LCD Touchscreen Q's

[StereoInstaller1]

godspeed.

.

Bwaahaaaahaa! Simon, you haven't seen my project list!

Luke

[RobertK]

Xenarc > Liliput

Josh & I both know this from experience.

That's what I recommend for all our carputer installs.

Seems I read on several posts on mp3car.com that the lilli's blow. Hadn't heard of Xenarc, but I will check them out. Thanks for ther tip!

As far as noise, space, cooling, RF issues, whatever...I have been an installer since 1980. I have dealt with noise/RF crap for longer than most R3V'ers have been breathing. I am sure I can make all of this come together just fine.

The laptop will be on sliders under the passenger seat, most likely.

I am probably going to relocate batteries to either side of the rear seat, using smaller Kinetiks, but maybe not. Whatever I do, I am going to make better electrical stability for this goddamn car, somehow.


Luke

Liliputs aren't just cheap because of the noise they pick up they also have poor power supplies and like to randomly give up the ghost.

As far as the laptop config the reason most people don't go that route is because they don't want to bother with an inverter and would rather be able to make it boot up with the car or have a switch in the dash to start it up. Also using the underseat method can become a hassle when you have to keep reaching under the seat to reboot, or to switch disks out of the DVDROM.

I would sell the free laptop and built a small carputer with the proceeds.. or we could build the box for you.

[StereoInstaller1]

Nah..a slider will do just fine. I could always motorize it if it becomes a hassle.

I can always install the power button for the laptop in my center console, too.

Do you know of an ATX P/S that I can use that is reasonably cheap? I know of one that suspends to RAM when ACC is off, but it is over $200.

I have been building PC's since about 1995 or so, so the build is not a worry.

I just looked up Xenarc and called them. They have no mimimum order and are willing to sign me on as a dealer, so no biggie on getting them.

Thanks so much for all of the info, guys. Keep it coming!

Luke

[RobertK]

I wouldn't risk ruining the laptop by trying to relocate the button. Laptop circuitry is not as forgiving as a desktop.

Trust me on the slider issue. There is a reason more people don't use laptops as carputers.

As for an ATX DC->DC PSU I would get an Opus. Most reliable on the market and it's what we use in most of our robots. Stay away from anything close to the M1ATX.

[BigD]

I agree on all points, but Free Laptop > spending my few dollars on carputer.

The lilliput is intended for autmotive use, so it should be fine with the fluctuations of voltage it is gonna see.

Luke

Assumption is the mother of all... you know.

Meant for automotive use just means they are designed to run off 12 volts. Not 20+ which you can get from your alternator from time to time. You won't be the first person to fry a car LCD and not the last. A regulator isn't expensive, just put one in.

As far as the carputer, I agree with selling the laptop for parts. Or use the ram and HDD in the carputer, then all you'll need is the board, powersupply and build a good box for it. And a good regulated powersupply can be used to cure the LCD danger as well.

A-Open probably has the best board out there right now, the i945GTt-VFA

http://store.mp3car.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MTB-013

Then you'll just need a chip. If you want to run a ton of cool stuff like DVD, GPS etc etc etc then this is a godsent. Get a nice core duo M chip.

Or you can get a cheap VIA Epia board, which are equivalent to like a P3 300/400 so it's fine for basic stuff, and you won't need to buy a chip.