Hessian

This will be my first attempt at installing a car pc. I've got the computer build down, but I have a few questions.

Here is my computer harware:

VIA EPIA-CN13000G 1.3GHz VIA C7
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...2E16813181022R

Western Digital Scorpio WD1200VE 120GB 5400 RPM 8MB Cache ATA-6 Notebook Hard Drive
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822136007

Kingston ValueRAM 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 533
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820144151

Questions:

What would be the best DC/DC power supply to power the computer and the Liliput screen. Do I power the screen from the power supply?

I will need an amp to drive the stock speakers I'm looking at the Alpine PDX-4.100 with speaker upgrades to follow later. I plan to add Infinity Kappa 682.7cf 6x8 and Kicker 04SSMB8 8" subs. Will quality speakers make a difference or should I just go with something cheaper?. Anyone know how to connect to the stock subs of the shaker 500.

When I upgrade the speakers can I power the front 6x8 and sub with one channel and crossover or will I need something different?

Thanks!!

RedGTiVR6

Please see the FAQ link in the navbar above. There is a FAQ in there specifically to answer your questions about the PSU.

Regarding speakers, yes, of course quality speakers will make a difference. Unlike computers, you really do get what you pay for in Car Audio.

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Hessian

Thanks RedGT. I read the FAQs and have been doing more research.

I rip my mp3's at 128, so thats what I was wondering about with the speaker quality. I would like to implement 5.1 for DVDs, so the better speakers would help there.

About the 8 inch subs in the front doors. There are stock amps for each sub, that would probably be removed. When I replace them and the subs would it be better to power with a mono amp or can I use the 4 channel amp in some configuration? Like to just have the one amp if possible.

As far as a power supply, I'm going with the OPUS 120 DCX3.120. I think the wiring would go something like this:

4 guage power to a distribution block.

Power from the block to the amp and power supply.
Power from the power supply to the motherboard
Ignition switch to the power supply
Power from the power supply to the screen (not sure how this part works yet)
Screen comes on when it gets power?
Remote on from power supply to the amp

Thanks a ton for the help. I'll keep reading.

I got my PC hardware in, but newegg sent me the wrong memory. Good thing I have a stick or two around until the replacement gets here. Fabrication of the screen is almost complete.

Hessian

Fabrication for the faceplate which will hold the screen is complete.
I'll post some pictures after I get it painted. Using SEM spray.

i'm developing a custom software interface that looks like the Shaker 500 and uses a Phidget Encoder to change volume and select tracks, etc. Looking into getting ODBII info from my SCT Tuner. Any help here?

Still have questions on my audio set up.

Amp:Alpine PDX-4.100
Front: Infinity Kappa 682.7cf 6x8
Front Door Subs: Kicker 04SSMB8 8" subs
Rear: Infinity Kappa 682.7cf 6x8

Question: Can I somehow power the front subs with the 4 channel?
Amp is 4x100w RMS.
Would stepping up to 4x150w RMS work? Looking for a lightweight solution.

Thanks

wniemcow

OK i could be wrong but i dont think you want to replace those 8's. I have a 2007 stang as well - and during this whole process i have been told it was a waste of money to replace those. Not alot of room in that door - and not many speakers will fit without some modifications. Plus, this isnt a sealed enclosure - so you wouldnt really get much more if not less then what you already have. I was talking with a couple installers at sound advice - who said they did this from someone with JL 8w0 and it sounded like crap.. but hey if you do decide to go this route - and it sounds nice - please let me know.

As i type this - i just realized our delima - what signal do we send to these speakers then.. I guess you could remove the stock amps (one in each door) and use amp to push it. I would also go with a 4 channel amp and not a mono block. I have seen 3 channel amps that might work for your application (2 channels for mids/highs - one for subs).

With all that being said.. let me give you something i have been thinking about..

Put the LCD in the center counsol. leave the stock radio as is. You have the Shaker 500 or 1000 with the audio input in the center consol right? I have read we can use that input - so run a line to that (this keeps the 8's powered by radio - or all the speakers run by radio) or you can use seperate amp for all speakers other then 8's with the feed coming from the PC.

Make sense? Could be bad idea but i think i am going to go that route one way or another. (if possible).

I guess removing the stock amps and running lines from an aftermarket wouldnt be too bad.. but i dont think you could get away with doing this with just one amp (and running all your other speakers as well)

Keep us posted on your status... and some pics..


What does everyone else think about LCD in center consol? I think that might be pretty slick..

Now granted it would make it rough to watch movies and all that but you could get the turn by turn voice stuff for GPS through radio.. MP3 through radio... wouldnt be as worried about theft.. and you keep the stock look...

Hessian

Hey wniemcow. Good to see another new guy with the same platform. What hardware are you using?

The Kicker subs I would be using are flush-mount depth 2-5/16". Using the stock subs would be fine for me if I could figure out how to get them connected to my system. To fill out the bass I'd add some 12s in a box that I could remove while at the track. There is some discussion about the subs and speakers in this thread:

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/...hlight=Mustang

The Alpine amp (at 6 lbs) I'm getting is 4x100, so that would handle the rear and fronts. There is a 4x150 version and I was wondering if one channel could handle 6x8 and subs.

The HU is going away. Just patching into the AUX would be easy though. The faceplace I fabricated looks fairly stock as this was one of my goals. The sowftware interface I'm creating will look just like the Shaker 500 (I'll post some screenshots later). Building the computer and writing software are easy for me, its the car electronics and audio that I'm playing catch-up on.

Putting the screen in the center console is a novel idea, but not one I was planning on. I'd like to see how that would look. I am planning on running USB and network into the center box.

SCT says that they do not have any information, API, example program etc that I can use to get ODBII info from the SCT. Bummer, I might see if I can look at the files in the LiveLink software to get any insight on this. LiveLink seems to have a few bugs in it. It would be nice to be able to write your own software to use the SCT.

Here is the faceplate. I've not painted it yet. I'm looking for a paint shop around here that carries SEM so I don't have to order it.

Attached Images

 

wniemcow

Nice face plate!! that looks awesome! did you buy a replacement and mod it or is that your stock one with modifications?
If i had one that slick - i might change my mind once again.. and put in dash.. (instead of center consol)

My hardware - none as of yet. I have laptops and desktops i am thinking about using - (its a small form factor and need to ensure its atx compliant so i can use a dc to dc PS).

Car stereo questions - thats a no go with subs and 6X8s on same amp.
For a sub - you mentioned 12's - you are going to run seperate power to. Your only going to want to send them low frequencies (most amps nowaday have a low pass filter - which replaces the need for a crossover)

Im still nto sure about the solution for the door speakers.. (the 8's)
Have you taken the door apart as of yet?

To put simply - these stock amps probably have a speaker wire running into them - you could run a feed from a after market amp to this stock ones or just remove the stock amps all together.. (run the speaker wire directly to the 8's from the amp).



OK.. basically what i would try (and im not sure if this would work or best setup but an idea)

You use your 4 channel amp for your 5x7 or 6 x 8s - but here is how i would handle stock 8's I would take the channel you use for your fronts - and basically run 2 sets of speaker wire for each channel. so you would have speaker wire running to your highs and to the stock amp. I think the stock amps have some sort of low pass filter built in. i think this would work and i dont think it will hurt the amp.

This is all best guess - i havent taken anything apart to see how it all works...
some food for thought - how does the stock amps work? (in terms of turn on or remote wire - i am hoping this doesnt come from the stock radio)

anyways.. i hope this somewhat gives you some ideas..

wniemcow

Meaning you dont want to have them on same channel and your not going to want to send subs and 6x8's same freq.(you want low freq to subs) - plus your 12's are going to need more power then the 6x8's.

Hessian

I bought a new faceplate ($60) and integrated the screen housing into it using some epoxy and plastic. I should probably start a worklog thread.

I plan on the 12s to have their own amp as part of the box so it can all come out for the track. I don't plan on having the rear subs installed initially. Just something for down the road. The stock bass is fine for now.

I've taken apart the console and removed the HU to check the fit, but not the doors.

Would running a wire from the amp to the stock 8" amps work? Seems like an amplified signal would be bad to send to the amps? Of course "seems" is not always the case.

Nice diagram, I plan to make one once I know what I'm doing.

wniemcow

To answer that question - i am not sure. I thought about the aplified signal to the amp would be a bad idea as well - but then again your headunit sends a amplified signal (yah - its only 10-15 watts rms)

we are also assuming its a straight speaker wire running to the stock amps as well...

Could you bypass the stock amps - of course and might be best solution. But i had a easy instal advice for you to instal the whole thing if you wanted to try the stock amps.

ok, you know how the head unit has speaker wires running from HU to the back of car for rears and the doors.. well my idea was as follows (this would iliminate the need to take doors apart ) you run new speaker wire to your rear speakers from amp. you take the factory wiring in the back and plug those into amp. this is going to send signal to front of car. you splice together the speaker wire in the front (for the doors) with the speaker wire coming from the rear. Now - you created a chain from the amp to the door speakers.. understand? this way no need to run speaker wire all over the car - you can use whats in it. The only "new" speaker wire you have to run is for the rear - which if you mount amp in trunk its only a couple feet. If you decided to put head unit back in - you pull apart the front to rear "splice" you created in the front - plug the front back into radio as well as rear and hook your wire back up to rear speakers - wala! back to factory..

i think i will have a better understanding or solutions when i take my car apart.. right now - this is all best guess stuff - but i have done a few of these things with other cars (wiring the speakers to amp for example)

where did you pick that front piece up from for 60$?

Hessian

I ordered the faceplate from my local Ford dealer. Just make sure they know it's the part that the HU goes in.

Using the stock wiring is a good idea. I think I'm going to place the amp in the trunk, but I'm not sure yet.

Also will be moving the batt to the trunk during the install, while I got it apart.

I'll post some screens of the software interface tonight.

Hessian

Here is what my interface looks like. I also have interface screens for selecting playlists/albums/etc and a screen for ODB info. The app uses WMP so it can show visualizations and play video.

wniemcow

Holy crap batman thats flippin sweet!

At first i was like "WHy the hell did he take a pic of his stock radio" and then i started looking closely...

Seriously - bad a$$. (not sure if i just broke a rule there with the a$$ statement - but best word to describe)

i will say this - DANGIT!! now i am wanting to remove my stock HU now (and not put in center consol) lol.

darag2358

I too would like more info on your software interface. What did you use to build it? Any chance of posting code?

Hessian

Thanks wniemcow, I'll post some more SS after I tweek the other screens.

I was going to spray the faceplate tonight but it rained all day and it's humid outside.

The app is built in C#. I'm not done with it yet so it's not ready for prime time.