Thread: diagram of typical carputer setup

Not true. I browse the Newbie section because sometimes I can answer questions. I skipped your post because it was a shotgun approach. Pow! Tons of info, no clear questions. It would have taken me 15 minutes to read, extract and reply to your post.

More precise questions, smaller chunks, more cohesion will improve the results.

Originally Posted by fretboard65

i see..

well. this thread is a single question. still no replies. ahh well. i guess ill just drop the project all together; stick to the band thing

I guess you didn't really want to get into it after all, you give up too easy!

Until about a month ago I had little idea what was involved apart from what I read in a brief overview in a magazine article. I still have loads to learn but I now have a fully working carpc with sat nav etc. It didn't take long to get the hang of it but I did put some effort into researching first. This forum is stacked with info that is invaluable and like everyone says you need to search and read up. No-one in here is going to give it to you on a plate and to be honest you just ain't gonna get the satisfaction out of your project unless you know that you did it yourself. Sure, people in here will answer questions, I know I've asked a few. What I didn't do was take my brain out and expect everyone else to figure it all out for me.

Your best bet if you REALLY want a carpc is to learn all about it yourself by searching on this forum, Google and looking on Ebay otherwise you'll never what to do if your carpc ever gets a problem. It is worth it in the end but if you can't be arsed then it is best to give up now before you chuck your money away on components and software that you'll never understand.

Originally Posted by fretboard65

yes, im a noob. to save everyone from flaming away- i did the right thing- my first post (very elaborate) was posted in the newbie forum. as i expected (because the only people browsin' the newbie forum are newbies, duh)- i got very few responses. here is is for anyone who wants to kill 3 min: link to the past.

anyway-

can some knowledgeable person please outline exactly what hardware i will need, and possibly draw a nice jpeg diagram of how the wiring should work?? i think that would be a good thing to sticky.

nothing fancy. single lcd, inverter type (and opus please), usb hub, etc.

thanks!!

The reason you get so few responses is because you're asking what you need to put together a computer in the car.
Well...
What would you need to put together a computer in your home?

The only differences between a home computer and a car PC are:
1) Power. Your house is AC. Your car is DC.
2) Audio. Your cheap PC speakers aren't going to work in your car for very long and you probably have better speakers in your car anyway.

Nobody's telling you what you should get because nobody knows what your needs are. Are you going to do advanced 3D modelling and large-sacle database indexing in your car? If so, get the fastest, most powerful computer with the most memory available and power it off a big-assed inverter. An upgrade to your car's alternator and/or battery are probably in order as well.
Do you want to simply play MP3s and the occasional encoded movie or DVD? You can get off a lot cheaper with less powerful hardware..

A wiring diagram is probably a good thing. There's one here in the forums that includes wiring the audio. The power is pretty straightforward, whether you're using an inverter or a DC-DC solution. I believe that's been posted to. Search for them.
Really, if you're at all fuzzy on how to wire up an electrical device in your car, you shouldn't be attempting this project. That may be harsh, but it's reality.

Originally Posted by fretboard65

i see..

well. this thread is a single question. still no replies. ahh well. i guess ill just drop the project all together; stick to the band thing

No it's not. You want someone to generate a wiring diagram for a car computer and components that you haven't specified. As DarquePervert says, you may want to do a lot of things and the system diagram you're asking for may not meet your needs.

Honestly, you'll get a lot better idea of the components if you'll browse the Show Off Your Project forum. Almost everyone there explains the main components they used. After awhile, you can see patterns emerge - Epia mobos, Mini-ATX's, Shuttles, etc. Not to mention every other Newbie post says something like "What am I missing, here's the specs for my CarPC". Look at some of those and the responses and you'll get a nice shopping list.

You then start pricing these things out and begin to have to make choices right away. At that point, you've probably got a good handle on what types of questions to ask.

Example: "I'm planning on using a VIA EPIA10000 motherboard with an Opus but am not clear on how to wire the Opus to my car. Does the yellow wire go to the ground or 12 volts?"

That's a pretty Newbie question, but it's also more specific and clear and likely to get an answer.