Thread: Functions you want/need in your Car PC

You should look into one or more of the front-ends, either commercial or free & open source. They all have discussion forums here, as well as their own respective forums, wikis, etc.

All of what you want is doable. My suggestions:

-->Music I own
---->Played via Media Center/WMP/Zune Software
---->Copied via USB Wireless or USB File Transfer

Played through a front-end's integrated player.

-->Music I rent
---->Played via Zune Software
---->Download via USB Wireless or Internet Access?

How do you "rent" music?
Regardless, they should be playable by a front-end's integrated player, also.

DVD Playback

--> Movies I own
---->Played via Media Center/WMP/Zune Software
---->Copied via USB Wireless or USB File Transfer

Played by the integrated player in a front-end...

-->Movie I rent
---->Install Slim DVD for Physical Disc Playback (Skipping?)
---->USB DVD/Blue Ray Drive (Skipping?)

Ditto...

GPS Navigation
--> Streets and Trips 2009 Software
--> USB Microsoft Branded Device

If you already have the Microsoft bundle, it can be integrated into RideRunner, the open source front-end.
If not, the commercial front-ends can be purchased with map data and a nav system integrated into the software.
You maintain a consistent look & feel for all of the functions, as well.

Maintenance of PC
--> USB Wireless G or N
--> USB Keys
--> USB Memory Card Reader

Get a high-power USB NIC and use WirelessG with a good range from the vehicle.

Internet Access
--> USB Wireless G or N
--> USB via Cell Phone
--> USB Bluetooth via Cell Phone
--> USB Verizon Aircard

WiFi when you can and a cell setup when you can't. An aircard is the ideal setup, but not everyone can afford one.

Home Network Access
-->USB Wireless G or N

Bingo.

-->LAN Connect with Really Long Cable

I thought at one point that it would be cool to have a RJ-45 behind my gas filler door...
WiFi is much more practical.

Are you set on Vista because XP has a lot less bloat to it. You should be able to do everything you want with a simple XP setup. I don't mean to say you can't with vista, it just uses so much ram. Although I suppose there is software out to remove a lot of the stuff that slows down both OS's. Also why do you want a Microsoft branded GPS? A non-Microsoft branded GPS should work fine and be cheaper. Just my 2 cents...

Rented music is my Zune Pass for $14.99 a month which gives me all you can download and listen to, plus 10 free songs to own a month.

I will look into the front ends more to see where they might have fit into the picture. One thing I have noticed is that touching the exact spot on the current sized buttons will be hard while driving. However, it's easy while sitting at my desk playing.

The Microsoft branded GPS came with the streets and trips software. The GPS can be used pretty much with any software that can see the USB device.

http://www.microsoft.com/STREETS/en-...ts2009GPS.aspx


Thanks for the feedback!

Just a FYI - I had a Microsoft branded GPS receiver that came with Streets & Trips 2007 and it was a slow to get a lock even when new - it slowly got worse, crapped out after about 8 months........ bought a BU-353 to replace it and it locks considerably faster and gets more satellites then I ever saw on the Microsoft unit

My own list is a lot shorter:
* Play music from files
* Navigation with iGuidance
* Cellphone hands-free
* Launch external apps

I have no use for video of any kind, in fact it kinda freaks me out that other people value this so much. Maintenance, network access, etc, are all nice-to-haves, but I use them so rarely that I don't care if I have to drop to the Windows UI to get that stuff done.

one more must have for me is OBD monitoring

Originally Posted by csfile

one more must have for me is OBD monitoring

For me, that's what "external applications" is for. I use something that I'm really happy with, but it's Subaru-specific so I don't expect to see it built into any front ends.

Originally Posted by NSFW

For me, that's what "external applications" is for. I use something that I'm really happy with, but it's Subaru-specific so I don't expect to see it built into any front ends.

Funny that you mention this. That's actually why I looked into a carpc in the first place. I have a nissan/infiniti-specific program that I didn't want to have to keep running on my laptop.

Same here, actually. I'm still not running a front end, I just use my CarPC for engine monitoring and GPS. I plan to use it for music eventually but haven't found a front end with better UI than my stereo.