Thread: So confused!

Welcome. First, I don't use XM so I wont comment on that.
Your second question you need to consider yourself. How do you want it installed? Do you want everything to fit inside your dash, under your seats, in your trunk... How much room do you have? What type of pc are your planning on using?
Third, it is not hard to learn to install a pc in a car. You don't need to know much about the inner workings of a car's electronics to do so.
Lastly, this interface you refer too is called a front end. There are many available for you to choose from. There is an entire section on this forum just for front ends. I suggest reading through those posts and picking one. Then after you get your pc installed, you can worry about writing your own program.

P.S. You should read through more of these forums before posting such open ended questions. Check out the show off your project section for install ideas.

Originally Posted by Dawgy

Hi all, please forgive this newbie's absolute confusion.

So, I'm getting a new car (2008 Grand Prix), and it really got me interested in the whole Carputer scene. I'm one that considers myself electronics savvy, but this is incredibly overwhelming.

Essentially, I've just a few questions to make sure I have everything clear before I begin my research.

First of all, I want an XM/GPS system installed, but I'm just wondering about how to control it. Are there kits out there for XM etc that connect to a PC that can be controlled by software in a carputer?

Second of all, how on earth do I get this crap installed? I really have no knowledge of the inside workings of a car's electronics. Is it advisable to have this installed professionally, or is it not too hard to learn to do it?

Lastly, what about an interface. I know you can download an interface to run on your system, but what about programming your own? Are there any particular languages that are the best for this type of thing? I'd like to pick one up and try to program my own interface down the road.

Thanks for any advice you can give, and sorry for the dumb questions!

You buy either a XMDirect or the XMDirect 2.... then buy the cables from Mitch. It can then be controlled with the PC via his software, or a front end like Centrafuse or Road Runner. Installing the PC is all up to you, your imagination, time, money and look. The electronics aspect in a car is much easier then home. 12V+ from battery via amp kit. then ground to the body of the car, cant get more simple then that.