CarPuter instal - for all whos interested
- Thread starter mordz
- Start date
thanks Space - months of work but i got there
pix on there way tonight - im demoing the hardware at a chav show tonight - try get some sales.
pix on there way tonight - im demoing the hardware at a chav show tonight - try get some sales.
You cheeky fella! yeh you can have it as long as you dont mind my lil monica on it
Only small.
Reson is coz i actually re drew both S3 badges - new and old
Only small.
Reson is coz i actually re drew both S3 badges - new and old
That'd be cool. I know how to create skins, but am just using the standard one for now.
I've got an IBM T30 fully installed with Centrafuse, linked to bluetooth for the phone, the ODB for engine management, but no TV or radio.
Its SO easy to configure its untrue, and better than RoadRunner which I tried to use before.
I also have the full Sat Nav Destinator maps for Centrafuse, from Destinator 6, if you require them?
I've got an IBM T30 fully installed with Centrafuse, linked to bluetooth for the phone, the ODB for engine management, but no TV or radio.
Its SO easy to configure its untrue, and better than RoadRunner which I tried to use before.
I also have the full Sat Nav Destinator maps for Centrafuse, from Destinator 6, if you require them?
Rich
Rollin on boost mother hubbards
Thats awesome. I have an old laptop I'm planning on turning into a carputer soon. Its just the logistics of working out how to power the laptop and screen, and what to do about audio. dont know if I can connect the laptop to the existing speakers so far or if I need to buy a new amp and re do everything ;S
The laptop wont run the speakers by itself, you do need a 4 channel amp.
Power is why mine isnt installed in the car yet, its acutally very expensive or, if DIY, very hard to control the power on a laptop as opposed to a PC. Because PC's can be controlled via ATX you can get a power control system for £30, the laptop dedicated ones start to hit £90, and thats ridiculous considering.
The screen should be powered by your standard 12v supply that currently controls your existing headunit.
Power is why mine isnt installed in the car yet, its acutally very expensive or, if DIY, very hard to control the power on a laptop as opposed to a PC. Because PC's can be controlled via ATX you can get a power control system for £30, the laptop dedicated ones start to hit £90, and thats ridiculous considering.
The screen should be powered by your standard 12v supply that currently controls your existing headunit.
hi dave , i torrented all the designator 6 maps - how cool are the POI's.
yes centrafuse is the muts - i used streetdeck before but not as impressed.
radio is easy. SiLabs usb fm radio (£17 delivered.) pop it open and solder the antenna to it - amazing. supported by centrafuse too.
rich - im using a £30 sounblaster live 5.1 usb sound card it has 5.1 channel RCA pre out for so ideal for the bose. - its set in 4 chanel mode so some of the EAX / DVD Audio disks you can get are amazing.
ill put up a link for the S3 Centrafuse Skin shortly
PS do you want the new or old S3 Badge ?
yes centrafuse is the muts - i used streetdeck before but not as impressed.
radio is easy. SiLabs usb fm radio (£17 delivered.) pop it open and solder the antenna to it - amazing. supported by centrafuse too.
rich - im using a £30 sounblaster live 5.1 usb sound card it has 5.1 channel RCA pre out for so ideal for the bose. - its set in 4 chanel mode so some of the EAX / DVD Audio disks you can get are amazing.
ill put up a link for the S3 Centrafuse Skin shortly
PS do you want the new or old S3 Badge ?
Rich
Rollin on boost mother hubbards
Yeah, i have seen some very nice lil PC ones with clever power supplies that can auto shut down and delay boot up to survive "the crank" etc. May go for that for ease in the end, but I did get the laptop for free so I dont know.
I'm tempted to do a poor mans install and get a cigarette lighter adapter for the laptop, have it under the passenger seat then all I need to do is buy the amp and screen.
Maybe if I take the plastic off around the cigarette lighter I can directly wire the power adapter of the laptop to those connections or somthing similar. Only problem is I'm not sure if it would drain power when the ingition is off i do it like that.
I'm tempted to do a poor mans install and get a cigarette lighter adapter for the laptop, have it under the passenger seat then all I need to do is buy the amp and screen.
Maybe if I take the plastic off around the cigarette lighter I can directly wire the power adapter of the laptop to those connections or somthing similar. Only problem is I'm not sure if it would drain power when the ingition is off i do it like that.
Aaah, the SiLabs was out of stock when I last looked, I'll get on there and have a look if its available again.
New or old badge would be cool...don't mind.
New or old badge would be cool...don't mind.
MiT
Work Hard, Play harder!!
looks cool, you may also be intrested in this Mordz:
http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=6776&highlight=audi
http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=6776&highlight=audi
shineydave
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i'm using a cappuccino mini pc for my carputer install, just sits nicely on top of the tv tuner and cd changer. as for power i'm using a cheap laptop power supply from maplins, cost less than 20 quid and it holds the supply through cranking so i just press the remote unlock button, the pc starts to boot and by the time i'm sat in the car ready to go the pc is up and running.
mine runs through the AV input on the tv tuner and displays on the Nav-Plus, it's a bit small if i'm being honest but at the end of the day you can't actually watch it whilst driving anyway, it's nice to have unlimited amounts of music though plus the wi-fi, bluetooth and vag-com capabillities when needed
mine runs through the AV input on the tv tuner and displays on the Nav-Plus, it's a bit small if i'm being honest but at the end of the day you can't actually watch it whilst driving anyway, it's nice to have unlimited amounts of music though plus the wi-fi, bluetooth and vag-com capabillities when needed
bouncer--daz
A dog is for life....not just for friday nights!
Im starting to really consider doing something like this for mine. Ive been toying with the idea of an alpine head unit with the Ipod adaptor... but the benfits of the on board computer seem massive. I have limited experience with this though. Which would you guys recomend... using a specific onboard computer with the touch screen or just a laptop plugged into the touch screen? Surely it would be alot easier for upgrading the laptop and setting up the wireless network too my house etc?
Ok Guys - just taken some pix - quite sunny this morning so theres some haze.. screen is very bright - just seems cameras find it hard to pick up ..
let me know what you think
let me know what you think
bouncer--daz said:Im starting to really consider doing something like this for mine. Ive been toying with the idea of an alpine head unit with the Ipod adaptor... but the benfits of the on board computer seem massive. I have limited experience with this though. Which would you guys recomend... using a specific onboard computer with the touch screen or just a laptop plugged into the touch screen? Surely it would be alot easier for upgrading the laptop and setting up the wireless network too my house etc?
Dude, look on cartft.com for the Infill units (quite new) its an all in one solution ie all in the dash - they do a single din named the S3 (made me laugh) and double din named the G4 (this i what i have) for a normal car with no amp etc it just plugs right in. took me a fair bit longer as i have bose and ended up haveing to use an external sound card with pre outs.
i have used a boot PC (same spec as the G4) and a touch screen up front but the touch screen was hit an miss, i suspect it was just poor quallity even though it was almost £400. the one on the G4 is really good as is the motorised aspect. alot of the car stuff feels cheap and flimsy - mainly as its a small market and none of the big brands make stuff 'yet'.
all the kit is korean / taiwan tat. - pacific rim alba quallity
just make sure you do your research. i think its taken me 6-7 months from idea/research to where i am now... and probably 2k getting there.
How on EARTH did it take you that long?
2K I can understand as if you bought it all from new.
However, maybe this is just because I do IT day in day out but I had the OS, Centrafuse, Telemetry software, modified the buttons and made it work with all the extra stuff in my laptop in about 2 days.
2K I can understand as if you bought it all from new.
However, maybe this is just because I do IT day in day out but I had the OS, Centrafuse, Telemetry software, modified the buttons and made it work with all the extra stuff in my laptop in about 2 days.
A3_Turbo
Swaying towards IHI....
Dave_Bayern said:
lol, it took soooo long because i run an IT company - currently doing 2 houses up so my free time to mess with the car is prietty none existant.
besides i had to change the whole centerconsole which cost the best part of 1k - the most expensive part being the climate unit which didnt work right anyway so i had to make some brackets to hold the old unit in place inside the new console - then fabricate a facia for it and for the surround of the double din (its for an A4) since the only ones they did for the a3 have rounded edges.
have a look at my original install on the first post of this thread - i have actualy had 2 different setups in. so thats 2 pc's and 2 screens + the 1k console bits from vag parts. soon ads up.
just wanted it to be purfect thats all.
I had a UMPC installed in my old car which took 2 hours to install on a sunday afternoon while staring at the neigbours wifes tits - so i take your point that it can be an easy job. i just like making things difficult.
thanks space ,
A3_turbo - my company is actually a Centrafuse distributor and cartft reseller so just contact me if you want cheaper than list price bits - can also do an install if you like - tho we tend to get local installers to do that - we just support the hardware / software.
A3_turbo - my company is actually a Centrafuse distributor and cartft reseller so just contact me if you want cheaper than list price bits - can also do an install if you like - tho we tend to get local installers to do that - we just support the hardware / software.
Aaah, you went from single DIN to double DIN, no wonder the price is high! Mega big job too!!
I think I'll end up with MiniITX or similar, but the whole thing got put on hold as the car is getting tracked a lot this year so I need to concentrate on other things.
I think I'll end up with MiniITX or similar, but the whole thing got put on hold as the car is getting tracked a lot this year so I need to concentrate on other things.
Dave_Bayern said:
Hay dave, yeh look on my early pics and you can see what the dash was like. its been a major struggle to change and on several occasions i have considered packing in the project and getting a normal headunit, but i persivered.
the main issues were the climate unit - sent my ECU scatty and wouldnt even power up so had to ditch that and concetrate on integrating the existing one.
second was getting the ESP switch working since the plugs on the pre face lift dont fit. lacking a wireing diagram i too both switches to bits and traced the pin outs on the circuit board with a meter to work out which pin matched what.
then it was a case of fighting with the bose audio (ground loop, hiss, poor sound) till i eventualy opted for an external sound card. after all that i had to fabricate a facia for the climate and the surround of the computer
the climate facia is made from the bottom half of a pre face lift facia, the surround is from an A4 and the button surround at the top is stock, i have sanded (wet and dry) 1200 grit then sprayed with some cheap *** halfords bumper spray which drys in 15 mins. went from spraying to fitting within an hour hehe.
id say it was almost factory and cetainly better than some gawd awful installs i have seen done by companys integrating the stuff.
this is actually our demo car for the company now so hoping for a few sales.
A3_Turbo
Swaying towards IHI....
Oh ok mate id really love something like that in my A3 but 2K, i really couldnt justify spending that.
Looks geat though i must admit!
Jason
Looks geat though i must admit!
Jason
A3_Turbo
the entire thing cost that much coz i spent 1k on a new center console £470 of which i aint used (the climate unit) also i have a £400 touch screen i no longer use and a Voom2 car pc thats redundant.
take all that off and its cost me probs £900
that excludes software licences (im a microsoft certified partner so xp was free - and a centrafuse reseller/distributor so i get my NFR copy free)
best thing to do is price it up on cartft.com then you know a ball park figure
the entire thing cost that much coz i spent 1k on a new center console £470 of which i aint used (the climate unit) also i have a £400 touch screen i no longer use and a Voom2 car pc thats redundant.
take all that off and its cost me probs £900
that excludes software licences (im a microsoft certified partner so xp was free - and a centrafuse reseller/distributor so i get my NFR copy free)
best thing to do is price it up on cartft.com then you know a ball park figure
MiT
Work Hard, Play harder!!
Mordz, looks nice and OEM.
Its taken me a year since i decided. lol. thats because i changed cars, and needed to save up.
Hey can i buy carpc parts of you then?
Its taken me a year since i decided. lol. thats because i changed cars, and needed to save up.
Hey can i buy carpc parts of you then?
MiT said:
yeh its not easy dude, yes we a parts reseller so you can buy direct from me. use cartft as a referance - we are a bit cheaper than them.
