Noob needs help in San Jose!

**0track5** · 10-18-2005, 02:34 PM

I've been reading/searching the forums for a while now and I'm still lost. I'm totally new to this carputer and think its amazing the things you guys do. So if anyone in San Jose is willing to point me in the right direction that would be great. I am willing to compensate for the help. Thanks!

Oh yeah if you don't wanna help please don't Flame!

**IntellaWorks** · 10-18-2005, 02:41 PM

How about some help from NH?

My advice is to design a simple system. Then try to research questions that arise.

For example: You want a computer in your car for mp3,gps and dvd. One common question that arises is how to get the computer, once designed, to start with the ignition.

There's a lot of stuff here, we use in our cars. It might be overwhelming for a rookie. Just concentrate on the basics and add on to your system... Take a look at the newbie FAQ thread it might anwser some of your general questions.

**0track5** · 10-18-2005, 02:49 PM

Thanks for the help Intellaworks. Trust me I've read every thread in the FAQ and newbie section. I guess I'm just not computer savvy to understand. But I guess your right about just focusing on the simple stuff. I think i'm trying to jump in the deep end right away and ended up drowning in the information. Maybe what I need is someone in San Jose to show me the ropes.

**DarquePervert** · 10-18-2005, 03:04 PM

I don't have to be in San Jose to help you.

Can you build a PC? If you can, that's a great start. You understand how everything works, how to wire it all up, and what components are required to make it all work.
Now, you only have to do three things:
1) Power the sum***** in the vehicle. Depending on the PC you choose, you've got different alternatives. I'm not going to go into those, but you can read the FAQs to give you an idea of what's involved for power.

2) Choose peripherals & software to give you the functionality you want.
Want GPS navigation? You need a GPS receiver and guidance software. Want to play MP3s through your car stereo? You need a sound card, appropriate cables and software to play MP3s.
Want to have internet through your cellphone? You need the appropriate cables and/or adapters, configuration and/or software, and the cellphone w/ internet plan.

3) Substitute any peripherals for comparable vehicle-friendly peripherals. The monitor is the best example. While the ricer kiddie crowd seems to think that 17-inch monitors strapped to headrests looks like da bomb, it's also far more practical to have a smaller monitor available for the driver to see and control the computer (change songs, input information for GPS navigation, connect to a wireless network, etc.)

**edrex** · 10-18-2005, 03:24 PM

I'm in the Santa Rosa area (North Bay) so if you are ever up this direction I'd be more then happy to meet up with you and show you my system as an example, and explain what I know about how things work.

**0track5** · 10-18-2005, 03:39 PM

DarquePervert: Thanks for the help. But sadly I can not put a PC together. Thats why I am so lost when I read all the threads.

edrex: I might take you up on that offer. Or I might meet you at the Northern California Meet if you guys decide to have it in San Jose.

**studmonk3y** · 10-18-2005, 04:31 PM

No offense man, but if you can't put a computer together, then dealing with a car computer is gonna be a big hassle. I'm not saying it can't be done, but sometimes you end up spending a lot of time troubleshooting or tweaking to get everything just right. You might just want to consider a headunit hooked up to an mp3 player or a dedicated gps system. But if you're convinced this is what you want to do come to the next Northern California meet, we usually have them in Fremont so it would be close for you, I don't know if this next one is actually gonna happen though. I know the last two meets a lot of people without systems where there checking out the installs and asking questions so that's the way to go.

**arebelspy** · 10-18-2005, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by studmonk3y

No offense man, but if you can't put a computer together, then dealing with a car computer is gonna be a big hassle.

Quoted for truth. I've built my own PCs many times and the car part is still a huge task...

Learn to work with computers first, or go an easy laptop route.

-arebelspy

**Bugbyte** · 10-18-2005, 05:22 PM

A simple 4 step process will get you going.

1. Buy the Voom PC. It's already built and in the box.
2. Buy a Lilliput 7" monitor. Plug it in to the cigarette lighter.
3. Connect the 3 wires from the Voom PC to the wires in your car.
4. Plug the Lilliput into the Voom PC

Your install is finished*. Now start your car.

Voom PC is Linux, but you can plug a CD drive into it and load Windows if you want. This would be the first step towards modding your Car PC to be the way you want it to be. There is no "done" step. You just keep going.

______________________________________________
Alternative if you're not married to Windows:

1. Buy a Mac Mini
2. Buy a P1900 power supply from Carnetix.
3. Buy a Lilliput 7" screen. Plug it in to the cigarette lighter.
4. Wire the three wires from the Carnetix to the car. (Additional step: Wire the power cable from your Mac Mini to your Carnetix)
5. Plug the Lilliput into the Mac Mini.

Install finished. Start your car.

*You will have to figure out how to connect your computer to your head unit. There is a FAQ on this. If you really can't figure it out, plug an iRock into the sound output of your PC.

**edrex** · 10-19-2005, 02:01 PM

I have to disagree with the guys that say if you can't build a PC you should do something else. I never built a PC before and just learned as I went. If you can use a PC and have a little sense about whats going on, then I think you can put together a system. You probably won't be able to tweak it like some people can, but you will be able to load a frontend and play your music/movies/whatever. Bugbytes steps are good too if that PC will fit your needs. But get a Xenarc!!

Anyway, do some research (you can never do enough!) on this site and put a list together of what you see your carPC doing for you (music, movies, GPS, XM, internet, etc...) and PM it to me. I'll try and help you out with what direction to head in.
Cheers.