Win98 running on the 3G *PICS*

[zinj]

I had a lot of old random computer parts lying around, so I built a PC to live in my 3g.

Here is my dash, nice and stealthy:



With the glovebox open (and me watching a Futurama episode)... the wire you see has the button attached to it to turn the computer on/off:



Side view... you can see the wireless keyboard I use to control it, and the optical mouse I'm temporarily using... I'll replace that with a touchpad built in to the glove box at some point. There is a 4-port USB hub under the passenger seat, as is the wireless keyboard receiver unit.



All the wiring is hidden under the carpet/trim pieces, just showing off more of that, hehe:



Here is the power inverter in the trunk... you can see I haven't finished cleaning up all the cables:



OK, for the computer itself, you need a little explanation... I'm still working on a good harness system... what you see in the picture is a section of garden trellis, and some string (hey, it was cheap! )... I'll be replacing that:

[zinj]

Specs (and how much it cost):

Computer:

• Intel MicroATX Motherboard (D815EPFV) ...... $40
• Celeron 533 CPU ...... free (had lying around)
• 128MB PC100 SDRAM ...... free (had lying around)
• ATI All-In-Wonder Pro 8mb (Video Card) ...... free (had lying around)
• Extra 50mm fan ...... free (had lying around)
• 13GB ATA66 Hard Drive ...... free (had lying around)
• Antec MicroATX 150-Watt power supply ...... $26
• Case (plastic storage box from Office Max ) ...... $4

Other:

• Legacy 7.2 inch LCD Video Monitor (LM71) ...... $120
• Power Inverter (12V DC to 115V AC) ...... $35
• Logitech Wireless Keyboard ...... $40
• USB Hub ...... $17
• Misc Cables, Fuses, etc, ...... $20

With shipping and tax, the total I spent on the project came out to less than $350.

[zinj]

Why did I build it? For fun, mostly, and because if I bought a nice mp3-deck, it would probably cost almost as much.

On the hard drive, I have 11 GB of mp3s, cartoons (futurama, simpsons, etc), car videos, puzzle fighter , etc.

I also plan to install some road-atlas software, so when I get lost, I can pull over to the side of the road and type in my location and where I want to go and get driving directions.

Other planned additions: for $55, I can get an external USB case for my old DVD-ROM drive, so I can watch DVDs... Maybe I'll also put in a GPS unit.

The only important thing left to do is to hook it up to my head unit for sound... I'll have that done by this weekend, hopefully.

[Mike's89AccordLX]

Dude I would just install a PS2 instead of doing the old dvd rom. It looks like you could handle the install. I have to give you props on doing something that I don't think I could handle. I would just say f*ck it and buy a laptop and get wireless internet but hey that's just me.

[2Fast_Fiero]

Thats sweet yo! I love your interior. Even tho its the color I don't like, its the same interior I have but your interior is in great condition. and mine isn't! I'm in the process (whenever I have free time) of seting up something almost Identical. But what I'm doing is getting a bad a** wireless setup going on. I will be building a computer almost Identical to yours, but a lil more powerful to run Windows XP or 2kPro. Prefibly 2KPro just because how its setup. Then since my apartment has 1800kbps Comcast running through it, I will setup a wireless router and hook up the computer inside the car which I will mount where the space saver is supposed to go, Make a custom wireing harness for the car to be hooked up to a Monitor in the middle console under the Stereo Deck, I also have a SoundBlaster sound card that has RCA PreAmp Outputs, My deck has an imput for a DVD/CD Changer that I will have to use the SoundBlasters PreAmp OutPuts to make a custom wireing harness for the sound to go directly to my deck and run off my amps. I will be using the same type of case, but be setting it up so that you can sort of see the internals which I will detail with custom wires, lights, fans and what not. There will also be some UV Lights to make things look Alien Shipish. A Wireless LapTop style keyboard W/built in touchpad will be placed in the glovebox and be allowed to go anywheres in the car. My friend who's about to become a millionare with his Auto Recharging Generator is going to help me design the perfect setup to have my car recharge itself even when the car's turned off. Everything will be ALL SHOW and Some GO on my car. The Computer and 2 Interstate Batteries including the custom regenerating unit will be custom installed by me in the trunk to seem like a big brain, as my friend Eli calls it! lol. I will also have 3 10" Pioneer IMPP DVC's custom installed in the trunk , There will be 3 Pioneer Amps including 2 2channel amps custom mounted on the sides of the trunk where the little spaces are, then the big 1channel mono amp will be be mounted on the top of the trunk. Dynamat will be hiden behind everything and most of the Dynamat will be MADE by my friend since he knows all of that sh*t. Everything in the cockpit will also be flush, but will be setup to be hiden except for the monitor. I don't want uninvited guests looking at my shit so I don't want any wires, keyboards, speakers or anything showing when my car's parked at any place. My room mate's hooked up Mirage was just vandilized. I had the case allready. It was a translucent case, but I sold it to a friend.
The wireless network will be routed to my comcast only when I'm within a 1.4ghz area. It will be shared on a network between my brothers house, my dads house, and mine. I will also set it up so that I can direct IP connect to it through any computer as long as the car is within that wireless area, to upload movies, music, personal and any other type of data I want. It will not be setup for chat or anything like that, But I will accasionaly pull up to my apt. to update 3geez.Com's website :super:. This is going to be the cheap part of my car's life, the expencive part will be my alarm system. I will be getting the money from my Eclipse. I have had enough of Boost Problems. That Eclipse runs constant 16's when it should be running 15's...Just because it goes from 16-11psi.

[86LxGurL]

Thats pretty creative. nice job.

[88' Accord Ltd]

Thats pretty sweet man! Nice ghetto case for the computer too!

[zinj]

Originally posted by Mike's89AccordLX
Dude I would just install a PS2 instead of doing the old dvd rom. It looks like you could handle the install. I have to give you props on doing something that I don't think I could handle. I would just say f*ck it and buy a laptop and get wireless internet but hey that's just me.

Yeah, good point... but I wanted to keep this close to the cost of a nice mp3-deck. I have emulators on it for PS1, N64, Dreamcast, etc, so I could at least play PS1 games from the DVD drive... I'll look for some emulators for newer systems, that's a good idea.

[zinj]

Originally posted by InfiniteGSX
I will be building a computer almost Identical to yours, but a lil more powerful to run Windows XP or 2kPro. Prefibly 2KPro just because how its setup.

I was thinking about that too, but one of the main factors of the project was power consumption. I chose the celeron because I had an extra, but also because it doesn't draw much power. The whole system draws less than 60 watts rms most of the time, which is about half as much as my speakers. :lol

...Make a custom wireing harness for the car to be hooked up to a Monitor in the middle console under the Stereo Deck...

I think that placement of the LCD would look a lot better than what I did. I only put mine in the glovebox because I wanted it to look stock so it wouldn't get stolen. It was also really hard to screw in.

I also have a SoundBlaster sound card that has RCA PreAmp Outputs, My deck has an imput for a DVD/CD Changer that I will have to use the SoundBlasters PreAmp OutPuts to make a custom wireing harness for the sound to go directly to my deck and run off my amps.

Cool, yeah, I'm going from 1/4-inch audio cable to stereo RCA, which will be run into the inputs on my head unit. I really hope that the quality will be as good as running RCA all the way... we'll see.

I will be using the same type of case...

Hehe, mine was designed to be one thing... cheap! Since mine is in the trunk, hopefully noone will see it.

My friend who's about to become a millionare with his Auto Recharging Generator is going to help me design the perfect setup to have my car recharge itself even when the car's turned off.

Actually, this turned out to be less of a problem than I thought. According to the info that came with the inverter, I can run my computer for 2 hours, and then run the car engine for 10 minutes, and it will be back to full charge. But that's a really cool idea, to have it recharge without having to run the engine... saves gas too!

Everything will be ALL SHOW and Some GO on my car. The Computer and 2 Interstate Batteries including the custom regenerating unit will be custom installed by me in the trunk to seem like a big brain, as my friend Eli calls it! lol. I will also have 3 10" Pioneer IMPP DVC's custom installed in the trunk , There will be 3 Pioneer Amps including 2 2channel amps custom mounted on the sides of the trunk where the little spaces are, then the big 1channel mono amp will be be mounted on the top of the trunk. Dynamat will be hiden behind everything and most of the Dynamat will be MADE by my friend since he knows all of that sh*t. Everything in the cockpit will also be flush, but will be setup to be hiden except for the monitor. I don't want uninvited guests looking at my shit so I don't want any wires, keyboards, speakers or anything showing when my car's parked at any place. My room mate's hooked up Mirage was just vandilized. I had the case allready. It was a translucent case, but I sold it to a friend.
The wireless network will be routed to my comcast only when I'm within a 1.4ghz area. It will be shared on a network between my brothers house, my dads house, and mine. I will also set it up so that I can direct IP connect to it through any computer as long as the car is within that wireless area, to upload movies, music, personal and any other type of data I want. It will not be setup for chat or anything like that, But I will accasionaly pull up to my apt. to update 3geez.Com's website :super:. This is going to be the cheap part of my car's life, the expencive part will be my alarm system. I will be getting the money from my Eclipse. I have had enough of Boost Problems. That Eclipse runs constant 16's when it should be running 15's...Just because it goes from 16-11psi.

That sounds awesome man! That would be really pimp to set up a wireless network in your neighborhood. It's all about having a fun project to work on... I wish I had some mechanical skills, then I would be doing things to my engine too.

[netfreak]

Haha that trunk setup rocks! With a GPS, you can get one with a data cable and power it off the inverter (or the 12V) and have it plugged in the back of the computer. You'd probably have to keep it in the trunk but if you leave it on all the time, just get the computer to download the data and place you on a map. I picked up a cheap old Magellan GPS for $80 CDN that I plan on running to a laptop with maps.

[2Fast_Fiero]

Yea. I'm kinda just typeing up on my computer in a text file everything that needs to be done. I need to get my new blue interior first because my stock brown interior is messed up! White paint spilled in the back seat, my driver side door is demolished. I want a black LCD Screen so that it is realy dark with the dark tint windows I'm going to have, nobody will see it. the rest of the stuff like the speaker covers will have something black or blue covering it so that nobody knows what type of speakers I have. (if they knew, it would give them a reason to rip off my car) When I'm at a car show, then I'll open the trunk, windows down, doors open, stuff like that.

[pimp86LX]

windows98 on the 3g....lol hope ya don't get the blue screen of death or ur fucked...LOL

[2old_honda]

have you thought about using a DC-DC power supply instead of that DC-AC inverter?

[netfreak]

Originally posted by 2old_honda
have you thought about using a DC-DC power supply instead of that DC-AC inverter?

The computer uses AC though....

[pimp86LX]

I think he meant not using the AC power supply, but the mobo uses less than 5v DC (what is it 2.8V now?) and they're soo touchy to surges it'd be safter to keep the AC power supply.

[netfreak]

True. An inverter will also protect against normal surges in your car's DC 12V system (same reason why using a cell phone cigarette charger slowly kills your battery).

[zinj]

Originally posted by pimp86LX
I think he meant not using the AC power supply, but the mobo uses less than 5v DC (what is it 2.8V now?) and they're soo touchy to surges it'd be safter to keep the AC power supply.

As far as I can remember, it uses the 12V, 5V, and 3.3V power rails... but I could be wrong...

2old_honda:
It would be much more efficient to use a DC-DC power supply, but they are expensive and a bit hard to come by in the microATX form factor. If you happen to come across one, let me know, I'd be very interested.

Also, like netfreak and pimp86LX were getting at, I think the modified sine wave AC output from the inverter is safer than straight DC.

But I think I'm OK in terms of surges. I have 2 fuses (in series, different ratings) on the computer circuit and 2 fuses on the LCD circuit.

The great thing about this ghetto computer is that if stuff breaks I can replace it cheap!

[2old_honda]

Originally posted by zinj
As far as I can remember, it uses the 12V, 5V, and 3.3V power rails... but I could be wrong...

you are correct

Originally posted by zinj
2old_honda:
It would be much more efficient to use a DC-DC power supply, but they are expensive and a bit hard to come by in the microATX form factor. If you happen to come across one, let me know, I'd be very interested.

I will. I found a few small ones a couple years ago when I put a computer into my friends lumina. They were really expensive and he just kept the DC-AC inverter. With more and more people putting computers into cars, I am sure they have gone down in price.

[POS carb]

http://www.opussolutions.com/150watt.html

[HostileJava]

I've been thinking about doing somthing like that for a long time and just never could picture where everthing should be mounted, I like the way you did it but that wouldn't be enough for me, I want it to look like the car was meant for it. It does look very cool though. Do you use it while the car is in motion? If so, how did you mount the HDD to protect against shock? Does cooling seem to be a problem in the trunk? It looks like there may be a fan on the other side of that container, if not is the PSU fan the only thing your using to exhaust hot air? Why not get a mATX case or desktop (vs tower) case and use that instead of the container?

[iamvandemon]

thats way cool bro... high tech 3rd gen!! lol

[zinj]

Originally posted by HostileJava
... I like the way you did it but that wouldn't be enough for me, I want it to look like the car was meant for it.

Heh, I'm definitely not happy with the way it is mounted, and I'll have to play around with that... I think I'll check out auto supply stores for cargo nets designed specifically for cars.

Do you use it while the car is in motion? If so, how did you mount the HDD to protect against shock?

The hard drive is screwed into brass motherboard spacers, which are screwed into the plastic side of the case. The plastic has a tiny amount of give to it (shock absorption?), but other than that, I just hope for the best. I have a bunch of small hard drives, and so I'm just testing to see how much it will take before it fails.

Does cooling seem to be a problem in the trunk? It looks like there may be a fan on the other side of that container...

Yep, there is a 50mm (CPU cooler sized) fan on the opposite side of the case. This is problematic, because the computer sometimes shifts up against the back seat, blocking the airflow. But even with that happening, it doesn't get very hot. Celerons stay pretty cool in general, the hard drive is only 5400 rpm, and the mobo is mounted on a metal plate creating a gap between it and the plastic.

Why not get a mATX case or desktop (vs tower) case and use that instead of the container?

Hey, ya can't beat $4 in terms of price...
This whole thing was done on a shoestring budget... when I have extra money lying around, I'll improve the design. Actually, I was considering building it in an old VCR case, and I may do that when I change the video card to a less bulky one. ... or I may break down and get a real case.

[zinj]

Originally posted by POS carb
http://www.opussolutions.com/150watt.html

POS carb

Any idea how much it costs or where to buy it?

[HostileJava]

Shoulda used this board .

J/k, it's cool the way it is.

[POS carb]

or build your own:
5v
12v