The Aim Of All This -
Well For Me Any Way
To use all of my talents and expertise being in IT to create my self a
custom audio visual system and more that most people would die for which is
upgradeable. Big statement I know ... It will utilise all the latest
technologies such at ITX and DC to DC power supplies ( PSU ), touch screen
technology as well as USB and more where I can. In short it will be a modern
slim, portable and very useable system and as far away from the old AT & ATX
systems of yeast-a-year as possible . Watch this space for more. For you its a
chance to
follow my CarPC / CarPuter Project as it
grows in detail - including, GPS navigation, digital music, PC enhanced DVD,
real Internet and email, PC games, PC computing applications, custom interfaces,
voice control & feedback, MP3, instructions, 'how to's' and other CarPC /
CarPuter links - All Here - Oh and to have fun while doing it....
Who Am I & Why Am I Doing This ?
My name is Terran
Brown and I have been in working in IT for a number of years or so. Being a Vauxhall
enthusiast I have decided to get myself a very special car. For some time
I have wanted a Vectra B GSI ( which I have got now ) - being not very well paid I ended up with a
SRI ( For those of you outside the UK the GSI is the one pictured
here
and the SRI is a lower spec but not bad motor ). Anyway I digress... I
have networked my house - all most set up my own
X10 system and
have my own Intranet looking after everything - and Yes there is a
terminal in every room. - Sad I hear some of you cry - I don't mind its
constructive and fun. So with me getting this new car I wanted to get Sat
Nav... and it begins... I looked around
at some very expensive systems and
in the end decided to build and design my own. This was an idea I had back
in 1996 but due to funds and the lack of simple technology then it never
happened. So the idea was to create a cheaper system that had Sat Nav -
that was configurable and upgradeable - not just stuck with one function
and upgrades dictated by the manufacturer. My argument for that was simple. If
you wanted say a DVD or a TV in your car ( and I don't advise watching
them while driving - in fact in the UK its illegal ) then it would cost
you an arm and a leg to get this custom one function device installed.
With the Car PC ( or Carputer as its sometimes known ) you can upgrade with
easy obtainable and cheap PC bits - its just a matter of installing the
drivers etc. Once I had decided on this I decided because of the amount of
different applications I wanted to use I wanted to have
my own interface,
and for that matter one that complimented the car so it was individual and
unique.
Please enjoy my
web site and I hope you come back as I document the trials and
tribulations of this project. I will try and put as much information as I
can for those that follow here however if you have a comment please email
me
here.
Terran Brown - Webmaster
The Conclusion Of The Vectra CarPC /
Carputer V5
Conclusion
Coming Soon..................
MP3 play back |
Working |
DVD / DVix movie play back |
Working |
GPS |
Working |
GPS with TMC |
Centrafuse 2 - A Later
Update |
GPS with T-PEG or XML |
Centrafuse 2 - A Later Update |
GPRS / Mobile Web |
Working |
Live traffic information via the
web & custom site |
Working |
Mobile phone integration |
Working but
not in use |
Custom matching skin with the dash
|
Yes - Vx Day and Night |
Custom clean boot install |
Voom2 Case |
Bluetooth |
Working |
Security System |
Working ( But no details ) |
In Dash VGA Screen |
Completed |
RF Remote Control |
Working |
WIFI |
Working |
CD Rip |
Working but
not in use |
Live GPS Tracking |
Working |
Ipod Integration |
Working |
CANBUS Integration |
Waiting for
the hardware to come out |
Terran ( 21/08/08 )
The Conclusion Of The Vectra CarPC /
Carputer V4
V4 is the
best I have done so far. Going back to my roots of using a Via EPIA I've
been able to use the Voom case and M2 PSU.... don't get me wrong I still
think 1.2Ghz is under powered for future use but for today its just
fine. I did fin that the speed was helped when I had a 7200 rpm hard
drive in... unfortunately Western Digital replaced it for a slower but
larger drive so I did not get that for keeps.
To load up it
takes from a clean power up around 45 seconds and out of hibernation around
20-25 seconds - the key as ever is keeping the data and the system drives
separate and defragging it a up to three times after you have completed the
install. I don't have a motorised screen with this one how ever that's no bad
thing. I have found there are times I leave the screen and just let it play -
especially at night. To further enhance this I'm in the process of setting up a
remote control just simply to change tracks of pause the music.
Add to all this my
Internet connectivity & online interface and I have a system that works very
well - the only problem I have now is that this is the last of my evolutionary
steps and so far I have not see what I can do that is revolutionary - only time
will tell. In the mean time Freedrive 2 is on the horizon and Road Runner is
going from strength to strength - my main concern is how to get my traffic
information integrated with the rest of the set up and then attach that in some
way to my home system for internal comms, tracking and even remote control of
the house while away.
Terran ( 31/10/06 )
MP3 play back |
Working |
DVD / DVix movie play back |
Working via
hard drive only |
DAB Radio |
TBA |
GPS |
Working |
GPS with TMC |
TBA |
GPS with T-PEG or XML |
TBA |
DAB radio play back |
No |
GPRS / Mobile Web |
Working |
Live traffic information via the
web & custom site |
Working |
Mobile phone integration |
Working but
not in use |
Custom matching skin with the dash
|
MC2 From
CDRSkull |
Custom clean boot install |
Voom Case |
Bluetooth |
Working |
Security System |
Working ( But no details ) |
In Dash VGA Screen |
In |
RF Remote Control |
TBA |
WIFI |
Working |
CD Rip |
Working but
not in use |
Digital TV |
Working |
Analogue TV |
Working |
The Conclusion Of The Vectra CarPC /
Carputer V3
Its only
been in a few days but I can tell I would miss it should it break. The
K301 screen is was a dream and although it sticks out a little you
don't notice it. I have some practical design changes to make but this is
not because the design its self is flawed more that I'm just not a
engineer and some who who can measure right :roll eyes:. I'll update this
section when I have had more time to come up with a more constructive
conclusion other than 'cool'.
PS V2 now
lives in Ford Focus and still keeps going - as yet its not required a
rebuild since its first installation.
Terran ( 01/11/05 )
Update ( 06/06/06
) - Sadly the confidence around the screen was not long lived due to some
mechanical problems. I swapped it out and bought a lot of new hardware for v4 -
that been said I did re use a lot of items so its not been a total waste. At
least I did learn that I am not that good at fabrication so the next design of
this type I come up I'll let some one else build it for me :)
MP3 play back |
Working |
DVD movie play back |
Working |
RDS Radio |
Working |
GPS |
Working |
GPS with TMC |
No |
GPS with T-PEG |
No |
DAB radio play back |
No |
GPRS / Mobile Web |
Working |
Live traffic information via the
web |
Working |
Mobile phone integration |
Working |
Custom matching skin with the dash
|
Working &
Complete |
Custom clean boot install |
Complete |
Bluetooth |
Working |
Security System |
Working ( But no details ) |
In Dash Motorised VGA Screen |
In |
RF Remote Control |
Working |
WIFI |
Working |
CD Rip |
Working |
Digital TV |
Working |
Analogue TV |
Working |
The Conclusion Of The Vectra CarPC /
Carputer V2
Well its in. Does exactly
what it says one the tin. Problems - well only two, I want a faster CPU -
this one works ok but takes around 45 seconds to boot - I am down the
drive and out on to the road by then. The second is that I am using an FM
modulator to get the sound in, it works but unfortunately sounds a little
flat. I have to investigate this how ever on the whole I am very happy
with it this time - bring on Destinator 3, Bluetooth and mobile phone
integration.
Terran ( 11/01/04 )
MP3 play back |
Working |
DVD movie play
back |
Working |
GPS
|
Working |
Custom matching skin with the dash |
Working (
Updated ) |
VGA touch
screen |
In |
Clean boot
install |
Complete |
Security System |
Working ( But no details ) |
RF Remote
Control |
Working |
The Conclusion Of The Vectra CarPC /
Carputer V1
Version one worked but not
exactly as I hoped. There were two main problems and they were not
software related. The first is the PC at the hart of the system is a bit
slow. I would prefer a faster 1ghz machine but unfortunately this will
have to wait until another time due to funding, I may be able to get one
cheaper later next year. Another aspect of this symptom may be the version
of Windows XP which is why I am using SR1 for version 2 - yeah I know I
said I did not think is was software but that's life. The main problem
only came to 'light' ( and there's a pun for you ) when I started using
the screen in the car and in the day. The problem was that during the day
the sunlight reflected too much off the screen to make the system usable.
I could combat this using special anti-reflective film ( I believe 3M do
some ) but for version 2 I have decided to go with a real XGA screen - the
only problem there is they are known to be too bright some times - you
just can't win.
MP3 play back |
Working |
DVD movie play
back |
Working |
GPS
|
Working |
Custom matching skin with the dash |
Working |
VGA touch
screen |
In |
Clean boot
install |
Complete |
Security System |
Working ( But no details ) |
RF Remote
Control |
Working |
In conclusion - its worth
doing but the more money you can throw at the project the better, if funds
are limited spend as much as you can on the screen as this is the most
important bit of the whole system - after all your going to be using it
day in and day out.
Good luck.
For Downloads Please See 'Links & DL'
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