I dont see any reason they wont (as PC boot times drop to seconds from minutes) old foggies like me will fianlly be put to pasture.

One solution to fast boot times would be to dump the OS on a ROM (along with the BIOS) and have a one box solution like a netbook using Intel’s Moblin 2.0 platform. There are fringe companies like Jensen and Audiovox who are working on solutions like this. Once you get flash drives in the 128GB space you wont even need a hard disk unless you are intending to store TBs of MPs, video, etc..Now if you are integrating ipod/mp3 player suppport into this car PC storage is not an issue anyway. The advantage of integrating mp3 player suppport is that different users can carry their music with them from car to car.

The trick would be to isolate the PC's power supply from the car's battery for the first few seconds (when you crank the engine the car's abttery is severly taxed and voltage drops to under 10V) so the object here would be to start the PC once the key is in the ignition using a Li-on battery and then switch to the car's battery after ignition. Now if the same Li-on battery pack can be used to power the amps you can get a few minutes of power from this battery pack till the car is cranked and the alternator is generating 12V+. If the alternator is generating 12V+ it can charge teh Li-on battery.

[smokin]

superb DIY!! great going

so CAR pc is picking uo the pace in india too

wish i could have the same obd working in my car


congratz again


EDIT: you can stick the gps onto the windshield if it's a bluetooth one or if USB then i wpuld prefer under A-pillar which i am using it flawlessly

[ImmortalZ]

navin, there are DRC software for PC. For a complete read, including names of audiophile level outboard sound solutions on the PC, check out this article at AnandTech. Grab a coffee before you start though - it is a thoroughly gripping and long read.

[netarchie]

Originally Posted by Digital Vampire

Excellent Install!!! Almost Perfect!!!

For more details on USB TPMS visit the Mp3Car thread on the same.
I've originally built one with the microcontroller from Robby sometime in 2007 but later preferred to get the complete single board kit itself from Lok.They work great but there were some initial gremlins which are now sorted out. In fact I was one of the beta testers for the TPMS kit. Please feel free to ask if you need any additional information.

Thank you.Nice to know you have tested the kit, there was another guy in fluxmedia forums who had developed a kit specifically for carpc tpms usage.
I will surely trouble you when the time comes.

Originally Posted by the VTEC guy

wow that is fantastic installation. Frankly this is the first time I realised there are such things available in market. just fundu! definetly an inspiration to install on in my car.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by srishiva

With so many neat carputer installs, who wants to have a head unit anymore in cars? These are so flexibile and can do anything(you can pay your gas bills, toll bills through bluetooth and add them up to car maintenance)

Right, the practical usability of a carpc is almost endless.

Originally Posted by Turbo Head

Amazing Installation, to be honest this is one of its kind I have ever seen. Needless have to say that you have left me thoroughly impressed

Thank you!

Originally Posted by ghpk

Congrats, Congrats and its Awesome.

Don't take your car to Auth. Service Center, They'll keep your car till they show it to company officials and make it a OEM equipment, with such a good neat, clean, impressive, tempting, useful, equipped, mind-blowing, and what not, its just outstanding all others.

feel like coming mumbai, one reason (sshhhh to meet frankmehta) and see this carputer.

Congrats again.

Thank you for the kind words, it is indeed flattering.

Originally Posted by wildon

wow.. Simply the Best installation and execution i ever seen on a Car :-)

Thank you!

Originally Posted by navin

What NetArchie has done is very impresive. I am not easily impressed but this impresses me maybe becuase I know absolutely nada about computers. The fit, the integration, the execution - it not the tangled web of wires older car PC installs looked like. You could well get a Atom laptop (about 20K) and a 7" screen (5K) and use that. I am quite sure that there is software outhere that can offer any/all audio controls including Time Alignment (names of these software would be nice).

This might be the BIG game changer for car audio.

If car PCs like this become more popular and I dont see any reason they wont (as PC boot times drop to seconds from minutes) old foggies like me will fianlly be put to pasture.

One solution to fast boot times would be to dump the OS on a ROM (along with the BIOS) and have a one box solution like a netbook using Intel’s Moblin 2.0 platform. There are fringe companies like Jensen and Audiovox who are working on solutions like this. Once you get flash drives in the 128GB space you wont even need a hard disk unless you are intending to store TBs of MPs, video, etc..Now if you are integrating ipod/mp3 player suppport into this car PC storage is not an issue anyway. The advantage of integrating mp3 player suppport is that different users can carry their music with them from car to car.

The trick would be to isolate the PC's power supply from the car's battery for the first few seconds (when you crank the engine the car's abttery is severly taxed and voltage drops to under 10V) so the object here would be to start the PC once the key is in the ignition using a Li-on battery and then switch to the car's battery after ignition. Now if the same Li-on battery pack can be used to power the amps you can get a few minutes of power from this battery pack till the car is cranked and the alternator is generating 12V+. If the alternator is generating 12V+ it can charge teh Li-on battery.

Thank you very much Navin. Honestly even I was impressed by the wiring job and how neatly it was done in the done, ofcourse I had my own share of trouble ;-), the credit should go the guy who did the job. Great guy and very knowledgeable as well.
Though there is lot of issues associated with a car pc install. Reliability being the biggest of them!
I will post the details of the wiring job done soon.

Originally Posted by smokin

superb DIY!! great going

so CAR pc is picking uo the pace in india too

wish i could have the same obd working in my car


congratz again


EDIT: you can stick the gps onto the windshield if it's a bluetooth one or if USB then i wpuld prefer under A-pillar which i am using it flawlessly

Thank you. I might change into a USB gps , will fix a location then.

Thanks all.

[netarchie]

Originally Posted by nisarg86

He he. car-pc threads are heating up.
Netarchie. would definitely love to test the Phone function. PM me you number.
if you are saying that normal mic is doing pretty good job. then Andrea that i got would be definitely better.
After seeing the screenshot.Wish i could use that OBD function in my swift. :(
Will bug you if something comes up in my mind.
Happy Carputing.

Sure is, Its time to have a dedicated carpc meet now.
and you have go a PM.

[netarchie]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

Hi Netarchie

thanks for asnwering my previous lot of questions, i have some more
thanks in advance.

Most welcome!

1. I understand that you have positioned the PC under the seat, is it driver's seat or passenger seat ?, is there any restrictions for the seat movement due to this positioning ?

Its under the rear seat, in fact ANHC has a nice place to some audio/carpc installation underneath.

2. What benefits / flexibility you have experienced with a PC Vs an fully integrated PDA/smart phone. i would guess screen size to be one, any other benefits ?

A pc offers endless possibilities which you can do with, though i am using limited functions only at the moment. Having a touch screen integrated to your center console to control your PC is not only convenient but also adds to overall excitement while driving.
Love the in car entertainment oops computing ;-) experience.
3. How do you see the comparison of your car PC Vs the rear/front seat entertainment system.

Car pc is hobby and comparing it to the normal ICE which you can just fit and forget is difficult, I am not scaring you here, but a car pc will not give you the peace of mind which a regular dvd player or any other ICE systems which just switches on with the car, play what you want and shuts down when you leave your car.
With a car pc , it’s like a process, you run into trouble ,you troubleshoot it so on and so forth, but in the end when everything just works its blissful !!
4. How is the performance of FM/AM radio when you are simultaneously using the GSM phone as well as GPS, have you found any interference issues ?

I do not have a FM/AM yet in the car, planning to get something soon. No interference with my gps phone and gps, works independently and perfectly.
5. What is the additional weight of total unit including additional wire harness?

Should be less than 3 kgs, maybe, never thought of measuring it.

6. how good is the visibility of the movies/etc from the rear window seats ?

Even though the option is there , never going to use it. Maybe I will connect a second screen dedicated for rear passengers. But nothing planned yet.

7. How much time (in hrs/days) you spent on this project ?
More than couple of month from planning, acquiring to installation and still counting!!
8. how much it cost you in all ?

I will be putting up the cost separately for all the individual items soon. Meanwhile if you want to know the cost of any particular item, do let me know.

[navin]

Originally Posted by netarchie

Right, the practical usability of a carpc is almost endless.
Though there is lot of issues associated with a car pc install. Reliability being the biggest of them!

Agreed reliability is essential, boot time is another. Currently boot times are in the order of 30 sec-1 minute with most car PCs needing about 45-50 secs.

A car PC might have many uses but I like to consdier what the user needs instead of what the car pC can do. If the user only needs a good stereo system maybe a car PC is too much hardware, If however bluetooth communication, GPS, etc.. are required then a car PC starts making sense.

[StarVegabond]

Thanks netarchie for patiently answering all my questions
i just remembered couple of more..

Does this PC has wireless LAN / Wi-Fi, if no, do you plan to add it ?
how do you see Wimax or a 3G broadband modem getting integrated into such a PC ?
this will open up endless possibilities.

Have you tried the Text to Voice feature of windows ?, i had seen a windowns version (i do not remember which one), in which a blind person can also use the windows software using a a brail keyboard. the OS shouts back what he is typing and what is the status. such a voice implementation would be very beneficial in a car PC
what do you think ?