Custom Car PC with GPS, M.Media, Wifi, ECU & Internet

[Ric]

This sounds like a great project, I hope you get a few takers.

I'd expect you will need to make a up a PCB with the final power control/delay circuit on it. Let me know if you need any assistance with this.
(Designing and producing PCBs is my day-to-day job )

[tehx]

Hey Ric, if there are a few orders it would be good to get the PCB's fabricated up - thanks for that! Right now I'm just using veroboard but as you know it's time consuming cutting tracks, creating others with wire & fault finding. Good for just making a few but not for bulk. Ty

[Ric]

Doing a number all at once is the key.
e.g. If we had two production panels (400x260mm) made up containing multiple small PCBs, the costs would be roughly:
$120 Setup
$150 per panel (on a "slow" = two week turnaround)

So 120 + 2x150 = $420. Add GST for about $460
If you could squeeze 30 small PCBs onto each panel, that works out to about $8 per PCB for 60 PCBs.
(Probably way more than you'd need, but the "per PCB" price rises quickly if you only made one panel.)
(Allowing a 6mm gap between PCBs, and laying them out 6x5 would give a PCB size of 61x47mm)

[CheesyMong]

1. I'm for Velcro - hey did you notice that there is a recess in the carpet / floor under the drivers seat that is almost identical in width & length to the EeePC? My PC is just sitting in that recess right now, upside down and fan vent facing forward so the cooling vents are fully exposed.
I think velcro for me 2 as anything might be a bit hard

2. Ebay'd one of these, think that’s going to be a good solution.
Me 2

4. Around $50 - case, relays, 556 timer IC, caps, resistors, plugs & sockets, heat shrink. I just need to perfect mine first, will need a couple of weeks due to work eating my mon-fri and uni assignments busting my weekends.
I was semi serious but for $50 I'd buy 1 off you to assist with the prototype, this is my biggest fear creating the magnetic switch, taking apart the laptop is easy is is the circuit, relay etc...design that I can not do

5-8. Cheers for the info, looks good yea. Do you plan to use the composite video I/P on the touch-screen and trigger/switch the touch-screen from your reverse sensor? You could use a USB camera and the centrafuse camera option but not sure how to trigger this automatically when reversing. There is no doubt a plugin / method to to so - just needs some researching.
Yep My screen is going to be the LinITX screen which auto switches on the 2nd AV port, that is the 1 draw back with the Lilliput doesnt autoswitch.

Once again fantastic write up thanks for the help mate.
Cheers Joel

[Hobber]

Re the camera - I understand there is a hotkey way to switch to the Cam in centrafuse - this could be automated by hardware such as phidgets... not high on my list so havn't looked into it yet.

http://forums.fluxmedia.net/general-cen ... amera.html

[Zoo Tv]

Hobber, are you following a similar install?

[Hobber]

Maybe...

(Screen and cubby are here - laptop in Sept then all hands on deck).

[JimmyB]

Does anyone know if it's possible to interface a carPC with the factory satnav screen? I have a MY06 Liberty 3.0R-B. Also does the Mac HU in the MY06 have an aux-in?

[dutch7]

Hey tehx great thread, I've been wanting to setup another project like this for some time now. had a setup a few years back in my wrx, which I setup with help from the mp3car forums.
I ended up starting work on my setup last weekend after gathering most of the components together. My parts list comprises of a Lenovo S10 laptop (10in), a 12v DC power adapter, VGA to RCA video converter, USB tv-tuner module, USB hub & a mini PC media centre IR remote. the software I'm currently using for the front end is MediaPortal which works great with the remote I have, otherwise I'd most likely use Centrafuse or Riderunner. I've got ShutControl working to power off the laptop to standby mode, and until I look at automating the WOL capabilities I use the remote to power the laptop back up. the laptop sits under the drivers seat and simply connects up to the cigarette lighter & aux input jacks located in the center arm-rest console. As I have the factory satnav screen I've simply ran a video RCA cable from the vga-video adapter up to the back on the satnav screen in the dash. its not the best picture in terms of pixel quality but it seams to do the job for now, especially for TV and video I did purchase a USB touchscreen controller a while back but it seems a bit difficult to hook up to the existing controller on the satnav screen, so probably a future mod. As some others on the forum have done with the satnav, I've also grounded the park sensor wire so that I can use the external video in motion. All up I've spent around $600 which is a rather cheap mod to do and doesn't require much effort or technical skill to install with the existing setup. So JimmyB I encourage you to give it a try, only your aux input would most likely be on the back of the Mac HU, which is easy to pull out of the dash
Keep up the great work, love these sorts of projects, keep us posted!

[JimmyB]

Thanks dutch7, tehx, and all of the other contributors to this thread, awesome work!

I think I have conceded that it's just not feasible to perform the mods required, to interface the touch screen and RGB circuits of the factory satnav screen. The only thing that is stopping me from replacing the screen, is that I will lose the factory gauges (fuel economy, ambient temp etc).

Does anyone know how to interface the factory gauge signals into a carPC?

[GTB Liberty]

Thanks dutch7, tehx, and all of the other contributors to this thread, awesome work!

I think I have conceded that it's just not feasible to perform the mods required, to interface the touch screen and RGB circuits of the factory satnav screen. The only thing that is stopping me from replacing the screen, is that I will lose the factory gauges (fuel economy, ambient temp etc).

Does anyone know how to interface the factory gauge signals into a carPC?

Mate - download ROMraider and look at the potential. I mean for god's sake its got barometric pressure - tested and worked within 1% of a specific reader.

I'm sure fuel economy was there as a gauge.

[tehx]

Hey Jimmy B,

A few ideas that were touched on in dutch7s' post:

a) Modify your OEM Sat Nav to have a USB touch screen. Check the link below. This is a kit (or clear film) that you place over your factory sat-nav screen.
http://www.cyclotouch.com.au/product_in ... 08ad00fdd4
Depending on how the factory unit is setup you might only need to remove the centre console and place it over the screen. If the factory unit has a bezel around the edge you might need to open up the factory unit to put the touch screen (film) over the screen. This film connects to a circuit board that has a USB connector. Just plug this into your CarPC and it behaves like a mouse (touch screen).

b) You could also use a touch pad or trackball. This might be a nicer install as you can have the touchpad on the right hand side of the steering wheel or dash, if you are right handed. You might also mount it in the door panel / handle or in the centre console.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Trackball-Touchp ... .m63.l1177
http://www.google.com/products?q=usb+to ... e&resnum=4

c) To get the Computers' video into the factory sat nav you might need a VGA to Composite / S Video Standards converter.
VGA Standards Converter:
http://cgi.ebay.com/PC-MAC-VGA-to-TV-AV ... 286.c0.m14

[CheesyMong]

***Updated***

I know have the following bits in my hothands last piece is the 12v USB hub can't for the life of me find 1 as MP3car has sold out, Think I will just go to Dick Smith and make my own out of a cig lighter plug that has a 5v output

List of Parts
EeePC = $600
EvoScan 1.3D Cable = Bargain $80 shipped
Centrafuse = $80
GPS USB Receiver = $50
Nokia Mic = $20
Car Charger = $20
Garmin Mobile PC + Aus Maps
EvoScan 2.6 = Free
SSM Plugin = Free
AVO JDM GPS Console = approx $300
LinITX 7" Transflective screen with auto sensing reverse camera input = approx $540
CMD Reverse camera = $70

Time to start learning how to solder LOL, does anyone know of any issues with soldering another cig lighter plug behind the dash so I can plugin the LCD screen and the USB Hub?
Cheers

Joel

[CheesyMong]

Installed the LinITX transflective screen into the AVO console but have some size issues.

The screen doesn't quite squeeze in at the bottom causing a slight bow in the console surround from AVO but I must say it is 99% perfect just the bit at the bottom which no one has noticed yet so it is subtle. As Tehx suggested I might need to file the lip at the bottom of the console (Not the AVO piece) as it looks like the jigsaw Subaru used is a bit rough.

Tehx or anyone who ordered the AVO console which metal bracket did you use and how did you attach the screen to the bracket? I used the 1 without the white clips as I couldn't work out if you are meant to use both metal brackets or just 1?

I ended up sticking the foam you get with the AVO console at the sides of the screen to wedge the screen into the AVO console and then just putting some of the foam on the metal bracket and pushing it all together and as a result there are no screws holding the screen but it is a tight fit...

I'm not 100% sure I have fitted the screen right..Photos soon any help here on what bracket to use or if it sounds like I'm not doing something right would be great...hard I know but hey...

I have also installed a 5v USB hub from Jaycar and using the following cig lighter to power it and the LinITX screen
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.as ... rm=KEYWORD
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.as ... rm=KEYWORD

I got caught out by the audo cable I didn't realise it wasnt a standard 3.5mm jack on the back of the MAC unit so I have oredered 1 of thiose from Subaru today.

Installed the USB in the glove box for easy access.

Connect the limitless 1.3D Tactrix cable and the GPS receiver to the USB hub, the GPS receiver is magnetic so it is stuck to the metal frame the screen rests on and I am having some signal issues so I might need to mve this and used double sided tape and stick it a bit deeper inside the dash.

Ran the cables down the side of the centre console for the following
LinITX screen (has a heap of cables about 3 AV inputs and audio inputs)
Power for the screen as the power connector is on the AV cables provided by LinITX
USB Lead from the USB hub in the glove box
Mic cable form the driver side MIC mounted on the A pillar
Installed the CIG lighter power pack for the notebook in the centre console between the seats
Run the Reverse Camera RCA from the boot into the centre console (Camera not mounted yet ran outta time)

I still need to do the following
Install the Reversing Camera
Configure the relay switch to power the laptop
Tidy up the cable as they are just running messy at the moment not under the carpet like Tehx's

Cheers

Joel

[CheesyMong]

OK so I connect the laptop up to the Aux in input today and it seems to have a lot of background hiss anyone have suggestions on what I can look at to try and remove some of the hiss from the laptop?

CHeers


JOel