Completed Carputer in 2004 Civic

**redbird_is** · 09-02-2009, 06:25 PM

I've just completed my first Carputer project, and I'm very pleased with the results.

I'm using it as a straight music machine, and I've used keyboard macros to let me control all music/playlist commands.

I've written up a step by step description (with photos) of everything I did related to software, hardware, and installation:

http://michaelvogel.wordpress.com/mp3-carputer/

Mounted in the trunk:

I'm interested to know what you guys think!

**redbird_is** · 09-03-2009, 11:58 AM

I should mention that this is my first carputer effort. I'm not using a touchscreen, but a $4 mini-keypad I bought off eBay:

I put in the switch to the left of the 12 V adapter as an on/off switch for the trunk power line.

Although this one seems like a ridiculous hack, I've used an old water bottle as an adapter for the inverter:

Haven't had any problems so far - seems to work just fine.

**Djole501** · 09-03-2009, 12:23 PM

Welcome to the forum. You don't have a display ?

**redbird_is** · 09-03-2009, 01:00 PM

No display yet (though it would be cool!). The whole project cost about $40 (the computer is a pentium III with windows 2000).

I used a program called ZenKEY to create custom keyboard macros. Basically I can control all functions in media player by doing this. I also have the Num 0-9 keys set as shortcuts to different playlists.

**Djole501** · 09-03-2009, 01:27 PM

A display would help i guess

. Don't stop now and get a screen if possible, it will open a new world for you. Don't want to crack you down but you could also have bought a mp3 player and save you all the work

**redbird_is** · 09-03-2009, 01:58 PM

Originally Posted by Djole501

A display would help i guess

. Don't stop now and get a screen if possible, it will open a new world for you. Don't want to crack you down but you could also have bought a mp3 player and save you all the work

Lol, yes I knew from the outset that I could have just used an mp3 player

It was more fun this way, and I now have the infrastructure set up to add more functionality to the carputer. I'll look into the screen idea.

**2k1Toaster** · 09-03-2009, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by redbird_is

Lol, yes I knew from the outset that I could have just used an mp3 player

It was more fun this way, and I now have the infrastructure set up to add more functionality to the carputer. I'll look into the screen idea.

Not bad for $40. I would too suggest a screen and then you can really open up the world of the CarPC.

You and I are in a special happy screen zone with 7th gen civics. If you take the stock radio out you get a slightly recessed hole that is slightly larger than double din albeit with a bit of curved flare around the side. But the glory is that an EBY701 or Ex-Audio type screen fits PERFECTLY in that space. And by perfectly I mean you can literally just push it into the slot with casing intact and it will be held by pressure and look almost stock. Then with a little bondo work or anything else creative you can get the crazy curve to go away. But if you aren't ready for that, then pressure mount will work temporarily.

**2k1Toaster** · 09-03-2009, 02:55 PM

You in the great white north?

**Heather** · 09-03-2009, 02:58 PM

looks like a white plate, with the details taken out...looks like an Ontario plate to me.

**redbird_is** · 09-03-2009, 05:14 PM

Yes, I am from the land of daytime running lights. What gave it away?

I hadn't even considered extreme temperature until now. Should I be insulating the computer in the winter? It rarely stays below freezing for more than a few days on west coast though, so maybe the trunk is enough of an insulator for me not to worry about it?