King of Pain

Hi Everyone,

I finally finished my CarPC, actually about 95% done. From planning to building to testing to now it took me about 6 months.

Here’s the hardware list:

• Aopen XC Cube EZ482
• AMD 64-bit 3200 939 Socket CPU
• Maxtor 160 GB Hard Drive
• 1GB DDR Memory
• ATI 300 Video (On Board Video)
• E-MU 0404 Sound Card
• Opus 250 PSU

The sound card is a semipro recording card with pristine clean sound from its analog outputs. I’m using Roadrunner as my front end and the digital FX Blue skin. My Navi software is Iguidance 3.0. The touch screen is a Dynamix 8 inch widescreen. I currently have a USB2 DVD player sitting in the glove compartment and plan to add a rearview camera. I have about 3,000 songs and about 100 music videos loaded onto the hard drive. I have the PC set up to hibernate so shut down and start up takes about 15 seconds.

I want to thank all the folks at MP3Car.com for sharing their knowledge.



Enjoy the pictures

godfather2

i wish i could pull that off! that's some great execution

jptl04

iTrader: (1)

wow impressive install! looks very clean! 6 months? you really took your time! but i guess it was all worth it in the end. the new touch screen fits in there perfectly! all those extra goodies you car pc has more than makes up for not having the voice control feature. congrats and enjoy your new car pc. looks awesome, good job King of Pain.

warccm

Wow, that looks incredible!!
Well done King.

Any room for the golf clubs though...lol

MVALSI

EXTREMELY IMPRESSIVE

Wow !!

datmrman

Very nice Mike!

Just in time for the next meet too: SoCal Meet April 29th Would love to check it out in person.


Didn't you have a non-nav? If so, where did you put the non nav display?


BTW, I need to show you how to post images without those extra IMG tags. If you're copying the correct code from imageshack, you don't need to use the IMG button. Simply copy and paste the code. Otherwise, copy the direct image link and then use the IMG button to add the correct tags.

What you are doing is this:
What you want is this:

King of Pain

Thanks for the comments everybody.

Most of the 6 months was spent planning, building and testing. I had built a minipc based on the epia M1000 motherboard but found out it was not fast enough for what I wanted to do. My first touchscreen was defective and was sent back. In addition there was work and family matters to deal with.

Still plenty of room in the trunk... but I don't golf.

Chris,

I wish I could make it to the meet but I'm leaving for Chicago on business that day.

I did not want to give up my compartments where most other people have been putting the display so I extended the display wires and tucked the display in the dash, out of view. I think I can live without it until I figure out how to get that info onto the PC display.

Thanks for the tip on the pixs

VtecMW

Excellent job man. Very clean and impressive!

datmrman

Thats too bad you can't make it out Mike.

It's interesting that you found a location to tuck the old display away. I'm not sure where you can do that. Do you have any pics of the entire front console? So other than the temp/AC display, your console is identical to a navi version?

jknight

Nice job! So I have been considering doing something like this. What was the M10000 not able to do? I thought most people said it ran mp3, divx, gps and such just fine.

Also, is that a stock console (without NAV) and you just cut out a square big enough for the screen? If so, that looks like a real nice job.

King of Pain

I upgraded for a couple of reasons.

Most new skins use macromedia flash for logos and other things. The Epia would be at 100% cpu load when running these. Maybe it was the drivers or the video card. The Epia PC would lock up regularly during testing.

I also built the AMD PC because it should be able to run any new future software too.

Yes, that's a spare non navi console I purchased on eBay. Here is a pix of the back side of my original console. As you can see I had to cut and dremel quite a bit to make the 8 inch screen fit

lunat1c

what about ur ac controls? are u just guessing what temp # your at?

Syer

do you happen to have the part number for the non-navi Bezel? just the plastic part the one you have a picture.

King of Pain

Actually,
I never adjusted the AC to the temp anyway. I adjust it to how cold or hot it feels.

For the tone controls I leave them alone since I have this on the PC.






I just installed a new skin. It's a transparent skin so I can add an image to the background. What do you guys think?

King of Pain

I don't think Acura sells it as a separate part. I found a bezel, LCD board and back cover on eBay for $45.00.

Final

What did you use to transfer the sound from the carputer to the stock speakers? And was there a lot of rewiring involved? Ive been contemplating doing this project, I was gonna use a PC I had at home and use a DC-DC power supply since the tower is midsized.

moahdib

Great Install =) Another offical carPC install on an acura...
Glad to see the 8" widescreen fits perfectly.

Check out my RR skin (FSR) ... it has a nice acura 3d spinning logo and its all flash =)

TSXRiDeR9

just a quick question i noticed that in your menu it says phone, were you able to have your phone link to the computers bluetooth in order for it to work over the cars speakers or can u still use the cars original bluetooth and also does it affect your memory seat settings, bluetooth, or original radio/CD player settings in any way? thanks in advance

King of Pain

Final,

I did not extend my XM subsciption so I tapped into the XM audio lines out to get the sound from the PC to the Acura Head unit. The XM receiver is on the right side of the trunk. When I press on the XM button on the radio I get my PC sound. I used this connection when I had my ipod connected to the stock acura head unit. I just disconnected the ipod and connected the PC.

TSXRiDeR9,

The software in the PC gives me the option to connect a bluetooth phone. I chose to keep the bluetooth on the acura head unit. Since I have the sound going through the XM lines. The car thinks the sound is from the XM and not the PC. So when a phone call is sent or received the stock head unit will interrupt the PC sound to send or take the call. All functions on the car act like normal. There is actually a second menu for the screen that includes TV, Internet, Games, Pictures, Weather, CD Ripping and GPS Stats.

Here is a link to the MP3car website that gives better details in this program.

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/rr-s...-released.html

flipper2001

Man is that cool, great job. I only wish I was handy where I could do a carputer.. That looks better then (alot better) then the real thing.


Ever wonder why hacks look and work better then the Real thing. Like the Artist/Title fits in the window, on the nav, it only has room for X amount of letters and truncates the rest...

Anyhow, very freaking cool.

pohljm

Awesome job KOP that interface looks better than OEM and I already know your system rocks. Extremely clean install very thourough and professional.

PowerCommander

Dannnnngg! That is tight! I have an '06 TL but it's none navi type. I wish I had gotten navi system. Maybe I will convert it later. I am planning a not so technical set up as I will be using my PMP to somehow directly connect into my system. The PMP I am talking about is a Cowon A2. Congrats on your set up. It rocks.

XjoEnX

iTrader: (2)

amazing work KOP! if you were closer to me and had time, id pay top dollar for your work (which would probably be less than the $2000 that acura adds for navi)

KN_TL

iTrader: (3)

Very Nice!

How are you converting to 120V to power the computer?

Thanks

King of Pain

I am using the opus 250watt intelligent power supply. It converts the power and includes a startup and shutdown control. When I start the car the PSU will boot up the computer. When I turn off the car the PSU send a signal to safely shut down the computer. In my case I have the PC set to hibernate on shut down and come out of hiberation on start up. Start up take about 20 seconds.

http://www.opussolutions.com/index.php?p=product&id=49

VtecMW

The whole CarPC idea is becoming very compelling. Just a couple of questions:

1. Did you have Navi prior to doing this? If so, how did you lose your climate control display?

2. What about GPS? Where did you locate your GPS receiver to do this? I'd really like to find a way to cleanly locate the new GPS receiver through this solution.

3. How many stock wires did you have to cut, extend, etc. to do this.

4. Any major wrinkles left to be ironed out still?

saturated_fat

2. Best place I've found is on the rear deck, kinda off to the side away from the sub.

3. It's 44 wires that you have to extend so 88 connections total, that is assuming you dont have navi.


OP , nice install btw . Me and another member on here (Theklassic) have developed another front end for carpc's let me know if you'd like to give it a try.

King of Pain

No stock navi.

The only major things to do are:

The GSP receiver location. I'm still experimenting with the right Location. I agree with saturated fat. The best place so far is hiding under the plastic rear deck. I think that's where the stock GPS receiver is located on the navi models.

The DVD-Combo player in the glove compartment is having problems getting enough power from the USB2 connection. I think the cable is too long. I may have to do a power connection to it from somewhere close by.

Final

King did you build the PC yourself or order a premade one... I was gonna use a desktop but do you know how to change the power supply to a DC-DC 12V one?

KN_TL

iTrader: (3)

I've got a Tom-Tom bluetooth receiver that I can just place in my center console. It picks up the sats and communicates with my Palm Tx just fine.

If I go the carputer route, I'll use it and just pick up software that's compatible with it.

KN_TL

iTrader: (3)

TOO COOL!

Thanks for the info!!!!

King of Pain

I build all my computers. I've done some custom work for friends too. To change your power supply you need to determine how much voltage your PC needs. Most CarPCs don't need to be power machines, mini ITX or low power cube PCs work fine. When I get how I'll take some pics of the PC itself

vzuptnguyen

i dont get it. is that interface the default one of the new acura TL's? or is that from a program you are using ran by your computer? if that is a separate software what kind of software is it?

oh wait, is that whole screen an aftermarket one? cuz it looks so clean i thought it was factory.

j2flo

damn. another hot pc setup..
i need someone to do this for me haha

theklassic

I heard the magic words.

If any of you guys are in the MD area and want a hands of demo of our setup drop me a PM. Not sure on the rules of advertising here, but we have a shop that caters to tinting and carPC installs.

Everything is customized as needed.

Collin

Hi There

I concur on the location (rear deck immediately under plastic trim "vent" screen)...just don't make the mistake of putting it below the metal of the upper-level deck, if you know what I mean. Any of the small access holes in the upper metal deck offer access to the area just below the plastic, and there's a world of difference.

So, how come I haven't seen you at the DC/MD/VA carputer meets hosted by Webmaster over at carmp3? You should go, if you haven't already, your expertise would be welcome, and every once in a while you could scare up some business. I know of two TL's that are there regularly (my own and another), both of which owe a lot to moahdib's/your/ITL's installs/guides. (oh and i'd like your RR skinz/ wallpapr kthnx bye)

supadupahyphy

iTrader: (1)

[QUOTE=King of Pain]Final,

I did not extend my XM subsciption so I tapped into the XM audio lines out to get the sound from the PC to the Acura Head unit. The XM receiver is on the right side of the trunk. When I press on the XM button on the radio I get my PC sound. I used this connection when I had my ipod connected to the stock acura head unit. I just disconnected the ipod and connected the PC.

TSXRiDeR9,

The software in the PC gives me the option to connect a bluetooth phone. I chose to keep the bluetooth on the acura head unit. Since I have the sound going through the XM lines. The car thinks the sound is from the XM and not the PC. So when a phone call is sent or received the stock head unit will interrupt the PC sound to send or take the call. All functions on the car act like normal. There is actually a second menu for the screen that includes TV, Internet, Games, Pictures, Weather, CD Ripping and GPS Stats.

King-BTW Your install was so clean it's convinced me to go ahead with a carpc.

When you tapped the XMreciever to pipe audio from the PC did you also tap the power from that reciever. Or am I totally off base and should shut my mouth. Then do more research?

King of Pain

No worries supadupahyphy. I'll try to answer as many questions as I can.

I have power coming from the battery to the PC thru a fused distribution block, similar to an amp power set up. I have a Optima Yellow Top car battery so I don't worry about power.


Here's a pic of the PC on the my desk prior to installing it in the car. The top circuit board is the opus power supply for the car. When the PC is out of the car I connect it to the standard desktop power supply that came with the PC.

camporealer

I just wanted to say that I am really impressed with the quality and the functionality.

Congratulations

stevenlb22

HI Which interface software are you using. the one were you can select dvd gps etc.
thanks very much