!!! Help me out, folks? (please?)

**schpanky** · 08-20-2005, 12:01 AM

Hi all, to first kill any questions... I've got a '95 Mustang, and I'm installing a carputer system to it (which is why I am here

)... I've got the majority of the kinks worked out as I am an avid HTPC-builder and rather compotent at Car and PC repair (two favorite hobbies, as most of the people here, I would imagine.)

There's the prologue... here's the questions:

1.) What's the cheapest-possible touchscreen I can get for this project?
2.) I'm running a P3-800EB-based system, what's the absolute cheapest DC-DC PSU can I get? Think I can get by with a Morex 70W? I already have several inverters, one is 450W and two outlets, think that would be of better use?
Alternatively, I have a Shuttle XPC (200W PSU) equipped with an AthlonXP-M that I may substitute the P3-sysem with later-on
3.) Is there anyway that the standard Kenwood reciever in the car can do auxillary input? If not, I don't mind sacrificing the entire reciever and wiring up the PC to it, instead, but... how?

those are the extent of my questions, any help is appreciated

**edrex** · 08-20-2005, 12:15 AM

Need to save your money for repairs on your Ford?

(couldn't resist...)

Why go cheap? Seems to me if you use good quality components to begin with you will be happier with your system and better off in the long run. I decided that I wanted a Xenarc monitor because all I read on the Lilliput were people having problems with them. So I bought a brand new Xenarc that I found at the price of the Lilliput. Moral of the story is don't buy cheap things, just search till your fingers are bloody and sore until you find the best deal possible on good things.

The power supply question is hard to say. You need to figure out how many devices you will be running off it. GPS, WiFi, monitor power, XM, USB hubs, CD/DVD drives, etc.

As for your reciever, research the model number and see if it has an aux in. If you don't see a button up front that says AUX on it or its not satellite ready, then it probably doesn't. If its your stock deck on a 95 Stang then I'm sure it doesn't.

So, if you take the headunit out then you need an amp, and probably new speakers. The sound wires from the PC->Amp->Speakers. Easy and been done a million times.

Good luck with your project. Hope something here helps.

**Bugbyte** · 08-20-2005, 12:40 AM

It doesn't sound to me like you've got the majority of the kinks worked out.

1. You don't know how to get sound from the PC to the stereo.

2. You don't know what to use to power the PC.

3. You don't know what kind of display you are going to use.

4. You didn't mention it because you probably haven't thought of it, but do you want to auto start and stop the PC or do you want to push a button to boot it every time you get in the car and choose Start->Shutdown->Shutdown every time you go to the grocery store?

Aside from that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?

Okay, the answers are straightforward. First, peruse the FAQ Emporium for a discussion of the various systems in a car PC and how to approach the problem. Click on the link in my signature to head over there.

Second, as Edrex says, cheap is as cheap does. The cheapest is not always the best and, counterintuitively, the fastest PC is not necessarily the best one for the car either. Check out some of the power calculators that are linked to in the FAQ Emporium to see how much power your system will draw.

Third, getting sound into your head unit is one of the most discussed topics on this board. Again, the FAQ Emporium has a link to a discussion of how to do this.

Fourth, check out some of the Mustang installs in our Show Off Your Project forum to see how others have done it in the 'stang.

Good luck and have a blast!

**schpanky** · 08-20-2005, 12:53 AM

Originally Posted by edrex

Need to save your money for repairs on your Ford?

(couldn't resist...)

Nope, I just want to go cheapy because I don't want to spend lots of money, my car runs like new (130K, too!)

Originally Posted by edrex

Why go cheap? Seems to me if you use good quality components to begin with you will be happier with your system and better off in the long run. I decided that I wanted a Xenarc monitor because all I read on the Lilliput were people having problems with them. So I bought a brand new Xenarc that I found at the price of the Lilliput. Moral of the story is don't buy cheap things, just search till your fingers are bloody and sore until you find the best deal possible on good things.

I've here-by decided that I just want to see the possibilty of getting it running and I'm going to experiment as need be... I've seen some no-name screens that I can pickup for $200 that look interesting and have excellent video quality, so I really would like to get a cheap-o screen, a cheap PSU would be nice too.

Originally Posted by edrex

The power supply question is hard to say. You need to figure out how many devices you will be running off it. GPS, WiFi, monitor power, XM, USB hubs, CD/DVD drives, etc.

No GPS, No WiFi, not running monitor off it, no XM, nothing USB except monitor

Originally Posted by edrex

As for your reciever, research the model number and see if it has an aux in. If you don't see a button up front that says AUX on it or its not satellite ready, then it probably doesn't. If its your stock deck on a 95 Stang then I'm sure it doesn't.

That's what I thought, any idea on how to use the existing wiring to the carPC?

Originally Posted by edrex

So, if you take the headunit out then you need an amp, and probably new speakers. The sound wires from the PC->Amp->Speakers. Easy and been done a million times.

What's the necessity of a new amp and speakers? Does the amp just allow me to have PC input with stereo connections? I'm up for some challenge.

Originally Posted by edrex

Good luck with your project. Hope something here helps.

Thanks, and yes you're help was greatly appreciated!

**edrex** · 08-20-2005, 01:01 AM

Originally Posted by schpanky

What's the necessity of a new amp and speakers? Does the amp just allow me to have PC input with stereo connections? I'm up for some challenge.

Your headunit acts as an amp to power the sound for the speakers. If you remove the headunit you need a way to "pump up" the sound from the PC. Think of your house PC... your speakers right now are plugged into an outlet. Now remember the old, old style speakers that were not plugged into the wall and how crappy they sounded and how they would not get loud at all? Thats what it would sound like if you wired your PC directly to your speakers.

I also suggest that if you go the headunitless route, you get new speakers because stock car speakers are not made to be amped with any real kind of power. So the system may sound like crap even with an amp because the speakers can't handle the power.

**Bugbyte** · 08-20-2005, 01:52 AM

Make SURE that the "cheapo" screens are VGA. Video or RCA input will look like crap when you run your computer on it.

I can't emphasize this point enough. Everyone on this forum is after the cheapest car PC setup. I've only seen maybe two people mention that money was not a constraint. Most of the folks here work the search box on Ebay like a bachelor party interviewing two competing hookers. If there was a cheaper way, they would have posted it. You have two mainstream choices: Lilliput and Xenarc. The Lilli is cheaper. Later models supposedly make up for the deficiencies of earlier ones.

If you want to go really cheap, try eliminating the screen. This will save you loads of money and you can simply rig up a switch mechanism to advance songs or control volume. Of course, an iPod would also do this for you.

**schpanky** · 08-20-2005, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by edrex

Your headunit acts as an amp to power the sound for the speakers. If you remove the headunit you need a way to "pump up" the sound from the PC. Think of your house PC... your speakers right now are plugged into an outlet. Now remember the old, old style speakers that were not plugged into the wall and how crappy they sounded and how they would not get loud at all? Thats what it would sound like if you wired your PC directly to your speakers.

I also suggest that if you go the headunitless route, you get new speakers because stock car speakers are not made to be amped with any real kind of power. So the system may sound like crap even with an amp because the speakers can't handle the power.

Well, I've got an entire aftermarket kit I was going to put in the mustang I was going to buy later on... but I guess they would be better suited to this task, thanks

Originally Posted by Bugbyte

Make SURE that the "cheapo" screens are VGA. Video or RCA input will look like crap when you run your computer on it.

Definately VGA, I've made sure of that long ago.

Originally Posted by Bugbyte

I can't emphasize this point enough. Everyone on this forum is after the cheapest car PC setup. I've only seen maybe two people mention that money was not a constraint. Most of the folks here work the search box on Ebay like a bachelor party interviewing two competing hookers. If there was a cheaper way, they would have posted it. You have two mainstream choices: Lilliput and Xenarc. The Lilli is cheaper. Later models supposedly make up for the deficiencies of earlier ones.

If you want to go really cheap, try eliminating the screen. This will save you loads of money and you can simply rig up a switch mechanism to advance songs or control volume. Of course, an iPod would also do this for you.

I am not necessarily concerned in that stream of thought, I just want to get a screen and a computer, everything else is secondary