HUSSAIN

I am going to start a car pc project so that i don't have to lug around my ipod ( as i have got it already integrated to my stereo). I don't use my navi anyways as it doesn't work in my country so i was thinking about replacing the navi screen (just the screen) with a high resolution display and using my navi to connect to my car puter. So a few questions here:

1. Is it possible to replace the navi screen with a high resolution one. If yes, is there a diy available. Also can somebody please point me to a good replacement screen.
   
2. How is the car-puter experience for everyone here. Don't the hard-drives crash due to constant moving of the car.
   
3. How long does it usually take from starting your car to getting your car-puter on and start working. Is it a little frustrating.

czar

iTrader: (3)

boot time for my car pc (sitting on my desk) isnt long at all. running xp on a intel atom which auto launches road runner

the most anoying thing for me is the display turns on to fast so i get a blue screen saying no input before the computer turns on (monitor powered by computer psu, need some sort of delay)

i am using a lilliput with the mazda after market nav holder, works for me.

i think alzor replaced the nav screen in the stock nav unit but had to keep the board so it would open and close correctly

Chainu127

iTrader: (1)

1. Yes, a few of us have done it now. The Lilliput 629 screen fits in the factory dash piece very well. I say it's "almost as if it was made for it." Spectacular screen, too. There's no DIY, but it's pretty self-explanatory. There are different options for retaining motor control out there.
   
2. I've only had mine in for a few days now, so I'm trying to get all the settings and look and feel the way I want it so I'm not having to create playlists while driving! I have the whole computer in the pass-through to the trunk with no case, so I mounted the hard drive right to the plastic. I don't know if I'll have problems down the line, but hard disks are cheap now, and by the time I need to replace it, solid-state drives may be a more viable option. There was a discussion on mp3car about this.
   
3. With my n-Lited XP install I boot up cold in 25 seconds or so, but that never even happens because I have the computer go into hibernate when I turn the car off. Resuming from hibernate takes me 10 -15 seconds with 1 GB RAM, I'm debating going down to 512 MB. So it takes slightly longer than the OEM cd player does to get sound out to the speakers, but it doesn't annoy or frustrate me in any way. What I am going to do though is unsolder the built in speaker on the board so I don't have to hear that "beep" in dead silence every time the computer starts!

I'd say a car computer is a very useful tool to have even for just the music and GPS, not to mention the other endless possibilities for it. I never got into the whole MP3 player fad (had a 64 MB Rio 500 when they FIRST came out, haha!) so it sure beats burning cd's for me, and I'm terrible with directions and this is a cleaner integrated look than an aftermarket GPS I think. Plus the whole "coolness factor" is nice, lol

Rotary Rasp

iTrader: (2)

In my experiance, xenarc screens are the best. Better than the Lilliput; I've had both.

Rotary Rasp

iTrader: (2)

Chainu- check the bios, some motherboards allow you to disable the post beep. (my VIA did)

alz0rz

iTrader: (41)

I put my Lilliput 629 into the OEM nav housing. Echoing everyone else.. its a snug fit.

NYC streets are horrible and I have yet to crash once when driving over any sort of pothole/bump. In fact my carpc has never crashed on me, ever. I use an ordinary laptop 100gb hard drive in a mini-itx case.

From a cold boot takes about 15 seconds to get into Centrafuse.

Click my sig for my carpc thread.

HUSSAIN

alz0rz can you please guide me how to replace stock navi screen with lilliput touch screen. I am on a slightly slow internet so a direct link would be much appreciated.

Also I would appreciate if anyone can give me a link to diy guide for installing carputer in rx with factory nav. (please remember that i won't be using factory nav as it doesn't work here anyways).

Furthemore is it possible to integrate my phone to the main stereo and lcd screen so that all my contacts are displayed on the touchscreen and i can dial out directly from the touchscreen (bmw style).Also it possible to make this whole function handsfree so that the voice comes out from my car speakers and i can speak directly into an attached microphone. What Software/Hardware shall i required to run this setup.

Also can I get a bmw style radar interface on my lcd display because it helps a lot in congested space parking. If yes what hardware/software shall be needed.

HUSSAIN

1. What is n-lited XP and how do you manage a cold boot within 25 seconds.
2. How does the computer keep on running even after the car is shut down.

Thankyou

HUSSAIN

As I bought my car second hand the open/close button on my nav has never worked when trying to open the nav however it is able to close the nav. Is there anyway I can repair this.
Furthermore there is a button with nav with tilt written on it what does that mean as when I press it nothing happens.
Thankyou everyone

KWarner04

Czar, can you send me/post a link to the after market nav holder you are talking about. I've heard about this before, but have never seen a link on where to get it.

Thanks!

alz0rz

iTrader: (41)

There is no real guide to doing it. It's not hard to do but it's also not easy. It involves taking apart both the oem nav dash piece and the LCD. You take apart the OEM nav and get to the actual crystal display itself and remove it. You retain the bracket it is in because that is where the Lilliput display will go in. Everything else just migrates over. It's not something I can easily explain in words but once you're doing it you will see how it goes. You will need to keep the original OEM LCD PCB if you're going to be wiring it up to retain motor control.

Putting a computer in a car is not a general thing. It's very involved and personal so there is not going to be a "DIY". If you understand computers and how they work the rest should be simple. You're putting computer (probably a smaller form factor, i used mini-itx) into a car. The computer is getting power from a DC-DC psu (if you chose to do it this way I highly recommend you do because of its efficiency and its shutdown controller) and then the computer is outputting its display via VGA to the LCD. It's straight forward. I recommend you go to mp3car.com and read the basics and the "general" overview before you dive into your car. Based on where you are going to be placing the computer, be it the trunk, center pass through, underneath a seat, or wherever you will need to plan it all out in advance.

Pertaining to your phone functions these are easily accomplished with the proper software and bluetooth.

The "radar interface" is a bit out there.. you can go to mp3car.com and read up on a parking sensor thing one of the members is working on.

HUSSAIN

Can somebody please answer the other questions as well. What hardware/software shall be needed for bluetooth integration?
Thanks

alz0rz

iTrader: (41)

A usb bluetooth dongle for hardware. I use Centrafuse for software for my entire carpc front end. www.fluxmedia.net

HUSSAIN

So is it this simple or there is something else. Correct me if I am wrong somewhere.

1. Connect usb bluetooth in computer usb port.
2. Run a mic cable from computer mic input to your sunscreen(or whereever you want to place your mic).
3. Pair the dongle with your headset.
3. Integrate via centerfuse.

Furthermore I have stille three outstanding questions which remain unanswered.
1. What is n-lited XP and how do you manage a cold boot within 25 seconds.
2. How does the computer keep on running even after the car is shut down.
3. Also can you please answer my other question regarding open/tilt button for navigation screen.
4. Which is better to use DC PSU or Dc-AC Power Supply

Alz0rz
1. I read on your thread that your carpc on a lilliput is not outputting more than 800*600 resolution. Have you solved the issue because i primarily want carpc for video viewing during long drives.
2. Why do you have still kept your stock navi board. You wrote something about motor function. Can you please explain.

Chainu127

iTrader: (1)

Hussain, start searching and looking around here for your questions on our specific model car, ie the navigation hood and tilt/open button questions. There have been a lot of threads about this lately. A useful tool I've found is to click on someone's username in the forum and click find more posts.. generally they will probably have posted on some similar topics maybe even with the same questions.

In short, the OEM pcb board has the necessary logic and circuitry to make the motor work and respond to the buttons. Also, I think the idea is not to get a higher resolution than 800x600, but rather a lower one (800x480). 800x600 is a 4:3 aspect ratio on a widescreen lcd. Video looks fine on 800x600.

As for the more general car computer questions not related to installing in an RX-8 (and even some that are), go check out and start searching mp3car.com. nLite is covered there as well as well as power supplies and shutdown controllers.

I really don't want to be fueling more questions directly, but most things aren't as simple as they seem. For phone integration, it can depend on the bluetooth dongle you get, what stack it uses, the model phone you have, software, etc. In my case I can only use my bluetooth connection on my phone for either a serial port or audio gateway, not both- so I'm out of luck for now. Again, this is covered extensively on mp3car.com

As alz0rz said, a car computer is not a general thing. Two people are not likely to have the exact same setup with software settings and all (there is preconfigured hardware) so there's no general DIY. While alz0rz recommends a DC-AC inverter I prefer a DC-DC supply with a shutdown controller. I like RoadRunner for my front end, but haven't tried centrafuse yet. This is all stuff you'll have to research and decide which route you want to go. Check out mp3car.com

alz0rz

iTrader: (41)

I'm sorry I did in fact mean a DC-DC psu, oyyyy . DC-DC is the most efficient here.

HUSSAIN

Can somebody please tell me what tilt button means. As i said i have a second hand jdm rx8. I just wanted to know that what tilt button is supposed to do because when i press it nothing happens.

CostasX8

TILT button is used for changing the position of the monitor to avoid direct sunlight

HUSSAIN

Thankyou everyone. It took me a lot of time to learn about how carpc work so in order to save other people the hassle please find the following links which i assure you would prove extremely help. Read them one by one in order listed below and you will never need to ask a single question about carpc again


CARPC 101 by mp3car.com

Guide to Building Car PC Pdf file

Amazing Spoonfeeding Guide from Extremetech about Carpc's

Sample Rx8 Carpc Project

BBQdDude

I am always torn when reading the Car PC threads.

Funds are limited so it is either car PC or new HU.

I am PC savvy and can do this (well wiring runs would be fun...not). However then I am still stuck with a muddled HU as I have the non-bose unit. I have replaced all internal speakers, storage capacitor, added two amps and a kicker with a sub. Just been waiting for the metra kit to settle down.

I need to get a second job I think .

Take care,

Brian

Mark Putnam

Hey I'm in Maryland who can I get to install the centerfuse system into my 07 RX8
I dont have time to tear it all down, I would like to add a backup camera