Newbie (to Carputers) in planning stages (long)

**Kupop** · 04-16-2004, 10:41 AM

When did I say I am putting a fiberglass hood on it??

I am planning to put a vented carbon fiber hood on it.

As far as space in the MR2, I think there is PLENTY of room. I am not a huge guy, but 6 foot, and oh 170lbs now? Anyways, I have to position the seat probably 3 clicks from the furthest away that it can go, and the shifter to me is perfectly placed. It is like a stretch when putting down the e-brake though.

Behind each seat is a stock subwoofer (Premium Sound Option), if I take one of these subwoofers out, the compartment they are in is large. A MR2 forum member has a full size motherboard with room for plenty of PCI cards. The powersupply and some other items are in the other bin like this.

I am planning on having my subwoofers behind my seats here, and will be removing the stock subwoofers, and have my enclosure go down into this compartment and up as much as they need to be. This enclosure here will befiberglass and I will probably use fiberglass for under the hood where the 2 amps, computer, ect will be mounted.

Now when it comes to working on the engine of the car, yeah there is no room and it is tricky to get to stuff. I have only owned the car for a short while now, but I LOVE IT! I would only sell it to get a different MR2.

**Kupop** · 04-16-2004, 10:58 AM

Forgot to put some urls up about benchmarks on the CL10000. Here are a few which I have looked through:

http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/cl10000/index8.php

http://www.pyroport.com/reviews/3_3.shtml

http://www.viperlair.com/reviews/cpu...10000/p2.shtml

http://www.epiacenter.com/modules.ph...&pid=36&page=4

The last review is actually for the MII10000 not the CL10000 like the first three. However in the benchmarking graphs it has the Cl10000. Additionally I would like to add that I do not know if they are using the Nemiah (whatever it is!) or the other older version.

**gubon13** · 04-18-2004, 08:20 PM

Thanks for the links... Now I know more for if I decide to build another carputer.

**Kupop** · 04-18-2004, 09:30 PM

No problem, any comments on the CL board? I did a search for CL10000 and not much came up, nothing with useful information. This was the best one.

I am no longer even considering the M, it is either is the CL or MII. CL will be a much cheaper and have additional USB ports. It will lack in video outputs (but the one I am concerned with will be there) and 6 channel audio, though I only need 2, and ever want 2. For this car that is. Now if it was some SUV with front and rear channels, I would consider putting a 5.1 system in.

As I stand, I am going with the CL10000, 512mb ram, my old 25gb hdd (full size/3.5"), one of those touchscreens, possibly Lilliput, that GPS Mouse or something similar off of eBay, some wireless nic, and at least a wireless keyboard.

The rest is all optional, but I can see myself putting the controllers in, playing all my roms in my car = l33t :P

The only thing I am not sure about yet, is what size power supply I should get. I feel the 150 is overkill, and I don't plan on expanding much, if I do it will be to a better/newer screen in the dash, and additional devices in the USB bus (mouse, FM, ect).

What watt power supply would be enough for the planned system, or maybe supply a little more power that it would be able to handle one or two small expansions?

TIA

**gubon13** · 04-19-2004, 05:38 AM

CL board looks good, but I really can't say. I haven't really looked into it much as I stopped looking at it when I saw there was no TV out. The MII board just seems to have a lot of nice things that I would only use once or twice. Don't really see the benefits for my needs.

As for power consumption, this may help...

The M10000 board is rated at 24W under load (this includes the CPU). 512MB PC2700 is going to use anywhere from 5-15W under load. Typical 7200RPM desktop hdd runs anywhere from 5-15W under load. All USB devices can have a maximum of 2.5W under load. I assume the screen will be powered by the car's battery, and not the PSU. So at most, the total is (m/b+cpu)24W+(RAM)15W+(hdd)15W+(usb gps)2.5W+(usb wireless)2.5W = 59W. And this is at MAXIMUM values.

I would say that the OPUS 90W would be more than sufficient for even overloaded systems. Keep in mind that a typical full-sized DVD/CD-ROM runs 10-25W. Also, fans run 2-4W. Also, if you WERE going to run the screen off of the PSU, it runs 10W.

Seems so small because most ATX boards are 20-30W and P4 or Athlon chips are an additional 65+W. PIII is something like 35-40W. I don't remember exactly. Thus the beauty of ITX.

**Kupop** · 04-19-2004, 01:02 PM

Thanks a lot for those numbers, I will go with the 90 watt when I start buying.

I am not sure about the screen, I may hook it up to the PSU yet because there is no need to have it on without the PC on. If you are guessing I will be around 60W and I got 90W powering. If I add the screen that takes up 10, so 20 left.

I have no plans of adding a DVD-Rom, I would add a fan if heat was an issue, and possibly a few more USB devices.

Seems that the 90 will do just fine. Thanks, because I am pretty much fully planned, now to afford it all and start putting it together.

**gubon13** · 04-19-2004, 02:33 PM

That's the hard part - WHIPPING OUT THE PLASTIC AND PAYING. ouch... LOL. Good luck!

**Kupop** · 04-20-2004, 01:27 AM

Thanks, I got experience in all of the "hobbies" that are involved in this, computers, stereos, body work. I don't see anything major, but I am expecting to encounter my share of issues that I will need to work out. I'll get a site together with progress pictures and all when it starts going. I got some other work to do the car before I start putting a good stereo in.