Completed Carputer in 2004 Civic

redbird_is · 09-02-2009, 06:25 PM

I've just completed my first Carputer project, and I'm very pleased with the results.

I'm using it as a straight music machine, and I've used keyboard macros to let me control all music/playlist commands.

I've written up a step by step description (with photos) of everything I did related to software, hardware, and installation:

http://michaelvogel.wordpress.com/mp3-carputer/

Mounted in the trunk:

I'm interested to know what you guys think!

redbird_is · 09-03-2009, 11:58 AM

I should mention that this is my first carputer effort. I'm not using a touchscreen, but a $4 mini-keypad I bought off eBay:

I put in the switch to the left of the 12 V adapter as an on/off switch for the trunk power line.

Although this one seems like a ridiculous hack, I've used an old water bottle as an adapter for the inverter:

Haven't had any problems so far - seems to work just fine.

Djole501 · 09-03-2009, 12:23 PM

Welcome to the forum. You don't have a display ?

redbird_is · 09-03-2009, 01:00 PM

No display yet (though it would be cool!). The whole project cost about $40 (the computer is a pentium III with windows 2000).

I used a program called ZenKEY to create custom keyboard macros. Basically I can control all functions in media player by doing this. I also have the Num 0-9 keys set as shortcuts to different playlists.

Djole501 · 09-03-2009, 01:27 PM

A display would help i guess

. Don't stop now and get a screen if possible, it will open a new world for you. Don't want to crack you down but you could also have bought a mp3 player and save you all the work

redbird_is · 09-03-2009, 01:58 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Djole501

A display would help i guess

. Don't stop now and get a screen if possible, it will open a new world for you. Don't want to crack you down but you could also have bought a mp3 player and save you all the work

Lol, yes I knew from the outset that I could have just used an mp3 player

It was more fun this way, and I now have the infrastructure set up to add more functionality to the carputer. I'll look into the screen idea.

2k1Toaster · 09-03-2009, 02:25 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by redbird_is

Lol, yes I knew from the outset that I could have just used an mp3 player

It was more fun this way, and I now have the infrastructure set up to add more functionality to the carputer. I'll look into the screen idea.

Not bad for $40. I would too suggest a screen and then you can really open up the world of the CarPC.

You and I are in a special happy screen zone with 7th gen civics. If you take the stock radio out you get a slightly recessed hole that is slightly larger than double din albeit with a bit of curved flare around the side. But the glory is that an EBY701 or Ex-Audio type screen fits PERFECTLY in that space. And by perfectly I mean you can literally just push it into the slot with casing intact and it will be held by pressure and look almost stock. Then with a little bondo work or anything else creative you can get the crazy curve to go away. But if you aren't ready for that, then pressure mount will work temporarily.

2k1Toaster · 09-03-2009, 02:55 PM

You in the great white north?

Heather · 09-03-2009, 02:58 PM

looks like a white plate, with the details taken out...looks like an Ontario plate to me.

redbird_is · 09-03-2009, 05:14 PM

Yes, I am from the land of daytime running lights. What gave it away?

I hadn't even considered extreme temperature until now. Should I be insulating the computer in the winter? It rarely stays below freezing for more than a few days on west coast though, so maybe the trunk is enough of an insulator for me not to worry about it?

2k1Toaster · 09-04-2009, 09:17 AM

2004 Special Edition civic that is barebones. In the US it didnt come ot until next model year. In the US your car is called the DX which is bottom of the barrel civic.

Also we thought we spotted an Ontario plate. (Im from Ontario

)

Chester_Lampwic · 09-04-2009, 11:14 AM

I love this! This is exactly what I want to do with my project.

What numeric keypad did you use? How about a little text LCD? Have you tried wi-fi to sync media, or download podcasts?

redbird_is · 09-04-2009, 04:59 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Chester_Lampwic

I love this! This is exactly what I want to do with my project.

What numeric keypad did you use? How about a little text LCD? Have you tried wi-fi to sync media, or download podcasts?

I bought a keypad just like this one for $4 off eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.ca/USB-Mini-18-Keybo...d=p3286.c0.m14

Text LCD would be really cool. For now, I just have a little cheat sheet that passengers can use to see which playlist corresponds to which number.

I want to add a wi-fi to sync, but for now I'm just connecting to the computer through my laptop and editing playlists that way.

Hadn't considered podcasts, but that opens up a whole other new avenue. Imagine being able to listen to online streaming radio too.

I know that Windows Media Player has a software development kit that would probably allow you to display things like song titles to a mini LCD.