New interior mod - Digital Dash! Opinion

[digitaljetta]

Hey guys, I've been getting pretty far on my newest mod: Digital Jetta

More info & pics at my site: http://nweb.pct.edu/homepage/student/CALCAR96/

Here are pics of stage I:





The computer, hance the name "carPUTER" is mounted in the trunk.

I'm not finished but here are the current specs:

Hardware:
*266Mhz Pentuim II
*192MB SDRAM
*10GB 7200rpm Maxtor HD
*6x DVD-ROM drive
*Turtlebeach Santacruz soundcard
*ATI TV-Wonder video capture card
*Holux GM-200 GPS Receiver
*Connectix quickcam
*Wireless mini keyboard/mouse combo
*IRman Infared Reciever
*Sherwood A50x4 Amplifier

Display
*6.4" SVGA LCD
(mounted in place of the cupholder,stereo, and dumb cubbyhole)

Software:
*Windows 95 (OS)
*Winamp 2.78 (for MP3)
*Vidamp Pluging (for Video)
*ATI video-in (for back-up cam)
*Q3, UT, and other games
*Assortment of other progs...

I'm working on some custom frontend software to easily interface all those programs. There

are some currently out there available, but I just don't like them. They usually have an

undesirable GUI, or don't use the programs I like.

Please check the site for more info!
http://nweb.pct.edu/homepage/student/CALCAR96/
Tell me what you think...

[NeoFreek]

Hmmm...I like it. Very good idea. I am now getting ideas for my own carputer. If only I had the money for something like that. LOL.

Your system would have endless possiblities. It wouldn't be restricted by what the manufacture says it can and can't do. But you do have a mess of wires and a big ugly box in your trunk.

Where did you get a 6.4 inch LCD screen that can be used on a computer and in a car? Or is that a normal LCD TV screen running off of the video cards tv-out? Also what are you using to power your computer? It looks like a battery but that alone wouldn't work.

Good job on it. Nice work on the dash but you should clean up your trunk.

Neo.

[digitaljetta]

Pleeeeeeeeease visit my site. I didn't make it for nothing lol. All your question will be answered there. I spend a good bit of time on the FAQ. Check it out. Thanks.

Oh, and the big ugly box...I have SO much planned for the car, but I'm going to imbed the computer INTO the car soon enough. No wire mess, no box

[NeoFreek]

I did visit your site and I didn't see your FAQ link until after I posted. By the time I finished reading it I was to tired to fix my post.

Some other questions that didn't seem to be answered on the FAQ or I read over it to fast. Why Windows 95 and not at least 98, 2000 or XP? I have had so many problems with 95, I can't stand it. And how hard is it to see the screen from where you sit? By looking at the pictures it looks like it might be hard to read text and even see the mouse on that little screen.

[digitaljetta]

Originally posted by NeoFreek
Some other questions that didn't seem to be answered on the FAQ or I read over it to fast. Why Windows 95 and not at least 98, 2000 or XP? I have had so many problems with 95, I can't stand it. And how hard is it to see the screen from where you sit? By looking at the pictures it looks like it might be hard to read text and even see the mouse on that little screen.

Yeah, you definitely read over it too fast I get asked about my OS all the time, so I made sure to add that on there.

Check it:

Q: Why Windows? Why not Linux, or a different OS?

A:
I use Linux at home, and love it. I use Windows because of it's familiarity and my passengers can easily control the system while I drive. If it ever gave me problems though, I'd be sure to ditch it. Although with a good year in of in-car computing, I've never ran into a single problem believe it or not (with Windows95 OSR2 that is). I chose 'M$ Windoze 95' because if low overhead and familiarity (for passengers). No reboots, or BSOD.

Keep in mind that the system (computer) that is in the car is over 4 years old! It's configured very tightly, and I monitor everything that is installed, so the threshold for crashes is marginal.

Basically - it works for me, and that's that :-)

As to your question about readability of the screen, let me first off say my digital camera does the VGA LCD no justice.

It's very sharp and bright. Little?? It's a car! lol. I'm inches away from it, plus there's only so much room in a car's dash

[TheMan5952]

sounds liek a pretty sweet and exspensive project. I like it though. Maybe someday i'dd do it in my 1967 Plymouth.

[SpeedSlayer]

Acutally, the man, if you worked really hard, you could fit it under $600 dollars.
A simple breakdown
A whole computer can be built for under $400.. Especially one of those.
A 5.6" LCD is about $100. Now thats about $500 but a 6.4" might be about $150-$175
Check Ebay, they have them REALLY cheap. My friend, Arby, got a touchscreen to his interior for $200 of ebay!!! and he built a computer for about $400. He had the whole entire thing for $600.

If you ever need help.. just im me

[TheMan5952]

I'm concentrating on engine work right now, but I might do the computer since I' am pretty good with computers.

[DMC12]

Originally posted by digitaljetta
http://nweb.pct.edu/homepage/student/CALCAR96/

Site is down

[digitaljetta]

www.digitaljetta.com

[ncesky]

I wanna get something like that eventually in my car, but I would rather get a touchscreen... then just hook up some of the voicecontrol software from ibm or something...

This is something i found before...



Anybody know some small decent touch screens? Also I'm wondering what you could use it to control in the actual car mechanics/electronics...
Btw, i can't see how cooling would work tho, you'd need a fucking KICK ASS watercooling system, or maybe like just build it in a fridge lol.
but voice control software + PC mounted into dashboard would own.

[Filip]

Blah, the site's down.

As for cooling, don't worry about it. As long as your case is built right you'll be fine. You might want to add another fan though.

When I first started working on this, I found http://www.mp3car.com/ to be a good source of links.

[DMC12]

Originally posted by digitaljetta
I'm not finished but...

Have you performed any upgrades / finishing touches to your system?

Peace :smoka: