This thread will be a worklog for my 2008 Evolution X MR CarPC.
This is my second...ehhrr...third CarPC. I had one in my previous Evo VIII. It went though several life cycles. It was mini-itx based with a custom case. First MB was a VIA 10000M. Power Supply was an Opus. The power supply was good and the support from Opus was outstanding. I went through a couple of Touchscreens landing on the DWW-700M. Its a motorized single DIN, USB Touchscreen with AUX video in and a built-in TV Tuner. It rocked. The things I used the CarPC for the most was iGuidance for GPS, Rhapsody Music subscription, and EvoScan datalogging for Evo Tuning. I also used it for other things but those were the things I used the most. I had an Alpine single DIN headunit leveraging the AUX input and covered my music and the PC was "acting up". I'm sure none of you know anything about that
.
A couple of things bugged my about the installation. I did not like spending a lot of time in the car just setting up the OS and syncing media from my home network. I was either running it off the batteries or idling the car. I had a switch that would keep the PC running after the IGN was turned off. I would then go into the house and remote desktop back into the car and work on setting things up. It was still annoying since I was running off of the battery the whole time. I also knew that I wanted a dedicated head unit that I could count on. The CarPC can be finicky and I want the basics to always work: music, GPS, Bluetooth, and steering wheel integration.
First off, I'm not a fabricator so I am going to work with what is easily accessible. I have a single double DIN opening to work with. I have considered many options but I really have two options if I want to go with a dedicated headunit. I could keep the DWW-700M and get a single headunit that has the AUX in and Bluetooth. My other option is to go with a Double DIN headunit and send in the video out from the laptop into the AUX video input of the screen. Obviously it will be VERY low resolution and no touchscreen.
Right now, I'm leaning towards a double DIN headunit. Either a Pioneer AVIC-X910BT or an AVIC-Z110BT. I have already picked up one of these devices that converts
VGA to composite video. I have experimented with it and the DWW-700M and its actually not bad. If I have headunit that is as capable as the above mentioned, I will really only use the headunit for EvoLogging/Gauges and occasional Rhapsody music. I will pickup a small
USB touchpad or trackball for input.
As for the PC, I decided to go with a laptop. A cheap one. I picked up a refurbished Acer Aspire ONE for $199 from TigerDirect. This will allow me to bring the PC into the house and really do some work without hanging out in the car for hours killing my battery.
As for power, I already owned a laptop brick that worked in cars and airplanes. I checked the specs and its perfect for the Acer Aspire ONE. I took apart the laptop and soldered each end of the power button to a pair of unused pins on the Ethernet adapter. The network connect will be wireless so I won't be using the Ethernet interface. I created a cable that brings those two pins to a timer circuit. I am currently wiring up the circuit. I have a pair of
528T Timer Delay Circuits.
Once I have the circuit nailed down, I'll post it here. Anybody worked with the 528T timers? I have the circuits prototype and they seem to be working OK. I'm still trying to decide to go with one or two timers
If I go with 528T, I could use it to power on the laptop and then remove power with the IGN and let the "battery" power settings in XP hibernate/suspend the laptop after a few minutes. Or I could keep power always on and let one timer turn on the laptop while the other timer hits the power switch again on a IGN off to hibernate/suspend the laptop. I'm contemplating these two and working through some scenarios.
I'll post some pics soon....
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Update: 11/7/2009
First thanks for pinging me and expressing your interested. This project got a little sidetracked by some other modifications to the Evo: Exhaust, High Flow Cat, Intake, Upper Intercooler Pipe, Springs, Sway Bars, Boost Controller, Wideband, EcuTune, etc...
Back to the CarPC:
So I went with the AVIC-Z110BT. I installed it last weekend. I also installed a PAC SWI-PS to keep the steering wheel functions. I dropped the above mentioned 528T relays and went with this:
DSSC Controller. I did not use it straight up, I made some adjustments for my netbook. I'll post a diagram soon. I also did pick-up the above mentioned touchpad. This weekend I'm going to be wiring up some power to a hub and making everything neat and tidy. I'll take some pics....
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Update: 11/18/2009
Pics still coming. I am now in the works of creating three different gauges for EvoScan, one for crusing around town, one for High Performance Driving Schools, and one for tuning. I want to be able to track the Max/Min for the last 30 seconds as well as the current value. I'm in the process of learning
Dundas Gauge interface since that is what EvoScan utilizes.
Here's what I'm thinking for each one.
Cruising Around Town:
TPS
Boost (Mode 23)
Wideband Air-Fuel Ratio
Knock Count
Load
Boost Error Correction
HPDE:
Boost (Mode 23)
Coolant Temp
SST Tranny Temp
Knock Count
Tuning:
TPS
Boost (Mode 23)
Wideband Air-Fuel Ratio
Timing
Knock Count
Load
Boost Error Correction
Waste Gate Duty Cycle Correction
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Update: 1/9/2010
Pic finally here. This is how I install the above mentioned controller into a box. The Blue Cat5 connects to the netbook where I soldered the power button internally to the two unused pins on the ethernet port. This allows the controller to start and hibernate the computer. The relays control the power supply of the laptop through the female 12V port. Its a Targus travel laptop that I was not using anymore. I just bought the necessary top for the Acer Aspire ONE. There are two other wires coming in next to the Cat5. Those are two 12V male sockets. One is a direct connection to the battery. The other is the ignition signal from the car. You can read up on the controller about how they call connect.
I have to say, the Netbook has turned out great! I'll post some more pics soon about the actual installation. Its been fully install for several months and working great.
Linear Mode
