Thread: My Project: 1994 Vauxhall Astra - Vaio Laptop

:music:

ok, this is what i see happening with my system..

the following pictures are self explanitory with the thread

first off the prementioned old radio display... (one of the back lit bulbs have blown, IF i can sort out a display output to this i will replace it, just CBA to go to halfords to see the wrong temp on my display lol.

for the screen - one of two options...
1) loose chuck out screen - that i will somehow make a bracket for to fit onto the dash, but for now, just place by the gearstick.
2)wire the screen into the glovebox, then put it on a mechanism that will launch it out of the glovebox, then rotate it up, - and if wanted back around, - passenger view.

The next pic of the lights is where i will put a power switch ... to remotely turn on the laptop - i plan not to auto start but i will wire it up to a radio later that will power up the lappy if its not powered up when aux is selected. - im sure i could do it with my current stereo somehow - ipods detect when my stereo turns off... so i guess it shouldnt be too difficault...

erm,,,

wiring up the screen... ive actually had a closer look at the lvd wire [i believe thats the correct term?] - it is a 40pin plug, but only has 24 wires... so ive stripped back a very long Cat5 cable, and cut three sections out of it, i cut a couple of the wires on the plug and patched in the network cable [quickly] and it works like a charm :P - i would like to find a nice way to put a plug half way down though, so if somebody knows of 25 pin or more plugs (+1 for the ground) then mention it plz [ i will look for this after when i get to it tomoro - imma have to get a nice set of connectors... dont think something i want to be decent should b a quick electrical tape job - will just knacker up eh... :P ]
PS on this point... i have considered using a few RJ45's but dont wanna have three plugs for one device...

erm, as said i plan to get a new car later, at which point i might invest in a nice touch screen - seen some on ebay for about 80 quid... dont want somebody smashin my car up for it though, so something out of sight i think is best, hence the glove box screen.

the other couple of pics r just for show... i got a basic sub n amp in the boot - car cleaned today - no more dirt...

- n e o0o0o... will b off to format da pc. i read that XP is better then 2k pro for this project... hopefully its correct - [because i really dont wanna have to wait six months for the pc to load :P]

I didnt realise that a printer cable was 25 pin :P - goes to break out that old printer cable. - also... I've been thinking, the earth strap [black wire hanging from my pics ^^ on display... If i fix the screen somewhere secure, it can just be a direct ground, yes??

Also. looking at the forums ive found out it is possible to use windows to write to me char display, but its just working out the wiring for this... does anybody have a wiring diagram for a LPT plug to a char display i could look at. the actual display is just one row of letters, with additional images that go dark etc...

ive searched all over, i think my biggest downfall is the fact the car is so god damn old, but, when i take my carputer out, at least i can take the whole damn char display with me lol.

oo0o0o0ok.... today has been a day of good and bad...

the good,

ive actually managed to stretch my lcd screen by about 2 meters [long enough to stick it on the dash from under the seat.]

i didnt bother using connectors etc, i just used some cat5 cabling, its slightly thicker then the origional wires. I did need to get the mrs to help me solder the wires --- holding the wires together being so short was hard to solder at the same time... [I've learnt that she is pretty good at soldering :P]

works like a treat. there was a little interference at first, but i noticed how tight all the wires were on the origional connection and squeezed my newly soldered wires together,,, the interference cut, so i taped it all up :P nice and tight... - i may get some nice heat shring too, not sure yet...


the bad...

i left my power button board in the wrong place... it got broken... - i think the only option i have is to solder direct to mobo - im not brilliant, and am scared of smashing it up since the pins are so small to solder to... any advice on this guys? ... recommend any particular wire to solder to the mobo ? - or any other advice...

however, i believe the docking facility has a power switch for this laptop, so im hoping that may be my answer ... just to find the documentation on that...

erm, oh a bit more good news, i bought a new solder iron,, i actually got the solder for "free" (the iron was half price - just 3.99 from maplins :P)

i'll stick a cpl pics up later for the lengthened screen

OK ... here is an update, today ive contemplated a few idea's for booting my laptop... WOL, WOM, ETC but after realising that the laptop im fitting doesnt have a com port on the back, i ditched that idea...

i instead went with the power switch mod
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/how-...er-switch.html

mine isnt clean, its a complete mess - at the moment at least, but i am going to make it cleaner.

At the moment i am using my LCD display, which i extended the LVDS cable on. At this point i have added to my list of supplies "Heat Shrink".

for now, as i am going to go to the whole Voice Activated route, i feel no need for a touch screen - plus im on a tight budget ATM so the TFT for now.

after sitting here with the carputer turned on [which BTW after talking with the Bro-In-Law about my voice commands, has been called Carstra - since all AI's have a name - EG: K.I.T.T.] - i've realised i really need to turn off the screen saver lol.

I have got an idea of either sticking a voice synth display where my old stereo is atm, and just replacing it with a simple 4 chanel amp [and running my rear sub off the rear channels] - but then again i live in Birmingham... and not to mention the Winson Green area of Birmingham... my windows would be through in a jiffy lol - but i later plan to remove both the stereo AND clocks to fit a small TFT in the "double din" space provided (with a little bit of fabrication of a mould that is)

a little video of the carputer working... nothing fancy - yet... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_-RBl9L0wQ[/media]

Next Step =
create a vioice activated media player
Screen mount in dash... / glovebox

ok, just an update on my status so far...

ive purchased my switch to install into my car, ive also coded a lot of my v/r software...
i can now through voice command:
view my camera,
search my music (artist/album/track),
play/pause/stop/next/etc
ajust the volume [mute / up / down / set vol to X%]


i have also managed to set up so i can use my OLLLLLLDddddd PDA [from back in my college days - about 5 years ago] as a remote for my laptop.
i have ordered a ps2 like control for a pc [usb connection] off ebay also.

i havent actually ordered my power supply for my laptop yet, but thats coming soon - then imma hack into the cigar lighter from behind - ive looked behind my dash - LOTS of room. :P...

im also considering fab the screen into my dash - if i can work out turning the screen 90* round - doesnt seam to wanna work for me...

my software still needs to have the following added:
Sat Nav - i have two possabilities - my tomtom, and i also have a HOLUX GPS locator...
Phone - txt reading / dialing. [i dont feel dictating txt is safe, as i would keep reading it back]

i may add the following too, not sure yet
- dvd player

ok then... ive not done a lot on my car pc, but my bro bought a new car, and i bought his kenwood stereo off him for twenty quid n my old stereo [so he could stick it in his old car for part ex - he didnt wanna see someone he didnt know have his nice stereo which cost him a fortune... more then a fair deal i feel lol]...

so heres just a quick boot demo of my lappy in my house... [ i did this a few weeks ago, just not posted it... ]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCJDn9xaURY[/media]

and also... here is the basic display of my stereo and my lappy connection...
ive got a basic 3.5mm splitter comin off ebay, so as to be able to hide the cables etc behind the dash later. - not going to be much point tho, since when tis working i will connect my ipod through the carpc etc :P
but...
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqF9ZtbMQK0[/media]

a little downside, my car is old = lots of noise...
some of the voice commands crap out when im driving, i think i need to move the mic, or cushion it with some foam or something... the vibrations from the road make it imagine im saying crap lol.
mind, i havent trained the voice commands profile in XP yet, so that may make a difference when i do so... [i will most likely copy my voice profile off my coding machine, since i sat there for like three hours one day reading crap etc.]

also, i now need to buy a new mic for my coding machine - i went a bit OTT and cut at my headset mic, and put it in my car, i now have no mic on my coding machine - unless i take it from the car... lol

ive decided that the origional screen is too damn big for my car too, so im looking into a few other possiblilities... one of which is a dvd extra screen - im not bothered for the touch screen... i can wire up many cobinations etc... and my software i can make it so i can have say more then ten buttons... --- by hacking my control etc and making a seperate keyboard on my dash say... so if i press button 1 - it presses button 1, button 2 presses button 2 etc... but then, if button 11 is presssed, both 1 and two is pressed,. etc then button 21 is 123 down,... easy to do a if statement in my code to check this comination etc... bit harder then just ten shortcuts... but then i could always use a keyboard also... - be nice to wire into my laptop keyboard and utilise the keys :P - without effecting a seperate keyboard [gotta love direct input software eh being able to select keyboards uniquely... :P]

erm, not sure what else to add atm, except i think i have lost my need for a car puter atm, since i now have my main goal accomplished from my bros old headunit.. being ipod and usb input = lots of music easily... however, it reads the usb pen everytime the stereo boots so....

ive been toying with a couple of shutdown / power off issues... being a laptop setup, i can detect power switches [when the laptop goes to battery] i will pause the playback, and can even code in my own code so dont need to use the ShutControl software [mine will be doing the same stuff, without the need for a seperate app] - credit to the coder, very nice software even better it being free... so

im looking at a basic 7" display also.. its only gonna b 28gbp but need a seperate power lead... waiting to see if my lappy av out still works though - not tried it in years, and not since my lappy broke in the first place, so not gonna throw money away, - except the four quid for the cable... :P

ive ordered my laptop dc-dc power converter, it cost a couple of quid off ebay. - not sure exact b/c it was in usd, but i think 10gbp roughly from my acc in total... for my bits n bobs off ebay yesterday.

n e how. if i do get the screen i will have to make a couple of fabs... first one for the stereo... and then one for the screen - where the stereo currently is... and if i do this i will totally refab the dash cubby hole - since ive just cut out the side n back for my laptop i think it will be better lol...but this is all to come, for now i have an hole where my cubby is - it being in my house with the carputer fixed in it - for more works...


oh not sure if n e one is interested... but im toying with the idea of this...

basically i can then power my pc as i enter my car - if i have a switch turned to on pos, but it wont turn off if i exit my car while the pc is booted - just theory atm, maybe someone can post on my other thread on this...
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/gene...wering-pc.html
[edit = additional]
source is basically when the door opens the interior light comes on... this then turns a relay on. if the lower relay is closed, - ie, usb power is off, it will press the power button of the laptop...
- i am considering also getting a cheap thob to make the central locking remote... if the computer is powered up i can use a bluetooth msg from my phone to open / close the car, otherwise i need to use something else - IR / RF receiever in car, transmitter on me... - just not too sure about security issues... - but if i do this i can then use the signal that opens the car, to boot the pc - only thing being if it is loading itself it will play automatically ATM... - just a code option - "If on battery power do not auto play"... "if loose main power pause..." ETC to add to software...
[/edit]

but i have also got the following...
my dash cubby has a light - only turns on if the ign is on, so i can come off this to power a 12v relay for my laptop power - no need to touch the cig lighter.

also im not sure atm, but i may rid the stereo from sight - bit of a shame, but i may just use it as an amp - hidden in the cubby = more cutting for space.

NOTE ALSO:
my "Security mesh" - crap but better then nothing, raises the laptop off the cubby, giving better airflow...no side or back in the cubby should mean no overheating - we will see though... im just concerned about moving the HU because my old one got hot where it is now... and it has lots of room all around - new one doesnt get that hot though, so....

im thinking i will need a usb hub with power source... my el-cheapo hub from poundland is letting me down now... - bloody £land strikes again (actually i think i had it off ebay, but they sell em in £land now.)

[edit = additional]
i havent even got my software fully running yet, but am already considering changing it... :P atm my software is a normal window - i plan to take over the WHOLE screen... so i can have something more like "RideRunner" - allowing to "Hide" the application for the function of web browsing etc - but this is only if i do indeed take a screen on... - i still have had no luck trying wit the putting text to the LCD display ... but if i get a monitor who cares :P lol...
[/edit]

n e hows, another post when i get a little further... sorry for talking rubbish too. :P

ok, ive had a reply off the guy on ebay about the screen im interested in...



looks like it wont fit [whole] where it was planned for... - bugger!!!

only about half a cm too big in width, but since it has speakers below it is about a 3cm too tall... so... ive come up with a clever plan..

my car dash...


the center blowers dont actually give a great deal of space behind them, so my plan was at first to just take them out but ive decided... nope... now i intend to do the following...

get an old cardboard box... - got a few lying about - most likely going to be a washing powder box, since they r just so strong lol...

i will cut it to cover the blowers [in off position] and fit onto the dash entirely...
thus giving me a little "Shelf" and a screen that comes out from the dash... i will stick the screen into the mount i make cut the screen area out, and a hole for the power button and brightness controls etc - leaving the speakers hidden...



this mount will then fix to the dash secure, and be bondo'ed or w/e to fill in any possible gaps between the dash and mount

oh btw: it wont just be cardboard, i will be adding some fibreglass n resin to it / painting it greyish.. to match the look a little.. - just to find the grey ripple paint etc...
im not sure u can see it, but basically it will be one colour: GREY / BLACK [OEM] but i put it to GREY and BLACK so it can see the three d side like... it will angle to the driver,

blue area is screen, white area button for power etc... - whilst im at it, i may build in a usb port etc to be able to hide my HU cables some

this also means i dont need to move my HU - and can still continue trying to figure out getting text displayed on the poxy astra display lol... [not that ive really tried too mch yet]

but my glovebox....



im considering just making it a solid wall... with a floor to fix the pc too.. - taking the hinged door off the glovebox when i stick it back in... it will give me a great deal of room to play with for an AMP ETC - hell, i could even rid myself of my wasted bootspace with the basebox - just have the amp under the dash... and one audio cable for the amp run to the boot... then the sub can come out easier... - not too difficault atm, i was going to wire a quick release power plug - such as like a pc tower / kettle plug. +, GND, and IG... but can get some little amps for OEM speakers off Ebay cheap enough.. - i'ld only need two... front and back, and run the sub off back lines - its not a powerful system, nothin fancy - hell i think the amp is only like 180W or somethin sht, - just nice for Bass instead of the tinny speaker sounds...

- oh and i need to take my front door speakers out and seal the blighters - being Vauxhall, they r on funny mounts - i just smashed the origional speakers n bolted my new ones in.. but theres a small gap around em, can sound million times better if i fix it...

hell i might even build a fittin in the boot for my two unused 6x9's but my mrs dnt like a loud system, --- think she hated me gettin the cheap sub :P lol...

- after paying my £750 for my insurance this morning i feel the need to keep this car decent now... i may have to save up a while for a decent car :P oh well, this lot is giving me somethin to do at least lol...

Wayne,

great job so far! And awesome 'do-it' attitude! Respect! (Not that it means so much coming from me, see my post count ).

I think you might have a hard time finding a place for that huge screen where you as a driver can use it properly. I guess it's a good idea going with a smaller one and put that somewhere in or on the centre dashboard. Furthermore you will probably miss the Touchscreen rather sooner than later. Not sure whether 15" Touchscreen Kits are available/affordable, still need to find one on fleabay for my 10.4.

However, I like big screens (will use a 10.4) - but want it in-dash and am really worried about the fabrication work, whatever.. - you could still use it as a secondary screen (or call it the main screen and the touchscreen your control/navi screen).

I remember an el-cheapo project here on mp3car.com where the guy had the raw display somehow attached just next to the centre console on the co-driver's side. That gave me the idea for your setup to mount the screen on a flexible monitor arm so that you can move it in and out of your glovebox and sway it towards the driver seat (or leave it with the co-driver, depending on the situation). It's very close to your idea form the beginning, but if the cable is long enough and you find a monitor arm, then add one of those leightweight keyboards... oh well, I guess that might be just a bit too much 'idea' and too little 'real-life-doable', but your drive and light-heartedness just inspired me.

Finding a mount that is long enough and can still hold the weight without too much vibrations, AND that is flexible enough... aahh, whatever, here two pics that are somewhat similiar to what I have in mind.





Btw, did you check whether that screen you're going to buy has VGA-in and a good resolution (like 800x600) - it looks a bit like a video monitor with 320x240 and AV-in, that will give you a terrible image for anything graphical/textual.

If it was up to me I would move this thread to the worklog forum anyway, there you should get more feedback, too.


welo

Vauxhall/Opel Astra character LCD wiring and protocol:

http://www.eelkevisser.nl/display.htm

hth