Installing carPC. Help/Suggestions wanted!

[scENFORCER]

Hey guys, I'm going to be installing a carPC in my '99 Lexus SC400 (gorgeous and rare car, only 905 made!), which is actually for sale right now in the classifieds section, but when I get this system installed I'm sure I'll want to keep it!

Goals:
For now I'm looking to integrate the PC with my stock speakers/amp. Looking to put the PC in place of the stock CD changer in my trunk (a lot of guys put the PC under the passenger seat, but I dont think I have the room for that given the size of my PC).
Once installed I'm looking to be able to have; Bluetooth integration with my iPhone which will allow me to do voice-calling, text-to-speech, play my phones playlist, internet tethering so I'll have full internet access in my car, email, weather, as well as navigation, satellite radio, obd2 diagnostics, etc, etc. Basically what all the new cars have these days, and then some!

I purchased a carPC system from a member on ClubLexus who had it in his SC, so I'm already balls-deep. It includes the Centrafuse 3 front-end program, a 7" Liliput touchscreen, an HP DC7800 small from-factor PC running Win7 and some other misc things like a USB GPS and USB external sound-card. Right now I'm in the process of researching the whole car PC thing on mp3car so I can install this badboy myself (I got an installation quote for $700, so forget that!). I still need a PSU; I'm looking at the Carnetix P2140 (as well as a 5-channel amp, some misc wiring, and a mic, etc)..

So after reading a weeks worth of FAQ's and various tutorials on picking a PSU, I'm looking at the Carnetix P2140, seems to be the Cadillac of all PSU's. But its also the most expensive @ $135 USD +shipping. I definatly want the ingition startup/shutdown features it has.
The Max Power Dissipation for the PC is 87watts (Primary 12V output of the PSU is 130watts), and for the Liliput screen is 9.5watts (Secondary 5V output of the PSU is 15watts). So according to tutorials I'm well within the max wattage each rail is allowed (unless I'm wrong?).

My question to those more seasoned carPC guys is, am I going overboard with the P2140? I havent really looked at Opus or any of the M?-ATX products yet, it just seemed like the P2140 was the safest bet due to all of its "fail-proof" features.
(Heres a link to the P2140 for those who dont know all of its features yet: http://www.carnetix.com/P2140/CNXP2140.htm)
I havent even started researching how to wire all of this together and into my car, so I'm sure I'll have a ton more questions as I move along. Is there anyone who can help me out with this? Perhaps in person or via phone?

[Volvoman]

I have a Car PC.

As for the power supply, I use an M3 ATX. I connects to the car in three ways, constant power, switched power and ground...just like a CD deck would be connected. Constant power powers the PSU and switched power boots up the car pc. As for shutdown, once switched power is cut (when car key is removed), it will shut down the PC. Pins on the M3 allow for different shutdown commands. Default is shut down right away. others will shutdown after 2 min, 5 min, etc.

For audio, I am using my line in connection on my CD deck. Integrates easily. If you will be removing the deck, you will need aftermarket amps to power the stock speakers. The M3 also provides an amp anti thump wire so the amps don't turn on when the car does (before the car pc) and amplify a thumping noise as the car pc is booting.

Pic of mine for reference:







Road Runner front end with Elite skin



Nissan GTR gauges because they are win. Info fed from OBD Link



good luck

[!Aznboi128]

^ get I get more info on your build?

which obd reader do you use?
what screen is that?
and where you get all the parts?

thanks!

[Volvoman]

Computer:

Intel D945GCLF2D Mini ITX Mobo
Kingston ValueRAM PC2-5300 2GB RAM
Seagate Momentus 7200.4 320GB 2.5IN Hard Drive
MINI-BOX M350 MINI-ITX Case
Windows 7 Ultimate

Its tiny!

7" Touchscreen:




M3 ATX Automotive PSU



Front End: Road Runner with eLite skin



Engine Management/OBD tool:

OBDLink Multiprotocol OBD-II by ScanTool



Dash Command with GTR skin



GPS Receiver:

G.Mouse Mini USB SiRF Star-III 20-Channel GPS Receiver for PC and Laptops



GPS Software:

iGuidance v2009 Laptop, UMPC/Car PC Edition






I got all the PC parts at NCIX. The PSU I got online at http://www.mini-box.com/DC-DC. You can pretty much get all the parts you need at http://store.mp3car.com/ including the PSU and the VGA screen. They also sell car specific kits that are designed to give the OEM look.

[scENFORCER]

^ great info, thanks Volvoman. The pictures really helped as well.

Question though, were you able to install the carPC system with your stock amp/speakers? Cuz I've heard both yes and no, and that I can only use my stock speakers, but not my amp. I know that I'll need a new 5-channel amp (unless I do some re-wiring), but will I be able to use my stock speakers?

[Volvoman]

of course you can. It depends what you want to do. If you will keep your cd deck, that can be the control for your car pc's audio. I use my deck's Line In 3.5mm plug to play audio from my car pc. Just the same as if I were to plug in an ipod. This way, I still get my cd deck to listen to radio and play mp3's when i don't want to use the car pc. However if you are going to ditch your cd deck and go with the car pc for all your media, you will need to send the audio from the car pc, to the stock amp, which will then power your stock speakers. Connecting to the stock amp may be a pain in the ass, and not to metion it may not be powerful enough. A 3.5mm male to RCA cable will connect your car pc to an amp. From there on, its just the same as installing an amp for a normal car. Instead of the audio coming from a cd deck, it is coming from your car pc.

In my opinion, I would keep my deck. Its just easier when I'm driving and don't want the car pc on. I just want to start the car and listen to the news istead of having to wait 30 seconds for the car pc to boot, and then choose what i want to play..etc

BTW, this is a video of the Road Runner front end with the eLite skin I am using. I think it is one of the better looking skins out there and best of all, Road Runner is free!

eLite Lite 1.6 Preview on Vimeo

[scENFORCER]

My setup is gonna be a little different, I won't have a seperate deck for music as you do. My stock headunit includes a radio and casette player, and I have a stock 6-disc CD changer in the trunk. I was looking to remove obviously the headunit and the cd changer completely, and just use my stock amp and speakers. But I was told that after installing any aftermarket headunit my stock sub won't work, and I'll need an aftermarket amp and speakers in order for it to all work properly. Which is fine, I can understand how I'd need an aftermarket 5-channel amp to power my sub, but can't I just use the stock sub and speakers???
Posted via RS Mobile

[Volvoman]

you can use your stock speakers and sub. nothing wrong with that. probably won't sound as nice as some aftermarket stuff, but that isn't a problem

[josel_atr]

subscribed! need help on my build...

[beatdownvictim]

Originally Posted by Volvoman

you can use your stock speakers and sub. nothing wrong with that. probably won't sound as nice as some aftermarket stuff, but that isn't a problem

nicely done will, i was actually in your car when hin came by.
volvoman's setup is clean as hell.

[seekerbeta]

zotac makes some nice atom and p4 powered machines that come with usb, sound, dvi/vga, hdmi, ethernet and wifi. the only modification you would have to make is to install the CAR-PC Psu, and the atom processors are able to handle alot of load, including 720p video, with no issues, and with the atom proc, your getting incredibly low power requirements, so less load on your cars electrical system. these machines include a vesa mount (for behind your tv) whick can be modded to work in your car(allows you to remove to work on stuff

[Volvoman]

Originally Posted by beatdownvictim

nicely done will, i was actually in your car when hin came by.
volvoman's setup is clean as hell.

Thanks dude. See you in HK!

Originally Posted by seekerbeta

zotac makes some nice atom and p4 powered machines that come with usb, sound, dvi/vga, hdmi, ethernet and wifi. the only modification you would have to make is to install the CAR-PC Psu, and the atom processors are able to handle alot of load, including 720p video, with no issues, and with the atom proc, your getting incredibly low power requirements, so less load on your cars electrical system. these machines include a vesa mount (for behind your tv) whick can be modded to work in your car(allows you to remove to work on stuff

Zotac does make some nice boards indeed. However, they start at a higher price bracket than the Intels. For a car PC, unless you run a screen with a resolution higher than 800x600, processing 720p won't be needed. My Intel D945GCLF2D has trouble with 720p MKV files, but since my screen's resolution is 800x600, that problem doesn't apply to me. Its all about what you want out of a Car PC. If I recall, my mobo was $85 6 months ago.

For those who care:



Intel D945GCLF2D mini-ITX Motherboard + integrated Intel Atom 330 2x 1.6Ghz
- Dual Core Atom CPU
- 4x Rear USB 2.0
- VGA, Serial and Parallel
- 1x DDR2 533/667 RAM
- 1 x 1x 10/100/1000 Mbit LAN
- Realtek High Definition Audio
- Power: 24 Pin ATX, P4-connector

[Mr.Jay]

haha this thread got me searchin and look what I found

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...uter-side.html


nice build

[scENFORCER]

Hey guys, so my carPC is almost done. Got everything wired up and installed. Have 2 things left to do and need someone's help..
1) My PSU doesn't want to start the PC all the time. When the PC is put into hibernate, it wont awake when the car is turned on. When the PC doesnt go into hibernate properly, the PC starts, but wants to enter Safe Mode because it wasn't shut down properly.
I've gone into the PC's advanced power settings and BIOS power settings and set everything to hibernate, and wake-up when is gets power back. I've also set all the parameters for startup/shutdown in the psu's application program. The PC still doesn't want to power up properly.
2) I have no sound. I need to wire my stock amp into the computer. I have an idea of how to do this but would need some help. Anyone?

[AVS_Racing]

so how much would something like this cost? would sound quality be better than a high end deck with bt gps etc?

[scENFORCER]

Originally Posted by AVS_Racing

so how much would something like this cost? would sound quality be better than a high end deck with bt gps etc?

If you use the stock audio components in your car the sound quality generally goes down, simply because its a computer system going into a car, the two arent supposed to mix.
Having said that many people upgrade their whole audio system to be compatible with the carPC system while theyre at it. Might as well do it since your pretty much overhauling your whole system anyways..
Me on the other hand, I'm gonna integrate it with the existing speakers, speaker wires and amp, and hope it all works (I'll eventually upgrade the rest). The computer itself wont be enough to power a whole car system so you'll need an external sound-card to help it out. Which is what I have, and I'm hoping for good results (dunno yet cuz its not completed fully).

Cost can vary vastly, all depends on what components you use or what route you take. So far I'm about $850 (that includes an HP small form-factor PC, custom enclosed touchscreen, frontend software, GPS, soundcard, power supply unit, wiring/harness, and some other misc stuff), and I have done all the installation and wiring myself with the help of some friends. A lot of people get frustrated at some point and just get certain things done at a shop, so that will cost you $60-80 per/hr in labor. So far I've been resilient enough to not resort to this, but I'm getting close.
I still have some components to buy (HD radio receiver & OBD2 scanner), so once finished I'll probably be at around $1100.

Anyways, as I mentioned in post #14 I'm VERY close to being finished, just need help with waking up the PC from hibernation and wiring up the amp so I can have sound! If anyone can help lemme know!

[Volvoman]

What power supply are you using? With my M3ATX, I am able to select different pins to change what the PSU will do. Right now, i go thru a full shut down and a full boot up, controlled by the PSU. When it gets power (ignition on) it will boot up the PC, when it loses power (ignition off) it will shut down the PC. My PC is light as in it does not have much software on it so it boots quite fast.

[Cman333]

Man these look cool.

Making me think I want a PC too. How long does loadup usually take?

[scENFORCER]

Originally Posted by Volvoman

What power supply are you using? With my M3ATX, I am able to select different pins to change what the PSU will do. Right now, i go thru a full shut down and a full boot up, controlled by the PSU. When it gets power (ignition on) it will boot up the PC, when it loses power (ignition off) it will shut down the PC. My PC is light as in it does not have much software on it so it boots quite fast.

I have the Carnetix P2140, which comes with the program PSUMoni where you can set all the different soft jumpers to get it to hibernate/shutdown/sleep or whatever. It also allows you to control a vast array of different things such as delay on/on, turns off the psu after its been running off battery power after a given time, turns off the psu once the batter drains to a certain percentage, ACPI control (which i fully dont understand the function of yet, but its got something to do with the power/motherboard), etc.
My problem is that there are WAY too many settings going on, some of them I dont even know what they do. But basically its not going waking from hibernate, as I have it set up to do..

[scENFORCER]

Originally Posted by Cman333

Man these look cool.

Making me think I want a PC too. How long does loadup usually take?

Boot times vary depending on how much you got going on, and your PC. Which is why I'm choosing to put the computer into hibernate rather than fully shutting it off. It'll boot right from the previous state in a matter of seconds..

[scENFORCER]

Figured my hibernation/resume problem out! Needed to change a setting in BIOS. Almost done!
I'll make a nice build thread for you guys once I get everything done.