Carputer here I come

hehaha · 02-29-2008, 07:37 PM

I've been wanting to build one of these for years, but finally got some cash and time to work on this project.

brucedog · 02-29-2008, 09:12 PM

Wecome!

Send some of that cash this way, brotha; daddy needs a new rear view cam...

Hey, what kinds of ideas / dreams do you have for your install?

For my part, I did a lot of reading on these forums, also took pictures of my car, then sketched ideas onto the pics - and hung 'em up for encouragement...

Best of luck.

hehaha · 03-01-2008, 11:24 AM

so have you started building your carpc yet? I am mainly concerned on how I am going to mount my screen. I have a double din in my 240sx, so I'm hoping that'll make it somewhat easy. I haven't quite figured out which screen yet.

hehaha

crooper · 03-01-2008, 02:02 PM

7" touchscreens usually fit in a double din slot. Mine's a Xenarc 700, friends say it looks factory. You might have to do some dremeling on the back side to get it to fit, I did. I think some people have gotten an 8" to fit.

brucedog · 03-02-2008, 06:12 AM

Look at the bottom left of this reply for 'my pictures"

As I am not ready for in-dash screen yet, mounted mine on gooseneck from
http://www.mobilevideo4less.com/lcdbrackets.html

Best of luck / blessings.

hehaha · 03-03-2008, 10:56 AM

Nice install. I'm pretty sure I am going to get a 7" screen. I was playing with Road Runner... Do you have your cellphone connected to your car pc?

brucedog · 03-03-2008, 08:27 PM

Yes to the cell phone.

My T-Mobile "MDA" (mfg nt HTC) is a pocket pc with bluetooth. To use with carpc or any pc, one nuys a bluetooth dongle. Why do they call it a dongle? Dunno, but it's a good name. I have a Belkin dongle on my work pc, an IOGear on my carpc. Basically, I connect to my pocket pc, it dials up the special phone no to t-Mobile, and I'm online, dial-up spped, or a bit faster...

I also have a Netgear pci wireless adapter for connecting to high-speed internet. I'm typing this sitting in my driveway,connected wirelessly to my Verizon DSL in the house.

Check out this 10.4 inch screen someone on here turned me on to:
http://www.gooddeals18.com:80/
(Hope that link works)

I'm old and blind, so the 10" screen would be better for me. I like big screens, anyway.

hehaha · 03-03-2008, 10:07 PM

Were you able to hook up your phone to your carputer so that you can dial out a phone call using your touchscreen?

brucedog · 03-04-2008, 09:45 AM

No, I don't have my microphone cable run from carpc to driver's side yet. I've got the cable and a nice microphone, just got to find time.

Currently, I just make calls using my bluetooth headset and voice dialing. Don't let 'em tell you that voice dial doesn't work. It just takes a consistent method of recording the names you want to call into yr phone, and then repeating the name consistently to dial...plus, very minimal backgound noize.

I HAVE forgotten my bluetooth headset a coupla times, and when phone rings, my carpc picks up - it's interesting to hear my caller's voice coming out of car audio system. Got to get that mic working...

hehaha · 03-04-2008, 11:17 AM

How did you get your carpc to play the sound out of your speakers? Did you somehow make your pc act like a bluetooth headset?

brucedog · 03-04-2008, 11:38 AM

Try checking this on your pc:

control panel>internet and network>bluetooth (change settings)

Then click on the "audio" tab and you may see "telephony audio gateway"

I have VISTA, so there may be differences; I don't have a XP machine here to check, but apparently the audio gateway allows audio from cell phone to route to pc. I suppose that sould be ANY audio: mp3's, recordings, and telephone.

With these bluetooth dongles connected to a pc, apparently one can buy bluetooth headphones and listen to pc music - wirelessly.

I'm fairly new, so I try things as I have a need for them. Fiddle with it, and let me know!

hehaha · 03-07-2008, 12:27 PM

I was able to get my sound (from my sound card) to go through the Bluetooth Headset, but was not able to get my phone to connect to the computer to output anything. What type of phone do you have?

HiJackZX1 · 03-07-2008, 12:42 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by hehaha

so have you started building your carpc yet? I am mainly concerned on how I am going to mount my screen. I have a double din in my 240sx, so I'm hoping that'll make it somewhat easy. I haven't quite figured out which screen yet.

hehaha

Use photoshop and paste the screen you think you might want and see how it looks.

brucedog · 03-07-2008, 02:35 PM

My pocket pc (phone) is T-Mobile's "MDA", whic is manufacured by HTC (High Tech Corp). HTC calls it the "Wizard."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HTC_Wizard

I don't know details, but when I forget to bring my bluetooth headset in the cvar with me and the MDA has an incoming call, my carpc answers the call via the voice telphony gateway. Problem is, I don't have microphone connected to carpc yet, so I hear the incoming caller over my car audio system saying "hello...hello...", buy I am unable to reply!

I'm not sure what you mean about connecting your phone to the pc to "output anything." Maybe someone with more experience is listening and can help...