On-Board Computer System
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 45
From: Oregon
Car Info: 02 WRX. Straight Sexy.
On-Board Computer System
I've been working on an idea for computer engine management... This is what i've gotten so far.
I mounted a P4 computer where my spare tire usually is, added venting, shock absorbing material and ran power to a power converter under my driver's seat.
Took apart the converter, and ran switch and LED wires to convenient spot by steering column (by fuse box). Ran power thru firewall to battery with fuse interrupt. POWER!! Whoohoo! :banana:
I already had a Panasonic slide out/tilt monitor in-dash setup, so i ran s-video out into the Panasonic brain. VIDEO!! Whoohoo!
Have sound coming out of computer into brain as well. SOUND!! Whoohoo!
THEN i took apart a USB Keyboard and re-wired it, so it only had 7 keys. Up, down, left, right, tab, alt and enter. Plugged USB into computer, and bought custom pushbutton switches from Radio-Shack. Dremel-ed holes by shift boot, and ran wires from keyboard chip to the switches. BAM! Custom Keyboard. :banana: <--- Little played out eh? hehe
Here's pics of the keyboard setup. Black Shrink wrapped thing is Keyboard chip. Wires running out of that under floor. Mounted under rear seat bar. So no fatties will squish it. hehe
Have a trackball mouse controlling right now, but ordered custom touch pad mouse that mounts by e-brake and swivels up for sexy factor. Yup.
Right now i run all my music library (20 G) with sweet visuals all controlled by my 7 button keyboard.. Mwhaha! And engine management with Link U-Tec software. Boost baby.
Anyways, posting ideas for the sharing. Any questions on anything be glad to answer!
I mounted a P4 computer where my spare tire usually is, added venting, shock absorbing material and ran power to a power converter under my driver's seat.
Took apart the converter, and ran switch and LED wires to convenient spot by steering column (by fuse box). Ran power thru firewall to battery with fuse interrupt. POWER!! Whoohoo! :banana:
I already had a Panasonic slide out/tilt monitor in-dash setup, so i ran s-video out into the Panasonic brain. VIDEO!! Whoohoo!
Have sound coming out of computer into brain as well. SOUND!! Whoohoo!
THEN i took apart a USB Keyboard and re-wired it, so it only had 7 keys. Up, down, left, right, tab, alt and enter. Plugged USB into computer, and bought custom pushbutton switches from Radio-Shack. Dremel-ed holes by shift boot, and ran wires from keyboard chip to the switches. BAM! Custom Keyboard. :banana: <--- Little played out eh? hehe
Here's pics of the keyboard setup. Black Shrink wrapped thing is Keyboard chip. Wires running out of that under floor. Mounted under rear seat bar. So no fatties will squish it. hehe
Have a trackball mouse controlling right now, but ordered custom touch pad mouse that mounts by e-brake and swivels up for sexy factor. Yup.
Right now i run all my music library (20 G) with sweet visuals all controlled by my 7 button keyboard.. Mwhaha! And engine management with Link U-Tec software. Boost baby.
Anyways, posting ideas for the sharing. Any questions on anything be glad to answer!
You might be able to simplify the entire power setup because PC's normaly run off 12V dc current. It sounds like you are making TWO conversions here (from dc to ac back to dc) from what you said about hooking up an inverter. You should look into just running a fuesed 12V source directly from your battery to your motherboard and persiples. With some rigging this should work.
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 9
From: CT
You might want to check this out.
3677/MII Vehicle Kit link= http://www.mini-itx.com/store/default.asp?c=11#vk3677
Last edited by SubRob; Oct 8, 2004 at 08:47 AM.
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Posts: n/a
Mini-ITX's with a DC-DC converter would do the trick for sure.
I happen to have (3) VIA 800 mhz mini-itx's that I would like to get rid of, if interested PM me.
They are currently in super geeky (3) node cluster setup using compact flash for solid state booting. I have not completed it, but everything is mounted in a small aluminum stand and wired. The CF/IDE and mother boards have all been power-on tested. It's only missing the DC/DC converters. I will sell this bad-**** also.
PM if anyone is interested.
I happen to have (3) VIA 800 mhz mini-itx's that I would like to get rid of, if interested PM me.
They are currently in super geeky (3) node cluster setup using compact flash for solid state booting. I have not completed it, but everything is mounted in a small aluminum stand and wired. The CF/IDE and mother boards have all been power-on tested. It's only missing the DC/DC converters. I will sell this bad-**** also.
PM if anyone is interested.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 45
From: Oregon
Car Info: 02 WRX. Straight Sexy.
Originally Posted by bpang1
You're the truth...
WOW so that one computer runs everything? Do you watch DVDs and get internet too? How bout playing compuer games? That would be tight! GOOD JOB!
WOW so that one computer runs everything? Do you watch DVDs and get internet too? How bout playing compuer games? That would be tight! GOOD JOB!
VIP Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 270
From: Japan, where the term "JDM" doesn't exist
Car Info: '94 WRX, '97 Forester S/Tb, '95 WRX-RA
Dammit! You beat me to it! I had this idea for about a year now, and I was just shopping around for the parts to make it happen a couple days ago. Only difference was, I intend on using a mini-ATX (probably a tore up Shuttle XPC system) board mounted in a modified glove box on aircraft circuitboard shock absorbers (If you need some, PM me). Thanks to the reading here, I can probably cut out the power inverter. Glad to see its ok to be a Subaru enthusiast and a closet computer nerd at the same time. Definitely post more pics when you are done!
Registered User
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 19
From: Boston
Nice setup, I'm using a touchscreen instead of all the buttons.
My setup is an old 600E IBM laptop, direct DC power in at 16v, no power worries since if the voltage dips, the laptop battery has me covered, no worries about the HD since its a laptop HD rated for extreme hot/cold/shock, an 8" touchscreen LCD, does 1024x768 resolution, no need for a keyboard or mouse, dvd drive, usb camera to record whatever, thinking of adding another camera for a backup camera, usb to 7100t blackberry phone cable for unlimited free internet wherever I have reception, Destinator GPS software, (neat features like 3d view and routing by quickest or shortest route etc. full US maps,) Winamp with 12 gb of music, and I can hook up an external portable usb hard drive to view all my divx movies.
The only things left that I want are a obdII scanner hookup cable so I can do virtual gauges.
The only thing visible is the touch screen.
Mp3car.com has awesome suggestions for how to hook all this up, great resource if you're into this stuff.
Sorry for the bad grammar and spelling, I'm typing one handed while holding a sick kid.
My setup is an old 600E IBM laptop, direct DC power in at 16v, no power worries since if the voltage dips, the laptop battery has me covered, no worries about the HD since its a laptop HD rated for extreme hot/cold/shock, an 8" touchscreen LCD, does 1024x768 resolution, no need for a keyboard or mouse, dvd drive, usb camera to record whatever, thinking of adding another camera for a backup camera, usb to 7100t blackberry phone cable for unlimited free internet wherever I have reception, Destinator GPS software, (neat features like 3d view and routing by quickest or shortest route etc. full US maps,) Winamp with 12 gb of music, and I can hook up an external portable usb hard drive to view all my divx movies.
The only things left that I want are a obdII scanner hookup cable so I can do virtual gauges.
The only thing visible is the touch screen.
Mp3car.com has awesome suggestions for how to hook all this up, great resource if you're into this stuff.
Sorry for the bad grammar and spelling, I'm typing one handed while holding a sick kid.
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