frozen

I'll be putting a pc in my car fairly soon, just have a few questions about technical/logistics. The PC will act as mainly a music machine, however will double as an NES emulator (complete with original NES controllers), and probably also a DVD/Divx player. I have most of the PC parts lying around or I can salvage them from other PC's I have lying around, however I'll need to buy an LCD.
I'd like to do this as cheap as possible.

1. Sound. I don't have an amp/subs, but I plan on having them within the next 6 months or so. Does the sound card on the PC matter? IE: will I notice a difference between onboard AC'97 sound or a SoundBlaster Audigy sound card? This will probably mean the difference between using a PC or laptop...

2. Where to mount it. If I go with the laptop, under the passenger seat is easy... However, with a normal PC, where can I mount that? I'll chop up the case to make it as small as possible... I'd like to keep my spare tire (where I live it's very practical). I don't really want to do a 2 seater conversion, however I might be willing to do a 3 seater conversion, so that's another option. Any other places I'm overlooking? Maybe a place hidden that I don't know about?

3. Do most car PC's result in the removal of the head unit? I'll be mounting the screen in the DIN slots, this shouldn't be a problem with the amp install later...?

4. With the screen doing in the DIN slots, I'll probably get rid of the drink holders and put in a dvd slot there instead... Any suggestions on having drink holders elsewhere?

Thaks. I'll probably have more questions as I think about it.

javageek

Have you been to http://www.mp3car.com/?



As far as an LCD goes do you want one that is flip out? VGA? touchscreen? There are numerous options out there.

frozen

I'm hoping to use a touch screen, if I can get one on ebay for a good price.

I've been on mp3car, but more for software, frontends and whatnot... Just so much info, but I'm workin on it!

zoned019

1. You'll need a sound card, and 2 rca spliiters, and an amp. That's pretty much the only way to go about it.

2. I've been trying to decide this myself. I think under the seat is the most practical, or if you spend some money you can get a mini ITX machine and possibly fit it all behind the dash.

3. Yes. I would suggest molding your screen in the double din, that's what I did (actually, java did it for me wink1.gif), plus, it fits perfect. I reccommend the Liliput 7" VGA touch screen.

4. You can buy universal ones on ebay, I think tibby01 mounted them in the door panels, they fold up and look pretty clean. I haven't decided what to do about this myself yet though. Kind of something you just have to use your imagination with I guess....

BTW, mp3car forums would be able to help you much more than anyone here, there's only a handful of people planning or have put a carpc in a tib.

01tibby

1. i am using the onboard smart 5.1(changes the line in, mic, and line out jacks in the back to a total of 6 channel outs: sub/center, rear l/r, front l/r) sound from my mII10k board along with stereo splitters running to a 4 channel amp. i also have a sub amp, just havent gotten the subs in yet. the sound would occasionally pop at first, but the vinyl drivers from via fixed all popping. even before it was very seldom. i am plenty happy with the sound. enough that im not even considering going to usb sound.


2. i went with the c137 case and i have it under my passenger seat:
http://www.logicsupply.com/product_i...roducts_id=107

BUT omfg was it hard to get under there. i pounded down the floorboard with a sledge hammer, only to realize that the carpet adds a good 3 inches of padding right under the seat. so i cut a rectangle out in the carpet and fit the case right down in there. i also had to take off the return spring from under the passenger seat and trim/ bend a couple more things on the seat.


3. a lot of cars have additional space up front so that you can keep the headunit and still fit a screen in somewhere. our do not though. i scrapped the headunit alltogether. i have the screen and a dvd player molded into a radio surround upfront.


4. i bought some things on ebay and mounted them to my doors.



check out my "many many mods" thread in this forum. you will find pictures and answers to all of your questions.

MKE

if i were you, id go to mini-itx.com and buy something from them (or atlest get the product number and get it on ebay) the pc will be MUCH smaller, and for the most part be completely silent w/ no fans at all. but since you said you already have the components that's probably not an option. also with these, they wont require as much power and then you wont have to get a dc-ac adapter and have that running too. (just get the dc-dc psu)

as to where i'd mount it, i would probably take the spare out and make a case that fits in there, and then just extend the cables (use cat-5 cable- youll get almost no signal loss that way).

frozen

Just a small update. Bought an 8" VGA touchscreen on ebay for $200. I bought my car 2nd hand and it only came with a single din cover for the aftermarket HU that was in it, and I didn't even think to go and buy a double din one. I've cut up this one so much, it's almost molded perfectly to fit the screen. I picked up a mini ATX motherboard/1.6ghz cpu combo for 50 bucks on ebay (it has onboard video and 5.1 onboard audio). Had a 40 gb HD lying around. Converted 2 original NES controllers to USB for the emulator. Got a DC-DC PSU from someone on the mp3car forums for a good price. Just gonna use a slot-load dvd-rom drive for the moment. Picked up a right-angle PCI riser card for my wireless card, and I'm hoping this beast will fit under the passenger seat.

For sound, I'm not 100% decided on my setup, and could use some advice. I'm not putting in subs for a while, but when I do I'll get a mono amp specifically for it. I'm probably going to pick up a 4 channel amp and run the tweeters on one channel, run the woofers on 2 channels (bridged?) and then the mids on the last channel. Is this a logical way of doing it? I will of course be replacing all of the speakers, as well.

This car is really absorbing more of my money than I thought it would when i bought it haha.gif

All this combined with winter tires and rims i just got... I need to find a better job.

FYI if you think it gets cold where you live... I have my winter tires on my car yesterday, as it's been snowing since then. Reminds me, I have to get a brush.

1ucb4u

hehe buzzed can't get Quote's to work...[/quote]
For sound, I'm not 100% decided on my setup, and could use some advice. I'm not putting in subs for a while, but when I do I'll get a mono amp specifically for it. I'm probably going to pick up a 4 channel amp and run the tweeters on one channel, run the woofers on 2 channels (bridged?) and then the mids on the last channel. Is this a logical way of doing it? I will of course be replacing all of the speakers


[/quote]
Sounds about right...Planing on this soon and seems you have it figured out mostly!!!!
(againg Buzzed Really,Really bad day!!! )Uggggh women!!!!