Would like to know how you think of In-Car-PC

[winthur]

Hi mates, how you all think of having a car install with In-Car-PC? seldom see singaporeans do tt? expensive? or simply not interested?

[biting_point]

are you selling it??

[prego08220]

With all the thief in singapore nowadays.. Not so wise to install..

[apitBIOL]

Install it, then show it to your neighbours. Guarantee tomorrow morning you wake up your windscreen shattered and no more PC.

[Guest stages]

lol ......................

[ReBornBikeR]

I think it is simply not practical in our weather

[ChaoPuzzy1968]

PC is power commander right??

[Demon]

PC is power commander right??

 

Based on the price range, he could be referring to Personal Computer.

[DatsunKing]

can get laptop

[racingter]

i like customise...will spent on my fav!!!!

[william_liu]

Question is, how are you going to operate the PC when driving?

 

It's not like DVD player, just need to insert CD/DVD, press play...

[Demon]

Question is, how are you going to operate the PC when driving?

 

It's not like DVD player, just need to insert CD/DVD, press play...

 

The purpose of having a in-car PC so that it can be used to power, and run all your needs instead of having standalone device. With the processing power of the PC, you integrate your ICE, GPS, PDA, in-car camera, security devices, HP, car performance monitoring, on top of the regular functions such as internet, office automation applications such as MS office...etc.

 

It's ideal for people who spend alot of time on the road without the need of rushing back to office.

 

[jefang]

take from another forum, which got step by step to do this...

 

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa270/GScycfari/IMG_0267.jpg

 

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa270/GScycfari/th_gps-phone-games.jpg

 

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa270/GScycfari/th_AudioVideoGauges1.jpg

 

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa270/GScycfari/IMG_0277.jpg

 

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa270/GScycfari/IMG_0269.jpg

 

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa270/GScycfari/IMG_0267.jpg

 

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa270/GScycfari/IMG_0268.jpg

 

 

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa270/GScycfari/th_Iphone2.jpg

 

Checkout :

 

http://www.cartft.com

 

http://www.digitalcar.co.uk

 

http://www.mp3car.com

 

 

 

Why Computer?

Nowadays, at most homes, computers can replace the TV, CD Player, DVD Player and many other functions as well. For cars, if you need those functions, you'd install an ICE that will need you to fork out tons of cash upfront. In my case, after buying a car, I can't fork out anymore cash upfront as I'm now a lot poorer. So the only way to go is to do things slowly, until I can have the ultimate carputer, which will probably take me about two or three years. But the advantage is to be able to see it grow, as minor upgrades can make a person happier .

 

The Plan

first investment would be the LCD display and the input devices. I'll be getting the Crystal Fontz black/red 20x2 LCD display, which should be enough for my displaying needs. I will need to write a program for it so that it can do simple things like song selections, volume adjustment, and radio tuning. There are other uses as well, like get readouts from the car, you know, RPM, speed, distance travelled, or even more exotic stuff like your fuel/air mixer readings, even failure codes, this is of course, provided that I can find that damn OBD II connector in my Waja (have not been able to open up the lower part of the dash).

 

For inputting data to the computer, there's four buttons from the LCD, I'll have to find a way to reuse the Waja's four buttons (need electronics people here) on the steering wheels too, and for the extreme coolness factor, I'll get this blue glowing programmable jogdial . There's also the possibility of voice recognition as input, and voice as output, for example, telling you what song the computer is going to play before playing

it, tell you the temperature, or just a random joke of the day.

 

All this programming will take me a while, and I'll do it on my notebook first. Once I get something working, and I can grab songs from the iPod, I'll then proceed to buy the next big thing. Which is:

 

Mount the LCD to the dashboard nicely with custom made mount

 

Get ITPS-Auto Power Sequencer and Dropout Regulator

 

Get the DC-DC 12v power supply

 

And the most important part, the computer itself.

 

Computer radio tuner

 

Optional items:

 

Wireless LAN (so I don't have to connect the damn network cable when I have to do some changes on the computer with my notebook)

 

An AMP with SPDIF optical input

 

Relay controller so that you can control stuff like your power windows

 

Here's where I'll hit a snag. The power source will have to be from the car battery, and someone will have to get dirty with installing it. And I have no idea how to do the cabling and installation nicely.

 

The ITPS will have to be connected to the ignition and battery, and cables will go to the computer which will probably be located under the seat (need people who can do this) or at the boot. And the computer will also have cables connected to the dash for the LCD.

 

The computer will boot up linux, so as to ensure fast boot up times, as well as to guarantee stability, you don't want to have Windows crashing on your car, do you? It will have no hard disk, just Compactflash, all the mp3 songs will come from the iPod, which also acts as a storage device for data.

 

What can this grow to?

Ok, ultimately, since this is done at own time own target, the computer will be able to do a few things (and more) like.

 

Replacement for ICE, CD, mp3, CD ripper (limitless possibilities)

 

Gather statistic about your car

 

See how you drive on a particular day, show graphs of usage

 

Produce excel charts for analysis of your driving habits

 

Mileage calculations

 

Financial details - like how much money have you spent on your car

 

Car servicing, oil replacement, atf replacements alarms

 

Tell you your car's trouble code

 

Clear those engine warning light that normal mechanics can't switch off

 

Most importantly, sync with my Palm

 

The Future?

Ok, if I suddenly have cash falling on me from a tree, or I've collected enough, I can then invest on an LCD monitor, either 5 to 7" and from there, you've suddenly got the ability to do other cool things, like:

 

Browse the Internet

 

Look up the weather reports

 

Check out the causeway cameras real time

 

Check out how your stocks perform

 

GPS to know exactly the distance from where you are, to the toilet

 

Get lost with GPS

 

See VCDs or DVDs

 

Write your email while driving

[Lion]

Altitude... Car's flying?