Ok, so I've been looking around and it seems everyone is using the ITX computers, but I have a spare ATX full size tower around I can gut. Has anyone set this up? If so, any tips or pictures?

 

I've been looking at building a carputer and here is what I have found....although you can take parts from a regular desktop and use those, it's not the best way to go. 1.) You need a power supply that can take the issues associated with starting the car (high current draw). 2.) unless you plan on putting a tower in your trunk you need a small PC enclosure, 3.) you need a hard drive that is made for mobility and vibration such as a laptop drive or better yet a solid state drive. Beyond all that you need a touch screen as well. From your existing computer you could use the motherboard, chipset, RAM, and maybe the hard drive. Spend some time on mp3car.com and see for yourself. Hope that helps...

 

all it is is a different mother board size.. Just mount it were you would like it and go from there

 

I personally like the laptop approach. I got a used (but decent) laptop for $200 with an extra battery. Got a lilliput monitor for about $180 or so and a $30-40 inverter used to invert the power. Not bad for a full setup IMO plus your carputer has a backup battery at that point.

I replaced the stock clock with a custom bracket I made.

 

Take it you put the laptop under the seat? Which one? Pictures? That's my problem with using a bigger motherboard basis for it. I'm unsure whether it'll fit in a non seen place. I do like the trunk idea given above, but I'd prefer it to be out of sight.

 

atx will consume more power. ( every thing is big, hard to find space to mount it perfectly)


laptop is great if u gone boot it up manually every time u enter ur car. or buy a automatic shutdown and start up controller for the laptop.. ( plus the inverter sucking up power )

itx small less power consumption. everything is nice and tight.

 

Yup ATX consumes too much watts, it probably wont turn on with a power converter in the car.

 

Laptop is under the seat. I run a 90 watt converter about the size of a wallet, it even has a 5v out (ie. usb) port so you can power a USB hub as well with the same converter.

 

where is the best place to buy a ITX carputer. id like to get one soon

 

mp3car.com mini-itx.com minibox.com. mo-co-so.com. all them are good site for car pc setup.. if u want cheap itx board try newegg.com..

 

I used the following for my car pc:

Dell D610 laptop
Dell laptop adapter wired in
Carnetix CNX-P1900 power supply
Xenarc touchscreen

I had the power supply and screen from my last vehicle/carpc, before I had used a mac mini for its small size and low power consumption but in the end the operating system made it a royal pain. In the new setup I opened up the laptop, soldered some wires to the power button and drilled through the back of the laptop case to extend some pins to allow me to connect the power button remotely as well as have the power supply turn on and off the system soon after the engine comes on.

To mount the laptop I put it under the passenger seat, upside down with two industrial hook and loop fasteners (hook side) down so the laptop would basically attach to the floor carpet. Not the fanciest method but it holds during regular street driving and Auto-X.

Never used an ITX but the 'battery backup' that the laptop offers was the single best reason to go that way for me.

 

Definitely start browsing mp3car.com - they have a TON of resources and a good message board community.

Personally, I'd go with a Mini-ITX style for expandability/upgrade capability. Laptops are OK but no where near as mod friendly as the ITX. There are plenty of Mini-ITX motherboard options out there, I went with an Zotac IONITX board.

There can be a lot of different things involved in integrating a computer into an automobile so make sure you get everything well planned before you get started.

 

Any more info/pics on the Bracket?