Advice on which computer to use for my CarPC

**birdie** · 02-02-2012, 05:28 PM

Ok now that Centrafuse 4 has iPhone/iPod touch support, I'm re-motivated to get my CarPC installed...

Now I have two options currently for the hardware for my CarPC:

Screen: Molded in Dash Lilliput EBY701.

Option 1:
Axiomtek SBC86807 Mini-ITX motherboard with a Intel Pentium M 1.8Ghz CPU
1GB DDR Ram
120GB 2.5" IDE Hard Drive
Pioneer Slot-Load DVD+-RW
M2-ATX 12V PSU
Navibe USB GPS
USB Bluetooth
USB WiFi

Option 2:
My old work laptop, Dell Latitude D620.
Intel Core Duo T2500, 2.00Ghz
2x1GB, DDR2-667, 2 DIMM
Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator 950
60GB Hard Drive 9.5mm SATA 7200RPM
8x DVD+/-RW
Dell Wireless 1490 Dual Band WLAN (a/g) Mini Card
Dell Wireless 350 Bluetooth
9-cell (85WHr) Primary Battery
Navibe USB GPS

Now I think the Laptop would be more powerful, but I'm unsure how to power it and switch it on and off with the car like I can easily via the M2-ATX PSU with the ITX PC...

I guess option 3, would be to buy a new ITX board... the Axiomtek doesn't have any SATA ports...

Suggestions or comments?

**malcom2073** · 02-02-2012, 05:32 PM

Using CF, you're probably best off using the more powerful PC, since it's quite the resource hog. Not sure if you're going to be happy with the laptops graphics card performance though, definitely try it out on the bench first and see how you like it. For power, you could use the carnetix: http://carnetix.com/CNXP1900.htm . It also has a startup/shutdown controller as a bonus.

**tripzero** · 02-02-2012, 05:34 PM

Also get an SSD instead of a spinning disk. CF takes forever to load on a standard hard drive.

**birdie** · 02-02-2012, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by malcom2073

Using CF, you're probably best off using the more powerful PC, since it's quite the resource hog. Not sure if you're going to be happy with the laptops graphics card performance though, definitely try it out on the bench first and see how you like it. For power, you could use the carnetix: http://carnetix.com/CNXP1900.htm . It also has a startup/shutdown controller as a bonus.

Hmm yeah that's interesting... Maybe I should consider another front-end... Main thing it has to do is interface nicely with an iPhone/iPod touch to read the playlists and media from it... I'm not sure that I really care a huge amount about having Nav built-in (that's why I chose Centrafuse originally as it had Nav with Australian maps... and it was one of/the only one to have that) as I now use Navigon on my iPhone... So maybe I should look at different FE software that has good support for the iPhone... Any suggestions there?

Originally Posted by tripzero

Also get an SSD instead of a spinning disk. CF takes forever to load on a standard hard drive.

Yeah I had thought about that actually... and I could get away with a small one as I don't plan on storing much media on the drive... I like to use my iPhone as my source as its easy to update from my main media library... I have a 120GB OCZ Vertex 2 SSD in my MacBook Pro and its a huge difference especially in bootup time, so yeah that will be a must...

**malcom2073** · 02-02-2012, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by birdie

Hmm yeah that's interesting... Maybe I should consider another front-end... Main thing it has to do is interface nicely with an iPhone/iPod touch to read the playlists and media from it... I'm not sure that I really care a huge amount about having Nav built-in (that's why I chose Centrafuse originally as it had Nav with Australian maps... and it was one of/the only one to have that) as I now use Navigon on my iPhone... So maybe I should look at different FE software that has good support for the iPhone... Any suggestions there?

Nope, sorry. I can't stand ipods, so I don't pay much attention to what supports it. I'm not saying don't use CF, I'm just saying if it's the only thing that meets your needs, be sure to plan appropriately.

Originally Posted by birdie

Yeah I had thought about that actually... and I could get away with a small one as I don't plan on storing much media on the drive... I like to use my iPhone as my source as its easy to update from my main media library... I have a 120GB OCZ Vertex 2 SSD in my MacBook Pro and its a huge difference especially in bootup time, so yeah that will be a must...

SSD will help some, that's for sure. Since you're planning on using an ipod, you shouldn't need much room for media, yeah?