Proposal: Computer *in* your car
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Proposal: Computer *in* your car
I have found some mighty nice motherboards and such that are designed for such usage. Small enough to fit in the glove box, with some work, and uses just a small external power supply that can definitely be sourced with an appropriate car adapter.
If someone has a LCD in the car and want to try and build a computer to attach to it, I can help. I am willing to give you cost price, and free labour to try and build one. Cost would be very little, the board goes for $100, plus a chip and RAM, etc, HDD, etc, won't be more than $500, compared to a laptop at $1000+. Plus this would in the end be built-in, directly hooked up, etc.
Of course, this is all in the "conceptualization" stage. I'm hoping I can find an interested party, and then go through some technical possibilities, and possibly start work on a project car.
PM me, discuss here, whatever. I think this could be a cool thing to do!
If someone has a LCD in the car and want to try and build a computer to attach to it, I can help. I am willing to give you cost price, and free labour to try and build one. Cost would be very little, the board goes for $100, plus a chip and RAM, etc, HDD, etc, won't be more than $500, compared to a laptop at $1000+. Plus this would in the end be built-in, directly hooked up, etc.
Of course, this is all in the "conceptualization" stage. I'm hoping I can find an interested party, and then go through some technical possibilities, and possibly start work on a project car.
PM me, discuss here, whatever. I think this could be a cool thing to do!
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Rep Power: 0 If you where to do this could you set it up so if you have an output on your soundboard then to your input on your deck for MP3's? Sounds right. Would it have a CD drive to import files?
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Rep Power: 0 Yes, the soundcard would output to aux of the sound system, and monitor or TV out will go to LCD. HDD can be a laptop HDD if such space is needed (or noise/heat), and CDRom can be an external USB (for portability and size). Ideally the only component in the compartment would be the mobo/cpu/RAM/all-in-one and HDD. All other components can connect through USB. And add wireless keyboard with builtin trackball mouse or smthg (i have a small acer one that may do the trick).
We can even *buy* an extra glove compartment for mounting this so we can drill-insulate and such, and install appropriate fans and ****.
I don't have LCD, so trying to see if anyone with one is interested.
We can even *buy* an extra glove compartment for mounting this so we can drill-insulate and such, and install appropriate fans and ****.
I don't have LCD, so trying to see if anyone with one is interested.
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Rep Power: 0 This way the mobo is typically 8" by 8", with other parts, it'll only be 3" thick at most, and most parts won't be 1" thick. THis can easily fit into the glove.
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Rep Power: 0 Well, I was ballparking, with misc parts. But can you fit a ATX or even microATX board with ATX P/S and such into a glovebox?
I'm talking ultra small boards. $500 is estimated total spending, including external CD/DVD (or even internal if use laptop DVD drive).
I'm talking ultra small boards. $500 is estimated total spending, including external CD/DVD (or even internal if use laptop DVD drive).
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This is strictly a hobbyish, techno-geek thing. Just wanna see if it's possible. As I said, COST on all parts. I'll even give the person donating the project car my invoices from the suppliers. There.
This is strictly a hobbyish, techno-geek thing. Just wanna see if it's possible. As I said, COST on all parts. I'll even give the person donating the project car my invoices from the suppliers. There.
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im interested... this has to be planned out really well before i'll actually go through..
kinda tired/sleepy, so i just skimmed through, but will re-read your posts in the morning...
it would be sweet to have store movies in teh hard drive too...
im interested... this has to be planned out really well before i'll actually go through..
kinda tired/sleepy, so i just skimmed through, but will re-read your posts in the morning...
it would be sweet to have store movies in teh hard drive too...
Originally posted by MSoft
Well, I was ballparking, with misc parts. But can you fit a ATX or even microATX board with ATX P/S and such into a glovebox?
I'm talking ultra small boards. $500 is estimated total spending, including external CD/DVD (or even internal if use laptop DVD drive).
Well, I was ballparking, with misc parts. But can you fit a ATX or even microATX board with ATX P/S and such into a glovebox?
I'm talking ultra small boards. $500 is estimated total spending, including external CD/DVD (or even internal if use laptop DVD drive).
as far as your 'auto PC' is concerned, it's a great idea, a lot of people make custom PCs off those micro mobos, in a nintendo, PS2, a toaster, etc etc... it's certainly feasible.
I want to build one too, eventually, I think I have most of the parts laying around at home...
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Rep Power: 0 Hehe, the biggest investment is the LCD.
This is an ITX format mobo, even smaller than mATX!! And runs off an external power supply. It's cool ****.
I hope someone will be interested and it can be our summer project, heh heh
This is an ITX format mobo, even smaller than mATX!! And runs off an external power supply. It's cool ****.
I hope someone will be interested and it can be our summer project, heh heh
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Rep Power: 0 Originally posted by EBP2K2
i dont think he knows which mobo you are talking about, haha.
as far as your 'auto PC' is concerned, it's a great idea, a lot of people make custom PCs off those micro mobos, in a nintendo, PS2, a toaster, etc etc... it's certainly feasible.
I want to build one too, eventually, I think I have most of the parts laying around at home...
i dont think he knows which mobo you are talking about, haha.
as far as your 'auto PC' is concerned, it's a great idea, a lot of people make custom PCs off those micro mobos, in a nintendo, PS2, a toaster, etc etc... it's certainly feasible.
I want to build one too, eventually, I think I have most of the parts laying around at home...
I always abide by a 5-10% margin when I sell my computers, as that is fair market rate. So I never overcharge. And in this case, I haven't even posted a fixed amount and someone already posts that they can get a robust home PC with that cost..........
Originally posted by MSoft
Hehe, the biggest investment is the LCD.
This is an ITX format mobo, even smaller than mATX!! And runs off an external power supply. It's cool ****.
I hope someone will be interested and it can be our summer project, heh heh
Hehe, the biggest investment is the LCD.
This is an ITX format mobo, even smaller than mATX!! And runs off an external power supply. It's cool ****.
I hope someone will be interested and it can be our summer project, heh heh
widescreen action.!
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Rep Power: 0 Actually it might be a tight fit, unless there is a few inches smaller off the current one I am seeing. Another great idea is to mount it on the floor and than have some custom fabrication (carpet?) and cover it... so like the floor is raised up by 4-5 inches.
watewate: those micro mobos are actually just normal ATX style.
We are looking something like this right?
watewate: those micro mobos are actually just normal ATX style.
We are looking something like this right?
Last edited by AzimuthX; Apr 26, 2003 at 12:44 AM.
Originally posted by AzimuthX
Actually it might be a tight fit, unless there is a few inches smaller off the current one I am seeing. Another great idea is to mount it on the floor and than have some custom fabrication (carpet?) and cover it... so like the floor is raised up by 4-5 inches.
watewate: those micro mobos are actually just normal ATX style.
Actually it might be a tight fit, unless there is a few inches smaller off the current one I am seeing. Another great idea is to mount it on the floor and than have some custom fabrication (carpet?) and cover it... so like the floor is raised up by 4-5 inches.
watewate: those micro mobos are actually just normal ATX style.
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170mm x 170mm all in one performance motherboard for about 170us...
http://www.viamainboard.com/product/...therboardId=81
170mm x 170mm all in one performance motherboard for about 170us...
http://www.viamainboard.com/product/...therboardId=81
Last edited by AzimuthX; Apr 26, 2003 at 12:52 AM.
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Rep Power: 0 Yah, those are it. They're not mATX, they're even smaller, and uses ITX power.
I can get them for less than $179. The last one you have listed is ATX and won't work. The ITX uses an external P/S and that's why it's good for such app. Yah, mounting on the floor is ok, like at the rear passenger floor, but not as good as glove box.
I can get them for less than $179. The last one you have listed is ATX and won't work. The ITX uses an external P/S and that's why it's good for such app. Yah, mounting on the floor is ok, like at the rear passenger floor, but not as good as glove box.
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From: mr. and mississsauga, Ontario, Canada
Rep Power: 0 i figured i can buy a cheapo laptop (pentium 200mhz with cd), remove the LCD screen, hook it up somewhere and put the rest of the laptop under the seat... will that work?
i want a baby hummer :)
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Rep Power: 0 Originally posted by AzimuthX
Uhm... the one I listed was a Micro-ITX... anyways cheaper than 179CDN for a 1GHZ ITX? Does it come with Video, Lan, Sound, Firewire, and can support like about 1gb of ram?
Uhm... the one I listed was a Micro-ITX... anyways cheaper than 179CDN for a 1GHZ ITX? Does it come with Video, Lan, Sound, Firewire, and can support like about 1gb of ram?
I think msoft is just proposing the idea of adding a computer in the car with micro MB's, external drives, etc... The actual components themselves are neglible for now until he can find a project car... *think big picture*
Hey msoft, great idea and effort! I can't wait to see how this turns out!
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Rep Power: 0 I was planning to buy one if it was that cheap though...
Hook up two computers at the rear, network them, and than you can play like warcraft or whatever.
MSoft can I please get some specifications or other models you can get, really interested.
Hook up two computers at the rear, network them, and than you can play like warcraft or whatever.
MSoft can I please get some specifications or other models you can get, really interested.
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From: mr. and mississsauga, Ontario, Canada
Rep Power: 0 check out http://www.arcocomputers.com/ ... cheapo off-lease laptops i plan to get a decent one and just hook up the LCD screen somewhere on my dash, and the laptop under the passenger seat... just something to play mp3s, vcds and surf the net on (through my GPRS enabled phone) 
i plan to get a decent one and just hook up the LCD screen somewhere on my dash, and the laptop under the passenger seat... just something to play mp3s, vcds and surf the net on (through my GPRS enabled phone) Thread Starter
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Rep Power: 0 The problem with putting an Athlon or such in your car is the heat generated, and the fact that your power outlet might fry, Athlons use a *lot* of power, >300W. Think of the heat, an Athlon run at 50 C with right cooling, 100+ C without, so that's 50~60C heat flowing out from that comp into your car, good for the winter you'd think, but the fumes aren't that good for you, LOL. The VIA CPU is designed for running at low power consumption and therefore ideal for this situation.
Hmmmmmm... The downside to these are that you do sacrifice power. The chips will be sufficient, for say SC, or maybe WC in lower res, but won't be able to do high-res 3D gaming. Plus, if you have two, we need to confirm that there is enough power from the car to power so much, the LCD, the stereo, and the computers, etc.
Hmmmmmm... The downside to these are that you do sacrifice power. The chips will be sufficient, for say SC, or maybe WC in lower res, but won't be able to do high-res 3D gaming. Plus, if you have two, we need to confirm that there is enough power from the car to power so much, the LCD, the stereo, and the computers, etc.
