Building a Car-Pc

James_N · 22 Feb 2006 at 14:36

Hi

Im thinking about doing this as a small project to keep me busy sometime soon. I want to build one as cheap as poss (£300-£400) inc screen. Spec wise id like something like a 1.2ghz system, and something with wireless internet built in so if i was in the right area, i could use it.

Software wise, i want something where on the screen it gives you a list of options like: Internet / Mp3 / Film (dvd drive would be nesessary too) / GPS

I know im being pretty vague and i know there have been threads on this in the past, but i have pretty much no idea where to start. Im looking to build myself as im assuming that will be cheaper, the trouble i see is how to get power to it, as obviously your normal PSU's arent going to work in-car, and also would it be possible to have a switch on the dash to turn it on and off instead of having to go into the boot and manually turn it on everytime you stop and start the engine.

Any idea's on spec and any advice are most welcome (also what would be the best sort of screen? i see you can get ones from the auction site for around £120)

Thanks

-westy- · 22 Feb 2006 at 14:40

I think most people have the PC wired into the ignition, so it switches on when you turn the car on, or with a 5 second delay, so it doesn't load the battery too much when you're starting the car.

Siliconslave · 22 Feb 2006 at 14:41

i'd be tempted to try and pick up a lappy with a knackered screen and run it through that, should be relatively easy to wire it into the car electrics and use an external screen....

cloudy · 22 Feb 2006 at 14:47

I run www.digital-car.co.uk/forum a UK forum dedicated to such questions, try asking there

James

Confused · 22 Feb 2006 at 15:20

In my opinion, don't scrimp on the screen, it's what you see/use to interface with the PC!

Digital-Car is a UK forum for CarPC's

James_N · 22 Feb 2006 at 15:57

Thanks, i'll check them out later, just at work atm

Mr.T · 22 Feb 2006 at 16:41

300-400 pound I doubt will get you very far. A touchscreen I believe is about 200+ and a power supply for the car will be about 50 pound, or if you get an opus 100 plus. A lot of people installing a car pc hit four figures, or get near.

James_N · 22 Feb 2006 at 17:17

Mr.T said:
300-400 pound I doubt will get you very far. A touchscreen I believe is about 200+ and a power supply for the car will be about 50 pound, or if you get an opus 100 plus. A lot of people installing a car pc hit four figures, or get near.

cheap shuttle or something like that wont be much. it wont be happening for a few months anyway. Give me some time to get funds together.

Screen = £200
Cheap shuttle socket A plus bits - £150
PSU - £100 odd

So its not so bad, unless ive vastly understated what i need.

/edit - i noticed on a website there is a Car PSU especially made for a shuttle barebones systems, so that would do nicely.

Siliconslave · 22 Feb 2006 at 17:25

if you go for one of the cheap indash things from the bay without the touch screen and make up some kinda idrive style interface you should be able to drop the price down even more i would have thought. Don't know how easy it would be to run a gps thinger this way thou

Rilot · 22 Feb 2006 at 17:26

My setup cost me about £450 in total without the screen, which was already present in my car.

Take a look
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17535372

The best advice I can give you is read, read, and then read some more. The digital car forum is an excellent place to start.

James_N · 22 Feb 2006 at 17:29

Siliconslave said:
if you go for one of the cheap indash things from the bay without the touch screen and make up some kinda idrive style interface you should be able to drop the price down even more i would have thought. Don't know how easy it would be to run a gps thinger this way thou

Yeah, after reading - like Rilot said, im gonna get a touchscreen. I'll mount the shuttle in the boot. Room isnt an issue for me as its an estate. So i'll have loads of room to mount a cheap shuttle in the boot. Touch screen monitor, then things like GPS adapter etc. Shouldnt cost me too much at all then.

Rilot - that looks a good setup but id be looking at spending £450 inc monitor, so i think cheap shuttle is the way to go.

Thanks for all the comments

appriciated.

sunky · 22 Feb 2006 at 19:57

budget like 700 for proper one hommie

Mr.T · 22 Feb 2006 at 20:20

James_N said:
cheap shuttle or something like that wont be much. it wont be happening for a few months anyway. Give me some time to get funds together.

Screen = £200
Cheap shuttle socket A plus bits - £150
PSU - £100 odd

So its not so bad, unless ive vastly understated what i need.

/edit - i noticed on a website there is a Car PSU especially made for a shuttle barebones systems, so that would do nicely.

I think touch screens are slightly more expensive, especially if you do not wish to get a lilliput one, which I have heard are prone to fault.

Power supplies can be got for more like 50 pounds ( just checked) - M1-ATX can be got for 47. That one I think is for ITX systems though.

Also I think you also need to factor in buying wires, such as the ones running from battery.