proposed single wire and connector standard for CarPC

tempgp · 09-12-2009, 12:32 PM

Hey all, I keep upgrading wiring for my car pc and it sems that thare are some problms w. regular comp conectors ex: USB and especially USB mini on a road as if you drive like crazy they get loose

Also not all cakves are shileded so you may see some interferance. (sure you can get milco screwon usb and good shielded cables for everything. U probably will spend 200-300 on them alone + no gurantee you get good ones from the first try.

So im thinking to start pushing soething like unified pre made cables that are spesifically designed for car pc needs + modular + easy to disconnect + 1 cable for all.

Ex: you have PC in the trunk, most likely you will neeed those wires up front:
1. +12V (for monitor and etc, strabilized power, not from main bus)
2. +5V (for your USB hubs)
3. -Rail (Just in case you dont have access to it up front + to eliminate noise)
4. USB Cable for touch screen (4 separate wires inside)
5. USB Cable for perefireals (since it is not recomended to use same cable w. touchscreen)
6. Reset Swiitch for your PC
7. Start Switch for PC (non nessesary but if u got regular PSU u will need it)
8. VGA Cable (6 - 9 wires inside depands wethere VGA or XVGA)
9. DVI (Just in case you have good monitor, I dont know wire count for this)
10. Microphone Extra shielded
11. Audio Wires (this is questionable if it is smatt to wire them up front + other things, dont compfront me on audio, we just drop few fhileded wires there just in case to deliver 2 stereo channels, thats 6 wires)
12.Remote or Ignition (to start you smart PSU, if you remote wires are in front of the car)

So at this point I came up with 12 categories of wires that can be used for CarPC needs to conect your back to front of the car. You can run then induvidually but I think It is much better to have well made special cable that will include all of them, gonna be a thick one but guranteed to work. Will have military circular screw on connector that will not fall off if you drive roughly, + proper shileding everyehere, 1 shiled for category + 1 shiled for whole cable.

Then you can use pigtail cables on you PC box to wire out all your single milco connector. Use soft epoxy to secure conectors on PC. Thne use premade cable and drop it to the front of the car, there connect it to premade cable header to output and convert your connectors for useful way.

So if you doing you own car you can ensuire you get cabling right from the first time and dont waste too much money on exprermenting. If you are an installer you will speed up your install time and will have easy way to troubleshout the onnection.

What do you guys think? Should I push this project? Any commnts?

malcom2073 · 09-12-2009, 03:00 PM

That's a pretty cool idea, but honestly I don't see much point to it. Have you seen the prices of even the "cheap" circular mil style connectors? Granted, if I was removing my carpc every single day it would be worth it, but generally I go at least a year inbetween having to do things like that.

Don't forget you're not going to be able to pass VGA/USB through the same connector as your monitor/peripheral power, not to mention audio without issues unless you pay for the individually shielded contact style connector. You CAN get that style connector, we use them at my work all the time. It'd be amusing to have a $400 computer with a $200 connector

tempgp · 09-12-2009, 05:01 PM

hehe well connectors are $40 each and u need at least 4 for full assembly. So 160 for connectors and prolly another 100 for making the cable (i still have to check how much the company would charge) if we happan to buy 1000 units the bric goes down dramatically, i think we cn buy same connector for $15 which is pretty resonable given thta it has extra shield and high power terminals.

From one prespective yes its expemsive, but from another for my first VGA cable I paid $14, got ghosting, bought $25 one, no ghisting but signall in not stead on black color, fibaly bought $80 and got crystal clear image umm that $119 just for VGA add gold plated USB cables each I need 2 to get around for 1 link and I have 2 links, each cost about $25 so extra $100, now power cable I think I have AWG16 pairs for monitor and for power switch coted me another $60, + some extra for small wires

so
119+100+60 = $279 jsut for wiring alone. So 260 VS 279 sound close to be the same (also I didnt just made up the numbers I actuallt totaled what I spent (didny even know that the number would be this clsoe))

As to need to swap comps, yep i crazy on updates so i take it out like every other week. But even for general Install its much easier to lay one wire that can serve all the need rather then thinking what cables did i forget =)

csfile · 09-12-2009, 07:00 PM

I'm imagining a pretty thick cable. I would think that would be hard to route. With all the individual cables, I was able to route them under the carpet without any noticeable signs. The fat cable would probably leave a nice bump.

I like the idea for ease of use, since wiring was one of the most difficult parts of my install. But I also like the flexibility of having individual wires. I could see this as being very useful for some people. If you do make one, my opinion may change though.

tempgp · 09-12-2009, 08:08 PM

well yes gona be at least half inch in radius. In my case after taling my car apart I found i have plenty of space in weire tranches, which applies to all Mercedes models =), but no way to put it under carpet.

as to making one, I will defenetly be doing one for myself, im jsut not sure on what i will do yet, im set with locable connector for sure.

TruckinMP3 · 09-12-2009, 08:19 PM

Looks like an expensive solution for a problem I do not have....
My systems is in and functional with no special cables.

tempgp · 09-12-2009, 08:21 PM

mew new headligh eyebrows lighting is more expansive :P

malcom2073 · 09-12-2009, 08:39 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by tempgp

mew new headligh eyebrows lighting is more expansive :P

expensive perhaps? Not sure how expansive really applies to that...

tempgp · 09-12-2009, 08:41 PM

expansive can be applied to anything, how relative that thing is thats whole anopther question

malcom2073 · 09-12-2009, 08:43 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by tempgp

expansive can be applied to anything, how relative that thing is thats whole anopther question

So is that a yes or no? Perhaps don't drink before posting? :P

tempgp · 09-12-2009, 08:52 PM

yes everything is expansive hmm

Habious · 09-13-2009, 03:47 AM

When I did my most-recent setup...I used a 6-pin quick-disconnect set of connectors and used 5 of the pins...

-Ground
-Constant +12v
-Switched +12v
-PC power switch +
-PC power switch -

Getting the PC out of the car is just unplugging this connector, the DVI, and the various USB cables. I can get the PC out of the car in like 90 seconds.

I agree that everyone should have some kind of a quick-release connector. It just makes the maintenance on it so much easier. As for your "universal standard" idea...I don't think it's a one-size-fits-all solution.

In my case, I run the DVI to a scan converter that's installed right under the PC so my DVI cable is only about 6 inches long.

I also agree with csfile that finding an unobtrusive route for what is going to be a very thick cable will be a challenge in many cars.

I have USB cables run under the carpet down the center of the vehicle. The audio cables run down the driver's side door sill and the power cables from the battery run down the passenger side door sill. I know that none of these places could handle a 1"+ cable.

tempgp · 09-13-2009, 11:42 AM

ok I guess then we just cancel the idea

TruckinMP3 · 09-14-2009, 12:08 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by tempgp

ok I guess then we just cancel the idea

Easy killer.... If you want one because you think it is cool, valuable, fun or any other reason.... build one and use it.

That is the best part of this hobby. Everyone gets their own reward based on what they build.

tempgp · 09-14-2009, 11:10 AM

i have diferent personality, if u come up w/ something useful u should give it to your neiborhs, otherwise every one will sit on the sema ideas and spend years to get to them in some one alredy had invented a square wheal =)

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