Am I making a proper and informed decision, or is this completely st00pid :-\

WoLLy · 02-21-2006, 08:20 PM

I made a post a while back where I was inquiring about whether I was making a good decision with my hardware choices, but it turned into everybody telling me that I should instead use my laptop for my carputer.

I don't want to do that, it's not an option. I dont want to have to take my laptop between my house/office, and car, everytime I drive my vehicle. I want a permenant system that I can expect to work reliably everytime I start my vehicle with no hassles... also something that would be more difficult to steal if someone were to want to.

I've read, searched, read some more, and have come to a decision point.

I want to build my carpc soon, and need to know which route would be a better option.

My planned use for my carpc will be:

mp3 storage/playback ***with visualizations***
divx/xvid storage/playback
dvd viewing
nintendo/snes/sega/n64 emulation
i'd like to play PC titles such as NFSU and madden 2006
occasional gps/nav, just for kicks

Typical requirements I'm sure.

Now my choices are to take the current PC pieces that I have and make a franken-system to form a relatively high end gaming/visualization machine.

I already have:
500 W PSU
512 mb laptop ram from dissected sony grz-530 laptop
2.4 ghz pentium 4 m chip from same laptop
spare radeon x700 card
various fans, connectors, etc

I would need to buy:
Inverter (because I'm getting the impression that no dc-dc would work) ~$100
motherboard ~$200-300
hard drive (unless i want to settle for my spare 40 gb laptop HDD) ~$100
startup/shutdown controller ~$50?

so this route would cost me approximately 450-550 dollars and provide a significantly more powerful gaming system which would have unquestionably enough performance for my needs/wants.

****OR****

Build a compact, highly power efficient system based on the epia SP8000 motherboard to perform most of the above tasks, with the possible exception of the PC gaming.

I would need to buy:

Epia sp8000 ~$230
ram ~$150
hard drive ~$100
Opus 150 ~$140

This route would provide, from what I understand, an easier to build/install system, a system more designed for carPC applications. My concerns is that this system wouldn't be able to run the high end visualizations I've grown to expect from winamp and WMP-10, some of the higher end roms for the n64, the PC games that I enjoy playing... but would be perfectly capable of running dvd/divx/mp3/navi/emu software.

Considering the lower cost to me and the fact I'd be making a more powerful system, I'd assume that making the first rig would be a better choice for my carpc.

Anybody have any feelings on this? If I were to go with the epia sp8000 system, would I be dissapointed in it's performance in regards to running windows xp? Is it going to feel sluggish in my front end and browsing folders and loading mp3's and videos?

One last question. In the mp3car store, i compared the epia sp8000 and 12000, and found there to be no difference aside from version number and price. Is this true, I assume not... How do these boards differ?

Sorry if this seems like a request for spoonfeeding. If so, maybe I'm out of my league here, because I feel like I've gotten to a point where I'm ready to put the money on the line and build my rig. I've only built 2 computers in my life though.
Thanks for reading
-dan

Bugbyte · 02-22-2006, 01:04 AM

Sounds to me like you've already got it figured out. You have a legit requirement for high end visualizations. Don't count on the Epia for running those smoothly. It might, but then again, it might not.

People buy the Epia's because they are small, practically self-contained and have low power consumption. These don't seem to be requirements for you.

Get the gaming/visualization rig.

wi77iam · 02-22-2006, 06:09 AM

I say get the Epia system. How often are you going to be playing games while driving? Also fancy visualizations, or even watching dvds, seem like a waste to me in a car while driving, unless you'll always be carrying passengers.

So list your priorities and how you will be using the system - then build a system that will meet those needs.

Peoples · 02-22-2006, 06:14 AM

running an overpriced underperformed and outdated piece of hardware thats prone to failure in your car seems pointless to me

DavC · 02-22-2006, 06:23 AM

By the sound of things you want to do the first option, but you feel as though people are telling you to do the second.

Now who's PC is it that your going to build?

DarquePervert · 02-22-2006, 06:29 AM

I can see why you want music visualizations.
Gaming in the car is a bad idea. If you're driving you're not oging to be playing games. I don't know about you, but I'm not fond of hanging out in my car when it's parked.

But whatever.

For what you want, you'll be unhappy with the EPIA setup, so don't do it. It sounds like you've got a handle on building it, so go forth and do it.

Peoples · 02-24-2006, 06:22 PM

i like the expandability of having more power behind my graphics & processor....for example streetdeck run direct x 9 i believe, and an EPIA simply wont suffice. If any new hitech GPS software comes out........your SOL with your EPIA

JasonWW · 02-25-2006, 02:18 AM

$200-$300 for a mobo? $150 for RAM? That sounds way to high.
First, do you have room for a full size PC? Most don't so they get the Epia's.
I'd say you will prefer the faster processors.
What's the wattage of your 2.4 ghz pentium 4 m chip? If it's pretty low, you might be able to run it on a DC-DC PSU. That vid card may draw too much juice though. Do you know what it draws? Keep in mind your probably going to be using a low resolution like 800x480 or 800x600 so a less powerful card may be smooth on games as well as help it to run on the DC-DC PSU.

WoLLy · 02-25-2006, 10:06 AM

I like to round up, just in case. I'm going to need a motherboard that supports pentium m chip yet pci-express graphics slot to use the x700 card I already have.

Yes, I'll have room for a full size system, but I might build it on a mini ITX motherboard, just to keep things tiny.

I still am not positive if my laptop has a pentium 4 or a pentium 4 m chip. Sony tech support is useless.

kamikaze2112 · 02-25-2006, 10:47 AM

games on a 7" screen is useless, IMO. I find, even with whitecap in my 'under-development' frontend, that I don't pay very much attention to the vis while i'm driving. I leave it off 90% of the time. It becomes like anything in the car....you become aware of it on a subconscious, but don't really pay direct attention to it, well, at least that's what i find. It's the same thing for example with my Air/Fuel, Oil Pressure, & Voltmeter gauges on my A-Pillar....i watch them but don't really watch them.....unless something is out of the ordinary