CarPC aka Carputer

[sergei]

I have built a small PC for my car with the following spec:
VIA EN15000 as MiniITX motherboard, video, audio etc.
512Mb of RAM.
80Gb HDD
MiniITX case with 12V DC-DC power supply
7" TFT touchscreen

The system is running Kubunutu at the moment.

I will have to buy an amp to power the speakers.

Right now I am looking for good front end as every thing is bloody small on the 7" screen and really easy to miss.
Can anyone recommend me some front end for linux?

[DeeCee]

i got a couple of options at home on my carpc setup.
i bought it with everything on, but now have to sell

i think one is media engine?
due to lack of RAM on mine, i have been using VLC player

[sergei]

Luckily the power of the PC I have is comparable to normal desktop setup.
Et even does 3D probably will run Quake2 ok but nothing more.
CPU runs at 1.5GHz. I can run on it anything that will run on normal PC.

[DeeCee]

been to mp3car.com then?
don't use the frodo player.. its ugly as a mofo.

have a look at media engine or centrafuse..

[jetshin]

Im using roadrunner.

[Adydas]

For mp3s amaroks pritty sweet IMO.. for video vlcs probly about best..

[sergei]

Ok here is the plan:
1) I will not under any circumstances pay Bill Gates. (That also means I will not use his software. The subject is a closed matter. It is just matter of principle). Actually I will not pay anyone for the software.
1a) I will not use any other commercial software.
1b) I will not use WINE to run Roadrunner, MediaEngine or alike. I just have not got anything running with WINE which was 100%.
2) I am using Kubuntu 7.04 with openchrome drivers (with GL working ok).
I need a good front end, but unfortunately Roar Runner is only for Windows.
So I have a choice of either MythTV (not quiet right application for this purpose) or nGhost (looks really crappy) unless some one has any other ideas?

[jetshin]

You should look on the mp3car forums (if you haven't already), someone on there definitely already has the solution you're looking for.

[sergei]

mp3car forum is a bigger mess than toyspeed .
Unless you are going to stumble upon something searching there is pain in the ass.
Almost like ubuntuforums.org

[Adydas]

You mean like all forums??

What about headunit, http://sourceforge.net/projects/headunit
or better yet

pycar,

PyMedia-1.3.5.0 for Debian is available
Sun, 26 Jan 2006 15:43:14 GMT
There is a good way to install PyMedia on a Debian linux box: use debian package. It was compiled by Marco Fereira and is hosted at sf.net

Or DashPC

http://downloads.sourceforge.net/dashpc/dashpc.0.49.tar.gz?modtime=1112837628&big_mirror=0

[sergei]

Thanks, I will try those (pycar looks very good)

[sergei]

Right, currently I shifted my focus on to power supply unit...
The case comes with PSU unit which takes unregulated 12V DC.
But I do not trust that PSU, mainly because it was not desing for brown out (starter operation).
so I have decided to build switch mode PSU which will take anything from 6v to say 18v and out put stable ripple free 12V DC.
to achieve this I will have to utilize high frequency transformer with 12V primary and secondary winded so it has about 30V on full wave.
I will employ either a semistor (easier path) on output or PWM at the H bridge which will drive the main transformer.
I plan to utilize second transformer (if I plan to go PWM way) or use rectified voltage (if I plan to go semistor way) to open top half of MOSFET H-Bridge which drives the main transformer.
At the end of the transformer will be a diode bridge, small cap, massive coil (high inductance) and massive capacitor to get rid of HF ripple (low pass filter).
The voltage output will be controlled by comparing voltage from reference source (30v rectified and fed through 12v zener diode with current limiting resistor). If I go PWM way the PWM will vary depends on the voltage difference, or If I go semistor way the wave will be cut off accordingly the voltage difference with very similar effect to PWM.

Input is welcome from every one.
Unless there is already PSU which which will have a range as low as 6V input, outputs regulated and clean 12V, and cost under $100?

[Alex B]

http://store.mp3car.com/M2_ATX_160W_Int ... wr-027.htm

More than what you want to spend, saves the mucking around and has ignition based on/off system.

[sergei]

Here it is one localy:
http://www.itx.co.nz/product_info.php?cPath=25&products_id=241

But I do not see there anything that justifies $160....
if it was $60 cheaper I would buy it straight away (it only costs them like $10 to make those units in china).

[jetshin]

too bad you hadn't been looking a bit earlier, there was a OPUS 200w PSU $1 res on trademe a few weeks ago, Went for only $40.

[bbq1988]

Hey guys, im in the process of building one, i need a 24 + 4 Pin 12V PSU, does anyone know of any availble?

[sergei]

Hey guys, im in the process of building one, i need a 24 + 4 Pin 12V PSU, does anyone know of any availble?

Modify standard one?

[johntramp]

I will have to utilize high frequency transformer with 12V primary and secondary winded so it has about 30V on full wave.

Where are you going to get the 12v ac to drive the transformer? Can you get something out of an alternator before it is regulated?

Also, there may be an MPD frontend which suits you.

[sergei]

I will have to utilize high frequency transformer with 12V primary and secondary winded so it has about 30V on full wave.

Where are you going to get the 12v ac to drive the transformer? Can you get something out of an alternator before it is regulated?

I was going to built an inverter (H) driver (either MOSFET or bipolar, although bipolar is much easier) which powers a rewound car amp transformer.
but I scrapped that idea as prebuilt one will save me a lot of time.

[bbq1988]

Hey guys, what screens did you end up using? i would like a touch screen (single DIN) if i can get one..

My current setup is:

Albatron KI-690-AM2 (Mini ITX)
AMD Sempron EE 1100 (1.9Ghz, 256kb cache 1600HT, 45w Rated)
2GB Kingston DDR2 667MHZ SODIMM
Minibox 12v psu
160GB 2.5" HDD
Custom made box (180x180x100)