Well I've been a huge fan of this site for many years, I've just never got around to registering. I mostly used this forum as a guide because if anyone isn't already aware most bumps in the road you will encounter when installing a pc in your car have already been encountered and solved by someone else on this forum. I found that if I ran into a problem I could easily find the answer here and I prolly should've registered and thanked the many people who have posted so that I could do so. But now I am registered and I plan to give credit where credit is due because there are some smart people on this forum.
My first carpc installed in 1998 was a desktop with a 15" crt in the front seat running off of an inverter (talk about ghetto but what can you do when you are a recent HS grad). I then got a laptop and pretty much used that until 2000. I then built a system based on a flexATX motherboard with a touchscreen monitor than ran off of a pci card and proprietary interface, which I still have on the shelf for some reason. I built my own atx power supply that ran off of 12VDC right down to fabricating the PCB board and soldering the components (anyone interested in pictures or the schematic let me know). My next system in 2001 I went with a sleek hidden look. I ran up my credit cards and bought a PIII cappuccino pc and a pioneer in-dash dvd player with a 7" screen. I put the pc in the glove compartment and controlled it with a presentation mouse. I used the rca video out with the 7" screen and a unit from pioneer (forget the model #) to get sound into the IP-Bus on my pioneer head unit. This system has been working great ever since, I only upgraded from 98 to xp.
I just bought a Xenarc 700IDT and I plan to install a slot loading drive in it and some other stuff. Once I am done I will replace it with my pioneer in-dash dvd which will allow me to have a vga input (better resolution) and of course a touchscreen. I also will be getting an LS800 from motion computing as one of my three company pc's (this one for field use). I plan to get a docking station for it and mount it in my glove box and use it for my carpc. I like the idea of being able to take my carpc inside and with me everywhere, I can even use it my company truck with all of my music and movies.
For the audiophiles out there right now I have a Pioneer head-unit with the in-dash dvd/7" screen and the pioneer xmradio ip-bus unit. I have a 4-channel MTX thunder amp powering an MB Quart component system in the front and Rockford Fosgate full ranges in the back. I also have a Cobalt Blue 520watt amp powering 2 polk audio 10's in two custom built enclosures which I built my self to fit over the wheels wells in the back of my 4-runner. I used to have all of this and the pc installed in a 3000gt until it got totaled in 2004 (not my fault). I went to the junk yard and took everything out including the wires and when I got my 4Runner I began the long task of installing everything in there including making the sub boxes (royally sucked but fun at the same time).
Well enough about me, I think that was an adequate intro, I look forward to posting more on here when I upgrade my system. Unfortunately this won't be until after April 20 when I take my PE license exam, for which I have been studying old school style like I haven't done since I graduated college.
What's up from sunny Alabama
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