My super-duper car computer

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 6:06 pm

I was looking to do something similar (In the future, several months at least. I don't have a car yet

). A simple carputer that would have GPS (via USB, probably) and a rear-view camera (USB Webcam). I was hoping it'd boot in under a minute. It also sound pretty expensive.

Can we have the prices of everything you paid for? I have a feeling you had a bunch of that stuff lying around already.

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 7:20 pm

I'm incredibly jealous! What a neat project, and carried out so well!

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 8:47 pm

Nice, looks very clean. Anti-theft device is genius.

When I get my own car (the '93 Explorer I drive is pretty much just a kids car, I just happen to be the only one that can drive), I'll probably put a carputer in it. I think I'll take the easy path though, and just use a tablet pc. Hmm, maybe I'll just get a tablet pc for regular use and build a dock for it to use it in a car...

Nicholai · Post by **Nicholai** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 12:15 am

It would be pretty sweet to install a trackball/touchpad in your console.

Adam G · Post by **Adam G** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 2:24 am

Take the touch pad out of a laptop and put it on one side of the steering wheel (to be controlled with one thumb). Put two buttons, left and right click, on the other side (to be clicked with the opposite thumb)!

Whadya' think?

Shadeslayer · Post by **Shadeslayer** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 2:52 am

Adam G wrote:Take the touch pad out of a laptop and put it on one side of the steering wheel (to be controlled with one thumb). Put two buttons, left and right click, on the other side (to be clicked with the opposite thumb)!

Whadya' think?

I don't think that is legal.

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 10:24 am

Adam G wrote:Take the touch pad out of a laptop and put it on one side of the steering wheel (to be controlled with one thumb). Put two buttons, left and right click, on the other side (to be clicked with the opposite thumb)!

Whadya' think?

Nice idea, but what'll happen to the wires when you steer? You'll have to figure out a way past that, probably just put them inside the steering column with all the other wires going to the wheel.

Kurt_ · Post by **Kurt_** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 10:40 am

I don't see why it'd be illegal, I mean, some cars have controls for the radio on the steering wheel.

Have fun taking apart the steering column, though.

Mind you, the result would be quite great.

Shadeslayer · Post by **Shadeslayer** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 6:31 pm

Kurt_ wrote:I don't see why it'd be illegal, I mean, some cars have controls for the radio on the steering wheel.

Have fun taking apart the steering column, though.

Mind you, the result would be quite great.

At least in the state of michigan its illegal to have a computer or tv screen in your front seat. My friend got a ticket lol.

kidw/32+systems · Post by **kidw/32+systems** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 3:11 pm

Nice job!

To bad my 81 Chevette is to small to put a PC in and the shifter already blocks my radio. I guess I will have to wait till I get a hearse and put a mini arcade in the back. Of course a blower on a Caddy 500 block would be in it too.

Turbo Tax 1.0 · Post by **Turbo Tax 1.0** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 4:41 pm

damn marshal when you do something it's always done in one of the best possible ways. Only thing that would make it much better is a touch screen but for the price you got that screen for it's hard to argue.

I'm a fan of driving stick too, seems much more fun

hailrazer · Post by **hailrazer** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 8:37 pm

Which screen is that ? What make/model ?

Post by **marshallh** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 11:01 pm

The screen is a NEC NL10276BC12-02 . I thought about selling it to someone on lumenlabs, but I'd feel like I was ripping them off

It has a Effinet VGA > LVDS converter board.

bacteria · Post by **bacteria** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 4:36 am

Really nice work, like it. It is only a matter of time before someone breaks into your car to steal it though...

ChrisS · Post by **ChrisS** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 10:32 pm

That's actually quite incredible. Nice work.