Vacheron

Project: "F.T.P.C." - (FTO-PC)

Car: 1995 Mitsubishi FTO 2.0 V6
Objective: Not surprisingly, a carputer install! (Though ideally using no more space than a standard head unit.)
Replacing Headunit: Rio Car (EMPEG V2)
Time From Parts Ordered To Completion: 8 Days

Carputer:
Epia M10000 / 80GB / 256MB
LinITX 7" Touchscreen
Carnetix P1260

Owner Comments:
Well I've decided to install a carpc for no reason other than I have never done one before and it seemed like an interesting challenge for the new year. Many additions still to come but I’m learning to walk before I can run!

Please click Here for the development website. (Note: 5.5MB site in total - lots of large development photos - not at all dial-up friendly!)

Apologies if some of the information on there is a little obvious to many of the forum members here, but I am trying to find a balance that both carpc enthusiasts, friends and technophobes alike can all find informative and so didn't want to make it too daunting!

All comments and constructive criticism always gratefully appreciated.

Vacheron.

MP3Car.com

 

Dudes99

Very well done.

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SUVputer progress meter:
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Aquisition[---] -------] - 30%

kickercivic1

very neat. looks really good

Engram

Excellent work. And a nice photo log too!

mattdisaster

Awesome job! If you lived in the states I'de drive my car over to you for installation! hah.

-matt

MikeH

Vacheron,

Very nice work. Great job on the photo log. Very professional and detailed.

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MikeH

Scouse Monkey

Thats is such a nice compact install. Well done. Youa re such a lucky bastard though having all that room to workk with :P

Really good guide too. Will be showing this to my mate who wants an FTO.

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If you want more answers on anything I have posted you can find me at digital-car.co.uk

or skiing or diving or doing somthing else fun!

Vacheron

Hi everyone.

Thanks for all the positive comments so far.

I'm glad people seem to like the photo log. I did that because I always get people asking how I did certain things after I have completed a project and it's so much easier to point someone them to a picture rather than lots of animated arm waving in the pub (bar), or a four paragraph description on the forums!
TBH, I may have went a little too far the other way this time. But people can always skip past them if they aren't interested.

All that DIN space was a bit of a nice discovery. Even better though was finding that the whole lower dashboard section could be removed so easily, which makes getting to the back of the frame a breeze!

This morning I've been working on making a BMW "IDrive" style control for the centre console to cover most if the basic functions. Things have been coming along quite well so far.

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Project F.T.P.C.

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Meatballman

Looks great. I don't know that I would have given up the empeg though . I've got two of them and they're indispensible.

Vacheron

Dont worry. Like most empeg owners I am much too loyal to the cause to give up on it just like that!



No, there it is... safe and warm. And theres no chance I would ever sell it despite five "very good" offers so far and counting!

You've got to be prepared in case a future car has a single din slot and a hand made burl walnut dashboard or something!
If it did theres no way I could ever go back to one of those "See Dee" players again, (you might as well just rub a couple of bloody sticks together!)

I was looking for a second empeg at one point as well just in case mine ever broke or was stolen! Is your second a spares and repairs safety unit as well?

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Project F.T.P.C.

Spaghetti

Great install - I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Well worth the wait on dial up!

How're you finding the carnetix? Is 60w enough for your needs so far?? I've got the Travla C137 case, and I'm thinking about the carnetix too as mine has the C4 90w power supply ..... I'd like to get an opus, but it's friggin' expensive!!!

ramy_zohair

There was a guy from the UK with the same car who had his ride featured on a auto mag:

Attached Images

     

Vacheron

Thanks Spaghetti. (And apologies for your impending phone bill in advance).

The Carnetix has performed faultlessly so far. Since I wrote the log I have had about two weeks of testing and have no problems to report.

I can't comment on the ability of the Carnetix to survive cranking as the FTO cuts power to the radio while cranking so I would need to go the tank circuit route to solve that one. Since I don't do much start-stop driving I don't consider this a problem though.

To get an idea of the load, I am still running the system specified in my project log plus the LinITX Touchscreen from the P1260. Since then I have also installed a USB GPS module which draws 90-110mA, and a Orinoco USB client with external 7dB omni directional antenna which has been known to draw anything between 420 and 540mA, plus a second mouse from the PS2 mouse port which is wired as a centre console jog wheel for controlling the most common functions.

The only Incident I have had with the setup so far was when I inadvertently did crank the engine while the kit was running which must have confused the Epia somewhat as the VGA shut down for about 10 seconds. Although I NOW know that this was the reason, I didn't at the time and was somewhat freaked out to put it mildly by a white fading "you've fried your TFT" type pattern with a saturated bloody Jurassic Park Logo in the background!!!!!!

It was only when I got back home and searched the forums that I learned this is a common occurrence on Lilliputs (So now we all know that LinITX monitors do it too).

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Project F.T.P.C.

davidegee

Excellent install and excellent site tracking it all. Really useful for people like me who are new to all this.

bertybassett

that bloke from the UK would be me.

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