Using the Car PC as the ONLY source....

**Whitebread** · 06-08-2007, 08:13 PM

Whats up guys?
JBLs new MS-8 will give me the ability to do all the crossing and EQing I need for a 3 way front stage and subs. And it will do it at a resonable price but, it still dose not solve the problems created by using multiple sources.

I want to use the PC as my audio source most of the time. It will store ALL of my digital audio I have on my home computer. I also need the flexability provided by FM and AM radio as well as CD audio. Using a seperate HU to fulfill my CD and radio needs throws a second volume attenuator into the system (the MS-8 has one, which I want to use and the main system volume control). This will produce problems for gain settings, dash clutter (since I'd have two knobs in the dash) and confusion in people who are not familiar with my system.

Incorporating radio reception and CD audio into the car puter will solve this problem, but how to do it? How do laptop drives handle the bumps and vibration present in cars? I'd imagine car specific optical drives are better at this. Also, are they're any tuners available for use in teh car environment that can also interfact with a PC?

And last question. Does anyone here know of GOOD sound cards that can or have:

Output 4 full range signals (2 left and 2 right)
Decode up to 192khz/24bit LPCM audio
Play DVD-A with Meridian lossless audio on it
PCI interface

And doesnt cost more than 150 dollars?

**RedGTiVR6** · 06-08-2007, 09:31 PM

it's been done before by about 95% of the users of this forum.

I'd say that very few people use head units with their installs...I know I haven't in over 3 years.

You need to spend some time searching.

The CD player is a non-issue. There are adapters for laptop CD-drives out there.

The Radio question has been asked about 10,000 times on these forums. I suggest you search on that one especially since it's not a cut and dry answer that I think you're looking for. You need to understand the ups and downs of each option out there before you make a move on that one.

Regarding the sound card....there's an entire stickey in the car audio forum that discusses avaliable USB/FireWire sound cards. There's also a lot of talk in there about higher end PCI sound cards.

There's a TON of information on this forum. It might be overwhelming at first, but it's imperitative that you use it to your advantage if you're going to be taking on a project like this.

Getting your car to sound great while using ONLY a CarPC is very possible. Just check my signature to see what I mean.

There are a number of us on here who compete in SQ comps with computers. Some with HUs some without.

Though, this hobby isn't quite as easy as picking up a radio off of the shelf and just splicing it into the wiring harness.

There's a lot more that goes into it if you want to play on that level.