CarPuter instal - for all whos interested

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mordz

Audi S3 (2000)
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Hi Guys, I have almost finished my carputer install (version 1 anyhow - v2 will be done at same time as dbl din conversion)

Thanks to Andymac for the help with the rear panel removal (was a bassa)

anyway i have routed all the cables nicely and for the pc in the boot have made a nice cable outlet from an old speaker bass port thingy and hot glued in.

have a look at the pix.

http://www.splitsec.co.uk/icar/PICT0002.jpghttp://www.splitsec.co.uk/icar/PICT0004.jpghttp://www.splitsec.co.uk/icar/PICT0006.jpghttp://www.splitsec.co.uk/icar/PICT0010.jpghttp://www.splitsec.co.uk/icar/PICT0016.jpghttp://www.splitsec.co.uk/icar/PICT0020.jpg:hubbahubba::hubbahubba::hubbahubba:

Cheers

Mordz
 
Looks good. I like the monitor as well; I've added cartft.com to my bookmarks!
 
yeh its not bad, only grip i have is they dont make a Transflective TFT (like on a factory in car screen) so its sometimes hard to see in the day time
 
So does the TFT hideaway when its not in use?

I've a tiny (CD Size) base unit I could use, and then I'd replace my MP3 player in car etc, but as its massively expensive to go double DIN unless you find a scrapped car, it'd have to be a removable or hideaway TFT...

EDIT - Seen how it works on the website...

Got any more pics?
 
it all looks very jazzy, but whats the point of it? am i missing something here?
 
TFT is motorised ( quite cool as when you take the key out the screen goes back into the dash)but i want DBL din so i can stick a screen in properly.. well so it looks more factory.

BackDrifts - maybe its for us ice fans.

i use mine for :-

300+ Albums (forget a cd changer), DVD's (well Xvid and Divx), TV, DAB Radio, Sat Nav, Telematics (it reads off the VAGCOM Stuff), Reversing cam (not fitted yet), Playing games (SNES Emulator for the old school vibe)

I also have a voda 3g card in for the internet wherever i am which rules. it also has a WIFI card so when i get home i go in the house and i can see my car on the network, that allows me to copy some new tunes to it for the next day. (pc then shuts off after 2 hours)

Basicly to get a decent DVD changer and screen alone id be looking at almost 1k, this cost me £1200. alot of R&D, quite a bit of IT knowlage and plenty of spare time. but the final result is well worth it. :eyebrows:
 
Yeahhh.

I also have one on they way. Similar to Mordz, and samdudes.

See link in my sig (also from digital-car.co.uk)

and see my site http://www.m-i-t.co.uk/carpc.html

Needs a big update, as wiring is wrong (few things have changed)

Good luck Mordz :icon_thumright: , will subscribe to this thread!

My car will be an 8P, so would be nice to see what the differences are.

Questions:

Did you re-wire all the speakers? i.e. use new speaker wires, and connect them all to a 5 ch amp. 4 speakers + sub?

Were did you get your IGN signal from? Straight from ignition, or somewhere else, i.e. iso, red block in boot? If so which pin.
 
This has got me seriously thinking about doing mine, I currently have an Alpine with iPod connector, but i have a spare P4 based laptop with 160Gb which doesnt have a working battery, so would be the perfect machine for use with this is mind.

I've even already got long VGA and USB cables so I'd only need the TFT screen and a USB GPS......
 
Right, have now got a working, built laptop with Centrafuse fully installed.

mordz - whats the readability of your TFT screen like in bright sunlight?

Would you buy the same again or go for a different model?
 
Seriously guys, the PC (vga) screens arent transflective like your factory satnav screens, pdas,phones etc (its a kind of coating that makes it readable in sunlight i believe) so in brigh sunlight you will be dissapointed. MP3car.com do a modified screen in there shop

http://store.mp3car.com/Mp3Car_TRANS_8_VGA_transflective_monitor_p/mon-031.htm

but it aint cheap. theres a nice video for comparison too.. should give you an idea of what to expec. i plan to upgrade to one after i have sussed my dbl din conversion. other than that look for a screen with decent contrast ratio - i would reccomend the same as after my research (for motorised anyway) its the best of the bunch. most of the other are much of a muchness. whatch out for the tat too. notice mine looks basic, simply becuase the others look chavvy / tatty. Its a enthusiast market so theres not alot of main stream kit availible.

I also had to make my own USB adaptor and VGA lead as there isnt much space behind the console - the tft hung out about an inch. see SamDudes Golf PC, looks like he had the same issue as it hangs out further than anything else. (be nice to know?!)

A friend has the liliput spring loaded (not motorised) screen with built in radio and to be honest it looks like an argos alba. nasty.

I did think for V2 on using a Pioneer/Alpine dbl din unit with RGB in, but you loose the computer controled touch screen, however i did think about making a BMW I-Drive type controller out of something - or even a rouch pad/laptop nipple on the door handle / steering wheel.

I didnt rewire, i ran some RCA's from the PC in the boot to the center console. and used a 410 RCA - Audi Bose harness adaptor, minimal work.

Im no massive car electric person thou i do have some knowlage, i picked up the IGN from the stereo multiblock (yellow wire with red stripe) and ran a feed to the boot.

Dave, i have a liliput TFT i used for testing if you want it cheap. its a stand alone one with a mount etc.

bout the same Quality as my motorised.

but what you really want for the dbl din is this

http://www.navigadget.com/index.php/2006/07/26/infill-g4-car-pc-from-korea-with-gps-navigation-system/

any more Q's feel free to ask. ill help as much as i can

-------------------- UPDATE

Jeeeezusss ... just found this puppy.

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/powermate/

USB I-Drive or what.

That would mean you could use any RGB Enabled headunit and controll the PC with this.... ****** hell. anyone have any thoughts on this?

:hubbahubba:
 
The problem so far, is there doesnt seem to be a transreflective in dash screen yet, is this the case?

I've now sourced everything but the screen and an amp, the amp will come from eBay but the screen, as it is really the most major component is the one I want to be careful with.

I want a motorised in dash ideally, as anythign else will require fabrication, or it'll look messy.

My car is pre-facelift so the double DIN is way to hard to do, so I'm going to try and stick something that fits into single DIN.

Any ideas?
 
thats what i have currently, and being a perfectionist im not happy, i want something factory.

should be minimal fabrication to go dbl din. (of course i will document as i do mine)

Screen wise the only transflective ones i have seen are on mp3car and appear to be modified outside the manufacturers warrenty.

If i were you id do the install with a normal screen, see how much the car puter does for you and if it blows you away like it has for me then upgrade.

If it doesnt you wont have chucked too much wonga at it.

in dash wise, the motorised give you the 'wow' factor - pop outs are abit wanky IMHO
 
In my GolfPC, the reason why the screen sticks out (about half an inch) is because that's how its fitted. You can't push it further in due to the clip/fixings and there would be no clearance to angle the screen 'up' at the driver if it was recessed any deeper.
 
Dave_Bayern said:
The problem so far, is there doesnt seem to be a transreflective in dash screen yet, is this the case?

I've now sourced everything but the screen and an amp, the amp will come from eBay but the screen, as it is really the most major component is the one I want to be careful with.

I want a motorised in dash ideally, as anythign else will require fabrication, or it'll look messy.

My car is pre-facelift so the double DIN is way to hard to do, so I'm going to try and stick something that fits into single DIN.

Any ideas?
Click to expand...

try looking in these places:

http://linitx.com/
http://www.customcarcomputers.co.uk/
http://www.cartft.com/

and mordz thanks for info. :icon_thumright:
keep it coming.
 
thanks for the dbl din link MiT, will help me with the install..
 
Alright guys,

i'm keen to retro-fit an rns-e into my 2001 A3 1.8T....anyone have any links for guides on how to? i've got single din chorus and 6 changer in the boot at the moment so would need to get my dremmel out i think! single to double seems like a ******! would it be the same as the above link for single to double din in the A3 8P???

cheers guys
 
yes its the same kit,

I purchase all the parts from vagparts, if yours is pre face lift you will need the face lift aircon too... which is best part of £500

dremmel option is always a go-er. i have a pre face lift single din center console and facia for sale if anyone dosnt fancy butchering there only one.
 
mordz thanks for your sugestion. Stupid question (only been an audi owner for about three weeks!) how can i tell if i'm pre/post facelift? I'm 99% sure i'm facelift model but what is an easy giveaway? sorry if i sound like a nobber! cheers
 
good question,

buttons on the center console are smaller. probs the biggest is the grill. smaller letter box type and its pre, larger one that drops to the floor is face lift, though my knowlage is limited since i didnt really know when i bought (owner for 3 month)

boot looks diff also as do the wing mirrors. you pick up differences when driving round and seeing newer a3 's etc.

hope that helps.
 
*cringing* be cairfull fella, hehe one slip and a big scratch down the facia. :scared2: been there a few times on other cars.
 
I think models after 2004 are face lift. Best way to tell is the grill.

A single grill is a face lift, and a pre-facelift is with the double grill.

Mine in a pre-face 54 plate. see link in pic for images of the car.

Also CJA318T, am also from the West Midlands, were abouts are you?

Plus i think all this face lift stuff is related to the 8P anyway, and not the 8L.
(correct me if am wrong)
Edit: Am wrong, ignor last sentence. :sorry:
 
The 8L model was facelifted in 2001.

Notice the front headlights on an X-plate A3 compared to a 51-plate.

Not as girly, eh?
 
boot mount for pc

made from mdf and some leather.

mount.jpg
 
Id say thats probs worth bottling for the time being bud, see how you find it, some people that have asked me to install want in dash as a preferance.

and thats what i did on version 1

I have found that the screen covers the ESP, Hazard, Rear screen heater buttons which is anoying when i want to turn off the ESP.

of course you may change your mind once i posted my finished results. :p
 
Blunteh said:
Is the screen touch sensetive ? How do you use a mouse otherwise ?
Click to expand...

yeap, its a touch screen. You can also use a mouse, if you wanted too.
 
Ok i finaly got eveyrthing done,

computers in, centerconsole has been converted - screen integrated - fabrication all done.

currently working is - sat nav, Radio with extended RDS, Mp3, Dvd, Divx.

just have phone integration to get going - overall im very impressed. the navigation is easily the best and most friendly i have used without a doubt.

ill post up some pictures later (cars in garrage at the mo having the nocking front wheels and groaning clutch sorted)

im using centrafuse as an interface which i have customised with colours to match the S3 interior and S3 badge.

heres the interface skin i made.
s3skin.jpg
 
Can't see the skin, can you link to it? I'd like an Audi themed skin for my Centrafuse...
 
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