c0rrupti0n

Im a noob to this whole thing. I was googling early and stumbled across this amazing hobby. I've always imagined installing a PC in my car and had planned to make it a project for some time... I couldnt believe to find that it was attempted let alone a popular hobby.

Point is I couldnt of stumbled upon this at greater opertunity. Someone broke into my car not long ago and took just about everything they could get there hands on (including my radio). So ive been on a mission to find a decent head unit and found mp3car.com. I then spent about 5 hours strait in researching the forums/sites alike. I believe i have a rather decent foundation of whats needed. I do computers for a living so I have a good background to work with. Now if I could get some help and maybe get pointed in the right direction that would be great...

This is what I found to work with so far...

-Sharp LQ-9D161 Active Matrix TFT Screen mated with a Microtouch 3M Cleartek Capacitive Touch Screen
http://www.a2zrealty.com/sharp/lq9d161.pdf
http://www.3m.com/3mtouchsystems/Pro...ClearTek.jhtml

-DigitalView ACG-1024 LCD Controller
http://www.digitalview.com/brochures...4-brochure.pdf

-TDK Dual CCFT LCD backlight inverter P/N CXA-M1112-VJ
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=26206

-MicroTouch Touchscreen Controller USB 14-205 Rev 2.1
http://www.touchwindow.com/miva/merc...ct_Code=14-205

-Mini-ITX EPIA M10000 “Eden”
http://www.via.com.tw/en/VInternet/mini_itx.jsp

-Opus 150watt PSU
http://www.opussolutions.com/150watt.html

-ITPS Auto Power Sequencer
http://store.ituner.com/ituner/itps.html

-Media Engine Software
http://www.mediaengine.org/

Is this everything I need??

Which is best or can I even use either of them?

Also why is it that everyone uses the Serial Cable version of the Microtouch screen controller for the LQ-9D161?

If I were to use this setup with the Microtouch USB controller, all that i would do is plug in the usb into the mainboards usb ports and install drivers and thats it for touch screen setup? Is the video feed running through the USB cable or do i still need a VGA connector to convert the USB or something?

All of this seems a tad bit expensive from the PSU being 199 bucks and the 200 dollar eipa mini mainboard. What would stop me from simply installing an old mini tower in my trunk with 50 dollars worth of exention cords ran to the front and a basic DC - AC inverter for power?

I was also wondering if there was anyway to wire a head unit (stereo) cd player to the computer so that I can utilize that as my cd-rom for the computer instead of installing another cd player in the dash?

Thank you for your read and your help is appreciated...



If anyone is selling any of the above stuff let me know Im interested

NovaKane

all the answers are in the forums. 5 hours is not enough. Spend a week just reading.

telekineticfool

you don't need itps with an opus. The basic components you need are Opus, M10000, Hard drive, LCD, input method, and a way to get sound to speakers.

You can't use a head unit as a CD Rom.

Questions to read about/search for:

*why aren't you considering a lilliput?
*How are you getting the sound in?

__________________
MP3 MR2 (click here for details)
Hardware: EPIA M10000, 512Meg Ram, 5.6"TFT, Opus 150watt DC-DC PSU
Software: Windows 2000, Media Engine 2.0

eCar™

Does a MicroTouch Touchscreen Controller also control the LCD? I am thinking that it is for the touch overlay only. Do you have links to any datsheets for those components?

c0rrupti0n

It turns out that DigitalView ACG-1024 is the LCD Controller and MicroTouch USB 14-205 Rev 2.1 is the Touchscreen Controller.


I made some corrections to my First post.
-Added Links
-Removed a question

c0rrupti0n

[quote=telekineticfool]
*why aren't you considering a lilliput?
QUOTE]

Lilliput is just the type of display used for the LCD's correct? Like they explain over at http://www.digitalww.com/lilliput_vs_xenarc.htm

Are there only two type of displays lilliput and xenarc?

I take it lilliput is the better choice considering the brightness factor?

telekineticfool

[quote=c0rrupti0n]
Lilliputs have built in touch screen overlays that are known to work mostly issue-free. It seems more cost effective than trying to coble together a touch screen solution unless you have hookups on the materials to do so.

*edit: actually, scratch that, I'm not sure about that anymore...anyone have info on that?...I think i'm being stupid...it was a long night. However, digital WW does have a touch screen overlay kit that will work for 7" monitors.*

*re-edit: now i'm not sure...if i weren't hungover i might be able to remember if they had a built in touch screen or not...somebody post!*

__________________
MP3 MR2 (click here for details)
Hardware: EPIA M10000, 512Meg Ram, 5.6"TFT, Opus 150watt DC-DC PSU
Software: Windows 2000, Media Engine 2.0

cdm

i know armen put the kits on earlier models, the latest one come with it from the factory.

the 380$ does, the 240$ doesn't.