PugFunk

hi guys.

Im new so these questions might sound a little dogey but i have been looking and am still confused.

I am thinking of connecting my ibook to my computer.

2 major questions.
Do you guys keep the computer sleeping while the car is off? say have a day timer so that if the car is off for more than 4 hours it switches the computer off?

second question. How do you guys wake the computer automatically if you keep it in sleep mode. The way i am thinking is connecting one of my USB ports to the trigger wire off my deck. I know that macs sence when a item is connected into a USB port so the power from the trigger wire. heavily reduced from 12volts would do the trick if connected into the USB port?

If i get this up and running i was thinking of fibreglassing a trackball/scroller into my middle console so i can use the computer with a actual mouse to navigate things like itunes and any program i choose to.

Also. GPS interface with mac? hard? how much? obviously there is some form of external device i will need to buy so the computer can tell where it is.

Sorry for what might seem dumb questions. I understand computers and car audio but have never combined the two. lol

Im thinking that there are solutions that people over the years have thought up that would be clean, easy and smarter than things i can think of right now.

Oh and one last question (for now) how hard is it to disconect the screen off my laptop and connect in a external smaller screen. I dont want a 12" screen in my car although it does sound rather bling.

Is it plug and play? or can i just cut off off the current screen and then plug in a new screen through the projector port or the earphone port on the ibook (video also runs through the audio port from memory)

My ibook has not been used for 2 years since i got my new g5 so yeah its kind of usless just sitting there and im trying to think of solutions.


Thanks in advance


Dom

Jirka Jirout

Yes, I do keep my computer in sleep mode. The P1900 PSU cuts the power automatically after 2 days or something like that - then the computer goes to hibernation (deep sleep) mode.


Isolate the +5V pin on the USB connector and leave your device(s) powered thru external power input of the hub. That way the devices disappear if you cut the power to the hub and reappear when the power is back up, which wakes up the Mac.


I am not sure what exactly triggers the wake up, but I would not mess with connecting any external wires to these connectors.


I hope you do not live close to where I do and when you eventually get killed while <censored> around with this instead of driving, you won't take anyone with you. Using a regular mouse controls in car is an extremely dumb idea. Hell, even the touchscreens, which I personally dislike as too dangerous are far far safer than this.


Most devices will work fine, even those which are presented as Windows-only. GPS receivers use serial port simulation and all you really need is the driver for virtual serial port. Althought that may not be available from the receiver's vendor, it is mostly available from the manufacturer of the RS232->USB chip (such as FTDI).


1. Do not cut it off, there is no need for that. Just connect an external screen using the vga/dvi output. The portables should be capable of running with the lid closed (provided there is external screen and external power connected).
2. Video and audio do not run thru the same port.

PugFunk

how do you control your carputers then? i was thinking of just using basically the scroll function off a mouse and use it by iself so i can just scroll up and down in in itunes with it and then perhaps relocate some buttons onto somewhere. You would not have to use the 'mouse' all the time.

Im a little confused with your statement about the remove the 5v pin. Are you saying that i basically stop the external devices being powerd by the computer and power them straight from the battery. ?

Im still not sure about this hole automatic sleep/wake thing. Will i need to hard wire in a timer or something?

Machinehead

I set up safe-sleep recently, which allows you to kill the power to the mac while it's sleeping and it comes back up right where you left off. Takes about 10-15 seconds but it's way quicker than a reboot.

Jirka Jirout

SpaceNavigator, NuLOOQ, Apple Remote, steering wheel cuttons or custom controls (using phidgets board). Een the touchscreen is a better idea.


I may be wrong, but there is not that much you can control by scroll wheel and buttons only in iTunes.


Yes, except the "straight from battery" part. You cannot power most of the USB devices straight from a battery (wich has something between 12 and 14V, but you must use an appropriate supply/regulator to supply 5V


No. Search the forum, I have already posted detailed info on this.

pepsibobby

to use the sleep use the Carnetix P1900, there is a function this product that when hooked up properly to your laptop will wake the laptop on ignition start and puts it to sleep on the turn off.

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