Building a car PC...Carputer

[Summer_In_Brooklyn]

Well i've decided that i am in need of a computer in the car...here's what im looking at...please give me some input on anything on here you believe would be a better idea or ease of use.

1. Repairing my laptop and mounting it in either a. The trunk b. under the seat (too hot?)

2. 12.2 x 2 Sun-visor monitors http://cgi.ebay.com/2-PAIR-12-...0.m14

3. A Kensington trackball (4 buttons)I was thinking of mounting this on the center cupholder or have it hidden inside the cupholder. http://us.kensington.com/html/2200.html

4. Microsoft Fingerprint Reader for login, Just in case it gets stolen...Mounting: Somewhere hidden or by the trackball, still not sure about wherehttp://www.amazon.com/Microsof...WPSB2

5. Foldable usb keyboard. I dont see myself using a keyboard too much, as my primary uses will be to play music or watch movies. http://www.fentek-ind.com/kbflusbps2b.htm

6. External dvd player.Mounting: Im thinking it could fit in somewhere above/below the 6 disc cd changer. http://www.newegg.com/Product/...06253

Please, I'm asking now, Im not looking for posts "killing this idea", im looking for some creativity, feedback on other devices or mounting ideas and possible add-on's or anything else that would help me here.

Thanks!
Modified by Summer_In_Brooklyn at 5:40 PM 8/14/2008

[Colton92]

sounds like good to me

[Rmuth25]

After all that is done, you then need to install an extremely advanced artificial intelligence system in your car so it can drive itself, so consequently you can mess around on the computer while the car takes itself to wherever you have to go !

[Summer_In_Brooklyn]

After all that is done, you then need to install an extremely advanced artificial intelligence system in your car so it can drive itself, so consequently you can mess around on the computer while the car takes itself to wherever you have to go !

You mean my car is the only one who responds to "Turbo Boost Summer & Super Persuit Mode"?LoL

[Sparktree]

but a small laptop and put it in the front glove compartment!

[Summer_In_Brooklyn]

but a small laptop and put it in the front glove compartment!

Interesting, but I think it will run too hot inside of there.

[{WBK}Viper]

I wish I could program the phone book voice to say my name.I already named her.

[shortys408]

get a used mac mini, that would fit nicely anywhere.

[SureShot]

the mac would require 110v, a laptop would require 12v

sounds good... rock on.

[Rmuth25]

You mean my car is the only one who responds to "Turbo Boost Summer & Super Persuit Mode"?LoL

Wow. . . I knew my car was lacking something.

[mzinsmeister]

Well if you use a laptop you can buy one those desk mounts like the police use. They bolt where your seat bolts to and most of the mounts come with some form a lock to lock the laptop down.

[Summer_In_Brooklyn]

Well if you use a laptop you can buy one those desk mounts like the police use. They bolt where your seat bolts to and most of the mounts come with some form a lock to lock the laptop down.

I dont want to have it in an area where it is visible...A mac mini wouldn't do much more for me than the laptop in the trunk. Plus it's only $200 to repair the laptop as compared to a few more hundred for a used mini...

[mikegtr06]

what about a touch screen in the dash... some of them have usb, so that you could use it as a key board and mouse instead of having them seperate and spending more money...

and you can buy just the monitors for the headrests and that would look better, but might cost you a little more....

back to the touch screen, you would need to redo all the wiring and have a seperate..

i like this one, you could do that with a laptop.

http://www.diyhappy.com/the-mighty-carputer/

http://store.mp3car.com/

and heres where he got his stuff from....

i was looking at this in my montero and this is what i was going to do but i was going to use an old shuttle pc.

[Summer_In_Brooklyn]

what about a touch screen in the dash... some of them have usb, so that you could use it as a key board and mouse instead of having them seperate and spending more money...

I have the Tech package allready installed in the car, so taking it out after bending over and paying $2000 for it is out of the question.I also was pondering about the location of the computer, I have a bandpass box in the trunk, so putting the computer back there with those vibrations PROBABLY wouldn't be a good idea. Would a SSD (solid state disk) make a big difference in this type of enviorment?

[mikegtr06]

i dunno about that, but the magnetic forces from the subs near the electronics is what i would be worried about. you could put it under the seat i would just make sure that there is some room for cooling, (remove the carpet) and get a laptop cooler, and that would be good enough. prolly

[rizla]

I'm pretty much in the same conceptual boat as you are regarding the "carputer" (hate that name). I have a nice 12" Dell D400, but I dont think i'd want to use a laptop. I was thinking along the lines of a lilliput 7" with a mini-ITX (i think they have pico or nano ITX form factors out too) and shove it either in the glove compartment or under a seat.

The biggest issue i've been wrangling is regarding the monitor placement. I didnt buy the tech package, but have the BOSE system with multi disc. I love it and it works great for me so i dont want to ditch it to get a double din aftermarket console that i'd have to buy new speakers, head unit, etc for.

So.... that left me with only one alternative. Put the monitor below the center console in that compartment area. I need to figure out how to remove the little door on it to see what kind of room i really have to work with. I havent measured it yet, but i'm hoping a 7" screen would fit.

Ultimately i'm going for a clean setup and will have to fabricate a housing for it that will seem like its OEM.

I'm planning on starting this project within a month. The PC side of the house I can hold off, i need to get the monitor set up first then get the pc configured etc.

What OS were you thinking of going with? I'm going with linux, most likely Ubuntu, but I saw a nice site with lots of details using Gentoo for a car pc

[rizla]

Forgot to throw this link at you. If you're looking for probably the best keyboard for a car, i'd say the logitech mini is the best.

http://www.logitech.com/index....us,en

its a bit on the pricey side though.. but wireless and compact..