Newbie build-up: Ampie CarPC

EEEEeeee36 · 07-23-2006, 01:56 AM

Utilizing eBay, and my licensed copy of Win XP Home after I upgraded my laptop to Win XP Professional, I got the whole damn thing done for less than $650 USD - AND, I have a pretty decent system that is strong and fast enough to listen to MP3s while I use my GPS.

Here's what I got:

VIA Eden V10000 Mini ITX (new) - $86 shipped, eBay
Pentium 4 M 1.6ghz (new) - $27 shipped, eBay
Kingston 400mhz 1GB PC3200 DDR Ram (new) - $87 shipped, eBay
Hitachi 7200rpm 60GB 2.5" HD (new; hard to find) - $116 shipped, eBay.
M1 ATX power supply 90W (new) - $62 shipped, eBay
Panasonic Optical Drive 24x24x24x slim slot load CD RW/DVD ROM (used for 1 hour per seller) - $54 shipped, eBay
Casetronic Mini ITX Case, black (used) - $34 shipped, eBay
Lilliput 7" Double Din Touchscreen Monitor (new, closeout 2005 model) - $148 shipped, eBay.

Total: $614.xx

Normally it is not recommended to buy all of the components separately due to shipping, but the great thing about eBay is you can find relatively new parts on close-out for monster deals, and if the seller is a decent one they are not hiding another $10 in handling fees in their shipping. I mean, $27 shipped for a new Pent 4 M 1.6ghz processor??! Can't beat that...

The only disadvantage to doing it this way was that it took me about 2 and a half months to acquire all the parts, but I have a system that beats most $800 systems, and that's NOT including a monitor! If I were to buy this preconfigured/prebuilt it would have cost me over $1100 with monitor, and it's awesome! I haven't finished setting it up yet, but I am really looking forward to it. I still have to make my custom bezel for the car and load my GPS software (Microsoft Streets & Trips), which I already had also.

I guess you could call my CarPC the "eBay Special".

RedGTiVR6 · 07-23-2006, 07:08 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by EEEEeeee36

VIA Eden V10000 Mini ITX (new) - $86 shipped, eBay
Pentium 4 M 1.6ghz (new) - $27 shipped, eBay

can you explain why you bought a separate processor when the motherboard you bought already has an imbedded processor?

DarquePervert · 07-23-2006, 07:19 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Red GTi VR6

can you explain why you bought a separate processor when the motherboard you bought already has an embedded processor?

Yevmeister · 07-23-2006, 01:04 PM

LOL

wow i spilled coke all over keyboard

Yev

EEEEeeee36 · 07-25-2006, 04:04 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Red GTi VR6

can you explain why you bought a separate processor when the motherboard you bought already has an embedded processor?

Yeah I can actually, and it's a pretty simple explanation: I am a computer Noob. Plain and simple. I've never built a computer before, and even though I know what most of the parts were and I've upgraded my own desktop before (added RAM, nothing major), I didn't realize the motherboard I bought already had a processor. Also, when I was looking at power handling requirements the Pentium 4 M used the least amount of power, and I purchased it right away when I was piecing things together. Even if I had realized that there was a processor on the board when I bought it, I already had the P4M chip.

Besides, the 1.6G P4M chip is almost twice the clock speed as the chip that came on the motherboard.

At least I only blew $28!

Also, because I am such a Noob, I was following the list from the FAQ and just started buying everything on the list:http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...24&postcount=8.. On the list is: Motherboard, Processor, Memory, Hard Drive, Power Supply, Display, & Optical Drives. The list didn't say that most Motherboards came with processors, so I didn't even bother checking.

EEEEeeee36 · 07-27-2006, 01:35 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Yevmeister

LOL

wow i spilled coke all over keyboard

Yev

Yeah, it was THAT hilarious.

RedGTiVR6 · 07-27-2006, 02:13 PM

I guess that's what happens when you don't really do your own research....

welcome to the hobby, the hard way I guess...lol

btw, I did explicitly state it in that post:

Quote:

Some of the smaller VIA boards have imbedded processors

Thanks for reading that post, it probably tought you way more than you might realize.

edit: so you didn't even bother to check that the processor would even FIT the mobo to begin with? the right pin structure or anything?

DarquePervert · 07-27-2006, 02:19 PM

I moved the posts off of the FAQ Emporium post to prevent it culttering up that FAQ any more than it already had.

RedGTiVR6 · 07-27-2006, 02:29 PM

glad you caught that darque, I didn't even pick up on that.

scott_fx · 07-27-2006, 03:02 PM

oh well, we allmake stupid mistakes...i have a full motherboard and proc just sitting in my room because i jumped on a good deal w/o doing research. (though it's going to be part of my render farm now

)

welcome to the hobby, have fun, read, search, read and ask questions.

EEEEeeee36 · 07-28-2006, 03:34 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by DarquePervert

I moved the posts off of the FAQ Emporium post to prevent it culttering up that FAQ any more than it already had.

NOICE. I like the title of the thread.

EEEEeeee36 · 07-28-2006, 03:55 AM

PS, I didn't like the case I got, so I just bought a VoomPC Ampie case that came with a VIA Epia MII 10000 and an ATX 2 power supply. $299, or $318 shipped. My cousin wants to re-do his CarPC so he's going to buy my Mobo (with the pre-installed processor....

), and ATX 1.

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I hadn't finished setting up my previous configuration (including checking whether or not the separate processor I got would fit on the board or not). Will a Pentium 4 M chip fit on a VIA Epia Board? From what I am reading it is not looking that way...

Is the C3 chip that comes with the Epia board fast enough? I know I am comparing a 1Ghz chip to a 1.6Ghz chip, but it was my understanding that the Pentium 4 M was a very fast chip that used very little power for what it could do.

Little help? Thanks for all your help guys!

RedGTiVR6 · 07-28-2006, 07:01 AM

I think you need to do some more research. These questions are all incredibly newbieish.

P3rv3rt B3ar · 07-28-2006, 07:29 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Red GTi VR6

I think you need to do some more research. These questions are all incredibly newbieish.

Come on!! he already admitted he is newbie... cant newbie ask newbie questions anymore?

Honestly i think u and DP should take a little break from newbie forums... mayby u guys have answered too many questions... and little vacation might do some good.

EEEEeeee36 · 07-28-2006, 12:45 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Red GTi VR6

I think you need to do some more research. These questions are all incredibly newbieish.

I did a search. I didn't find any threads that specifically talked about whether or not a 478pin Pentium 4 M would fit on a Mini ITX board. Yes they are newbie questions; like I said I've never built an actual computere before, and even the stuff I've done with computers (adding RAM, adding an optical drove, adding a Hard Drive) has all been on full case/desktop PCs. I LITERALLY saw my first mini ITX board a couple weeks ago when I got my first one.