who wants to help with a complete carpc system?

**BDVirus** · 07-02-2006, 11:39 PM

Hey all, great site been vistin a while and finally decided to join up on forums.

So I have an '05 Dodge Neon SXT (its a neon i know, but its manual, light, and fun as hell to drive lol), and been wanting to mod it since I got it eh heh. So heres what my goals of it are:

1: fully working Windows XP Pro system capable of running current games at lower settings (40+ fps on CS:Source which would be the most demanding game), all my music/movies able to be played through car audio (durh lol), LCD touch screen that slides out of the current head unit area, WAN (EVDO)

2: GPS that is integrated into the system/car (lookin at TomTom for software aspect of it)

3: webcam that is mounted on the interior roof (lookin at Logitech's Orbit webcam)

4: would like the optical drive mounted below the touchscreen LCD (the head unit area is 2x high) that is slot loading of course (this has the issue of a longish cable distance from mobo to the drive)

5: a DC-DC psu that supplies enough power for a 400-500 watt system

6: able to power an upgraded sound system (most likely 2 subs with aftermarket rear and door speakers total of 2500-3000 watts)

7: able to record from OBD-II, and hopefully (if possible at least) to override the 120 mph speed limiter

I have some ideas as to this but need some help refineing them with people that have past experiance with carpc's. I am thinking I will build my own enclosure for the mobo that will be mounted on the passenger side of the center console with a micro-atx case surrounded by a metal enclosure (to protect against random kicks and lockable so it will be a lil harder to steal lol). I have extensive comp exp from building and such, so i got that part covered but I unfortunately do not have much car electrical experiance.

Comments/Suggestions/all help will be greatly appriciated.

**v8 scimitar** · 07-03-2006, 08:21 AM

Originally Posted by BDVirus

5: a DC-DC psu that supplies enough power for a 400-500 watt system

No such animal the bigest DC-DC I know of is 200w so your looking at an inverter. Why do you need that much power anyway? Are you going to try and run quad Xeons with 5 disk raid or something?

When did Tom Tom start doing software that will run on win XP?

**sama** · 07-03-2006, 08:25 AM

they didn't, but you can use an emulator. check link in sig

**BDVirus** · 07-03-2006, 10:07 AM

is it possible to link more then one dc-dc psu together?

the system will be running something along the lines of AMD X2 3800+ 1 gb of mem and a 7800gt graphics most likely (cpu= 89 watts max, 7800gt=150 watts or so)

**RedGTiVR6** · 07-03-2006, 10:24 AM

Why is this in the OBD-II forum?

Mod?

Now onto the post:

I suggest you read up in this thread before going any further: Thread written SPECIFICALLY for newbies

Originally Posted by BDVirus

1: fully working Windows XP Pro system capable of running current games at lower settings (40+ fps on CS:Source which would be the most demanding game)

Why?

Have you tried to play one of these games on a 7" monitor? Or are you wanting to put a 65" plasma in your trunk so you can play it in the parking lot?

2: GPS that is integrated into the system/car (lookin at TomTom for software aspect of it)

Go here and read up then: GPS forum dedicated to....GPS!

3: webcam that is mounted on the interior roof (lookin at Logitech's Orbit webcam)

Go here to read up on input devices:
Input Devices forum

4: would like the optical drive mounted below the touchscreen LCD (the head unit area is 2x high) that is slot loading of course (this has the issue of a longish cable distance from mobo to the drive)

Ok - so are you asking us to help you fabricate your dash or are you asking for help on picking a drive or where to get one?

5: a DC-DC psu that supplies enough power for a 400-500 watt system

As stated, doesn't exist.

New to CarPCs? Don't know where to start?

Check the store for what's available: Store

6: able to power an upgraded sound system (most likely 2 subs with aftermarket rear and door speakers total of 2500-3000 watts)

The computer has no bearing on POWERING your sound system.

7: able to record from OBD-II, and hopefully (if possible at least) to override the 120 mph speed limiter

Visit the OBD-II Forum: OBD-II Forum

I have some ideas as to this but need some help refineing them with people that have past experiance with carpc's. I am thinking I will build my own enclosure for the mobo that will be mounted on the passenger side of the center console with a micro-atx case surrounded by a metal enclosure (to protect against random kicks and lockable so it will be a lil harder to steal lol). I have extensive comp exp from building and such, so i got that part covered but I unfortunately do not have much car electrical experiance.

Research, it will become your best friend over the next few months. I suggest you do a lot of it before you purchase ANYTHING or take ANYTHING apart.

Comments/Suggestions/all help will be greatly appriciated.

Read here for some help: Link

**SnyperBob** · 07-03-2006, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by BDVirus

1: fully working Windows XP Pro system capable of running current games at lower settings (40+ fps on CS:Source which would be the most demanding game), all my music/movies able to be played through car audio (durh lol), LCD touch screen that slides out of the current head unit area, WAN (EVDO)

Source will be too dark on an LCD screen. I guess you could run around with night vision at all times. How are you planning on playing, using bots only?

As mentioned, a 7 inch screen will be too small if you want to play games like Source. I recommend at least a 17 inch screen. Don't forget about how much the sun affects the viewability as well.

Good luck, can't wait to see some pics of you car!

**BDVirus** · 07-03-2006, 10:50 AM

Red, I have been readin the other forums on how to do these things (this is being roughly planned for 4-5 months from now), but was just kinda wanted some help with the whole project.

So far I havn't seen any cars in here that i could use as a template for mounting in the center console, let alone any year of neon (could be i just havn't dug enough yet).

just saw your post snyper lol right after i posted this one DOH!!!!

source wouldnt be too dark with settings in game and hardware settings done right (at least with a normal full size lcd... dunno bout a car lcd though...). Also the size true on 7 in bein a bit too small...

Just got an interesting idea though... anybody know/heard/seen any cars that have a VESA wall mount with a bigger (say 15 in screen) mounted on the floor? Heres my thoughts about how I could pull that one off: get a VESA mount that can be rotated 180 degrees at LEAST (so it can turn from driver side to passenger side) and mount it on the floor in the corner of where the seat and center divider thingy is. Then be able to turn the LCD to me while driving solo for navigation and such, but be able to turn it to the passenger for movies/games/etc on road trips or w/e (or when im sitting in the parking lot waiting to pick sum1 up.... which happens alot unfortunately). Then when its not needed have it fold down on top of itself across the fron of the seat (true passenger seat wouldnt be able to slide forwards all the way anymore.... but when does that happen? like never) and have the screen face pointed to the center divider area (to protect it). I was kinda thinkin about adding a custom housing for it that it slides into so it wont be kicked and such (also to enable it to be locked for when i gotta take it to a shop or w/e).

thoughts on that?

**DarquePervert** · 07-03-2006, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by BDVirus

is it possible to link more then one dc-dc psu together?

the system will be running something along the lines of AMD X2 3800+ 1 gb of mem and a 7800gt graphics most likely (cpu= 89 watts max, 7800gt=150 watts or so)

The DSATX has this capability. Each DSATX = 220w, so two daisy-chained together would make 440w in theory. I don't know if this has actually been done or not.

Face it... You're not going to be playing CS in your car at all, even if it's a show car. You might run a demo or something at a car show.
The car is a lousy gaming environment. It's not particularly comfortable, control placement will be awkward at best, and you're going to have to keep the engine running w/ the AC on to keep the ambient temperature down far enough to keep your gaming rig from overheating.

**RedGTiVR6** · 07-03-2006, 10:53 AM

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/sear...archid=2458667

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/sear...archid=2458669

Specifically what help are you wanting?

Just because there's not another car of your kind on here doesn't mean a thing. Be creative and do it your own way.

When I started, there wasn't anyone on here who had integrated a 8" TS in a VW....

**BDVirus** · 07-03-2006, 11:17 AM

Well the gaming rig wouldnt be super hot running, and normal fans would work fine with it (just would need to put someplace where it wouldnt have heater blowing on it in winter, and where in summer it wont melt.... possibally under rear bench seat?)

and the silver SRT-4 neon (linky: Dodge Neon 2001)
is very nice and refined... I do like that...

and there is an 03 SXT (same as mine cept mines 05... but 03-05 are exact same so its cool lol) 03 Neon SXT in-dash Xenarc install

so from the first pic there was thinkin where the cd player is leave that there, but where the lcd readout is put the slide out LCD instead...

as for gaming that was just a hey its somethin that might kinda help pass the time of road trips (not the driver gaming of course) and I have 2 laptops that would also be able to game CS:S and lower games so 3 comps for 3 passengers :P.... but now that I think about it the one laptop (tablet actually) only has integrated graphics, so I could just go with a lower end GPU and still be fine... hmmm

the other problem im having... is if i have the slide out lcd where the current lcd is.... then its gonna block the controls for the air and that... gonna have to go do some measurements...