2003 Nissan Xterra

tigergibb · 01-03-2007, 02:26 PM

Hello. I've been searching the mp3car forums for quite a while now. I just recently decided to start working on a CarPC.

Page Picture Log:
Page 1 - Set up RoadRunner/w Digital FX Skin
......... - Took out dash and removed vents/cubby
......... - Removed Glovebox from truck
......... - Took front bezel off of Lilliput Monitor

Page 2 - Mounted Motherboard and Power Supply to Plexiglass
......... - Epoxied Lilliput Bezel to Dash
......... - Built boxes for CD-RW/DVD-ROM and Fan Controllor
......... - Sanded tops off of LEDs
......... - Re-glued Bezel to dash with "Plastic Weld"
......... - Started using 3m putty to finish screen bezel
......... - Wired everything in glovebox
......... - Finished most of screen fabbing and painted screen
......... - Modded RadioShark with External Antenna
......... - Installed everything in the vehicle

Page 3 - Added 3 Switches
......... - Cut faceplate for drives
......... - Touchscreen stopped working
......... - Installed Silverstone EB01 DAC

Computer:
-1.3 GHz VIA EPIA-CN13000G Motherboard
-512 MB DDR2 RAM
-10GB Laptop Hard Drive
-20GB iPod
-Slot Load CD-RW/DVD-ROM
-7" Lilliput Touchscreen
-160W DC-DC M2-ATX Power Supply
-RadioShark
-MA111 802.11b USB Adapter

Software:
-TinyXP Rev05 (I have a legal copy of XP)
-TinyXP Rev05 - The Pirate Bay
-RoadRunner
-http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=86129
--Digital FX Skin
--http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=93550
--RadioShark Plugin
--http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=69262
-iGuidance 3 (All North America maps loaded)
-iNav - iGuidance 3.0 OFFICIAL Product Page

Drivers:
-VIA-EPIA Motherboard VGA and Audio
-http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=2
-BU-353 GPS Receiver
-USG Technical Support
-Netgear MA111 Wireless Adapter
-MA111v1 Support Page
-Radioshark
-Griffin Technology: radio SHARK - FM Radio for Mac/PC
-Lilliput Touchscreen
-____LILLIPUT_______________

The truck I'm putting this in has:
- 3" Body Lift
- 1.5" Suspension Lift (Shackles + Torsion bar adjustment)
- Bilstein shocks all around
- Bilstein steering shock
- Idler arm brace
- 33" maxxis a/t tires

Speakers:
* Two 6.5 Front Door
* Two Tweeters
* Two 6x9 Rear Cargo Area

The computer will be placed in the glovebox.

tigergibb · 01-03-2007, 02:51 PM

Parts List

Arrived
Awaiting Item
Not Ordered

Major components:

[X] Lilliput 7" Touchscreen $260.57 Shipped
.....Mp3Car.com Custom car computers and parts!
[X] VIA EPIA-CN13000G Motherboard $167.95 Shipped
.....VIA EPIA-CN13000G Mini-ITX Motherboard with VIA C7 1.3GHz Processor
[X] Kenwood KDC-MP3035 Head Unit $116.48 Shipped
.....eBay
[X] M2-ATX 160w DC-DC Power Supply $63.32 Shipped
.....eBay: M2-ATX 160w Car PC Intelligent DC Power Supply,Mini-ITX (item 170066867165 end time Jan-13-07 01:03:00 PST)
[X] 512MB Crucial DDR2 RAM $50.00
.....Local Circuit City

Accessories:
[X] Slot Load DVD-ROM/CD-RW Combo/w Adapter $76.99
.....Mp3Car.com Custom car computers and parts!
[X] BU-353 Weather-proof GPS Receiver $75.00
.....Mp3Car.com Custom car computers and parts!
[X] Silverstone EB01 Digital-to-Analog(DAC) Converter $60 Shipped
.....Mp3Car.com Classifieds
[X] Griffin RadioShark $32.50 Shipped
.....eBay: Griffin RadioShark (item 170068767498 end time Jan-15-07 19:40:26 PST)
[X] 10 x A-A Male-Female USB Extension Cable $18.00 Shipped
.....eBay: Lot=10 6ft USB 2.0 Extension Cable A Male-Female 6' (item 300078240011 end time Mar-06-07 20:40:56 PST)
[X] NEXUS Fan Controller/w Temperature Display $17.21 Shipped
.....eBay: NEXUS Front Panel Fan controller temperature display (item 110092518698 end time Feb-21-07 19:59:22 PST)
[X] 4-Port USB Hub $12.98 Shipped
.....Newegg.com - Buy Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, Digital Cameras and more!
[X] PS/2 Touchpad $11.00 Shipped
.....eBay: SM - 2000 TOUCHPAD WITH RS CONNECTOR + PS / 2 CONNECTOR (item 200078250723 end time Feb-11-07 10:40:57 PST)

Books:
[X] Car PC Hacks $16.99
.....Mp3Car.com Custom car computers and parts!

Shipping for Accessories+Book from mp3car.com: $9.02

Connecting components:
[X] 8 Guage Amplifier installation kit $21.00 Shipped
.....eBay: 8 Gauge AWG Twisted RCA Wire Amp Wiring Kit Amplifier (item 270076393516 end time Jan-15-07 10:35:33 PST)
[X] 10 Guage Amplifier installation kit $15.36 Shipped
.....eBay
[X] 2 x 3ft RCA Cables $10.66 Shipped
.....eBay
[X] 2 x 3.5mm to RCA Cables $5.98 Shipped
.....eBay: Lot (2) 6FT Stereo 3.5mm RCA Audio Y Cable for Ipod XM (item 200065897023 end time Jan-09-07 02:53:21 PST)
[X] 3.5mm to Dual RCA Female Adapter $4.08 Shipped
.....http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=290106533820
[X] Blade Type Fuse Holder $4
.....Local Wal-Mart
[X] 2 x Molex Y Adapter $3.96 Shipped
.....eBay: 4pin 8" Power Supply Y Splitters/Splitter (LOT of 2) (item 180070710328 end time Jan-07-07 18:57:16 PST)
[X] 1 spool 20ft 14 gauge Wire $3
.....Local Wal-Mart
[X] 1 spool 30ft 16 gauge Wire $3
.....Local Wal-Mart
[X] M Size Barrel Plug (2-Pack) $2.96/w Tax
.....Local RadioShack
[X] 14-18 Gauge Wire Tap-In Squeeze Connectors (10-Pack) $2.11/w Tax
.....Local RadioShack
[X] 18-22 Gauge Wire Tap-In Squeeze Connectors (7-Pack) $2.11/w Tax
.....Local RadioShack
[X] Pack of 15-Amp ATC Blade Type Fuses $2
.....Local RadioShack

Switches:
[X] 2 x SPST Round Rocker Switch $2.50
.....Allelectronics
[X] 1 x SPDT Center-Off Round Rocker Switch $2.40
.....Allelectronics
Shipping: $7
Total Shipped: $11.90

Round IDE Cables:
[X] 3 Foot Red Round IDE Cable(For DVD-ROM)
.....eBay: 3 ft ATA 133 Round Red IDE 2 Dev Cable Closeout 36 inch (item 290086240486 end time Feb-27-07 19:22:32 PST)
[X] 2 Foot Green Round IDE Cable(For Hard Drive)
.....eBay: 2ft ULTRA ATA 100/133 Round Green IDE 2 Device Cable (item 290086240473 end time Feb-24-07 08:33:11 PST)
Cost for both shipped: $13.27

Small Components:
[X] 4 x 80mm Clear Computer Fan/w Red LED $15.90 Shipped
.....eBay: (4) LOTS RED QUAD LED NEON CLEAR BRIGHT MODS CASE Fan (item 180086778869 end time Feb-21-07 15:58:55 PST)
[X] Normally-Closed Momentary Refrigerator Switch $6.20 Shipped to Store
.....Ace - Ace Refrigerator Momentary Switch
[X] 80mm Computer Fan $1.50 Shipped
.....eBay: NEW 80mm SOCKET 462 A AMD ATHLON Heatsink SILENT FAN 80 (item 120077674722 end time Jan-27-07 10:12:36 PST)
[X] 100 x High Intensity Blue LED $6.49 Shipped
.....eBay: Lot of 100x 5mm dia.Ultra Bright Blue LEDs 5000-7000mcd (item 230078763673 end time Jan-21-07 20:27:17 PST)
[X] Motorola Type Inline Jack $3
.....Local RadioShack
[X] 75 x Green LED $2.07 Shipped
.....eBay: 75 5mm Leds light bulbs (item 230079717687 end time Jan-27-07 01:34:41 PST)
[X] 100 x Yellow LED $1.08 Shipped
.....eBay: 100 5mm Leds light bulbs (item 230076937786 end time Jan-21-07 02:14:30 PST)

Fabrication:
[X] 3M Finishing Putty and Hardener $20
.....Local NAPA
[X] Plexiglass + Cutter $10
.....Local Home Depot
[X] Superglue, 1/4" MDF Board, Great Stuff Insulating Foam Sealant $10
.....Local Home Depot
[X] UV Resistant Matte Coating $7
.....Local Joanne's
[X] Krylon Fusion Satin Black Paint $4
.....Local Wal-Mart
[X] Krylon Ultra Flat Black Paint $4
.....Local Wal-Mart
[X] Sandable Primer $3
.....Local Wal-Mart
[X] Epoxy $4
.....Local Home Depot
[X] Screws & Spacers $3
.....Local Home Depot
[X] Plastic Weld $2
.....Local Wal-Mart

Total amount spent so far: $1196.64

tigergibb · 01-03-2007, 03:07 PM

Here's what the truck looks like:

thanatos106 · 01-03-2007, 03:41 PM

Good luck with your project, careful with the center console if you planing to put a bare mobo in there, the speakers will blow (that is a fact, even having premium sound SYS like the RF they are cheap)

Thanatos.

tigergibb · 02-08-2007, 05:49 AM

I have all of the parts in except the M2-ATX power supply. It fried, so I sent it back and they are sending me another one. The computer is currently set up on a table with a 150 watt AC-DC power supply for testing. RoadRunner is installed with the DigitalFX skin.

Set up on the table:

RoadRunner/w DigitalFX Skin:

Glovebox computer will go into:

tigergibb · 02-09-2007, 06:45 PM

Here's the dash peice I will be putting my touchscreen into:

Here's my 2.5" 10gb hard drive I recovered from an old mp3 player I had connected with a 2.5 to 3.5 adapter.

BarryWoods · 02-10-2007, 01:01 AM

AHHHHHH!!! For the love of all that's holy!! Or something like that... Take the mobo off the conductive pink foam!!

MrJamieR · 02-10-2007, 02:49 AM

Oh nooooo!! Please don't let this become another back and forth about pink foam! Then again why not? (Loaded question comming up.)

Gee BarryWoods what wrong with the mobo being on pink foam, it's not conductive. Is it?

tigergibb · 02-10-2007, 10:46 AM

I didn't think it was conductive.. I'll transfer it to something else just in case though.

BarryWoods · 02-10-2007, 02:54 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by MrJamieR

Oh nooooo!! Please don't let this become another back and forth about pink foam! Then again why not? (Loaded question comming up.)

Gee BarryWoods what wrong with the mobo being on pink foam, it's not conductive. Is it?

Yes, any pink foam that computer components come it are esd safe plastics. They are slightly conductive to dissipate static build up.

tigergibb · 02-10-2007, 08:33 PM

Well it's on wooden spacers now.

tigergibb · 02-10-2007, 09:18 PM

Took 4 screws off of Lilliput and popped it open by sticking multiple credit cards in the top to hold it while we opened it. The bottom came right off after that. Loosened 4 screws holding screen in and moved out the metal tabs. Unscrewed the board for the buttons on the front and removed the front bezel:

Before:

After(Cut with hacksaw shown and sanded down edges we cut to make it smooth):

tigergibb · 02-19-2007, 12:12 PM

All of the parts I need are here.. will start fabbing soon.

thanatos106 · 02-19-2007, 12:25 PM

Good job!... where are you going to put the hazardlight switch?

here is a pic of mine in case you need ideas:

thanatos106 · 02-19-2007, 08:53 PM

To answer your question, the hazard light switch I got from a junk yard (don't recall from which car) and to tell you the true it was a PITA cus the people that work on those places don't want to lose time selling parts like this but finally I found this guy that let me in to the yard and sell me the switch fro $10.

The switch doesn't fit the hole (maybe where the cigarrete lighter?) but was easy to mod cus the switch came with atound plastic cover so I just have to glue to the dash trim.

Thanatos.