Thread: Need Help with the Purchasing of a New System!!

Ok, well to start off, I really don't have much of a clue of what I'm doing. I understand much of the basic things and how they will all eventually work, I just can't figure out the bigger picture. I am also having some issues with what I have to purchase in order to make this whole system run.

I own a 2002 dodge Neon. At first I wanted to put an all in one, in dash system in. I looked at the pioneer AVIC-Nx models for a while but then realised they would not fit. Now, to my knowlege, the only one that does fit is the Eclipse AVN7000. Unfortunatly this is a bit out of my price range at close to 2400 dollars.

Now, I am looking at building a computer w/ a motorized AV reciever.

This is the computer I built on Mp3Car.Com

MP3Car Custom Car Computer (Ampie) MP3Car Custom Car Computer (Ampie)
- Motherboard VIA VIA EPIA M10000 Mini-ITX Mainboard [MP3CAR-0045]
- Memory 512MB DDR RAM PC2700 184-Pin DIMM Memory [MP3CAR-0059]
- Hard Drive 2.5" Hard Drive 60GB Samsung 5400rpm [MP3CAR-0067]
- Hard Drive 2 None
- Operating System Windows XP Home [MP3CAR-0065]
- Monitor No monitor
- CD/DVD /w External Enclosure Panasonic Slot Load DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo Drive [MP3CAR-0088]
- Wireless Linksys USB Wireless G [MP3CAR-0079]
- Sound On-board
- Vehicle Power Supply M1-ATX [MP3CAR-0008]
- Build Build & Test [MP3CAR-0134]
- Keyboard Mini PS2 Keyboard [MP3CAR-0075]

Cost to me - 860

The A/V reciever I found at Circuit city was another 840 dollars. So it's now a grand total of 1700. Not too bad. I figure I can get both installed for a couple hundred more at most. I wish I could spend a bit less (about 1700 total w/ installation, I am not very car savvy) Now I've run into another problem. To put the in dash motorized reciever in, I have to take out the radio, the tape deck, and all the controls that go along with this. There is also a factory installed 4 disc CD changer that is located at the very bottom of my center console. Now of course I want to be able to connect the CD changer, have a radio, and still have all the other features that entail with the purchasing of a system (GPS, Music, etc...). I don't know how its going to be possible for me to do this... Is there a way I can hook up the radio to the computer system and control it from there?

I literally have 3 inches of space to work with as far as height goes. Width is 7-9 inches.

It seems that my car is not suited to have a system in it, so I'm really getting a headache from all of this. lol. It seems every time I find a solution it ends up being more complicated and more expensive than the last.


I also have another question - Will the touch screen just work when I plug it in or am I going to have to install additional software?

EDIT: I solved my tuner problem. Apparently the reciever comes with built in tuner software.

Thanks in advance for your help,
Frank