Thread: WuNgUn PIC'S-Water cooled car PC 95% done!

Thanks!!

Well, the cutting wasn't perfect...this was my second board At $15, I can fix a mistake or two!
Because my car has a sub enclosure on the left side of the trunk, everything is shifted to the right...including the spare tire well...
So I tried to offset the PC case to the left a bit, same with the amps, to try to keep it 'looking' centered...
Turned out okay I think...you can't really tell the offset is there.

The amp acrylic cover needed to be trimmed, as did the amp rack, so I could move the PC case as far forward as possible...

All in all, I'm happy with it...

I might finish the chamfering and lighting today, and see about getting it covered...

The graphics are on-board...I was running a water cooled 9600 Pro, but it died. Used too much power anyways, so I simplified it. The board is an ATI chipset, socket 939 MSI...can't think of the model off hand...it's an odd one!

The 2 sound cards were risky! Never done that before! Turns out, they CAN live side by side, from a hardware standpoint, no problem...
The software gets confused though!! So I never use it. I set 'em up with the software, one at a time (set channels and output quality), and that 'stuck'.

The major issues were the drivers...or driver quality to be exact. I could NOT find a set of drivers that would independantly output to each channel when routing them thru AudioMulch with ASIO drivers.
There was always an issue of crosstalk (not good when running active cross over!), and the center/sub channel would ALWAYS output as center/sub.
Turns out, there is an older Vista driver that WOULD work properly, except Vista sucked for a carputer...
However, strangely enough, those same Vista drivers installed fine on XP, and worked! The only problem was the record lines...Vista uses something far different than XP when it comes to recording...
But I solved that by using the on-board audio for my line in and mic inputs

Right on! It's weird that we have to revert back to an earlier OS version when attempting to get our components to work. I can relate to that! My MICROSOFT GPS and it's software did not work properly with Microsoft Windows Vista. However, it works great with XP and windows 7! LOL! Perhaps drivers aren't mature enough for Vista, or they simply bypassed that OS. I could never grasp the concept. Microsoft might have said "F Vista!"

Anyway, back to your project; Your motherboard (NF7) is the same one I have in my house, and so is the white mac usb keyboard. The NF7 is virtually invincible! Are you located in Washington too?

Now, Pioneer makes some great car speakers, and your mounting is pretty impressive. Did you have modify the openings or did the speakers simply bolt right in to the existing holes?
I see this audio setup as 5.1 surround sound, couldn't this be archived by one audio card?

I dig the water cooling concept, it's going to be a big attn grabber. If you have time, post some pics of the car too. Great job mate!

Do you have pics of the LCD fabrication and install? I'd like to check them out and gain some insight on how you did that. Been thinking about doing one on my dash, but a lot of things have to be replaced and relocated, like my head unit and the DVDRW. Those are two things I can't see doing without. In the same token, no head unit requires an amp or two. So I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place should I decide on an in-dash LCD.
Nevertheless, I'll have to think of another location to put them, It's going to be a tough call!
Do you have a cdrom or dvdrom, and head unit in there somewhere?

Originally Posted by dMand

Your motherboard (NF7) is the same one I have in my house, and so is the white mac usb keyboard. The NF7 is virtually invincible! Are you located in Washington too?

Actually, that's my old board...long story, but I thought I blew it, and ended up buying a used MSI 939...
And as I found out, the ATI chipset was FAR superior to the nF7 for PCI traffic/latency! I never would of guessed!
The Mac keyboard belongs to the wife
I'm in Stratford Ontario, Canada...

Originally Posted by dMand

Now, Pioneer makes some great car speakers, and your mounting is pretty impressive. Did you have modify the openings or did the speakers simply bolt right in to the existing holes?

These PRS's have a reputation for outstanding midrange punch...and I do mean punch! Just phenominal. If there is a weak area, it's the tweeter when used with the Pioneer crossovers. They can be a little sharp/harsh/fatiguing...
But I fixed that problem by running active cross overs! Tuned to my liking!

Originally Posted by dMand

I see this audio setup as 5.1 surround sound, couldn't this be archived by one audio card?

Nope...
Running active cross overs requires that the tweeter and the driver run off their own channel/line...
So basically, each L/R output jack on the sound card is going to a set of speakers...L is low-pass, for the driver, and R is hi-pass, for the tweeter
So, for just the front and rear speakers, there are 8 channels needed, which CAN be done with 1 sound card, but I also need a sub out and an output for the VU meters...

Originally Posted by dMand

...post some pics of the car too. Great job mate!

Custom made LED signals...


After 2nd coat of sealant...



LED tails...


LED driving lights...


Custom LED fogs...




Custom mounted Infinity FX35 HID projectors with RS lenses...




At the races...


Custom match-painted Yakima...

Originally Posted by dMand

Do you have pics of the LCD fabrication and install?

Not really...I basically opened up the DIN opening, and epoxied the Lilliput frame to the backside...and because the frame isn't contoured like my dash, I used craft store popsicle sticks laid down to fill the space up between the dash and the frame, epoxied in place...
Then it was just body filler and sanding and painting!

Originally Posted by dMand

Do you have a cdrom or dvdrom, and head unit in there somewhere?

Yup, a DVD-ROM, mounted in the glove box...

Mmm... I see coffeee in that last picture!!!

wow bro, awesome job, your nuts, I love it love all the led lighting mods too, big props on a sick build, you have a whole lot of hours into that thing that's for sure...

Running active cross overs requires that the tweeter and the driver run off their own channel/line...
So basically, each L/R output jack on the sound card is going to a set of speakers...L is low-pass, for the driver, and R is hi-pass, for the tweeter
So, for just the front and rear speakers, there are 8 channels needed, which CAN be done with 1 sound card, but I also need a sub out and an output for the VU meters...


Aah, I get it now. This active crossover configuration might be something I'll attempt somewhere down the line.


These PRS's have a reputation for outstanding midrange punch...and I do mean punch! Just phenominal. If there is a weak area, it's the tweeter when used with the Pioneer crossovers. They can be a little sharp/harsh/fatiguing...
But I fixed that problem by running active cross overs! Tuned to my liking!


Kevlar woofer cones are sick! That is one killer setup! It would be nice to listen to your sound system. I was thinking we could have carpc meetings once a month or something, but dang, you're 3,237 kilometers away! lol

Thanks for addressing my questions!

Thanks, and no prob...
Kevlar cones, and the surround looks like microfiber cloth, if you can believe that! lol

Yeah, Washinton would be a tour

Originally Posted by turbocad6

wow bro, awesome job, your nuts, I love it love all the led lighting mods too, big props on a sick build, you have a whole lot of hours into that thing that's for sure...

Thanks!!!
ALL my exterior lighting is filament-less, except the high beams...either LED or HID all around