In Car Computer

Right now I am building a computer which would intalss some where in my dash board. It is like 7.6" L, 6.5" W, and 3" T. It is running a celeron 433, with a 20GB HD, and 128MB ram. Run on a 7" LCD Screen
My question is this:
It this something that other people might me interested in?
The price with out the screen is about $350, but any Celeron or PIII processor could be used.
I would like to hear you thoughts about it.

Don't really understand waht you want goto tho www.mp3cars.com .

thats sounds really cool but wouldn't that be for more of the rich and famous. it sounds expensive but I don't know. I don't mess with on board car computers.

I am just trying to get peoples oppinion, and see if any body likes the idae or not.

I have seen it done before. I think it is a cool idea and wouldn't mind designing my own car computer, just have too many other projects right now.

it is cool. What i am doing, is seeing if people are interested in the product because i would be willing to build them and sell them. I wall post pics once i get it together

Custom designed and built system including the custom water cooled PC case. The water cooling allows for reliability on the hottest days. The Wireless net working connects to the house to download any and all MP3, DVD, and MPEG files for play on the 15" LCD display. I have to admit I am a bit jealous of the compact car design with center consoles providing a great place for the 5-7" TFT LCD displays. The 15" is from a desktop Philips unit that I de-cased.
The overwhelming size of the clear acrylic case is for the water cooling multiple drives and the learning curve of using acrylic for the first time. The board is painted with neon paint, water has neon die, UV lights activate the paint and die.

The system will also auto detect open networks while driving along such as Starbucks or Hilton Hotels.

Specs:

2001 GMC Sierra 4x4 Ext Cab
Alpine 9018 CD, MP3, CDRW player w/ direct RCA in
Custom built acrylic blue ATX case
P4 1.8gig
Dual 20 maxtors
500megs Rambus
Th7-II Abit non raid
Wireless networked Linksys card
CPU water cooled by www.Overclockershideout.com



https://www.overclockershideout.com/images/acrylic/trkpc1.gif

https://www.overclockershideout.com/images/acrylic/trkpc2b.gif

https://www.overclockershideout.com/images/truck/wideshot.gif

https://www.overclockershideout.com/images/truck/flashon.gif

https://www.overclockershideout.com/images/truck/exterior.gif

https://www.overclockershideout.com/images/truck/drvseat.gif

its an awful idea...wow lets sit in our car and play solitaire or surf the net or whatever...st00pid idea, no offense but thats my opinon

Your thinking very small:)

Unlimited media files to your car or truck
Video
DVD
Diagnostics
Cameras
They also have a less expensive XM radio devices for PC now

Check out :

www.MP3car.com (http://www.mp3car.com)

for all kinds of other stupid ideas!!!

i just use a pda right now

Originally posted by Impreza STi
i just use a pda right now

which one???

I was wondering if anyone has gotten anywhere with these types of projects? I have always wanted to do it but recently I think I dont see a need for it. With the burning ability that u can burn mp3s on a disc and pretty much anything from mpegs converted to dvd format and plan old dvds but I have to admit thing like tv tuners and computer parts are cheaper. Just was wonderin if anyone had really gone anywhere with this idea?

It's simpler and more robust to use a portable laptop than to try to go through the expense, R&D and maintenance of a device for data logging and diagnostics - particularly in a track situation.

Most race cars use a Pi or MOTEC solution which incorporates the data logging into the instrumentation and is fabricated to record all of the inputs - and in many cases communicate to the engine management software (some include telemetry options)

It's much easier to run into the pits, plug in the data logging gear to the laptop, download the data and manipulate/analyse it and make adjustments to the engine management or other settings.

Besides I'd much rather work in the environs of the trailer than try to sort it out out in the pits or in the car.

As for the availability of media files - I have a perfectly good stacker for audio and I'm usually using both eyes, both hands, both feet and all of my attention when I'm trying to make my car pull some lateral g's - the last thing I want to be doing to this stimuli is introducing some distraction...

having a computer in your car sounds cool, but i rather just buy a lap top n' have it sitting on my passenger seat :P