Lexus IS200 Lexputer!! Flip Up Screen!

Anees · 06-06-2005, 02:00 PM

Hi Guys,

I’ve reading MP3Car.com for over 13 months but only recently became a member. This is my Car PC Install. Its not 100% finished but its almost there.

My PC Specs:

--> Shuttle SN41G2 v3 (with nForce 2, Dual VGA, 5.1 Surround Sound, SATA)
--> Opus 150W DC-DC PSU
--> AMD Athlon Mobile@2400+ (using the Wire Trick)
--> 160Gb SATA HDD mounted on a foam suspension thing in the case
--> 1Gb (2 x 512Mb DDR400 Ram (Samsing) – yes overkill I know, but it was cheap at the time and the nForce works better with dual-memory setups.
--> Gyration Wireless RF Keyboard and Mouse
--> Panasonic Slim Slot-load CDRW/DVD
--> Mp3Car.com external CD enclosure
--> Xenarc 700TSV 7”
--> Holux GPSlim236 Bluetooth GPS/GPS Mouse (can use both modes at the same time AND it is based on the new SiRFIII chipset!!!
--> Shuttle Wifi adapter (doesn’t use a PCI slot)
--> Wired PC “ON” and “HDD Activity” LEDs to the front of the car so they flash.
--> Lexus OEM Sat Nav housing with motor. This thing took me over 8 months to find at a reasonable price.
--> 120 degree wide-angle reversing camera off ebay.
--> Custom AUX-IN for sound. The Lexus 6 CD headunit doesn’t support AUX-IN….but after months of nagging I managed to be the first person to try out the AUX-IN created by a UK based Lexus electronics company. It works great with NO noise!! Can really enjoy the 8-speakers the car has!

Software:

--> RoadRunner
--> Destinator 3 with MapMonkey (not that impressed after using Tom Tom for so long),
--> Croid WINc

The thing I like about this system the best is the protential for future expansion. I can add games with wireless controllers, setup dual screens in the back, digital TV and I’ve not used a single PCI slot yet!

Some Pictures of the car (its been a while since the car has been this clean!)

Car PC Pictures (sorry about the mess!)

I have the display for a Bluetooth phonekit, reversing sensors and a usb hub which I have not secured yet.

Screen flipped down.

Screen flips up as soon as the ignition is ON.

Shuttle PC in the boot – not the most glamorous looking. May rectify that later. It is on a piece of thick hard foam that I have covered with the same material as in the boot

Position of the phonekit. It cuts audio when I get a call to both the CD/Radio and the AUX-IN! Has voice dialling too!!

My SiRF!!! Bluetooth GPS/USB GPS Mouse. It has a 10 hour battery so is ALWAYS on! I have a fix as soon as I get into the car.

RoadRunner – looks really “stock”

Playing music

Old pic – My PC Status lights

My list of future improvements:

1. Get a Laptop style touchpad which I can keep near the drinks holder. The touchpad will make it easier to control the PC -the touchscreen is all well and good - but can be a abit awkward to reach at times.

2. Install Prolex reversing Camera. I have put all the wiring in place to autoswitch to the camera when reverse is selected - all I need now is the camera! The eBay camera is not great quality. The Prolex one is tiny, 140 degree wide angle, waterproof and pin-sharp quality. Trouble is it costs a fortune!! Will have to save up!

3. Get a much better wifi antenna!

4. Get my Slim CDRW/DVD hooked up.

4. Look at some games I could install and play using wireless pads!!

I love having a 160Gb HDD full of movies/music/software at my disposal!

The PC had been ONE HELL of alot of work and effort and just shows what you can do when you put your mind to something - despite having no experience of what you are doing.

scott_fx · 06-06-2005, 02:36 PM

nice job, love the car and the install!

RS3RS · 06-06-2005, 02:38 PM

Nice, love the screen, though it does look like it would be weird to reach and use as a touch screen... Sharp car.

davidegee · 06-06-2005, 02:58 PM

nice car, nice install and nice choice of phone. I have a 6680, very happy with it, shame it doesn't work with phonecontrol though...

Anees · 06-06-2005, 03:32 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by RS3RS

Nice, love the screen, though it does look like it would be weird to reach and use as a touch screen... Sharp car.

Good point.

I suppose if it was THAT good a place for a touchscreen then the Lexus engineers would have put one in anyway!!

Its not that bad, but because the car is quite new I didn't want to replace my headunit, and mess about with the dash to fit a touchscreen in. I do like it the way it is because it looks just like any other IS200 until you turn it on!

jcdillin · 06-06-2005, 03:34 PM

wow, turned out great. Awesome job!

no burning smell anymore?

Anees · 06-06-2005, 03:37 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by davidegee

nice car, nice install and nice choice of phone. I have a 6680, very happy with it, shame it doesn't work with phonecontrol though...

Too right....I am on 3 in the Uk which is 3G and to be fair the only decent phone on this network is the 6680. I did ask Zorro about phoneco support but he said it wasn't supported. But I'm more then happy with the Parrot CK3100 kit I've got installed! I think its probably a more reliable solution then using a software based solution.

The phone can be used with Tom Tom Mobile too!! I plan on getting a copy on the phone. My GPS allows simultanious Bluetooth and USB GPS connections so I'm good to go!!

I want to keep Tom Tom as a back up because I don't really trust Destinator's routing.

Thanks for the props guys!

Cris · 06-06-2005, 03:39 PM

Wow, splendid install

. It is so nice, that you just HAVE TO do something about that boot install! Quick

!

Anees · 06-06-2005, 03:39 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by jcdillin

wow, turned out great. Awesome job!

no burning smell anymore?

Hey....you know I still panic everytime I smell burning in the air!! Been fine so far!

Need to not be as paronid!!

Thanks again for the great advice!

Gobby · 06-06-2005, 03:42 PM

Looks a mint install, like the screen idea :-)

Anees · 06-06-2005, 03:56 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Cris

Wow, splendid install

. It is so nice, that you just HAVE TO do something about that boot install! Quick

!

Cris...

I have SO MUCH go wrong that to be honest I am just grateful that its in and working!! I will do something with it - not sure what however!

In the course of putting this in the car I have had:

- cigarette ligher fuse blow so auto-on wouldnt work
- Xenarc controller board blow up -BLACK SMOKE in the car. Had to replace screen.
- Car Battery Died
- Lost all sound from head unit when a transister blew in the AUX-IN and locked the phone kit into mute mode.
- My Mp3Car.com cd enclosure set on fire!! YES FIRE!!
- Opus fuse has blown twice
- Panasonic Slim Slot CDRW/DVD died.......was replaced by the place I bought it from.
- Touchscreen wouldn't work....had connected the touchscreen overlay the wrong way!

- Scratched my touchscreen overlay when putting the Sat Nav housing into the car - since my first Xenarc screen was dead I switched it.....
- Burning smell comming from the screen housing again -turned out the magnets in the motor in the housing was causing the Xenarc transformer to overheat!
- Had to take out and put back in the Sat Nav housing 6 times!!

Its a pain to do because its very tight space and you have to unscrew everything!
- Lost about a pint of blood and much more in sweat!! :P

I've almost killed myself doing this install and questioned why the HELL did I start this!!! Just want to enjoy it for a bit now!

I am thinking of making a "fake side" for it - but at the moment I just hope nothing else goes wrong....

Anyway....I'm not going to show anyone the boot!

Cris · 06-06-2005, 04:00 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Anees

Cris...

I have SO MUCH go wrong that to be honest I am just grateful that its in and working!! I will do something with it - not sure what however!

In the course of putting this in the car I have had:

- cigarette ligher fuse blow so auto-on wouldnt work
- Xenarc controller board blow up -BLACK SMOKE in the car. Had to replace screen.
- Car Battery Died
- Lost all sound from head unit when a transister blew in the AUX-IN and locked the phone kit into mute mode.
- My Mp3Car.com cd enclosure set on fire!! YES FIRE!!
- Opus fuse has blown twice
- Panasonic Slim Slot CDRW/DVD died.......was replaced by the place I bought it from.
- Touchscreen wouldn't work....had connected the touchscreen overlay the wrong way!

- Scratched my touchscreen overlay when putting the Sat Nav housing into the car - since my first Xenarc screen was dead I switched it.....
- Burning smell comming from the screen housing again -turned out the magnets in the motor in the housing was causing the Xenarc transformer to overheat!
- Had to take out and put back in the Sat Nav housing 6 sixes!!

Its a pain to do because its very tight space and you have to unscrew everything!
- Lost about a pint of blood and much more in sweat!! :P

Have I mentioned how gorgeous the boot install looks in that case?!

You went through quite enough for this decade I think...but really AWESOME job!

Anees · 06-06-2005, 04:02 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Cris

Have I mentioned how gorgeous the boot install looks in that case?!

You went through quite enough for this decade I think...but really AWESOME job!

replicant · 06-08-2005, 10:35 PM

Anees, that really is a slick install! I envy that you have that flip up location for the screen and can keep the stock headunit. after i move into my new house, I'd love to pursue some of the items you installed and some of the setups you did, will just be different since i'm in a nissan. anyway, good job! don't start anything new without adult supervision

j/k

lominono · 06-25-2005, 09:56 PM

im confused. is your car called "i5 200", or "is 200"????

here im america its the is 300