Nice job, we need people that think outside of the box.

 

My dream:
Maybe, before long, there will be some software & interface for an I-pod to run a screen with selectable gauges & optional histograms to monitor & manage a standalone ECU.
(Along with the GPS map)

 

damn if you were a comp sci major you could really do some cool stuff with that setup with the ability to make your own code and programs.

 

what are they called? I'll do some hard long searches.

 

Nice work, I've been working on mine for 7months now, I'm using a PSONE LCD screen moded for Vga, Going to go Laliput though. Check out Httt://www.mp3car.com for ppl that will love it. where are going to put the pc and what board are you going to use on it?


Mage

 

looks pretty good. i hope u keep ur car in a garage at night cuz that might attract some unwanted attention. people will steal anythin these days.

 

I am going to be using a mini itx mobo that will be hiddin behind the dash or in the glove box. The dvd/cdburner will be where the heater vents are now. Yes the rest will either be painted red or the lcd back to black. I havnt decided yet. I just painted it red to get an idea of how it will look without messing up the rest of my interior.

 

Cool that's what I was plaining to do too I belive the VIA itx M1000 Fits perfictly in the 8X9X6 area. are you hooking up Gps and all the goodie's?


Mage

 

one day you're gonna miss 3rd and punch that ****** LCD right in the mouth.

 

Haha, those screens are actually more durable than you think. I've got his other one, and I've beaten the **** out of that one without damaging anything.

 

cool, tell your buddy to paint that big plastic thing black and it'll be all good

 

I love comments like this...Weren't you also the guy who said all NAs suck except verts?

The screen has many uses. GPS for me is the biggest one. Display for an MP3 player, DVD when you are in a traffic jam or otherwise tied up, engine management (tuning an ECU in the car), etc. etc.

I've had a computer in my car since '99 (mostly an MP3 player) and wouldn't have it any other way. My new system that's going into my Insight (in the RX-7, I just need the MP3s) will be using a 15" touchscreen, P4, 80+ Gig HD, DVD, GPS, WiFi, etc.

All my car computer systems run my own software on top of the Win95 (now moving to WinXP) kernel.

 

XPE is probably the best suited OS, so easy to tailor to speific configs, and it's so damn fast to boot. Just set it all for quiet boot with just one loading screen and you're set.

 

too bad a cd key cost $800 for XPE :P I'll be running XPE on mine just becuse I got a copy from microsoft.


Mage

 

Don't forget their free 120 day trial!

 

Damn, most everyone seems against the idea of having the lcd in your car man. Well I'm more of a teckygeek and I think its great...wardriving anyone?

 

I've seen software for palm based PDAs that brings engine management to that platform and I'm waiting for the same stuff for my pocket pc based PDA. Add that to GPS capability, MP3 audio(5.1 in my case-I stuck an Extigy under the idiot light surround), pocket movies, WiFi(wardriving wireless internet), bluetooth(wireless phone earpiece), remote PC access(your PC at home or work), etc. Get in the car, drop it into the cradle. Before getting out of the car, pull it out, drop it in your pocket. Got another car? Take it with you and plug it in. And if you don't have to have the latest and greatest PDA they can be had for low bucks on the auction sites.

 

Sweet. I've been trying to find a way to get my Viewsonic 15" LCD in my car for some time, but it's too damn big. Is that a 14" or 15" in yours?

After taking a good look, I don't know if it would work too well for me since I have people in my passenger seat alot that would end up smashing it.

Can you carputer guys recommend any other good screens that may be smaller I could use for the application? I've eben checking out the 5.6" Gamecube screens at work, but when you hook one up to a computer, it kinda blows.

 

i like it

 

My friend has a touch-screen LCD in his SE-R spec V and it's really nice. Its mounted above the stereo and he molded a cool surround for it and it looks like part of the dash. It's hooked to a lap top for now, which is hooked up to the stereo and he can play MP3s straight to the stereo, just by touching the screen. He's got a cool media player with larger font so you can scroll around the songs and select songs and videos. It's rather trick.

If you relocated the idiot lights and molded a smaller screen to where the idiot lights were, it'd look cooler IMO.

The molding work is pretty nice, but red, over the top. Match it to the factory interior pieces, then it'd look choice.

 

you might be able to rip the exterior off of the monitor and it would fit better than, you only really need the internals if you are gonna make a surround for it. There gotta be a ton of websites saying how to make a picture frame out of an LCD screen, just google that stuff and it should be some what similar process.

 

uRizen:Xenarc or illiput are the 2 most used. check mp3car.com for more info.


I'm using a PSONE lcd

Mage

 

Damn I just have a great respect for someone that could pull the fab work off that was done on this
I have wanted to learn how to make plastic parts for a long time. I spent a lot of time researching injection molding and trying to find a practical way to do it. Hell I ended up with more questions than answers.

Maybe you can do a write-up on "how" you did this Skippy? I for one would hang on every word.... and pic
Congrats to you on a job very well done. Not many people including myself could pull this off.

 

Haha, it took him two years to complete the thing, he's the slowest worker in the world. (Lets not mention that I kept on making him work on my car). I think the actual molding/etc took only a couple days, after that it was sanding/painting/etc that took him years.

 

install one of those notebook mouse pad thingy's that you just move your finger around on, and it acts as the mouse.

And install that down by your switches by the ebrake and shifter.