2004.5 Kia Spectra EX - CarPC / GPS / Sirius / TouchScreen - DONE!

EagleTG · 09-03-2007, 10:30 PM

I was posting this in the worklog section, but wanted to show it off in it's "completed" state. My other thread was getting a bit messy, and I wanted the "done" shots in one spot, in a clean thread. I've also cut a few pictures from the original worklog, to keep things even cleaner.

Here is my worklog:
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/work...uchscreen.html

System Features:
- MP3
- Video
- GPS (iGuidance)
- Sirius (SIR-ALP1 USB Interface from MitchJS)

System Specs:
- "Xenarc" 700TSV from Armen/DigitalWW
- VIA EPIA Mini-ITX M10000-II
- JVC KDSH-99 Head Unit (Can't convince myself to go head unit-less)
- M2-ATX DC-to-DC Power Supply and Shut Down Controller
- Zippy EL-610 Keyboard
- Microsoft Wireless Laptop Mouse
- 100 GB High Shock Tolerance Fujitsu 2.5" Hard Drive
- 1 GB Mushkin RAM
- Ikea Karbo Key Cabinet as casing for computer

You can see above ^^^ the one part I'm not thrilled about. I want to re-do the box holding the relocated head unit in the center console. A few things are bugging me on it, I don't like the "lines" how it all came together. I basically want it to be nicer/sleeker. I also failed to cover up some of the screw holes from a previous-attempt at mounting using a metal mounting bracket (the screw holes are barely visible in the pics). I will work on this as part of repairing/replacing this whole section. This is not an ASAP, and for now I'm still calling this "done".

This is the one part that isn't done yet. I'm planning to build some sort of cover for the GPS receiver and WiFi module. I haven't totally decided on the wire routing, and that's a critical piece of building a cover. For now, I throw a towel over this stuff to minimize it's appearance.

This is inside one the center armrest/console. It's a USB hub. There is another hub hidden under the console. All hubs are powered by the M2-ATX 5v rail. While I'm mentioning it, the screen and Sirius are powered from the M2-ATX 12v rail. I'll be working up and posting a wire map (mine was pencil/paper, so I'll draw something computerized up to post here in a few days).

Zippy EL-610 Electroluminescent Keyboard.

Futurama RULEZ!

Some trunk shots:

I'm building a "top" for this wooden sled. I want the top on it so that the system is protected from toolboxes that I usually carry. I may change this all around yet, I'm unsure. For now it's working fine.

This is to mininmize the appearance of the screen. (Mostly used when parking at night.) It's a magnetic cover made from a material I found at the store, and sticks to magnets that I glued behind the dash piece. There are magnets folded into the material. This one is crooked, and I will be making a better cover, but for now it's functional.

Mr Beta · 09-18-2007, 04:56 AM

Sweet install. Great job.

One question though. Aren't magnets plus LCD screens bad?
Props on the install but I'd hate to see you mess up your screen.

mhickin · 09-18-2007, 07:13 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Mr Beta

Sweet install. Great job.

One question though. Aren't magnets plus LCD screens bad?
Props on the install but I'd hate to see you mess up your screen.

Same thing i was thinking

jackal2403 · 09-18-2007, 04:47 PM

how fast is the channel changing in between channels through sirius

EagleTG · 10-24-2007, 01:09 PM

Sorry, haven't been back on here in a bit.

Magnets don't affect LCD's, at least in my experience. The older monitors (CRT) can be affected. These are pretty low-power anyway, maybe some rare earth magnets or something might have more of an effect. (Edit: The more I think about this, Apple in the MacBook and HP in some of their newer models are using some pretty dang strong magnets as closure mechanisms for their laptops. Actually, the older iBooks used magnety things as clasps too. I bet those magnets are much closer to the LCD and much stronger than the ones I used. Honestly, the magnets I used aren't quite as strong as I'd like them to be, but it works for now. If I ever tear the dash apart again, I might experiment a little more to get a bit more solid of a magnetic attraction.)

Channel changing on Sirius is the same as on a "real" Sirius receiver. There is a noticeable delay, maybe 3 seconds max. Like I said, I think this is related to the nature of Sirius, and is not something that is because of the CarPC.

I got a few PM's that I'll address here for the greater good of the public:
"I have noticed that you have used the same screen as many other people on here....which screen is it? I am doing a dash fabrication myself and it seems to be a good one for the job."

I used the Digital WW version of the Xenarc LCD. I'm doing another install for my brother using the "true" Xenarc. There are absolutely no differences between the "real" Xenarc and the one that Digital WW sold me. It's the Xenarc 700TSV:
http://www.xenarc.com/product/700tsv.html
They apparently have a newer model for 2008, but mine's the plain-old one from "in the before time".

I also got a PM from someone with the same car, looking for some advice on the install itself. Basically, I put the radio where the one "tray" used to be, and put the screen where the radio was. The factory radio is a DIN-sized unit, but it's got a pocket below it that gives a little more area to work with. The toughest parts were moving the switches for the hazard and defrost, as the defrost switch was in the way. I decided to move it to where the hazard was, as that seemed like a logical place.

The fabrication was done with plastic scraps from a $1 trash can I found at Lowe's, some old DVD cases, standard 5 minute epoxy, some epoxy putty for the deeper fill that I needed, a bit of Bondo here and there (which some people are telling me might be a mistake, as it tends to crack), and some Bondo Glazing and Spot Putty as a skim-coat. Oh, and a whole ton of sanding. Once I had the plastics all set, I used some Spray Putty Primer (or Fill Primer), then I used some Dupli-Color Trim Paint to match the OEM plastics (at least closely). It's all covered in my worklog, but if you need more details, feel free to ask!!!

Nickwell24 · 11-02-2007, 01:05 AM

Hey, how did you run the cables to your usb hub into your center console, i want to do this when i install mine but can't think of a good path without ripping up carpet.

dmart23 · 11-07-2007, 04:06 PM

looks good! Very nice...thanks for sharing.

EagleTG · 11-16-2007, 10:42 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Nickwell24

Hey, how did you run the cables to your usb hub into your center console, i want to do this when i install mine but can't think of a good path without ripping up carpet.

My whole center console is secured to the floor with 6 philips-head screws. Remove those, shift into Drive, as the gear selector interferes with removal, rock the whole thing upward (pivot-point is under the dash as the dash is in the way) and slide out. There was nothing connected to the center console, it was just a big plastic assembly. Now, I've attached the aux-in, radio/head-unit, and USB to that console, so it's a little more involved to remove now.