Hardware prices for Mp3Box

Catfish · 01-12-2001, 09:22 AM

Well I've sat down and priced what it will cost for _new_ parts for an Mp3Box. The prices are in AU$ not US.

AMD Duron 650Mhz CPU (this is one of the cheapest, and slowest chips I can find brand new): $ 97.27
M/B for CPU (built in sound I think): $171.82
64Mb RAM (Lifetime warranty): $59.09
40Gb IBM Glass Platter HDD (3yr warranty): $281.82
OR
10Gb Fujitsu HDD (3yr warranty): $181.82
Win98 Keyboard: $8.18

TOTAL: For 40Gb HDD: $618.18 For 10Gb HDD: $518.18

If fellow Australian's are wondering how the prices are so cheap, they are wholesale prices. Other costs to include are a case, LCD, power supply (I want to make a DC-DC one probably the MK2.6 on Sproggy's website.)
So I think it is looking like around $1000 for a complete system.

How does this compare with the cost others have spent? Have I missed anything else?

Craig Chatterton · 01-12-2001, 10:38 AM

Well, I don't know if you can compare my prices to your Australian, but if it helps, here's what I spent:

PC Chips M599-LMR Motherboard + AMD 500Mhz CPU: $139.99 (+$10 shipping)
(Built in Sound, Video, LAN)
64Meg SDRAM - $47
30Gig IBM HD: $160
ATX Power Supply (The smallest I could find): $39 + $10 ship
Inverter: $29.99
Numeric Keypad: $15.99
CDROM: $40
LCD (BG Micro Serial 20x4 kit): $40

Total: $531.97

I still need to build my case too and figure out how to get the sound to my radio, which may require a new head unit.

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Catfish · 01-12-2001, 11:18 AM

Well considering the AU to US exchange rate, my prices don't look too bad, granted i still got other stuff to find prices for. And I also forgot, those prices should have +10% for GST

But on the up side, these are brand new parts much of the stuff with warranty. I went to pcrecyclers.net and added up some older parts and it's not much cheaper, and the old parts aren't exactly what i want (no onboard sound etc) and i don't think they would have much warranty as well.
I just converted 531 US dollars with Yahoo, it came to about 950 AU, so my prices are pretty much inline.

[This message has been edited by Catfish (edited 01-12-2001).]

r0cket- · 01-12-2001, 02:32 PM

Not to be rude, but why on earth would you spend so much money on something like this?

Arby · 01-12-2001, 02:41 PM

20 GB hard drive - $120

4x40 LCD - $20

Old AMD 350 gathering dust - Priceless

Ok, you can hit me for saying that if you like

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http://mp3box.2y.net

Catfish · 01-12-2001, 07:17 PM

rocket - basically I would eventually like to do this as a business, so I need something for people to see, and I figure people won't want to buy old secondhand parts with no warranty... not to mention the cost difference of an old system to a new one is not all that much!

You might say "but you can get a cheap old pentium for a few hundred" Yes, but not in the amount to actually run a business off.

We also have plans to make the computer a total in-car computer that logs info on the car like fuel, revs, speed etc.

Also going by the previous posts, I'm spending only the same amount as money as a few other people who've made Mp3Boxes, only the exchange rate makes it look like a lot more.

Fosgate · 01-13-2001, 06:18 AM

Catfish, have you build and install a unit in your car? Before thinking of getting on a commercial level first get things working in your car and you will see that there is so much involved in a project like this...
Its not about getting your home desktop and putting it in your car... it doesnt work that way...
Im sure many people here thought of starting a business involving mp3 technology in a cars and i know people who been working on it in past few years (here in Australia), so doing this sort of price count is not realistic at all...
i personally spent AU$22.80 (+ US$20 for the LCD) on whole set up, but on commercial level all this calculations are worthless!

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Fosgate

Chris Snyder · 01-13-2001, 01:30 PM

If you don't mind buying from a US company, you can go to http://www.computergate.com . I think they still have some Pentium 233MMX's.

r0cket- · 01-13-2001, 03:07 PM

I'm not entirely sure any of your parts would be under warranty after sticking them in a car anyway.

hornet · 01-14-2001, 11:24 AM

r0cket-
Would you actually tell them that it was installed in a car though?

For my planned setup, in looking at around $AU756, or (~$US420)

BUT that isn't including wireing and mounting hardware.

Cheers.

jjohnson · 01-15-2001, 12:00 PM

(Sorry, long post follows!)...

Catfish -

My company has been developing an in-car PC for over 2 years now, and I must say that this isn't something where you can just throw a bunch of parts together and sell. Believe me, it takes much more work than you might think...

You will need professional PCB's made for the power supply, a custom enclosure (if you want to go that route like we did!) which involves having a sheetmetal shop cut, bend, and machine the metal for the I/O ports, etc.

You need to consider hard disk mounting (for a commercial product, a piece of foam or rubber bands won't cut it).

Also, what will you do if your box catches fire and burns down someone's expensive vehicle, or worse, their house? You need to invest some money to have your box tested to make sure it is safe. Also, as a commercial product, your box may need FCC or similar approval. This requires more money and more testing at an FCC-approved facility.

Plus you will need to do extensive research on how your unit handles hot and cold extremes... you don't want to get lots of angry phone calls from people who live in areas where subzero temperatures caused the hard disk not to spin up. You need to think about things like this.

It's no easy task to go from a hobbiest-type system to a commercial unit. It takes a lot of time and money to accomplish. If you want to go commercial with your project, you need to get out of the "desktop PC in the trunk" mind-set and actually engineer a PC that runs in the car.

Take it from me, if you want to go commercial with this you will need to consider a lot more factors than you would if it were just a side-project for yourself. You are dealing with other people and your unit must perform as promised.

I suggest since this is a commercial hardware topic, that you post any other comments in that board. Above all, have fun with your project and I wish you the best.

Jason Johnson
President/CEO
Johnson Interface Solutions
Mobile Computing Division

http://www.m2pc.com

[This message has been edited by jjohnson (edited 01-15-2001).]