How much processing power is enough?

**SparkyTX** · 11-17-2004, 04:10 PM

Howdy all! I am very experienced with cars and puters, but this is my first adventure into carputers!

I plan to install a puter in my truck that will initially be used solely for GPS functions. I do a lot of travelling and the screens on GPS's like the GArmins are still just too small. In addition, I want to leverage the Xenarc 8" Touchscreen LCD (800TSV) I already use for my rear view camera system on my trailer.

With that said, I am planning to run a USB-based GPS receiver with basic mapping software. Usually when I build a PC, I get the biggest, fastest parts available as I know how quickly they will be out-of-date and obsolete (and money isn't really much of an issue).

I am currently debating which mobo and how much RAM I should get as well as drive space.

Is the following configuration simply overkill?

EPIA MII12000 1.2 GHz
512 MB RAM
80GB Barracuda 3.5" HDD
CD-RW/DVD combo drive
Opus 90W PSU
Morex 2699 case

Or would it be plenty sufficient to go with the M10000 1.0 GHz or only 256MB RAM?

I humbly await the knowledge of the masters!

brian

**wizardPC** · 11-17-2004, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by SparkyTX

I humbly await the knowledge of the masters!

well, looky there! A newbie I might like!

an m10000 with 256mb will be more than enough for simply GPS. My first system back in 2000 was a 667 celeron with 128mb ram, and I did DVD, GPS, Wireless internet, and a host of other things.

**NiN^_^NiN** · 11-17-2004, 05:22 PM

Im using a mII6000E

600mhz fanless mini itx and it does gps dvd movies mp3/ogg/mid/mod etc and it plays snes nes c64 megadrive(genesis for u usa folk) sms game gear gameboy gbc gba and mame.

And this motherboard does all this plus wifi

300mhz with GPS is the lowest system we have seen so far but i reccomend 400mhz as bare min.

But you will add more very soon to your project even if u just use it for gps u might play a few cd's

but i only use GPS and mp3 the movies and games are for the passengers altho i wont have any as its a sports car its there just in case

**DodgeCummins** · 11-28-2004, 12:48 PM

Yup, I think it is overkill.

You definitely want a fanless system.

This is all I use, and I can simultaneously run winamp, netstumbler, SA RWE.

**DaRacerz** · 11-28-2004, 06:19 PM

Well, if this is just a test to see how slow of a system you can use for plain old GPS, then a Pentium 200Mhz is a spare system I just had to test it out on

Pentium 200Mhz, 32Mb Ram, Windows 98 SE. (BTW, this is not what I really use in my car)

Running Routis without problems, but you do and can see lag in "3d" Mode. So Anything above that should be enough. Just abut Any Via system will be enough to perform all tasks except certain video Decoding.