Desktop CarPC

**Final** · 03-21-2007, 01:50 PM

So Ill probably get flamed for asking this, but Im trying to complete, or begin the Carputer project but Im working with a REALLY tight budget thanks to the cops in this town. I have a 4 year old 1.5Ghz P4/256 SDRam/60 Gigs/Dual bays/Radeon 9000 that I use only when I come home from school. I wouldnt mind dropping this and harnessing it into my trunk. Its smaller than the ATX Mid tower that I built. I was wondering if theres anyway I can convert the power supply so it will work through the cars 12volt and hook up a shutdown controller to it.

**dhantiflag** · 03-21-2007, 02:06 PM

the best way to do this for you, and easy is do use an inverter... figure out the watts on your psu then search for 1

**2k1Toaster** · 03-21-2007, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by dhantiflag

the best way to do this for you, and easy is do use an inverter... figure out the watts on your psu then search for 1

I disagree. An inverter setup that is correctly wired will be just as much as the compareable dc-dc.

The system you say you have the P4 1.5 is not as power hungry as the newer P4s, so I think that and the mobo will be able to be run off of a M2 or a Opus 120.

As for the video card, leave it out. I am sure that mobo has onboard video, so just use it. If it doesn't get a cheapo $15 pci/agp video card. Not pci-e because I dont even think that was around with the 1.5's, but regular old pci.

Think about it this way: A lot of people use via boards. The one I have is equivalent to about a 700-800 Mhz P3. I use onboard video and sound. And it is speedy. Playing music, videos, and GPS do not require much cpu power. TruckinMP3 is running a Celeron300A!!

So dump the Radeon.

And I don't know what you mean about dual bays?! Dual optical drives, harddrives, empty slots?

**Final** · 03-21-2007, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by 2k1Toaster

I disagree. An inverter setup that is correctly wired will be just as much as the compareable dc-dc.

The system you say you have the P4 1.5 is not as power hungry as the newer P4s, so I think that and the mobo will be able to be run off of a M2 or a Opus 120.

As for the video card, leave it out. I am sure that mobo has onboard video, so just use it. If it doesn't get a cheapo $15 pci/agp video card. Not pci-e because I dont even think that was around with the 1.5's, but regular old pci.

Think about it this way: A lot of people use via boards. The one I have is equivalent to about a 700-800 Mhz P3. I use onboard video and sound. And it is speedy. Playing music, videos, and GPS do not require much cpu power. TruckinMP3 is running a Celeron300A!!

So dump the Radeon.

And I don't know what you mean about dual bays?! Dual optical drives, harddrives, empty slots?

I mean it has a CD drive and CD-R/W drive. But what do I do about the power supply and the shutdown controller is what Im asking...

Originally Posted by dhantiflag

the best way to do this for you, and easy is do use an inverter... figure out the watts on your psu then search for 1

Where can I get an inverter from?

**2k1Toaster** · 03-21-2007, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by Final

I mean it has a CD drive and CD-R/W drive. But what do I do about the power supply and the shutdown controller is what Im asking...

Where can I get an inverter from?

inverter == bad

and you wont need both drives. Take 1 out

and SDC is built into the dc-dc psu. Notice how I said M2 or Opus 120.

**Final** · 03-21-2007, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by 2k1Toaster

inverter == bad

and you wont need both drives. Take 1 out

and SDC is built into the dc-dc psu. Notice how I said M2 or Opus 120.

Its a desktop pc that Im using... Its not a mini atx but a little smaller than a mid. Its more of a hassle taking it out than leaving it in... sdc and dc-dc?

**2k1Toaster** · 03-21-2007, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by Final

Its a desktop pc that Im using... Its not a mini atx but a little smaller than a mid. Its more of a hassle taking it out than leaving it in... sdc and dc-dc?

How much of a hassle to remove an optical drive? It is wasted power drain. And you might think that a drive doesn't use much, but a single full sized optical drive can draw 1-2 amps by themselves. On the M2, one drive eats away 10-20% of your available power.

The M2 and the Opus use standard desktop ATX connectors.

SDC = Shutdown Controller
DC-DC = Efficient PSU that goes from DC (Car Battery) to DC (what computer uses) opposed to the innefficient and wrong way of DC (Car) to AC (Inverter out and square wave for the cheap crap ones) back to DC (Computer PSU producing heat and inferior voltages due to the crap square wave input).

The M2-ATX and Opus 120W are 2 dc-dc psu's sold in the store or eBay that take the cars powe runregulated, and regulate it as well as have sdc's built in. There are many others as well but they go up in price.

**Final** · 03-21-2007, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by 2k1Toaster

How much of a hassle to remove an optical drive? It is wasted power drain. And you might think that a drive doesn't use much, but a single full sized optical drive can draw 1-2 amps by themselves. On the M2, one drive eats away 10-20% of your available power.

The M2 and the Opus use standard desktop ATX connectors.

SDC = Shutdown Controller
DC-DC = Efficient PSU that goes from DC (Car Battery) to DC (what computer uses) opposed to the innefficient and wrong way of DC (Car) to AC (Inverter out and square wave for the cheap crap ones) back to DC (Computer PSU producing heat and inferior voltages due to the crap square wave input).

The M2-ATX and Opus 120W are 2 dc-dc psu's sold in the store or eBay that take the cars powe runregulated, and regulate it as well as have sdc's built in. There are many others as well but they go up in price.

But will it be compatible with my motherboard? It would be a bad idea to replace my ps with one from the mp3 store right? I think the one Im running now is 100 watts, Im pretty positive.

**2k1Toaster** · 03-21-2007, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by Final

But will it be compatible with my motherboard? It would be a bad idea to replace my ps with one from the mp3 store right? I think the one Im running now is 100 watts, Im pretty positive.

Well if your motherboard uses the ATX standard, then yes. I suggest you do some reading in the FAQ section.

**MatrixPC** · 03-21-2007, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by Final

But will it be compatible with my motherboard? It would be a bad idea to replace my ps with one from the mp3 store right? I think the one Im running now is 100 watts, Im pretty positive.

Unless your the PC/mobo you had was from DELL. If it has 20 PIN standard ATX power supply, you can use ANY DC-DC mention by 2k1Toaster

Take sometime read the FAQ and do some searching. Most/all your question you think of going to ask has been answer. It and educate reading that can save you lots of money down the road.