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Complete PC instead of a Car Stereo

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the now-that-looks-cool dept.

An anonymous reader submitted linked to a PC that fits in your car stereo slot. It's a bit spendy at $1k, but its got CD/DVD, PCMCIA, USB, Keyboard, Mic, Headphones, VGA, more. And besides being powered by your car, it also has built in GPS. Lots of interesting hacking ideas here for people who prefer to spend more time in their cars then me ;)

10 of 259 comments (clear)

  1. Empeg? by strags · · Score: 5, Informative

    Although the Empeg (now known as Rio Car) isn't Intel-based, it runs on a decently powered StrongARM CPU, and includes a nice screen as well. Runs Linux, and I believe is somewhat hackable.

    Since they've stopped production, they're selling off the last ones really cheap - $399 for 60GB version. If you want a nice, hackable in-car computer to hack around with you might want to snap one of these up before they're all gone.

  2. Gives a new meaning... by rickthewizkid · · Score: 5, Funny

    to the term "crashing your computer..."

    "But officer, I was only trying to reboot linux..."

    -RickTheWizKid

    1. Re:Gives a new meaning... by Ldir · · Score: 5, Funny
      "But officer, I was only trying to reboot linux^H^H^H^H^H Windows ...

      Just curious, on a car PC, do you reboot by hitting [Brake], [Accelerator] and the [Glove Compartment Knob] simultaneously?

      Is the horn the [Any] key?

      Are you comfortable with, "A Fatal Exception has Occurred ..."?

      Inquiring minds want to know.

  3. And now the story in English (copy-edited) by BadDoggie · · Score: 5, Funny
    You really outdid yourself here, Rob.

    An anonymous reader's submission linked to a PC which fits in your car's stereo slot. It's a bit spendy at $1k, but it's got CD/DVD, PCMCIA, USB, Keyboard, Mic, Headphones, VGA and more. Besides being powered by your car, it also has built-in GPS. Lots of interesting hacking ideas here for people who prefer to spend more time in their cars than me. ;)

    There's people out there who have to "fish" this site and come up with garbage when you write "then" instead of "than". IIRC, you were supposed to learn the difference in 2nd or 3rd grade in the US.

    woof.

    Spelling doesn't matter? So where do I get a compiler that can handle IF...THAN statements and won't bitch that some variable hasn't been declared simply because I misspelled it on second use? Sheesh!

    1. Re:And now the story in English (copy-edited) by DaveBarr · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Mod me down, but I for one appreciate comments like this.

      Proper spelling and good grammar is one of those things that matters only when it's lacking. Being good at grammar and spelling won't make you more persuasive, but the inability to understand the difference between "its" and "it's" or "lose" and "loose" will ensure many people (especially influential people) won't give you the time of day.

      If we expect ourselves to be taken seriously by the world, this is one of those things we just have to suck up, turn off your spell checkers, and learn to do it right.

      (Sure, this is just an article about a dash PC, but if you can't do it now, what will you do when an issue about privacy or intellectual property or individual freedoms comes along?)

  4. My Setup by Accipiter · · Score: 5, Informative

    I have a computer in my car.

    No display, but it's got plenty of music. I got a cheap 300w Power Inverter for something like $50 from Wal Mart. Plugs into the cigarette lighter.

    From there, I have a P166 in a tiny little case under the passenger seat plugged into the inverter. The computer has a network card and a Sound Blaster Awe64. Line Out from the sound card runs to a Ground Loop Isolator (to eliminate the interference buzz from the inverter, $14 at Radio Shack), and from there, connects to my car's factory radio via one of those CD-Player Cassette adapters.

    The computer has no display, and is controlled via PS/2 keypad. Around 370 mp3-format songs are loaded on the Western Digital hard drive, which has proven remarkably hardy in all kinds of driving conditions. It also has a built-in NIC, so I can upload new songs.

    Cost? About $200. (Computer was around $70, wires - $20, inverter - $50, keypad - $10, GLI - $15, Sound Blaster - $10, Cassette Adapter - $3.) Much cheaper than the above novelty, and much more flexible and expandable.

    --

    -- Give him Head? Be a Beacon?
    (If you can't figure out how to E-Mail me, Don't. :P)

  5. Do the hack yourself... by Calle+Ballz · · Score: 5, Informative

    ...and save your stereo slot.

    My stereo slot is very very important to me since I like really really loud music. But I also wanted a computer in my car so that I can have mp3's piped through my stereo. I have the World's Smallest PC with it's audio output going into my car stereo. As a screen I am using a 5" LCD screen very sloppily mounted in the passenger side sun visor. With a happy hacker keyboard and a wireless trackball... I don't need to leave my car.

  6. Too much "head-down time" by Animats · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Auto dashboards shouldn't have something of that complexity. Too distracting. Pilots call this "head-down time", time spent looking at the controls instead of the window, and a big problem in modern cockpit design is reducing head-down time. But aircraft have autopilots, big planes have two people, and in cruise flight in uncongested airspace, near-term trouble from the outside is unlikely. None of this applies to automobiles.

    1. Re:Too much "head-down time" by C.+Mattix · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Why can't the auto manufactures develop a decent HUD. Imagine something that could project the centerline of the road on the window when it is snowing or raining hard. Or perhaps, it could incorporate itself with the collision avoidence systems and show when obstacles are in the way.

      You could even have a game in it, you know. . if someone cuts you off on the highway, then you press a button on the stearing wheel, and it sends a projected missle at it or something.

      Seriously, I think HUDS in cars would be great, and it would definitly limit the above mentioned "head-down" time.

  7. What I'd like to see. by Associate · · Score: 5, Interesting

    1. A machine that interfaces with the on board computer so you can see what codes, translated into meaningful messages, are being sent to the car's computer.
    2. With the above, remind you when to perform routine maintenance like oil change, tire rotation, coolant flush, transmission flush, usw. This would also give you a good idea if your mechanic is honest or not. (Don't give him root.)
    3. Firewire
    4. Voice control
    5. HUD
    6. There might be some benefit to incorporating the security alarm.

    From what I know, all of these things are possible. But someone, maybe one of our own, need's to build it first.

    I can't think of anything else right now.

    --
    Someone hates these cans.