Why isn't there a newb guide?

**fj0** · 12-01-2004, 05:37 PM

Or where are you hiding it? :P

I just got into this today and thought this would be so much nicer then getting an ipod for the car.

I have a Mini Cooper S 2003. Now I do understand some of this stuff, not all though, I would say I'm good at computers and building them, but not integrating them into a car.

So, most use the Mini ITX if i understood it right, but I wanna now this.
As I have older computer(AMD XP1600+), instead of buying new, mini itx stuff, can't I use the ATX board?

Please write everything I need for it to work, I'm very new to this regulator this regulator that stuff.

I'm very thankful for your help, and yes, I did try to search before.

Cheers,
Mario

**Enforcer** · 12-01-2004, 05:49 PM

mario, welcome.

you don't have to use a mini itx board. You can use any PC you like, from a mini itx, microATX, or full size board. You don't have to build the PC yourself you can use a standard desktop, miditower, laptop or even a converted XBox. just depends on space, size of pocket and imagination.

We CAN help, but we can't design it for you.

Search again, but be more specific about what you want to do in your searches.

Start in the show off your project sections, you will gets loads of ideas there.

Also look for other people with the same type of car as you, and look at what they have done or are doing.

Good luck.

PS yes ask questions but ask specific questions not general ones.

**fj0** · 12-01-2004, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by Enforcer

mario, welcome.

you don't have to use a mini itx board. You can use any PC you like, from a mini itx, microATX, or full size board. You don't have to build the PC yourself you can use a standard desktop, miditower, laptop or even a converted XBox. just depends on space, size of pocket and imagination.

We CAN help, but we can't design it for you.

Search again, but be more specific about what you want to do in your searches.

Start in the show off your project sections, you will gets loads of ideas there.

Also look for other people with the same type of car as you, and look at what they have done or are doing.

Good luck.

PS yes ask questions but ask specific questions not general ones.

Alright, sounds fair to me.

Some questions I have are.

Will I need an extra battery?
Will the ATX, 230v go to the cigarettelighter? If so, what will be inbetween those two, the computer and the cigarettelighter.
Can it handle 300w? Do you have to upgrade something for it to be able to?

I hope those we're better questions, if not, I'm terribly sorry, I'll try finding people with the same car, I did a fast search on it before and didn't find any.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers,
Mario

**Enforcer** · 12-01-2004, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by fj0

Alright, sounds fair to me.

Some questions I have are.

Will I need an extra battery?
Will the ATX, 230v go to the cigarettelighter? If so, what will be inbetween those two, the computer and the cigarettelighter.
Can it handle 300w? Do you have to upgrade something for it to be able to?

I hope those we're better questions, if not, I'm terribly sorry, I'll try finding people with the same car, I did a fast search on it before and didn't find any.

Thanks for your help.

Cheers,
Mario

Extra battery - depends on how much you intend using it with the engine off, and how big a system (Processor, memory, drives etc) you use.

Standard ATX power supplies will need an inverter to raise the 12V DC to 110/230V AC.

or you can get 12V DC-DC power supplies. (Clue search for OPUS)

good hunting.

**Hammer** · 12-01-2004, 06:02 PM

your current atx power supply uses AC power, and your car battery uses DC. Go get yourself a power inverter ($22 on ebay +ship) and run the line from the inverter directly to your battery. (or buy a DC-DC psu

No you will not need an extra battery
Yes your car can handle 300 watts

I would look into shutdown controllers to make your life a little easier.

**Jeepskate** · 12-01-2004, 06:35 PM

Start with the FAQ (it's at the top of this forum). That's what I did when I first got here. Most of the stuff you'll come up with is in there. It helps if you have good working knowledge of PC's and car audio systems too...you don't really want to cut your teeth trying to do/learn both at the same time, but it's certainly doable.

**MikeH** · 12-01-2004, 09:12 PM

Here's a rather biased work in progress. At least it may help get a handle on the decision flow.
Newbie CarPC System Design Decision Tree
Comments, criticism, suggestions welcome. As stated....work in progress. If you noobs find it useful, I/we will put more detail into it. I'm mosted interested in whether or not this format will be useful if the detail is added.

**Botimus** · 12-02-2004, 08:01 AM

MikeH, thanks, that tree helped clear something up for me.
fjo, this is a whole forum area just for newbis, you want a guide as well? There is so much information here for any one to profit from if they so wished.

**fj0** · 12-02-2004, 08:29 AM

So, if I buy and OPUS, will it be able to power my setup? it's only 150W?

AMD XP1600+
ATX motherboard
Geforce FX5200 128mb(Voodoo3 If the PS can't handle the Geforce)
1stick 256mb DDR
1 DVD-rom
1 60gb 5200RPM 5.25"
and probably a gps dongle in the future

**Confused** · 12-02-2004, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by fj0

So, if I buy and OPUS, will it be able to power my setup? it's only 150W?

AMD XP1600+
ATX motherboard
Geforce FX5200 128mb(Voodoo3 If the PS can't handle the Geforce)
1stick 256mb DDR
1 DVD-rom
1 60gb 5200RPM 5.25"
and probably a gps dongle in the future

Yeah, the Opus should power that with no problems at all.

There are people running much more power-hungry systems than that from the 150W Opus.

Garry