I know some of you are getting sick of reading about this, so if you dont want to, dont.
Anyways,.....
I have a new way that I want to do this. I want to use both linux on a desktop, and windows on a laptop and integrate the two together.
The desktop will store all mp3's as well as video's and things of the like, due to linux virus's wont work portion. Basically just play surround sound. I will have it set up as surround sound, not for my stereo listening pleasures, but because I can. Not because it is practical or that it will work better. Worse case senerio, I am out the cost of a extra set of cables. Anyways, dvd's will play through linux as well. linux will not have any dvd/cd drive. but it will be able to acess all of the laptops drives in windows. There will also be a tv tuner as well as fm radio tuner.
The Laptop, running windows, will have a wireless internet card that uses cell phone frequencies, basically saying that the internet will work as long as a cell phone does. It will also have a wifi/wireless network card. It will also run gps, and probably have some sort of backup/rear veiw mirror just for kicks. I will also use windows 2000 on this laptop, all windows xp drivers and applications will work under 2000. At least this is how it has been in my experiance.
So now I have
Desktop, with:
MP3 play back
DVD accessable, with hardware decoder
Wireless internet, after laptop has started
awsome reliability, being that i am running linux, with only one porpouse in mind.
And a Laptop, with:
GPS
Wireless internet
Decent reliability
low power requirements
low shock componants
Decent performance for a cheaper price
I will use a simple switch to switch between Keyboard and mouse. as well as monitor.
I will use a simple small Keyboard, prolly hidden under the seat, maybe molded somewhere like the horn. and a track ball mouse molded into the center console.
I will also have a shut down controller used with the desktop, while the laptop I will just set to hybernate every time it loses power and runs off of the battery. I am not too picky about the laptop, because I dont even need a working screen with this setup. I am going to shoot for 1.1ghz or higher so I can maybe play some games and things of the like.
Tell me what you all think. This is my final setup.
Sounds cool, I just dont understand why you need 2 pc's to do the operation of 1.. Check out this site for some nice keyboards and some small ones, they even have ont that will fold up.. you can also pick up the KVM switch youll need for transfering mouse/KB/mon operation. and they have a Wi-fi sig locator... But for that I would just recommend netstumbler.
www.thinkgeek.com (http://"http://www.thinkgeek.com")
Haystack I would really consider only one PC. I'm not even sure that linux can use a network drive through windows. I've never had to do that. To run the surround sound you will more than likely need an external amplifier. Even high power sound cards could not power car speakers correctly. All of those computer surround setups that are of any quality have an amp built in.
Personally I would run one of those cool mini ATX machines. Or atleast a mobo from one as it would fit anywhere. If you have no experiance with Linux be prepared to stay up for hours searching for help on the internet when your DVD player wont start because it doesn't have a required package.
1. linux can use networked drives on windows boxes with the right modules but it is a pain.
2. linux can have virii, just no one wrights many for them due to the number of flavors out there.
3. just use one machine, that makes no sense why to use 2. I don't understand?
4. your reliablility goes right out the windows as soon as you wirelessly network the two together and try to get any really functionallity.
I have networked linux to windows drives several times with no problems, same with the wireless network through windows. The whole reason between two pc's, is so that if I just want to listen to mp3's I dont have any hassel. I am going to use a mini-Itx motherboard,(about 6.5X6.5). The problem with that board is that it is alot smaller power wise, and in many respects, closely represents a 200mhz machine. I am also not going to run a wireless network. Only a regular old network hub, or a patch(is it a patch for the two?) cord.
I am not a linux freak, but I am fairly experianced with it. I will have no real difficutly installing packages.
The only reason for running two pc's is because windows has 1 million times as much in the way of GPS software. That is the main reason why I am using it.
There will be external amplifiers as well.
i can see where it would work, but I can also see that if you just build the one windows box, and be done with it, it would be a bit easier, though some of the media packages for gnutella and debian are pretty sweet.
man, why does every laptop with a busted screen go for so much? I am just looking for a garbage laptop and can't get one for less then $300 on ebay.
Because they are in high demand, everybody and there brother wan'ts one. I got my old one for 20 bucks! :flip:
how much machine are you looking for? I might be able to swing you a 300 mhz with 128 meg with a screen that is "okay". pretty cheap.
hmm more then that unfortinately. I have a pretty good shot at a pentium 4 for now, but I will let you know.
Haha item number 6853865859
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6853865859&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1
$219 shipped, and all it really needs is an inverter, and minor repair to the power supply in thingy.
Hmm, after readinig some specs here http://reviews.designtechnica.com/review143_specs714.html it looks like it has problems with overheating till I do a bios flash as well.
I have an amd 2400+ Compaq Presario 2100, everything works. wife is done with school and it is just sitting aournd. If you are looking for something more that speed. dvd/cdrw windows xp pro (and i can throw in any applications you want). Make offer.. heh, i sound like a pushy sales man!! I just have a ton of computer shiznit laying around most of the time. so if you are looking for anything in paticular let me know. I must may have it.
well I did actually win that auction, so I am gonna have to say no,...
What sort of parts do you have? any mini atx motherboards? I am also looking for a radeon video card
hmmm... no radeon. only nvidia, and no extra video cards worth mentioning right now. I have a video capture card, but it is only so-so.
no mini atx boards, one atx board with a broken cpu tab (usless), and a couple cases (atx) and 1 or 2~350-400 watt atx psu's
modems, netgear NIC (no 3coms laying around) and a sblive or two somewhere.. and some older misc stuff in a box somewhere i would have to dig out. I may have some 16 meg agp cards from some old dells, but I would have to look. middle of packing so I would have to go through some boxes, but let me know and I am like a computer junk yard, ticks my wife off. :P
for the capture card define so so? card or usb ?I am assuming card since you said that.
I am pretty much the same way. I prolly have 2 or 3 times as many network cards in my room then you have.
I would have to look at it when I got home. but it wans't a huge name brand, a few years old, not the greastest card, but not a 10 dollar one either. and it is pci. Network cards kept getting used fixing the families or friends machines so now i am low, which sux, cause a need a different one than my netgear, having combatibility issues with my MB and domain with that card. I also have like 7 machines up at all times in my home for my test domian so lots of spare parts get used on em.
I always bring home junk from work and the wife compains about all the parts all over the place. heheh. I had to stop bring broken stuff we were throwing out home :(
If you want know more about the capture card, remind me, I should be home a bunch end of this week and can give you the info. see what else I have laying around. I have to pack up the office anyway, be a good time to "5S" as it were.
that reminds me, still need to fix in the inlaws machine... newegg here I come..
I did get my laptop on my birthday, belive it or not. It works just like they said. Already redone.
Now the only real problem I have. I need to fit the 9.4" screen to the dash. I am thinking the first two din slots and the clock. It is about the same size as 3 din slots, sitting horizontaly.
I am getting really sick of the screen situation. I have fried the one screen, and now I can get it to turn on. So I bought another one, and it was DOA. I am starting to get pissed off at this. I have some updates though.
I will prolly stay away from a wireless internet card, at least for now. I will go twoard the wifi way, leagally of course.
I had a dc-dc laptop power supply that seems to work well, Havent checked to see if it survives cranking yet, but more on that now.
I have ordered a 160watt dc-dc power supply. It provides 8amps on all three rails, 3.3v,5.5(or is it just 5?) and 12v. The good thing, I do not need the 12v rail, it is not used at all for the mini-itx motherboard. I will also only be around 30-40 watts overall, as long as I dont go crazy with the usb parts. So the power supply is good for 6-24v, and is guarenteed to survive cranking, so I will run the 12v screen,and laptop power supply through it, so they will both stay on even while cranking the car. and being that both are only 5 amps or so all together, that leaves me room for a small fan for my fanless motherboard.
I also have a small usb keyboard, and a shiznitty usb trackball, They both tested fine and installed on bootup.
The laptop will have one or two small(5-10 gigs) hard drives, and the desktop will have a single 30 gig hard drive. For now at least ;)
So here is a new checklist.
Gotten(I learned english very well)
usb keyboard/trackball
Power supply(should be on its way)
Laptop, of course
power supply, for laptop and desktop.
Windows/linux
and that mini itx motherboard.
Hard drives.
Still need to be gotten
Ram for the stupid little itx motherboard, man its picky.
A WORKING screen
a keyboard/screen switch. thinking this right now http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3609875
oh, and I have taken the laptop apart, but i havent soldered(?) the mother board power connection yet.
a slim slot load dvd with encloser.
A externally powered usb hub.
I think that is pretty much it, I have an amp, Havent really looked into the wiring, but I am sure it is really straight forward. I should
really get a buttload of wires too.
I am sure I will mess up alot.
Anyways, I think I am many hours, and about $150 dollars away, depending on what screen I end up with.
I guess I will do a new price total, man this stuff adds up fast!
$219 for laptop
$120 for mini-itx
$80 for power supply for mini-itx
$20 for laptop power supply
$40 (yuck I am dumb sometimes) for mini keyboard/trackball
$100 gone, to shiznitty screens
And still to go
$20-30 for dvd enclosure
$75ish for cdrw/dvd slim slot load
$25ish for keyboard/mouse/monitor switch
$? for a screen, I might sell out and get a xenarc, or lin-itx or something like that. I dont know
That is alot of money, And right now all I really have is a laptop taken apart with a busted screen! Someone should try to modivate me or tell me I will pull it all together.
I am getting really sick of the screen situation. I have fried the one screen, and now I can get it to turn on. So I bought another one, and it was DOA. I am starting to get pissed off at this. I have some updates though.
I will prolly stay away from a wireless internet card, at least for now. I will go twoard the wifi way, leagally of course.
I had a dc-dc laptop power supply that seems to work well, Havent checked to see if it survives cranking yet, but more on that now.
I have ordered a 160watt dc-dc power supply. It provides 8amps on all three rails, 3.3v,5.5(or is it just 5?) and 12v. The good thing, I do not need the 12v rail, it is not used at all for the mini-itx motherboard. I will also only be around 30-40 watts overall, as long as I dont go crazy with the usb parts. So the power supply is good for 6-24v, and is guarenteed to survive cranking, so I will run the 12v screen,and laptop power supply through it, so they will both stay on even while cranking the car. and being that both are only 5 amps or so all together, that leaves me room for a small fan for my fanless motherboard.
I also have a small usb keyboard, and a shiznitty usb trackball, They both tested fine and installed on bootup.
The laptop will have one or two small(5-10 gigs) hard drives, and the desktop will have a single 30 gig hard drive. For now at least ;)
So here is a new checklist.
Gotten(I learned english very well)
usb keyboard/trackball
Power supply(should be on its way)
Laptop, of course
power supply, for laptop and desktop.
Windows/linux
and that mini itx motherboard.
Hard drives.
Still need to be gotten
Ram for the stupid little itx motherboard, man its picky.
A WORKING screen
a keyboard/screen switch. thinking this right now http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3609875
oh, and I have taken the laptop apart, but i havent soldered(?) the mother board power connection yet.
a slim slot load dvd with encloser.
A externally powered usb hub.
I think that is pretty much it, I have an amp, Havent really looked into the wiring, but I am sure it is really straight forward. I should really get a buttload of wires too. I am sure I will mess up alot.
That's a lot of work for 30GB.... ;)
I took my carputer out of the cougar a few weeks ago. I ran into too many complications with it draining the power.. I had to replace 1 alternator, and the battery twice, Once from the battery literally exploding. So I thought I don't need anything in there that's for leisure only and would compromise the way the car's meant to run. I did however find a more contemporary solution to installing an iPod into it.
(http://www.baxo.ca/cougar/xr7/driveandplay.jpg)
(sorry for the dirtyness of the car)
Good luck with yours man, and I hope you don't run into the same problems I had. When it works, it's sweet.. but when you get in your car, and it doesn't start (like many have seen mine do at Cat Jam 05), then really, it's not worth it. It's a $1300 lesson I had to learn.
To be fair, Alex, I think the problem was mostly related to the car and not the computer...but the computer didn't help things. ;)
The Mac mini is still the most economic, stylish and practical solution. What you did was groundbreaking with both the mini and our cars. It's going to be hard to top that, all in one pacakge, for that price tag. Still, I like the new solution for the iPod.
Haystack, is there a safeguard for that car power supply? In other words, is it made to not drain the battery too much?
Yeah, there is alot of information for it, gimme a couple of minutes to find a page for it and I will let you see.
"While in deep sleep mode, M2-ATX constantly monitors your car battery voltage levels, preventing deep discharge situations by automatically shutting down (using a built-in shutdown controller) until battery levels reach safe levels again. No more dead car batteries, no more computer resets during engine cranks, along with multiple timing schemes, small formfactor and very competitive price makes the M2-ATX the premier solution for dc-dc ATX vehicle / car PC power supply solutions."
http://digitalww.com/M2ATX.htm
However, it wouldnt work with a mini mac, they need 19v in I think? pretty much the only option is a CarNetix CNX-P1900, I have heard opus has a version of it, but here is some information on that.
Low battery monitor prevents drained battery, even during Standby/Sleep
http://digitalww.com/CNX-P1900.htm
What are you running as a power supply Alex? I forgot. also, you wouldnt happen to be getting rid of the xenarc now would you?
Ironically I what running the p1900 power supply and That's what was giving me the problems.. preventing a drained battery? Well that clearly wasn't the case with me. If it did that, then I would still have the system in my car.
Also, I don't have a Xenarc.. I have a Lilliput and I think i'm gonna hang on to it.. in case one day I wanna attempt this again.
Ironically I what running the p1900 power supply and That's what was giving me the problems.. preventing a drained battery? Well that clearly wasn't the case with me. If it did that, then I would still have the system in my car.
Also, I don't have a Xenarc.. I have a Lilliput and I think i'm gonna hang on to it.. in case one day I wanna attempt this again.
ah I see. Did you ever track it right downn to the power supply? I would assume it would be more likely to be a power wire pinch. If it is draining the battery, you may be able to get it traded in on another one? then you would know for sure.
Yeah i traced it down to the power suppply. Actually from what it looked like.. it may have been something to do with its startup/shutdown controller. Actually I observed numerous flaws with the entire unit itself so i'm pretty sure it was the power unit. Mind you, I was also one of the very first people to get it.. I ordered it the day that Carnetix released it. I'm sure newer versions may have most of those bugs worked out. Also whatever warranty it had, may already be exceeded. I also have the entire system out of the car now.. so it would be a lot of effort to wire it all back up to diagnose. I have plenty of other things to worry about this year then the carputer. So I took it out. Since I did, my car has always started up, nothing draining the battery anymore, so that's one less thing to worry about. Things are just too hectic this year for me to worry about it.
ah I see. that clears alot of things up there. Good luck with it.
No man.. Good luck with your setup! I sure hope you have better luck then I have.
I just wanna know one thing, I am gonna put a poll up for it,
But do you guys think a laptop and a mini-itx system is too much?
The laptop is just for gps and internet, not really for anything else. The desktop/linux computer is for a no hassel mp3/dvd player. I think it makes perfect sense, but most people think it is way over the top.
I'll tell you right now it's over the top.. you can run all that on one machine. or if you want a sole GPS system, might as well just get something like that "tom tom" thing, it will serve you better. Having 2 computers in there adds to the "coolness factor" but that's about it.
yah, and you can run gps from the "hoodtop" .. sorry.. desktop if you have the reciever. you can always get a pci to pcmcia converter for a gps card. would be much easier to run and install.
Well...it was bound to happen at some point...but this may be a good solution for ya, Haystack. There are now (coughcoughblatantlyrippedoffcoughcough) Mac mini clones in the PC variety available at our computer distributor at work. I can't direct you to their website but I am allowed to share the spec sheets on the mini PC's:
http://www.coolcats.net/ximages/RTS_970910.pdf
http://www.coolcats.net/ximages/RTS_970911.pdf
Essentially these are laptop components...all that's missing is a screen.
the mini pcs have been out for a long time for lan gamers.
nothing new :P
heheh. silly mac ppl...
The PC minis have never been packaged almost 100% identically to the Mac mini though. If you read the specs at Apple's site here (http://www.apple.com/macmini/whatsinside.html), and compare them to the PC ones, they are virtually the same (single/dual core processors, ports, etc.). Even the case is near the same. And since Alex ran the Mac mini in his car last summer, now anyone that wants to do the same with a mini PC can, and not have to build one from scratch.
That was the point. Believe it or not...Mac ppl do know what they're talking about...especially when every computer manufacturer starts to copy the Apple designs...
Even the dimensions are identical.. that means I already have a pre-built mount for it that can make that baby fit right in and replace the stock radio.
they prolly bought the same cases or similar ones and are building to sell on the popularity of the mac mini.. though the apple IIe could be the first mac mini, that was pretty small..
i was just messing with yah, i didn't even look to see the specs or anything :P
No harm done. ;) We got an e-mail at work with those 2 mini PC designs and my co-worker asked, "Eric, what size is the Mac mini?" And I said, "Offhand I think it's 6.5 x 6.5 x 2 inches. Why?" Then he showed me those PDF's...and the mini PC dimensions are exactly the same. I started digging into the specs and was blown away...this is the first mini PC I've seen that almost perfectly mimics the Mac mini. The only differences I see, for the price, is that the PC minis come with a keyboard and mouse (the Macs don't). But the memory speed is slightly slower. And of course there are the standard software differences. What is nice with the PC mini is that the power button is on the front...that makes for a much easier installation in a car. Anyway, this was bound to happen, and now that it has, I can't say I'm unhappy...it's a nice homage to the original. ;)
hell now you can get a mac in an intel proccessor and run windows on it!!! macs are good machines, but I am just soooo used to pcs, they just wierd me out, and sometimes the artists that design those things are too into their own talent and some very odd designs come out of em.. like mentioned, the power botton in the back???
My carputer project is kinda on hold until I get some decent money. I need an LCD/touchscreen and a DC/DC power supply, the inverter causes tons of interference in the audio output.
From what i have read the PC mini is the same as the Mac Mini, Mac actually designed it and used dual intel processors. Due to the performance capabilities over the Mac G4's. The dual intel processors rated at 1.6G are 4.8x faster than the G4 counterpart. Eric is this correct?
welcome freind, what power suppy are you going to use. inverters are the suck. You could always post up your specs to the system you want to use or what not
Well...I really don't think the 'Intel is this-much-faster' benchmark is based in real life because it all depends on the software you're running, and how much of a load you're putting on the processor(s). But the Intels are definitely faster, that much is very certain. Consensus is at least twice as fast as the G4.
The original Mac mini was basically thrown together with laptop parts and the same G4 (Motorola/Freescale) chip Apple used for years. All that was needed was a new motherboard and new case design, and you had a small form factor Apple computer for almost no effort and low cost. For basic tasks it worked fine. But things like a slow 4200rpm hard drive and a relatively slow front bus meant that you couldn't push it as hard as you'd like (read: Photoshop).
Now with the Intel move, the new motherboard is still an Apple design (AFAIK) but can use either a single- or dual-core Intel chip (some people have swapped a single for a dual--plugs right in). Bus speeds are improved...memory speed is improved...hard drive speeds and capacities are up...from a hardware point of view, this Intel mini kicks the old one's backside all over the place.
I read an article that 200GB laptop drives will be on the market by year's end, so that will make a great upgrade. I haven't seen anything about Apple designing the PC mini case...but sheesh, it sure does look like it. If one of these little guys doesn't entice you to put a computer in a car, I don't think anything will! I'm just happy that everyone is on the same playing field now, with the same hardware and all...it just depends on your flavor (Windows, Mac, Unix, etc.). All of them look sweet as hell.
if this is directed at me, its just some old parts i had laying around, p2 400mhz, old gateway atx motherboard, some ram and an 8 gig hd, i dont know what kind of power supply to use, the dc-dc's i have seen are a bit pricey. i just want to play music on it, maybe have gps, and videos and maybe even games.
yeah, I really dont care for intel. That is basically what I am trying to make. I am just doing it the hard way. If I cut a bit off of the heat sink and added a fan, I should be able to fit power supply, hdd, and slimline dvd in 2 inches. I dont really know though.
Basically, it is a p-4 vairiant of the mini-itx's with a laptop moble processor cooler, from what I can tell. The mini-itx's (which are 6 1/2 x 6 1/2) came before the mini macs, I had mine back in 02. Man, and I still havent gotten the d@mned thing to boot more then once.
You will wanna hit non-p3 1ghz for gps. Try to get a amd for cheap if you are gonna go that cheap, also, 96 or more megs of ram, unless you will be running nothing but windows media player, the 32 or less is fine.
You will not be playing alot on a 400mhz system, specially not a gateway, I used to work for them, and there systems back in the day sucked. still do.
Honestly, right now I am thinking a laptop is the way to go. Get a busted laptop,(read bad battery or screen)and throw a $20 ebay power supply at it and you are set.
Your system has quite a bit more effort and ingenuity in it than mine. Mine is just a dated ATX system in a cardboard box.
I would like to use a mobile Athlon XP cpu, I have a mobile 2500+ in this system and I can run it passively cooled at anything under 1.2ghz, running as low as 1.1v core.
oh, and just get a m2-atx power supply, its the cheapest at $80, and it will automatically shut down and start up your carputer. Really small too. I am just waiting for mine, I got it at http://www.digitalww.com