call me a simple man with simple needs...

but I'd be happy with a screen that would pop up similar to the stock navi and a bare bones computer would be able to be used for navigation, datalogging and display guages with a CANScan, and interface my e-manage.

i really wouldn't care about a 100 gig hardrive, internet, and dvd player and all that other stuff... just need some simple functions

 

Me too. I just like the Nav screen location as being the most practical and integrated into the car. In fact, if you could source the Nav display itself as the display for the carputer, I bet it'd sell.

 

bump??

 

yes.. and to add the touch screen overlay seems the best idea.

 

so any e.t.a. on when you may have something to show us??

...and i'm a big fan of touchscreens for the record

 

That would be super sweet...anyone know about anything along these lines? I just can't get myself to spend $450 on the Ave box.

~ Matt

 

i am now selling a new Din Sized Carputer.. I will soon be packaging the carputer with the avbox.

ITs spendy but the best for the best !

you can upgrade this unit to



1 Din Personal Computer For Your Ride!

CPUVIA C3 Nehemiah 1GhzRAMDDR 256MB HDD2.5" 20GB Hard Drive ODDDVD Rom Drive Tray Loaded USB2 USB ports (rear); 1 USB 2.0 port (front) TV Out (NTSC&PAL) S-video and RCA Outputs Power12V DC to DC Power Supply Built-in with Key ON/OFF circuit Dimensions176mm(W)x50mm(H)x200mm(D) Weight4Lbs

Custom Configurations also available. Contact us for quote and details
Price is $1150.00 USD

 

would this carputer have wireless internet? and wat interface system would you use for it, "windows"? And would you be able to equip it with a larger hard drive so that ample amounts of music and maybe even movies can be stored on the carputer?

 

yes bigger hard drive, Wyfi can be added to it/ I would use Windows..

 

So what's the solution for those of us that don't have nav but would like an integrated screen with perhaps touch screen capabilities? You should offer a few different packages...touchscreen and without, and something for those of us without factory equipped screens...

 

if we had the stock navigation would we be able to use the joystick or would you apply touch screen. Would there also be some sort of switch to alternate between the navigation screen and the computer screen? And if the carputer is a 1 din installed where the radio is then would it be required to be on to listen to the radio or play music & etc. because there is a certain file in the windows program that eats up RAM the longer that you have it on, and it keeps getting slower until you have to restart because it has completely depleted the ram. But im thinkin of getting this as a Christmas present so please hurry =)))

 

i recomend the Din Carputer with the avelectronics box.. The Specila on the web site has all the parts except the Carputer. The i would run the Carputer thought the Svidoe input inmy AVbox and Mount the Din Carputer inthe pass thur where i currently have my DVD unit. . Then you have it all...

This ofcourse is great for the NAV equippeped cars. If you have no nav system then you will need to add a LCD (UP to 4 ) screen to the list of parts. I can get many kinds of LCD screens..


The Joystick thing is a non issues.. You will have your Nav system joystick for the Nav it will not do anyting exceot the Nav stuff.. Yes theres a switch to flip from the Nav map screen to what ever you have on the AVbox.

 

are you still working on something else, or is this the only carputer your going to be selling?

What about a screen mount for us non Nav peeps?

 

This is just the start.. I will be making a comb box that is the av and a din carputer inone .
and much more. and for Screen mounts theres lots of ways to go..
have you seen Awillse car http://www.rx8garage.net/pics/gallery/Carputer.JPG

http://www.rx8garage.net/?page=shop/gallery&

there are many ways to mount it , and places to..
do you want to see it while driving? or just for the kids inthe back?
you can mount on the dash like you see above. or a flip donw visor screen .

 

Hey there Thew!

This topic - carputer - has been on my mind for some time. I have a long list of wants and needs, and your system is pretty close to the mark.

I have NAV unit in my RX8, but I have pretty much come to the conclusion that the pathfinding software in my version of the NAV (I'm in the UK) is deranged. I don't want to go into to much detail, but I have measured and measured, and found it frequently sends me the long way around, or even the wrong way around. I have also found that disregarding the given directions will send the unit into "pout mode", with the resulting effect of even worse directions. I once decided to follow the system's directions to my son's school, and found that: 1.) it took me a full 6 miles and 25 minutes *longer* to get there, and b it actually send me through someone's backyard (no kidding) - I'm in the RX8, barbeque on the left, garden table and chairs on the right, and a shocked family watching slack-jawed as an RX-8 muddles through their back garden....

I have had many satnav systems, as my job really requires them, and sadly I think the ones in the UK are simply toys. Also, many little things about the interface keep bothering me, like how the system will display "direction = up" unless when it switches to detailed mode, when "north=up" - very irritating.

So, anyway, NAV is gonna go, and will just keep the screen. My HU Firmware is 9.55 - not sure if that is good or bad, and have a 6cd changer.

I would want my OS to be Linux: Open Source is goodness, I can make a good, surefast, instant boot, usable interface for it pretty quickly, and it is very hackable. I will obviously share this stuff.

I will mount a trackball ( http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/pr...CONTENTID=5145 ) in the driver-side door for mouse control, and was thinking of mounting a small keyboard (http://www.fentek-ind.com/touchstream.htm#kbmig ) where the joystick is now. I want the system to provide the following functionality:

• Navigation.
  I actually found an app that will do good satnav for linux, and I think I can simply jack in the Mazda's GPS receiver. If not, these things are really cheap and work well with Linux. The only question I have about this software is if it will work well with mouse-only input and if it will display well on the small navscreen. But those are issues that can be worked on.
• Multimedia.
  I want to have access to all my MP3's - currently about 200 Gigs worth. and I want that in a nice way, with a good looking interface etc.
• Engineering.
  I want the CANScan stuff up on the display, and make all kinds of cool gauges that simply look wicked and impressive. Data is good - the more the better.
• Internet.
  Traffic data, Newsflashes, etc. I want to hook the system up to a couple of GPRS phones.
• Camera's.
  I want to mount rear-view and side view (blind spot) cams, with recording facilities. (think stolen car, recorded evidence, uploaded to a webserver.

All this will be presented in seperate screens that can easily be selected.

I think the 1 DIN box should fit in the place of the satnav unit, giving me easy access to the dvd slot etc. Just trying to figure out what bits I need to get it all linked into the screen and Bose.

Any thoughts?

Cheers,

Martijn

[edit - found some more stuff]
These guys http://www.dashwerks.com/dw_dssc.php have a cool startup and shutdown switch unit that will sync startup / shutdown with your keyswitch. They also have some really cool (linux based) software to run the carpc.

 

all i really want it for is a better way to run CANscan and the e-manage software in a more integrated way then a laptop on the passenger seat :o

 

my only issue with carputers is the controls and GUI.

a hack job trackball and floating keyboard just wont do it for me, so touchscreen is a must. another issue is the UI...the screen is just too small to select individual items without a stylus on a touchscreen, so you'd need to run a 'loader' program with large keys to access commonly used apps.

 

i have the Din unit on my site now.

 

Hey Thew, the DVD player on your site, is the TV tuner seperate hardware, or is it built into the Unit? Thanks.!
\Alex

 

its buit in to that unit. .. but theres also stand alones

 

another question about the DVD, i would think people will mount it in the pass through in the back, but the sensors it uses is IR. Has anyone figured out a good place to mount it so the remote can actually be useful?

 

I'm putting together a carpc. I just bought a lilliput 7" touchscreen and a VIA epia ITX form factor board with 1ghz. The board is about 7" by 7". connecting hd to the board but everything else will be usb (keyboard,dvd-r,mouse) windows media center edition 2005. Audio will use PIE to connect to aux. This will let me use the stuff I want. MP3/DVD/Nav and hymee's canscan software.

 

which dvd again? actually most if not all mobile car dvd players/changers have a remote IR receiver in adition to the IR Remote, so you can isntall it anywhere

 

I was referring to the DVD player on THew's site.

 

that one has a remote sensor