How about the innards of an HP slimline system as a Carputer?

**xboxerxbox** · 08-20-2006, 02:54 PM

I just bought an HP slimline system and upon opening it I found it has the mini-itx motherboard. It uses Pentium M procs and DDR2 desktop memory, it has SATA ports and a weird IDE port which uses some sort of an adapter to plug into the DVD-RW which is 5.25" IDE. http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/sh...=ER190AA%23ABA. I've got a spare 120GB 5400RPM laptop HD and a Samsung Laptop DVD-RW. was wondering if doing this is feasible in an ITX case of some sort. The motherboard is roughly 6.8x6.8 inches and roughly 1.5" high with the heatsink in. Now how would one go around putting in a Laptop IDE drive and a Laptop DVD drive? it has one PCI slot taken up by a 56K modem which is useless and getting rid of it anyway.

**DarquePervert** · 08-20-2006, 03:41 PM

The modem could likely be replaced with a WiFi card or a high end sound card or .

The only question I would have is one of power draw. Some P4 CPUs draw a lot of power. Other models draw a lot less power.
It could easily be powered by an inverter, but there are far more elegant and useful methods of powering a PC these days.

**xboxerxbox** · 08-20-2006, 03:45 PM

Well, its got a 108Watt PSU, if i get rid of the Sata HD and the 5.25" DVD-RW I can lower the power requirement. the PSU is a Pentium M 735a.

Edit: I was able to locate a 110Watt PSU so I think power wont be an issue. Wait, I'm confused, the pico-PSU 120, how many watts is it?

**~Rob** · 08-20-2006, 04:41 PM

I've seen these new HP's and like them quite a lot. It's deffinately feasable, just get a DC-DC adaptor and you're away! It's like having a pre-made carputer!

**dephyre** · 08-20-2006, 05:02 PM

Originally Posted by ~Rob

I've seen these new HP's and like them quite a lot. It's deffinately feasable, just get a DC-DC adaptor and you're away! It's like having a pre-made carputer!

Same here, that's not a horrible price either for 1.7ghz

**xboxerxbox** · 08-24-2006, 02:39 AM

MotherBoard Specs from HP

**DarquePervert** · 08-24-2006, 08:05 AM

Originally Posted by xboxerxbox

Well, its got a 108Watt PSU, if i get rid of the Sata HD and the 5.25" DVD-RW I can lower the power requirement. the PSU is a Pentium M 735a.

Edit: I was able to locate a 110Watt PSU so I think power wont be an issue. Wait, I'm confused, the pico-PSU 120, how many watts is it?

You need to read this: FAQ: Will <insert PSU model> Power Supply work with my system?

Avoid that picoPSU like the plague.

**xboxerxbox** · 08-24-2006, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by DarquePervert

You need to read this: FAQ: Will <insert PSU model> Power Supply work with my system?

Avoid that picoPSU like the plague.

Thanks a lot for that. Although my project stopped before it even started since I now will be going to South Africa for my studies

. This will be left as my Home PC now.

**Uther** · 08-25-2006, 09:44 AM

Being a newbie to this as well, I looked at the link to the slimline above and I have a couple of other questions as follow-up:

Why would he want to remove the HDD? Is this just because of the space requirement? If the HP runs on a 108W PSU, power should not be an issue in keeping the SATA drive with a much faster RPM.

Could the OPUS 120W DC-DC PSU be used (i.e., is it good or is it to be avoided as well)?

Lastly, why couldn't someone just use a laptop, or the innards thereof, as a carputer?

I believe they make cigarette lighter adapters for laptops now, so I would think the power requirements can be met. Plus, it seems like a simple, low cost option, especially when you can get laptops in the $499 range that are more powerful than the VIA offerings I have seen at a comparable price.

Any help is appreciated!

**MatrixPC** · 08-25-2006, 11:17 AM

Originally Posted by Uther

Being a newbie to this as well, I looked at the link to the slimline above and I have a couple of other questions as follow-up:

Why would he want to remove the HDD? Is this just because of the space requirement? If the HP runs on a 108W PSU, power should not be an issue in keeping the SATA drive with a much faster RPM.

Could the OPUS 120W DC-DC PSU be used (i.e., is it good or is it to be avoided as well)?

Lastly, why couldn't someone just use a laptop, or the innards thereof, as a carputer?

I believe they make cigarette lighter adapters for laptops now, so I would think the power requirements can be met. Plus, it seems like a simple, low cost option, especially when you can get laptops in the $499 range that are more powerful than the VIA offerings I have seen at a comparable price.

Any help is appreciated!

Whether the Opus 120W can power the HP slimPC or not is depend on the power output of each power rail of the 108W PSU.
Compare each power rail between the HP PSU and the Opus. That the only way to know for sure.
And does the HP PSU an ATX compliant?