Thread: Linux on an XBOX for CarPC

I'm about to buy a car that has a in dash screen (also with TV turner), only problem is that it doesn't have a cd or dvd player. It used to have a stacker in the boot but no longer does. Looking at the price of DVD stackers I was thinking it might be cheaper the put a modified XBOX in there. I want to play music and movies, games are a bonus. I don't want gps or nav. Any ideas on whether this is a good option. I'm not familiar with the carputer culture.
Cheers.

Originally Posted by sama

I'm sure if someone put their mind to it, GPS can be integrated. All GPS is, is a stream of data. XB has USB no? so wouldn't it be a case of writing a driver? assuming of course some OS emulation is running and working well.

most of what is made for the xbox - is illegal - because
its made with the stolen microsoft dev software

- If you some how made it, you would ether be on your
own - or have to give your files out in a warez kind of way

there is a free dev kit in the works - but I dont think its anyware
near being able to make a usb driver - on top of that
like whats was said windows runs slow and is a little unstable
and thats windows 98, - GPS short of a miracle ant happening

peeps for years have tried making the xbox into a PVR,
never go any ware because of the lack of a usb driver,
and it had a heck of a lot more peeps wanting it, and
working on it - more than will ever be for putting a
xbox in a car

Originally Posted by sparky85

I'm about to buy a car that has a in dash screen (also with TV turner), only problem is that it doesn't have a cd or dvd player. It used to have a stacker in the boot but no longer does. Looking at the price of DVD stackers I was thinking it might be cheaper the put a modified XBOX in there. I want to play music and movies, games are a bonus. I don't want gps or nav. Any ideas on whether this is a good option. I'm not familiar with the carputer culture.
Cheers.

for just that, why not - it would work good

Originally Posted by PURDooM

Ok so you make a gps driver, piece of cake. Im sure there is serial to usb drivers on debian. Now you have 2 numbers in your computer, latatude and longitude. Easy as you say. The trick is doing something with them.

How do you get maps?
How do you render maps quickly and efficently?
How do you make routes?
How do the routes know where one ways are?
How do you know where addresses are on the maps?
How does it determine when you are off course?
How does it determine where POIs are?
How do you make the interface pretty?
How do you make the speech engine?
How do you do all this on an xbox where the developer support community is pretty small?

Thats at least 1,000 hours of coding/testing there. If time were worth $15 an hour that project costs $15,000 dollars.

Its not easy making that software. And its even harder to port one from windows to the xbox. And the demand is slim to nil - xbox is going out of style and the only people that want xbox gps software is 20-30 mp3car people like you who aren't willing to work at a part time job an extra 8 hours to get superior hardware.

Sorry if I seemed hostile.

it would be easy-er to port Xbox media center to the PC - HAY -
thats a good Idea - but even it would take lots of time and effert
- but I dont think it would be real hard tho - they should do that
it would be cool as heck

Originally Posted by will1384

Xbox games cool I have yet to find any one that thought that
computers, Xbox and stuff like that in a car was cool - and I have tried
- they all thought I was a dork - or watching porn in my car,
dont do it for the cool factor - it wont work - do it for you

I play games in my call all the time - NES SNES SEGA PSX
- I was siting at a gas station waiting for a friend, and was
playing a playstation game, and I herd - "oh my god what a dork,
look he is playing video games in his car", another time I was
watching TV - just regular TV - I over hear - "hey hey look I think
that dude is watching porn - yea and I think he is jerking to"

not one time - except here, has any one said it was cool
- not once - even my friends think I am a retard for doing it

I think its cool - and if any of you ever get one install
post picks - but dont do it to make you self look cool

Like I said the concept is for a SHOW CAR.... not so that people think I am cool sitting in a Gas Station. It is about what you want, like I said a lot of people put PC's in their cars for daily use on these forums.... not everyone is looking for that. Some people may want to be able to listen to music, watch movies, and play some games. The GPS would be "cool" to have, but who really uses GPS unless you drive A LOT in places you don't know.

I would like GPS for the function of installing it and having the experience, for use I would get more use outta the XBOX than I ever would out of most of the Carputers people on here are running.

From what I have seen some people on here put PCs in their car because they like PC's (this seams to be where you are at). Then there are people like me who like cars and think it would be "cool" to add some extra unneeded stuff to the car. For me it's driving a couple hours to a show or GTG and then having an xbox game to play while your dicking around waiting for everyone else to show up (because your crew rolled in 2 hours before EVERYONE else).

Like I said it's all about what the person wants.... not doing this at all so that people will think I am "cool." I don't build cars that way, I build cars the way I like em because I like the style.

Holy cow, this inspired a lot more feedback than I anticipated. Thanks for the input from everyone! Like was said earlier it all depends what you want to do... I am learning a lot more about CAR PC's as I have already exploited my xbox to max also... I just love to put random un-needed stuff in places it doesnt belong!