Carputer! ("installed" into S3 w/ RNS-E)

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cooni

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Hi all,

Just sharing pics of my carputer dirtbag installation (well, it's not that bad)...

Works great, hides away in the glovebox. Startup via mouse click, auto shutdown from windows set to suspend after 1min when running off battery power...

Bits used:
Acer Aspire One 532h (one of the only netbooks I found that can wake from sleep using a USB device)
Car charger wired to new lighter socket, power on ignition only
USB powered VGA to composite video adapter
Microsoft Arc Mouse
Block o' wood (to prop the laptop in place during spirited driving)

Prior setup:
RNS-E (video-in-motion unlocked)
Alpine audio gear (search for details)
Kufatec IMA Basic (composite video input)
HiTV Pure II SDTV tuner (2 AV inputs, one for iPod, the other wired to glovebox)
1.jpg

2.jpg

3.jpg
 
Looks good, makes good use of the RNS-E. Is that chipboard I can see in glovebox though ? :)
 
Very interesting and great work! I don't really see the point though, sorry.
 
thought about hooking up a vag-com cable to it.. would make it perfect! Good work regardless!
 
Staz said:
Very interesting and great work! I don't really see the point though, sorry.
Click to expand...

I often think of things when i'm driving that i want to google or something when i get home

I always forget :(

With this, i could pull over, search, find and be content :)
 
smudge_don said:
I often think of things when i'm driving that i want to google or something when i get home I always forget. With this, i could pull over, search, find and be content
Click to expand...

...or just use the netbook on its own? Or smartphone.

Don't get it either, but if it works for you the all's good.
 
Good effort I must say, it certainly does make you wonder of the benefits of being able to send an email or check the web whilst stuck in traffic etc. I reckon if the screen on the RNSe was better and was touch screen, that would really make this idea work a treat!
 
I've tried to ignore this thread but I can't.

Now I'm not normally one for criticising other peoples work but good god man, what were you thinking?

Also where's the printer?
 
Strange that a lot of people assume it's for web browsing / being productive...
My iPhone has a great browser and is much more convenient to use for that kinda stuff...

Main point is for media...
At present I watch videos via my iPhone's TV out functionality on the RNS-E screen, but this involves converting the video to an appropriate format for playback on the iPhone. Now I can watch videos without conversion and straight from any USB drive. Excessive? For sure, but hey, it was a fun project for a self confessed geek

Also, yes, you can use VAGCOM on it (though I have no need to)
 
RGS3 said:
Looks good, makes good use of the RNS-E. Is that chipboard I can see in glovebox though ? :)
Click to expand...
It's what I found lying around! haha. It serves it's purpose just fine
 
cooni said:
Main point is for media...
At present I watch videos via my iPhone's TV out functionality on the RNS-E screen, but this involves converting the video to an appropriate format for playback on the iPhone. Now I can watch videos without conversion and straight from any USB drive. Excessive? For sure, but hey, it was a fun project for a self confessed geek
Click to expand...

I assumed from your photo that it was for media but that's why I don't see the point. Yep one way is to use an Ipod with a TV out cable but agreed having to convert your files to the right format is a bit of a pain. I would rather buy a media HDD that will play nearly all file types, allows a 12v input and even has a remote control. Some of them also have sockets to fit an external IR receiver which can be mounted somewhere visible so you can still use it when the glove box is closed. An Archos MMP would work very well too, they play nearly everything and have the added bonus of being man-portable for other occasions like on the train, you could give it to your kid in the back etc etc.

Don't get me wrong, a PC is the most powerful media player on the planet and plugging it into your sat-nav is pretty cool but not very practical and more expensive than other, better methods.
 
Cleaned it up a little... Pretty content with it now :D
4.jpg
 
Staz said:
I assumed from your photo that it was for media but that's why I don't see the point. Yep one way is to use an Ipod with a TV out cable but agreed having to convert your files to the right format is a bit of a pain. I would rather buy a media HDD that will play nearly all file types, allows a 12v input and even has a remote control. Some of them also have sockets to fit an external IR receiver which can be mounted somewhere visible so you can still use it when the glove box is closed. An Archos MMP would work very well too, they play nearly everything and have the added bonus of being man-portable for other occasions like on the train, you could give it to your kid in the back etc etc.

Don't get me wrong, a PC is the most powerful media player on the planet and plugging it into your sat-nav is pretty cool but not very practical and more expensive than other, better methods.
Click to expand...

A PC also give you option of other toys LOL. I've seen several projects for USB like parking sensors displayed onscreen like on the MMI and onscreen tyre pressue monitering system with what the tyre pressures are.

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/por...m-usb-tyre-pressure-monitoring-interface.html

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/har...arking-sensor-interface-formally-pdc-usb.html
 
Yep that's all very good agreed and you can basically program a PIC to do whatever you want with any data it gets in but the practicalities of it all in its current guise make it a little circumstantial. I'm not into bonfire ******* but I'd much rather have a fully controllable MMHDD such as a Rhapsody (if you can find one of course) that can be controlled with the RNS-E and will play almost anything, then have the switched feed reversing camera. More expensive than this set up granted but it's fully integrated and doesn't need a mouse. :shrug:
 
mp3car.com makes us boys look like newborns, those boys know how to mod, 10/10 for the effort, but I have to agree, I see no point in this overall, screen is tiny unless you wanna hook upto rear screens for kids, it seems non beneficial, but your car you like who cares what we think.
 
Looking good :) I didn't consider a netbook either.

I'm with you an in car pc is a must for geeks. Regardless of what you can do on your mobile.

A mac mini is a good idea. Being a mac fan... This would be even more expensive mind you :-s

Has the NetBook got 3g then? Or just wireless for now?
 
MikeSel^ said:
Looking good :) I didn't consider a netbook either.

I'm with you an in car pc is a must for geeks. Regardless of what you can do on your mobile.

A mac mini is a good idea. Being a mac fan... This would be even more expensive mind you :-s

Has the NetBook got 3g then? Or just wireless for now?
Click to expand...

Yeh the netbook was cheap, AU$320 (182 quid)...
Nope, no 3G, but I can tether it to my iPhone wirelessly just fine... not that I ever go online with it :)
 
This is the lowest power eco computer on the market, and is small enough to fit inside a closed glovebox. Only problem is the 240v>12v conversion for power, but would have been a nice solution.

Great innovation though, and an interesting way of getting more bang for your buck from the RNS-E

http://www.go-green-pc.co.uk/systems-ab4.php
 
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