Need help with in-car computing setup

[Shadowlance]

Hi, I've been thinking of building a computer system for my car. Just had a few questions as I've not tried this before.

Basically, what I want to do is use it for audio and GPS mainly, but I'd like to keep it open to add new things in the future (i.e video) I'd like to use a touchscreen interface and do file x/fer via 802.11.x. First I'll give my requirements:

~7-12 inch touchscreen LCD with 15pin or RCA video connection. Must be able to be used with Linux

SFF/Mini-ITX that can be run off a car DC current, or able to be run from an inverter

Programmable GPS h/w that will run under Linux and can be output to the LCD

Bootable in less than 30sec (prefer < 15)

802.11x

Very fast shutdown, must be able to handle losing power without shutdown (for when I forget to close it before turning off the engine)

The computing and programming side of things is no issue as I can do both. My questions relate to sorcing components and the car (mainly power) side of things, so here we go:

1) Whats a good place/site to get this sort of equipment? Especially the LCD screen and GPS?

2) What sort of options are available for connecting to the car's power supply? I would like to do as little electrical work as possible, and I don't want to be cutting holes in my car.

3) What would be the best Linux distro for this sort of thing?

Any and all advice is appreciated, along with other links, threads, etc. I'd also love to know about your own setup if you've done this sort of thing before.

-EDIT-
Oh yeah, my car is a 1994 Nissan NX-R coupe with removable Targa roof and 17 inch mag wheels. I'm sure the mag wheels have absolutly no relevance to this topic whatsoever, I just enjoy telling people about them.

Thanks
Shadowlance

[Varuna]

Any real reason why you cant use a PDA and a carkit for gps, and an indash harddrive mp3 player for audio?

[Ronza]

After purchasing a Tablet, I can see opportunities for it everywhere.

Consider a Tablet PC, the NEC Versa T400 is very light, very thin and relatively cheap. It is touchscreen, has inbuilt wireless, audio jacks etc. GPS and Linux shouldnt be that hard either.

Added benefit that it is a Laptop and you can run it off the battery rather than the car, keep the laptop going if the car is off.

[BGH]

Originally Posted by Varuna

Any real reason why you cant use a PDA and a carkit for gps, and an indash harddrive mp3 player for audio?

Not much fun/challenge setting that up is there?

[Varuna]

Well, what about using a laptop with a broken screen (since you arent going to be using it anyway) and a 12V voltage regulator.

[Shadowlance]

Originally Posted by Varuna

Any real reason why you cant use a PDA and a carkit for gps, and an indash harddrive mp3 player for audio?

I sort of want to be able to integrate the whole thing into one system so I can use it all from the touchscreen, though a lot of it comes from the because-I-can department. I also want it modular so I can add other features to it in the future (video, webcams, AI to drive the car for me, in car wireless war-driving, smart-targeting and anti-radar missles, you know, the usual)

The laptop idea is a good one though, just take screen off. I could implement a drop down console from the glovebox or something. The tablet design won't work, too big and bulky and too darn expensive. Style is a very important factor here.

[Varuna]

Originally Posted by Shadowlance

anti-radar missles

I'd be careful, police might start using anti-anti-radar-missile-missiles. This would require an anti-anti-anti-radar-missile-missile-missile to counter.

[Skorpion]

i have a carputer in my car, with gps and a 7" touchscreen running winxp with a mini-itx mobo (via m10000).

sorry, no time now to answer all your questions now, but i suggest checking out www.mp3car.com they have excellent forums there and there is quite a few aussies too.

good luck with the project, its most awesome once its setup and working.

[Amfibius]

Sorry for the thread hijack, but anybody in Perth with a carputer?

I am in the process of gathering a shopping list for a carputer but I would like to buy as much hardware locally as possible. I have resigned myself to ordering an Opus 150 and a Xenarc 700TSV from the U.S.

[R3xx]

Hey guys,

Have you seen this?

http://tunertricks.com/blog/index.php?p=40

Also, one of the guys in the WRX club has done the exact same thing Shadowlance wants to do, I'll see if I can dig up the thread.

[SpeedyDerek]

Quick shutdown wasnt something that i considered, but a quick brainstorm came up with an idea.

Consider fitting a turbo timer to your car, basically it keeps the engine running for a specified time, which you can program to however long it takes the PC to shut down. Wire up a soft-power button to near your key ignition and have that set to 'shut down' the PC (as opposed to powering it off straight away).

I guess you can apply something like this to electrics only, or engine only as most turbo timers (including mine) are set up as, it's just a simple matter of connecting the correct wires.

If all works well, you will turn the car 'off' at the ignition, but the turbo timer will keep it running, or kept in accessories mode, until the given time for switching off, 1minute would probably be perfect. You press the soft-power button and it will shut itself down and turn itself off. If it doesnt want to turn itself off, i.e. "Your computer is ready to turn off", it wont matter as the turbo timer will kick in and kill all engine/electrics after the interval is up. When you start your car again, you hit the power button after the engine has started, you dont want to be draining too much from the battery or alternator at startup!!

If you want GPS hooked up to the carputer, you really want a screen with VGA input. I was considering one with both VGA and RCA (composite) input so i can hook up a car-cam or reversing camera to it.

As for purchases, for price i'd definately recommend ebay, 7" Lilliput touch screens (VGA) for around $350 delivered. 300W Inverters for $80 to $100. That said, be wary of items shipped from hong kong, korea, or china as most seem to be, the postage prices will usually be extraordinarily high, and you may have to pay import duty or GST on the incoming items, although you should be OK.

If you have a computer already be looking at $1000 or more for a full setup including amplifier and speakers (and a cheap subwoofer if you're so inclined).

Here is how i priced things...

PC - $0
300W Inverter - $100
Touch Screen - $350
Bluetooth - $20
Bluetooth GPS - $125
Amplifier - $150
Speakers - $80
Subwoofer - $100
Car-cam/reverse camera - $80
enough MDF for box - $20
Hinges - $5
gas struts - $not much (i have a plan of hacking two bike pumps up, just to keep the box open or closed when i want it, not for self-powered opening, but that would be damn cool)
Foam - $20
Velour - $20
Fans - $10

Makes it $1080, for the whole setup. A lot of the cost is in the Amp, Speakers and Subwoofer, and if you can find some second hand parts or already have them available that can help significantly.

Because i'm taking out the back seat of my car (for compliance purposes) there will be a nice space for a car-wide box, to house all the computer and audio gear.

Because of this, everything will look pretty streamlined and won't stick out too much, good for deterring theft. I'll have to figure out a plan for hiding the screen, might have a pull down screen with a switch on it whilst it's fully down, to flash a few LED's and relay to cut off power to the screen when the hand brake is off, so it's nice and legal.

Another few things i'd like to have, are PCI wifi and a DVD ROM drive for the PC. The machine itself is a capable movie player and will play some older games (good for emulated games) being a P3-500 with 256mb RAM, i'll probably run win9x on it, in some kind of lite form, for fast bootup.

Here were the criteria when i chose my system. (in no particular order!)

- Functionality: Music, GPS, Video, Provision for TV and externally mounted video camera.
- Control: RF or wired Remote (such as USB keypad), or touch screen was necessary.
- Theft deterrent: Kept out of sight when parked, not visible through windows. Cover over screen or retractable into dash somewhere.
- Legality: Power to screen off whilst handbrake is deactivated.
- Price: $1000 or thereabouts for the whole setup.

Most of the ideas i've just come up with whilst writing the thread, such as the opening MDF box setup for it (with sufficient cooling, obviously)

[Amfibius]

Originally Posted by SpeedyDerek

Consider fitting a turbo timer to your car, basically it keeps the engine running for a specified time, which you can program to however long it takes the PC to shut down. Wire up a soft-power button to near your key ignition and have that set to 'shut down' the PC (as opposed to powering it off straight away).

Your idea would probably work, but why not consider something like an Opus 90 PSU instead? It has an integrated startup/shutdown controller.

Also, do you know where you can get Xenarc and Lilliput in Australia? All the retailers I know of are in the USA.

[R3xx]

OK dunno how helpful this is, but this is my mate John's in car pc setup:

http://www2.wrx.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19406

[rosen]

Where are you getting the GPS from?

[kung-f00-kamel]

Like someone metioned earlier in the thread, use a Laptop, they arent so fussy on power and have there owen battery, it can have 2 power profiles so you have it set to hibernate after 2mins of lossing mains power, very easy and simple

I'm just setting mine up with a manual power button that will throw it into standby mode instead of actually shutting it down, that way its like an instant on and of feature, it should survive for a couple of days in standby on its own battery power, or if you have a kick arse battery setup in can stay runnin of the car battery in stanby mode

There's a lot more play and give when using a laptop as it's designed to mobile and has as small and rugged as you will get

Im using one of those Dell LS/Gatway Solo 3350's and the Laptop fits into glove box perfectly, there about the smallest/cheapest notebook you can get and theres a lot with dead screens as the screen caple in them are dodgy, they also have a ATi Rage 128 video chipset so they are pretty good on the display side

I'm using mine for GPS/MP3 and DivX, Radio and DVD is handled buy a stand alone headunit with aux in for the carputer and will all be running into my 8" touch screen

The best front end I could find is Centrafuge, I suggest you take a look at it as Mapmonkey seamlissly intergrates with it