Car PC

Why are you quiting your project?

Because the result does not completely satisfy my requirements: MP3 library, handsfree and navigation, above all others.

For the MP3 library I could not find any real and complete integration with my iTunes library; the handsfree is simply not usable (echo issues), and the navigation is probably just average quality. (I used Centrafuse 1.47/2.0).

Moreover I was not so convinced to hack the car in order to install all the pieces needed to run the CarPC.

Anyway it has been an interesting project...

they are working on an itunes wrapper for roadrunner from what I read (FWIW in retrospect.) I agree with you I had a lot of difficulty with ease of use using roadrunner and winamp's cumbersome interface. It took a lot of effort to play things. I like being able to sort by genre and "play all." in all honesty, I like the factory systems better by a long shot because of this. But since I have an 05 its get a new car, do a carputer, or STFU.. and I just cant seem to keep my mouth closed.

I have thought many days that this is not a worthy project. Spend thousands upon thousands for a map with a "you are here" feature, an item which can be bought at the store for a few hundred bucks. Then use an mp3 interface when I already have an ipod. This is one of the reasons I took my system out and the biggest reasons I have hesitated to put one back in. Something about factory integration however always gets me.. its something I cant understand. Its like subaru is telling me factory nav is something I cant have and I'm determined to tell them to kiss my ass.

I would be interested if my 2nd revision was further along or if I had more conviction in the project, but at this time, I'll just wait and see what you have for sale and go "hrmm.. thats a good price, too bad I'm not in the market"

they are working on an itunes wrapper for roadrunner from what I read (FWIW in retrospect.) I agree with you I had a lot of difficulty with ease of use using roadrunner and winamp's cumbersome interface. It took a lot of effort to play things. I like being able to sort by genre and "play all." in all honesty, I like the factory systems better by a long shot because of this. But since I have an 05 its get a new car, do a carputer, or STFU.. and I just cant seem to keep my mouth closed.

 

I have thought many days that this is not a worthy project. Spend thousands upon thousands for a map with a "you are here" feature, an item which can be bought at the store for a few hundred bucks. Then use an mp3 interface when I already have an ipod. This is one of the reasons I took my system out and the biggest reasons I have hesitated to put one back in. Something about factory integration however always gets me.. its something I cant understand. Its like subaru is telling me factory nav is something I cant have and I'm determined to tell them to kiss my ass.

 

I would be interested if my 2nd revision was further along or if I had more conviction in the project, but at this time, I'll just wait and see what you have for sale and go "hrmm.. thats a good price, too bad I'm not in the market"

Darkfox1,

I understand your thoughts pretty well. Probably the only difference is that I could install the OEM NAV as an accessory (thank God!); I also found a place (just on the other side of the border with Switzerland) where I could save about 40% of the price of the original parts. This was what made me switch to the OEM solution.

For the MP3 I have an iPod, too, and the original AuxIn interface. I plan to verify what products Alpine and others are designing to integrate iPod with OEM systems (ie KCE-425i).

I'll do the FS post in a few days, anyway.

Any of you using nLite-ed Windows XP ? What is your boot time ? Right now I have a 20 sec cold boot time from pressing the button to the end of the windows login time.

This is without canceling the welcome screen / autologon and without having implemented the MINLOGON. I would like to know how I am doing relative to others.

I do not have boot time into Centrafuse cause I have not installed it yet. But prolly another 10 seconds at least on top of what I have...take 10 away with MINLOGON (or so I hear), miscellaneous screen, touchpad drivers etc - probably I end up with 35 sec or so which should be decent.

^ Boy are you lucky.

My setup is taking over 2 minutes (almost 3) to boot into Centrafuse. There is some type of conflict with the touchscreen that is causing the BIOS to stall on the IRQ listing page for over a minute. I haven't figured it out yet but it's driving me nuts!

aww but I'm SO LAZY! I want the information to come to me!!

Thanks. I will check it out. I met a guy last year that was going to use a CF to IDE converter for his carputer project. He said he boots slower, but since theres no moving parts its more heat/car tolerant. It may be something worth considering.

Any idea's on what your gonna ask for your car PC setup when you sell it? I might be interested.

If this post is for me, then I have not yet decided what are going to be sold on which forum (here, MP3Car, ecc.).

Almost certainly I'll post a FS announcement for the Xenarc touchscreen cubby on LegacyGT for obvious reason: I've spent more than 700$ on this and I would like to realize probably 2/3 of the price (excl. shipping).

I just have to find the time the get some images and post them.

What part did u ordered and what part did u receive?

In regards to hibernation, I am not using any type of special utility/hack to bring back the usb devices. They all come back just fine from hibernation. I was having an issue with the touchscreen not coming back from hibernation, but I fixed that

I have been using regular 2.5" drives with all my systems and I have yet to have one die. Where are u placing the systemt that it's killing the hard drives? I have not used a Flash drive for HD replacement since I don't see the need for such.

I ordered 86281AG12A 2007 subaru legacy "display ay" for gps/navigation.

I received an info center.. a used one.. for 3x the price of it new......

they refuse to do anything about it.

I hate that I ever tried this project..

ARGH! so my part arrives that I've been waiting on since the 9th and its wrong! and they wont take it back or fix it. I'm just SOL.. I give up.. I have 2 Xenarc 700 TSV LCD screens (just the screen and power supply) would anyone be interested in something like that? I'm thinking about throwing them up on ebay or something

How much you want for a screen and the PS? Probably out of my price range, but it doesnt hurt to ask lol

when I say screens, see attached by what I mean.. literally, screens and power supplies

both of them are Xenarc 700TSV LCD screen and back light assemblies with power supplies. They have the ribbon cables (or one of them does.) Both screens themselves are assumed to be operational. the touchscreen overlay that is good is visible. It is a 4 wire resistive from a 700tsv. The controller board on the left is for a 4 wire TSV, there is a burned trace on the board, we had a wire soldered in to bypass it but the wire came loose so it doesn't work anymore. Its pretty obvious which wire it is.

Bottom right is the plastic housing for a 5 wire 700TSV. The 4 wire has different switches so it will not work with this. These are all the parts I have here with me. I don't know where the others are. I've moved 2 times in as many years.

the other attached pic is the crap I got when I attempted to order 86281AG12A. Do NOT EVER go with "Thoroughbread Auto Parts." They screw you over with this kind of garbage and then refuse to hold up their end of the deal on technicalities. I have not pursued the issue with them because I don't want to deal with the owner bitching me out like most other people who have filed complaints about the company on ripoff report have attested to. I didnt pay this guy to send me the wrong part and obscenities.

I'm not officially selling anything yet, but if you're interested in either of these things feel free to contact me. I'm really irritated about this whole ordeal. I just need to cut my losses and tell carputers to f*ck off. This has been the single largest waste of money of a project I have ever taken on. I should be embarrassed. All so I can have a map tell me where I am.. geez..

Dammm, I know how it feels when shit doesn't go right...but you have to not give up. I have learned from doing different systems that sometimes you have to admit that you cannot do everything yourself and outsource some of the work.

Darkfox, what were you trying to do? Were you trying to continue the project of the oem looking screen? Did u pay with a credit card to this crazy place? If so, just call your CC co. up and they will take care of the despute, no need to get a heart attack trying to fight with a stupid owner.

Tell you what, send me a pm and let me know what you're trying to do. Seeing how things have gone so bad for you with CarPCs, I will offer you a deal you cannot refuse. I will provide you with all the parts that you need for your system at cost. Yes, at COST! You want the transflective screen, I'll give to you at cost and if anything goes wrong with any of the parts, you just ship them right back to me. PM me if you're interested.

Not to get in your business and all salvi, just tryin to look out for you... But if your going to sell a lot of parts and such, have you talked with the mods about becoming a vendor on here? Just a thought.

I would actually encourage that for you honestly, the carputer community on here could definately use someone who is closely tied in with carputer things on here, not just on MP3car.com

Other than that, I'm still keeping a close watch on this thread for when I finally do get the funds to build my carputer. It still looks like my best option

I dont have any credit cards. I feel with the current political climate its "safer" generally to do everything with cash. I have no debt except my car payment (which I'm feverishly trying to pay off) and my mortgage. If the banks fail they cant take away what I rightfully own.

crazy paranoia aside, you cant stop payment on a debit card. I already tried. I did however change my card so at least he cant take any more money.

Yes, I was still on the crazy idea of having an oem screen retrofit. My idea was to buy a damaged screen or salvage yard working oem screen (thus the part number mentioned earlier) remove the screen and internals except the oem lighted buttons, put my own screen in the housing, and use a serial cable and simple button wrapping application to assign functions to the buttons much like the oem system. So when you push map it goes to the gps system, you push dest. it opens an "enter destination" field.

Since this is expensive I was not interested in selling it as a kit anymore, but rather making a how-to type thing for the users of the forum to do it themselves if they so wish. Including all vendors etc. and any software we have to create free for download. A friend of mine is working on something that I think would really fix this info center thing permanently for all LGT carpc guys. Hes still motivated but it has cost him very little as hes providing the know how and tools (electrical engineering is a complete mystery to me... I'm a computer guy.) I have been providing the test vehicle and any components necessary outside of tools. I've spent over $5k on this project in the last 3-4 years. I could have bought a ton of nuvis that do the same thing by now.