Thread: Evaluate my first CarPC

Hi All, I'm installing a Car PC into my VYII Holden Commodore, S-Pack.

After a bit of thought, I have put together a general Idea of what I want, and have decided to go ahead with the project. However, I want it to work perfectly, little niggling faults do tend to **** me off. So there will be a fair bit of effort, in terms of chopping/changing the specs of my system.

Anyway, here is how my system will go. Feel free to nitpick away, suggest better solutions, etc.

Ok, on the drawing board, my system will work using the following hardware:

1. It must use as little power as possible. I am talking the likes of those little VIA boards, with something like a PicoPSU powering it.

2. It must be a small "set top box" sized device I can fit under the glovebox. This allows ease of changing DVD's, and for those in the know. Commodores have the legroom to do this.

3. Due to the high crime rate in my area. Permanent mounting of a screen in my dash is not an option. What I have considered, is modifying one of those sticky Sat Nav windscreen holders so it can hold my 7" LCD on the windscreen. In much the same fashion as you would stick a GPS onto your windscreen.

4. FM Transmitter, no ifs no buts. Yes, I'll be buying a decent "in-line" one. I won't be pulling out the stock head unit, I do use it's integration with the rest of my car too (ie, Steering wheel controls, Speed dependant volume, HU accesory control). It doesn't have an AUX in, but with the right modulator. I can pull immaculate sound from an FM radio anyway.

5. 256MB RAM or greater. 80GB HDD or greater. 1GHz CPU or greater. DVD Slimline Drive a must. Don't particularly care about the onboard graphics specs. As long as I can play DVDs

6. NO I'm not doing anything drastic to the dash. Although some cars look nice after the dash has gone "under the knife" so to speak. Not happening here.

7. AU$1100 budget. Maximum.

The software will be the following:

1. Windows 2000 Pro, Possibly XP Pro, trimmed down to bugger all, to allow for fast boot, and responsiveness.

2. I quite like how simple Centrafuse is. Try and tempt me with better software. It has to be quick, efficient, feature packed, all in one elegant package. Oh, and at a decent price.

3. The features I love about Centrafuse are:

* The Simplicity of picking music.
* The "Straight forward" no bull**** interface.
* BIG buttons. Bear in mind I'm using a 7" screen.
* DVD's are almost seemless in terms of starting the player module, and playing/controlling movies. However it could improve. I'm open to suggestions on this one.
* I had the trial all set up well while it was running. I could click WEB, and it would automatically link up to my phone via bluetooth. No nonsense net access = good.
* Auto resume of music upon restart.

4. The system should also be capable of standby / resume. I want to consume as little power as possible. Standby will make for a much faster starting system.


The system will be an MP3, DVD, TV, WEB capable unit. I don't need GPS. It looks like more trouble than its worth, getting PC GPS in Australia. (I also have a portable unit, but once again. I'm all ears.)

Anyway, I don't think I can come up with much more. Now for suggestions!

Also, I've attached a photochop of my dash. After recently finding out I can't place a mount and screen on the dash like in that pic. (Yet our cops can go and put radars and other gadgets on that same spot, in the same make/model!! Go figure...). So yeah, sticky Windscreen mount will be the go.