n00b here

**kaine** · 03-14-2004, 05:49 PM

Hey guys im new to the forum, and I had a couple questions to ask:

1. I got a 1200mhz cpu and a generic AMD mobo, and 256mb of pc-133 ram, will this be more than enough processing power/ram?
2. The mobo is kinda oldish (about 3 or 4 years), Could I get a laptop HDD and put it in an external enclosure, and use that for my car mp3 hard drive? Dont worry, the mobo has USB, but it would be really cool if i could just boot to the usb drive, instead of having two, one for OS/app and one for a storage drive. This would just make it sooo much easier!
3. This is a dumb question but ive never used a DC DC PSU before, they just have DC plug on the back, and can plug right into a 12v to DC adapter right?
4. Instead of messing with an LCD display I was thinkin about just mapping a small keypad (for next, play, pause, etc.), could this work relitively easily with the right auto play software? or somthing like that, cuz I dont want to have to put an LCD screen in my 86 chevy pickup.
5. Can I make this work easily enough using windows 98 or 95 OS? I have them just laying around, so if I can make it work with those, those will be my first choice. Or are there software programs that are like OS's but only play music.
6. I am using a tape deck to AUX for my audio input
7. I am also going to use a generic CD rom, prolly 30x or somthing around that.
8. Is there anything I should be warry of using these components? Is there anything I missed? I'm really new at this, so I am sorry if I asked some dumb questions, and thank you so much for any help!

Thanks again!
-dave

**telekineticfool** · 03-14-2004, 09:20 PM

1. yes
2. yes edit: wait, check your bios...i'm pretty sure an old bios wouldn't want to boot of a USB drive. Also, running your primary harddrive off USB 1 = teh suck...it would be seriously slow. An external hard drive being used as a media storage and transfer drive running on USB 2 or firewire would be fine.
3. no, if you have an opus, there are three wires out the back of it...one to ground, one you put to a switchable source (like ignition), and one that you put to the positive terminal of your battery.
4. yes
5. you will need an os, if you're going screenless put winamp in your startup folder
6. ok
7. sure, go for it
8. nope you should be fine...the only thing would be research and make sure the power supply your getting will have enough juice for your components...look in the projects completed section to try and find an example of someone running a cd-rom, laptop hd, and athelon 1200 or equivalent off whatever power supply you are getting.

**gospeed.racer** · 03-14-2004, 09:29 PM

I had considered using my USB hard drive in that way also...I figured I could set the bios to boot from USB HDD and let it go from there, then have it partitioned so I could plug it in at home and upload/download as needed.

Just fueling the fire, I dont know that it would work, but I have been tempted to try it!

**kaine** · 03-14-2004, 10:07 PM

kool thanks guys!

so about my 4th question, what software app would you go with on that? Im doin some research on it but I want an opinion from someone more experienced.

also, I was thinkin about buyin an MMX mobo (the mini kind), and if i did that, I could get a usb 2 connection, then i could boot off it, and forget about the desktop HDD. Oh man that would be sweet! it would sorta be like a detachable face on CD players (only they could still steal the rest of the system

but illegally downloaded music is much more important

)

so ya, I also need a link to a tutorial for wiring the PSU, that sounds kinda complicated...

**kaine** · 03-15-2004, 02:15 AM

Ive decided to use a cheapo mounted lcd vga monitor, so nvrmind that software question. Also, since mp3's are so small, why is everyone concerned about huge hard drives in their carputers? why not just burn a butt load on CD's? easier to organize, and since this is my only mp3 player (besides my computer), I can keep em all in my car. I think im gonna put a 15gb hard drive in mine, and load games and stuff on it, and use CDs for my mp3s.

I also had another n00b question: I am seeing a lot of "vdc" connectors on car lcd monitors, some of them look different than others... I assume vdc means 12 volt DC. Does this mean it plugs into the cig lighter? or do they make adapters that let it plug into the cig lighter? How do you install it if you dont have an adapter?

**telekineticfool** · 03-15-2004, 02:35 AM

Originally Posted by kaine

Also, since mp3's are so small, why is everyone concerned about huge hard drives in their carputers? why not just burn a butt load on CD's? easier to organize, and since this is my only mp3 player (besides my computer), I can keep em all in my car. I think im gonna put a 15gb hard drive in mine, and load games and stuff on it, and use CDs for my mp3s.

I'm not obsessed with big hard drives at the moment. My operating system and other program files take up about 3-4 gigabytes. I do, however, have between 6 and 7 gigabytes of MP3's. I am going to go out on a limb here and say that using cd's for your mp3's in your carputer is a really bad and unnecessary idea. If you want to do that, buy an MP3 cd player and save yourself a lot of trouble and money. They are really small, so just put them on the hard drive....what possible reason could you have for wanting to mess with CD's? Also, that would positively DESTROY the indexing features of Media Engine etc.

I also had another n00b question: I am seeing a lot of "vdc" connectors on car lcd monitors, some of them look different than others... I assume vdc means 12 volt DC. Does this mean it plugs into the cig lighter? or do they make adapters that let it plug into the cig lighter? How do you install it if you dont have an adapter?

Just cut it and run one to ground and one to a fused 12v+ at the battery.

**Evo Designs** · 03-15-2004, 06:56 AM

Also, since mp3's are so small, why is everyone concerned about huge hard drives in their carputers? why not just burn a butt load on CD's? easier to organize, and since this is my only mp3 player (besides my computer), I can keep em all in my car. I think im gonna put a 15gb hard drive in mine, and load games and stuff on it, and use CDs for my mp3s.

ya umm i have well over 40gigs of mp3's so i think the big hdd might be needed and i do suggest you get a mp3 cpplayer head unit

**kaine** · 03-15-2004, 08:37 PM

omg how much music could you guys possibly like? man 40gigs? well I guess I'll put my WD 40 7200rpm desktop drive in my car. I'm gonna strip down a win 98 OS and use that for my car. Also, I really wanna put a CD or DVD player in there, but I heard that they're not really made for going over bumps and what not, will they skip a lot? Could It dmg the DVD player pretty easily? I was thinking of putting in a laptop CD rom instead of a standard desktop one, but that will just create more configuring, and mounting problems. What was your guys' solution?

**telekineticfool** · 03-16-2004, 04:32 AM

Originally Posted by kaine

omg how much music could you guys possibly like? man 40gigs? well I guess I'll put my WD 40 7200rpm desktop drive in my car. I'm gonna strip down a win 98 OS and use that for my car. Also, I really wanna put a CD or DVD player in there, but I heard that they're not really made for going over bumps and what not, will they skip a lot? Could It dmg the DVD player pretty easily? I was thinking of putting in a laptop CD rom instead of a standard desktop one, but that will just create more configuring, and mounting problems. What was your guys' solution?

omg i like all the music i have!

As for our solutions, go look in the projects showoff folder. My personal solution: Nuts to removeable media, my system doesn't have a cd-rom or dvd rom or floppy....or keyboard or mouse for that matter hehe.

Why are you choosing win98 over win2000 lite?