Adding a computer to your car (CarPuter)

Step 7 The Console and USB Cam

Here you can see the whole setup - the video is a live conversation I was having wi-fi with
my friend phil. and below I will describe the pictures in detail:



First Picture:
The front, you can see the mac mini mounted above in what was a place for glasses,
all the wiring sits behind it with a cutout access panel.
to the left of the rear view mirror is a USB webcam hooked in.
One of the ideas I had was to mount a frontview camera as well, and if there was a accident
automatically record the incident (trigger from the car system) but never got around to doing it.

The center console with a pop up touch screen, that was hidden when the car was parked
The computer is also out of the line of view, and when my car was robber last year
they didn't touch the computer. (prob didnt even see it)

Second Picture:
The remote on the left controls a Built in Garmin GPS system - which pumps the video
to the same screen, To have everything integrated I could not get a touchscreen unit
so to enter in destination data I use the remote.

Third picture:
This is the roof of the car, the back antenna is a radio :)
there us a wifi antenna as well as two GPS antennas (one on top, one in the front)
the wifi antenna on top added about 500' or extended range to my wifi
(enough time to find a open wifi, download mail / updates to my computer)
(this was before EVO cellular internet was a viable option)


Picture four:
Just the car, I love my car.

Comments

[TheLandYacht]

So far, so good. I've had a 'puter in my ride for going on 13 years now, started way back in the day with a "repurposed" computer & monitor from home (set I'd just upgraded from). Talk about "kludge", this was before LCD's so a big honkin CRT monitor and a huge tower computer...and Bungee Cords EVERYWHERE!

Current setup: 2010 Ford E350 Passenger van:
The current iteration is 1 19" widescreen up front between the driver & passenger seat, directly below that are keyboard & mouse. Mounted to the driver door, placed so the hand falls naturally on it when resting on the door, is a "game pad" (think lots of buttons) with all the most used functions mapped to macros.
In the back are 2 more 19" monitors up high to show the same content as the front monitor, and a 17" touchscreen for the passengers to interact with the system (made, with the assistance of a friend, a touch-friendly interface).
The 'puter sits behind the driver's seat, "strapped" in place with a carrying strap that came with a LanBoy case from Antec years ago. Easy to remove for upgrades, I just "click" it back in place & plug everything back in.

[MagicTom]

Wow. my dreamcar! :D

[Mikey8567]

Ok for those that are concidering putting a computer in the car or want a WiFi hot spot in the car (say you have a bussiness carpool pdas, laptops, email ect, or your a family that has kids with game machines) take a look at this!

http://www.autonetmobile.com/

No I don't work for them, I am doing a full fledged carputer install, custom dash board, custom couputer, touchscreens in dash 5.1 surround sound the works and wanted to find a perm mount wifi solution with out using those crappy MyFi's or the even worse usb plug in cell doggles. This thing is great and good priced,

It won't phade out like the doggles and is USA baised only (They have been talking about trying in other countries).

Just a thought. And yes I still run around with my laptop using Hot spots untill I get the project compleated.

Either way your setup looks good and nice choice on letting them run the wiring if your not sure, too many hack up wiring harness's and then ask "What happened"

And for a FrontEnd software (the carputer software) check out www.Centrafuse.com  thats what I'm running and it's a very nice software for touch screen based systems (you can still use a mouse if you like).

[macgeek]

The price of data, is the same as a MiFi or sprints new device,
the advantages of it being only for your car is very limited.

If I pay $60 a month for Mobile Data, I want it to follow me everywhere
not just in my car, SO I would opt more for a MiFi

Jonathan

[beehard44]

ya would be more lucky in the Philippines with the USB dongle that uses the cell network, Php 10 for every 30 minutes, thats about .20 dollars per 30 mins. Text messaging costs about .02dollars per message.That is good news, but you will have a hard time surviving on the road. If you do survive, good luck your unit does not get stolen when you park.........

Good luck!

[Mikey8567]

Yes price is about the same, But the battey is rechargable Lipo (would still have to set up something to the car, same as having it tethered to the car), The more people using the (Max 5 IP addys with MiFi) the faster it drains the battery. The MiFi is only ment as a stationary system (ment to set on a desk or a non moving car) where as the other is ment to be moble and won't suffer the signal loss as does the Mifi and the USB doggles do. The Autonetmobile in car system has up to a 500ft radius where as your limited to like a 100ft radius with Mifi. Autonetmobile was built for the moble applacation in mind not just a simple portable cell/wifi as the Mifi was. Mifi is a great lil gadget for those that want to set up a quick lil WiFi hot spot for a meeting or checking stocks of mail or such. It wasn't designed for the car and thats why I suggested it for the car (auto) applacation. Either way what ever works for you, I guess you could say MiFi is a personal Hotspot where as the Autonetmobile is a mobile WiFi hotspot. And with a Carputer in mind if some ones going to go thru the trouble (not a prob with me I like the idea of a computer in the car) of instaling a carputer (perm baised) then the Autonetmobile is a much better idea. Other wise what would be the point? You would just use MiFi or a Cell doggle and a laptop (thats not a carputer).

[macgeek]

My system is set up with WiFi war driving.
when it detects a open network, it logs in, gets a IP and downloads data.
if it loses connections, it picks up where it left off and Downloads again.
(think stop and go traffic, or a traffic light) - for Highway driving
rest stops, and traffic (where I would be more likely to read email, or downloaded data) - My sister has a USB (verizon) dongle and has been WiFi'ed connected
driving down from Upstate NY to NYC (her hubby drives, she surfs)

I am sure the Autonetmobile is more verbose, and is NEEDED in a fleet
or commercial environment. , But the average person...

Jonathan

[menahunie]

True I do the same thing with my laptop and an external ant. war driving. As for install a computer in to the car did that also. Bought a used Police car computer with keyboard and lcd flat screen. popped in a pc card wifi and external ant. The main cpu is small; like two bricks side by side. Does the job fine since I am not intended it for gaming..

[Mikey8567]

No going to get into an match about which one is better, it's personal choice, This product was not designed for the FLEET OR COMMERCIAL ENVIROMENT it was designed for the general public. Go look a tthe reviews, you'll see those that had both and for their resons prefered th Autonet, the ones that didn't like it complained about either the limited amount of data per month (there is no carrier nor product that offers unlimited datd a month for $59, Verison offered but changed it to the same), and other like you say it's mot mobile. Some said it wasn't fast enough, well it's not a hard line in your house and it's not designed for gaming or streaming of movies (neither is Mifi or doggle, it eats up your allowed data per month). Don't bother with the reviews that are 2yrs old either, the system has been in use for quite a while and things have changed. And again I'll say this "It's designed for the CAR", it's not ment to be taken out and put in your pocket and taken into the office.Thats what the MiFi's are for. So the size and portablility is a moot point. I just say weigh your choices, look at what you want out of a product and choose the product that works best for you. Oh yea again Review Each Product and make your own choice. And the War Driving is fine if your dealing with loss connections, Autonet is designed to stop that so you don't have to run special sotfware to make up for the lost connections due to other products.

Eaither way don't listen to either one of us, use your own abliity to check each product out and decide for yourself.

The End

[Mikey8567]

BTW kool idea on the wifi bumper sticker.