Advice on CarPC Build

**Kiffer** · 06-23-2009, 12:38 AM

Hi,

I am new to the forums/CarPC world, but not to custom PC's. I am going to build a Car PC for an 03 VW Jetta. I plan on mounting a DD 7" touchscreen where my stock HU was and using mocoso's G4 case in the trunk. My objectives for this unit will be:

Multimedia playback/Head unit
Bluetooth hands free Celly
GPS
Wireless/Mobile Internet access.
AM/FM Radio

So here is what I have come up with for hardware:

Mocoso G4 Case w/PCI
Lilliput EBY701 (transflective) w/ DD Kit
Intel D945GCLF2D w/ Atom 330
2GB DDR2
X-Fi extreme audio
HDD-not sure yet, probably SSD
M2 160w PSU
USB Wifi
USB SiRF III GPS
USB Bluetooth
USB Mobile Broadband
HQCTi Kit
Centrifuse Navigation
Andrea super beam mic

I will be running audio to a 4CH amp for my stock speakers and to a 2CH and and 2x10" subs (already have).

Just have a few questions.

Is the HQCTi kit what I need to interface with my cars antenna for AM/FM? Will the M2 power all that? Anything I am missing (other than VGA cable and RCA's for my amps)?

T.I.A.

**DarquePervert** · 06-23-2009, 06:56 AM

You should be fine as far as power goes.
If you go with a mechanical HDD (instead of SSD), get a laptop drive for power savings.

**WuNgUn** · 06-23-2009, 07:29 AM

I'd suggest a better PSU...I haven't had much luck with the M2/M4 series PSU's...and you likely won't either.

1Gb of RAM is plenty...2GB will slow your resumes drastically.

I'd also stay away from Creative audio...ever heard of Asus Xonar??

**Bugbyte** · 06-23-2009, 07:41 AM

Thread moved to proposed setup forum.

**Kiffer** · 06-23-2009, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by WuNgUn

I'd suggest a better PSU...I haven't had much luck with the M2/M4 series PSU's...and you likely won't either.

1Gb of RAM is plenty...2GB will slow your resumes drastically.

I'd also stay away from Creative audio...ever heard of Asus Xonar??

Any suggestions for other PSU's? Yes I have heard of the Xonar. I will look into that. I just figured 2Gb would be better and the price difference is minimal, but I am going to run Win XP so 1GB is probably fine.

And why mechanical instead of SSD?

**WuNgUn** · 06-23-2009, 09:02 AM

OPUS PSU's are good, but pricey...I won't run anything else now.

If you optimize XP, 1GB is lots, but yeah, DDR2 is dirt cheap anymore!

**soundman98** · 06-23-2009, 09:38 AM

a mechanical 2.5" drive is going to be alot cheaper than ssd.

**Punky** · 06-23-2009, 02:14 PM

if you are not in a rush, wait a few weeks for many other wonderful atom330 setups. The intel setup is cheap but extremely buggy, if you search you'll see theres a massive thread for all the problems with that motherboard.
Here are some awesome alternative:
1) Asrock ION330
2) Zotac IONITX-D-E
They will most likely boot faster, better graphic, and less buggy as the intel's board.

**csfile** · 06-23-2009, 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by Kiffer

Is the HQCTi kit what I need to interface with my cars antenna for AM/FM?

HQCTi will work with your car antenna. I would suggest looking into an HDRadio unit (Directed DMHD1000 or Visteon HDZ300) + mitchjs cable. Much cheaper, better reception, and will also work with your car antenna.

**Kiffer** · 06-24-2009, 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by Punky

if you are not in a rush, wait a few weeks for many other wonderful atom330 setups. The intel setup is cheap but extremely buggy, if you search you'll see theres a massive thread for all the problems with that motherboard.
Here are some awesome alternative:
1) Asrock ION330
2) Zotac IONITX-D-E
They will most likely boot faster, better graphic, and less buggy as the intel's board.

Okay, so I am definately inerested in the Zotac board. Better Video/more USB's/Onboard Wifi. One question though...It doesn't have a PCI slot so I can't add discrete audio. How is the onboard sound and how woud I connect the digital coaxial output to my amps?