[insert name of project] worklog

**Machinehead** · 09-20-2010, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by SapporoGuy

@ instant on
I was wondering if there is a way to cut down on the bios startup time.
Waiting for an OS is not that bad but it's the first screens that you have to go through that seem to take the most time.

BIOS startup time is irrelevant if the computer is never shut off. The premise of the thread is to make the computer function like a cell phone.

**chunkyks** · 09-20-2010, 01:20 PM

I'm actually torn about Beagleboard xm vs igep vs sheeva vs something else.

Here are the devices I need/want to be able to access:
1) Need: Spinning rusty metal media [flash burns out easily with an application like mine]
2) Need: OBDII
3) Need: GPS
4) Want: Smart power supply that computer can talk to [eg the dcdc-usb]
5) Want: Character/graphical display
6) Want: Space for hypothetical future stuff

Obviously there's at least one more thing listed than usb ports on the beagleboard. I have bluetooth OBDII and GPS devices, but obviously they both come with other problems [batteries suck. my bluetooth gps device takes a long time to get a good lock].

The SheevaPlugv3 [which is nearing a year since its announcement and there's no hardware to buy yet] had an internal hard drive, which would have been ideal. An eSATA port or similar instead of a USB port would also be great.

Perhaps the guruplug server plus is what I want, although then the downside is no "real" graphics port. eSATA is awesome until you go trying to figure out how much it'll cost and how you'll power it in your car.

In my dreams, a device has the OBDII device internal - something like the microOBD attached to the UART on the igep, where two purposes are served: It doesn't use up a USB port or similar, and [more importantly] the device is only powered when the computer is on. I spent years parking my car on a sloped surface so I'd always be able to bump start it if needs be, and let me tell you; that sucked.

Gary (-;

**SNOtwistR** · 09-20-2010, 01:27 PM

You know the more i read this thread and peeps requirements, i wonder why the viliv s5 is not the ultimate product. has gps/bluetooth/wifi/gsm/usb 2.0/SSD/small compact case/ battery time like nothing else/built-in power regulator/touch screen/instant boot times 3-4 seconds/most software/driver compatability/ easily removed for testing/rental car/other car/ And to get around the 1 usb port would be to use wireless usb with hub

**chunkyks** · 09-20-2010, 02:02 PM

Several things about that device:
1) Intel ew [well, not really "ew", but certainly "I like ARM"]
2) expensive
3) XP Home with no indication that it can be booted into a different OS. Although of course, some open source hippies appear to be on it.

Overall... send me one and I'd love to try it. But 500 bucks occupies that unfortunate ground of "if I had that much money to drop, there are things for which I have a more pressing need"

Gary (-;

**HiJackZX1** · 09-20-2010, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by SNOtwistR

You know the more i read this thread and peeps requirements, i wonder why the viliv s5 is not the ultimate product. has gps/bluetooth/wifi/gsm/usb 2.0/SSD/small compact case/ battery time like nothing else/built-in power regulator/touch screen/instant boot times 3-4 seconds/most software/driver compatability/ easily removed for testing/rental car/other car/ And to get around the 1 usb port would be to use wireless usb with hub

I just Binged that device, that is so cool..... Only thing is it has a tiny screen. I wouldnt want to try using that while driving, but the rest of it is cool as h3ll.

**Bugbyte** · 09-20-2010, 02:10 PM

Originally Posted by SNOtwistR

You know the more i read this thread and peeps requirements, i wonder why the viliv s5 is not the ultimate product. has gps/bluetooth/wifi/gsm/usb 2.0/SSD/small compact case/ battery time like nothing else/built-in power regulator/touch screen/instant boot times 3-4 seconds/most software/driver compatability/ easily removed for testing/rental car/other car/ And to get around the 1 usb port would be to use wireless usb with hub

It's a little pricey, but what the hell am I talking about - I dropped $600 on the iPad, so.....

I'm not sure it's a matter of a teeny tiny all in one with screen. More like a teeny, tiny low power pc that can stay on 24 X 7. In trip's case, he's combining it with several other components to challenge the mini-itx power sucking requirement.

What he hasn't shown yet is an appropriate OS and user interface that goes with it. Meego will likely be the OS of choice as it matures and Meego can run on ARM. So, theoretically, one should be able to cobble together an in dash pc that stays on all the time and answers the iPad mail about being unable to interface with anything that doesn't have an Apple on it.

It's quite interesting that it is an open source design, running open source software, with people writing open source apps for it and it has generated a lot of excitement. Quite a little show for the open sourcers.

**dashboard** · 09-20-2010, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by tripzero

Yep, i've got one of those (it's the piece connected to the blue cable in the last pic).
What i really need is a DVI male to HDMI male adapter. But I can't seem to find those

. The long chain of adapters is the problem because it's long and it doesn't flex.

Hey Trip, you say you need a DVI Male to HDMI Male?

Try this... http://www.hdtvsupply.com/hdmatodvfe36.html

It is just that plus it can be "rotated or bent to virtually any position" as they say.. Little costly for a connector "$39.95" but it looks to fit your needs..

**HiJackZX1** · 09-20-2010, 04:04 PM

You know what, I am so absent minded. I have one of those DVI to HDMI bendy thingies. It came with my USB to VGA graphics card. I am not using it since all my screens are VGA. Your welcome to it. Let me ask, is the MoBo using a DVI-D port or DVI-I(A)? I think the graphics card I am using is DVI-I, if thats what yours is, then this adapter should work. Its exactly the same like the one dashboard linked to.

**tripzero** · 09-20-2010, 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by blk02si

Nice work, I am building a bybyte kit myself. Have not decided on the motherboard yet, and this is quite interesting. As a promoter of the project, I can provide you with aluminum "shelves" to separate and install your hardware should you require them.

ooo, that would be awesome! I figured I might have to have multiple levels of hardware, but don't have a clue how I would do that without shelves of some sort.

**tripzero** · 09-20-2010, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by HiJackZX1

You know what, I am so absent minded. I have one of those DVI to HDMI bendy thingies. It came with my USB to VGA graphics card. I am not using it since all my screens are VGA. Your welcome to it. Let me ask, is the MoBo using a DVI-D port or DVI-I(A)? I think the graphics card I am using is DVI-I, if thats what yours is, then this adapter should work. Its exactly the same like the one dashboard linked to.

the monitor is DVI-D. what's the cable look like?

EDIT: if it looks like the one in the pic, it might work, needs to have a male dvi end though...

I just snagged a cheap hdmi-dvi cable on amazon. I'll try that out see if it works.