CPU stereo?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,655
Likes: 24
From: Charleston SC
CPU stereo?
I have an old 400MHz Laptop that I am considering istalling as the stereo has anyone done this?
I curently have two amps 1 4x100 for the front and rear seperates (Boston 6" fornts and Infinity 6x9 rear) and a punch 250 driving a RF 12" sub.
I have seen a USB tuner and sound card and the lap top already has a DVD player so that should take care of the audio end. I Have found several 7" touch screens that I think will do the trick for the display and a mini keyboard that will fit in the center console as well as a 2" touch pad that will fit great between the seat controls. If this will work and the audio sounds Ok it would be great because I could rip all my CD's to MP3 and still be able to run my TTS datamaster and tuner cat when need be. I have also worked out the power so that wont be a problem. If anyone has tried somthing similar I would be interested in any pit falls that may be waiting for me.
I curently have two amps 1 4x100 for the front and rear seperates (Boston 6" fornts and Infinity 6x9 rear) and a punch 250 driving a RF 12" sub.
I have seen a USB tuner and sound card and the lap top already has a DVD player so that should take care of the audio end. I Have found several 7" touch screens that I think will do the trick for the display and a mini keyboard that will fit in the center console as well as a 2" touch pad that will fit great between the seat controls. If this will work and the audio sounds Ok it would be great because I could rip all my CD's to MP3 and still be able to run my TTS datamaster and tuner cat when need be. I have also worked out the power so that wont be a problem. If anyone has tried somthing similar I would be interested in any pit falls that may be waiting for me.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 5,572
Likes: 4
From: Los Angeles Ca
Originally Posted by FD2BLK
I have an old 400MHz Laptop that I am considering istalling as the stereo has anyone done this?
I curently have two amps 1 4x100 for the front and rear seperates (Boston 6" fornts and Infinity 6x9 rear) and a punch 250 driving a RF 12" sub.
I have seen a USB tuner and sound card and the lap top already has a DVD player so that should take care of the audio end. I Have found several 7" touch screens that I think will do the trick for the display and a mini keyboard that will fit in the center console as well as a 2" touch pad that will fit great between the seat controls. If this will work and the audio sounds Ok it would be great because I could rip all my CD's to MP3 and still be able to run my TTS datamaster and tuner cat when need be. I have also worked out the power so that wont be a problem. If anyone has tried somthing similar I would be interested in any pit falls that may be waiting for me.
I curently have two amps 1 4x100 for the front and rear seperates (Boston 6" fornts and Infinity 6x9 rear) and a punch 250 driving a RF 12" sub.
I have seen a USB tuner and sound card and the lap top already has a DVD player so that should take care of the audio end. I Have found several 7" touch screens that I think will do the trick for the display and a mini keyboard that will fit in the center console as well as a 2" touch pad that will fit great between the seat controls. If this will work and the audio sounds Ok it would be great because I could rip all my CD's to MP3 and still be able to run my TTS datamaster and tuner cat when need be. I have also worked out the power so that wont be a problem. If anyone has tried somthing similar I would be interested in any pit falls that may be waiting for me.
heh! another geek!
check out my post...
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=983973
pitfalls... well the biggest pitfall with that system is going to be integrating that laptop into a seamless system. My goal was to have mine be as user friendly as possible meaning that i put the key in the ignition and it starts up, take the key out and it powers down. I dont want to have to flip a switch everytime. check out www.mp3car.com and they have a great community to help you... remember do a search before you ask :-D
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,655
Likes: 24
From: Charleston SC
Scott_FX
Thanks for the tips and the mp3 web site has exactly the software I was looking for. I also am going with a USB volume **** but think I am going with this one as it looks very nice and is only $44
http://www.carcpu.com/powermate.htm
I plan on mounting the laptop closed into a modified amp rack to make it as hiden as posible. I believe I have the keyboard demetions so that it can be mounted on a hinged plate in the center consols and i will look into the touch screen you recomended. What software are you running and are you happy with it? I see several choices and am curious to what you went with. Also did you install a tuner?
Thanks for the tips and the mp3 web site has exactly the software I was looking for. I also am going with a USB volume **** but think I am going with this one as it looks very nice and is only $44
http://www.carcpu.com/powermate.htm
I plan on mounting the laptop closed into a modified amp rack to make it as hiden as posible. I believe I have the keyboard demetions so that it can be mounted on a hinged plate in the center consols and i will look into the touch screen you recomended. What software are you running and are you happy with it? I see several choices and am curious to what you went with. Also did you install a tuner?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 5,572
Likes: 4
From: Los Angeles Ca
the powermate is very cool and very versatile but it's really big. i would suggest you rip that sucker apart and just use the components not the actual casing. I went the phidgets route becuase of it's small form factor will fit nicely where i need it.
I also mounted mine in my amp rack (am mounting it, just started the amp rack sunday)
The software i'm using is centrafuse, there is a link to it in the post i linked too above. He just released the latest version the other day and it's really quick. it has tons of great features and is simple. another great thing about it is that it supports character lcd display (which you could integrate into your system and have it display info so that it wont take up your monitors real estate. ) it is also skinnable so that you can make your own skin and not include the volume slider to clear up some more space (since you are going with a **** like me)
I went with xenarc just because i dont want to worry about having a piece that i will ahve to replace in a year, but you could have good luck wiht lilliput. check on ebay, i got my xenarc for $320, it's $420 on that site.
i dont have a tuner because i haven't listened to the radio in months, but i may get a xm unit to interface with it if i decide that i want radio.
one recommendation is plan out everything before you start and dont add to it until you're done. i found myself constantly getting more for it to make it very custom but i have a lot of work ahead of me now.
The great thing though...the sky is the limit!
I also mounted mine in my amp rack (am mounting it, just started the amp rack sunday)
The software i'm using is centrafuse, there is a link to it in the post i linked too above. He just released the latest version the other day and it's really quick. it has tons of great features and is simple. another great thing about it is that it supports character lcd display (which you could integrate into your system and have it display info so that it wont take up your monitors real estate. ) it is also skinnable so that you can make your own skin and not include the volume slider to clear up some more space (since you are going with a **** like me)
I went with xenarc just because i dont want to worry about having a piece that i will ahve to replace in a year, but you could have good luck wiht lilliput. check on ebay, i got my xenarc for $320, it's $420 on that site.
i dont have a tuner because i haven't listened to the radio in months, but i may get a xm unit to interface with it if i decide that i want radio.
one recommendation is plan out everything before you start and dont add to it until you're done. i found myself constantly getting more for it to make it very custom but i have a lot of work ahead of me now.
The great thing though...the sky is the limit!
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 3,655
Likes: 24
From: Charleston SC
One last question after reading up on the MP3 site it seems there are some problems with power spikes when starting. Did you use a tank circuit? I was thinking the laptop batery would be fine for this as long as the drain was slow enough. Sory for all the questions but I only want to do this once and I am getting a lot of great info off the site you provided but am just trying to sort through it all.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 5,572
Likes: 4
From: Los Angeles Ca
Originally Posted by FD2BLK
One last question after reading up on the MP3 site it seems there are some problems with power spikes when starting. Did you use a tank circuit? I was thinking the laptop batery would be fine for this as long as the drain was slow enough. Sory for all the questions but I only want to do this once and I am getting a lot of great info off the site you provided but am just trying to sort through it all.
that's the major problem for me right now is finding a power supply. since i really dont have a low power board i can't get away with a lot of those 'car pc specific' power supplies. A tank circuit; from what i've gathered is only to survive cranking (unless you hook up some sort of relay to switch to it during cranking). what you need is a voltage regulator. i'm not sure about laptops, if the power supplies have a built in protection against this or not. will you be using an inverter or getting a dc adapter plug for the laptop?
This is the most frustrating part of the whole build! i think i have finally come up with something that'll be dependable and will give my pc enoough juice. here it is:
power supply:
http://www.mp3car.com/store/product_...products_id=40
dc/dc converter/regulator (to prevent power spikes):
http://www.powerstream.com/dc-buck-boost.htm
Shut down/start up controller (to startup/shut down the pc automatically):
http://www.dashwerks.com/dw_dssc.php
did that answer your question in any way?
