deltabi

To anyone interested, I'm selling a few Carpc parts in this thread. Specially interesting is a complete cubby bezel with Xenarc 700TSV touchscreen monitor (brand new!). Thanks.

If this post is for me, then I have not yet decided what are going to be sold on which forum (here, MP3Car, ecc.). Almost certainly I'll post a FS announcement for the Xenarc touchscreen cubby on LegacyGT for obvious reason: I've spent more than 700$ on this and I would like to realize probably 2/3 of the price (excl. shipping). I just have to find the time the get some images and post them.

Darkfox1, I understand your thoughts pretty well. Probably the only difference is that I could install the OEM NAV as an accessory (thank God!); I also found a place (just on the other side of the border with Switzerland) where I could save about 40% of the price of the original parts. This was what made me switch to the OEM solution. For the MP3 I have an iPod, too, and the original AuxIn interface. I plan to verify what products Alpine and others are designing to integrate iPod with OEM systems (ie KCE-425i). I'll do the FS post in a few days, anyway.

Because the result does not completely satisfy my requirements: MP3 library, handsfree and navigation, above all others. For the MP3 library I could not find any real and complete integration with my iTunes library; the handsfree is simply not usable (echo issues), and the navigation is probably just average quality. (I used Centrafuse 1.47/2.0). Moreover I was not so convinced to hack the car in order to install all the pieces needed to run the CarPC. Anyway it has been an interesting project...

Talking about quitting project, I have to say that this weekend I have officially quitted my CarPC project! Friday I have installed the OEM Navi on my Subaru Outback 2.5i (I live in Europe) and I have to say that I'm happy with the result. I'm going to sell the CarPC parts which never went in the car (and thus are in like-new condition), including a Xenarc 700TSV MY08 already mounted on a cubby bezel. I look forward to insert a FS announcement here before widening the selling scope (ie. MP3Car.com and ebay). Anyone interested can show up... (remember I'm on the east side of the ocean!). Thanks to everybody for the help I got in this months.

Unfortunately I can't be of much help: I'm based in Italy and I can get the discount I'm referring to because I discovered that in Switzerland (70 km from where I live) Subaru accessories cost 40% less than in my country. And because italian is one of the three official swiss languages I can get the navi unit in my own language. Cheers.

Thanks for the link: I know it. Actually a few months before that thread I started this one http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67018 which grbspecb used as an inspiration, I suppose . The only reason I started the CarPC project is because I tought I could have more spending less: now that I'm almost ready to install it in the car I've realized that I'm not getting (all) that I wanted and I spent almost 2.000 € in it. This is the money I'll need to install a factory navi (with 40% discount). I really appreciate the factory look of the OEM navi: just add an iPod interface like the Alpine KCE-425i and a Parrot CK3100 handsfree kit and I've got all I need. Maybe one day I'll upgrade the navi with the G510/G520 unit, I mean if I'll keep the car for enough time! If everything goes on as I suppose, you'll see my classified in a couple of weeks, too. (That will include a nice cubby bezel complete with a Xenarc 700TSV touchscreen!). Good luck with your sell!

Hey! What's going wrong with it ? Actually, I'm abandoning the carPC project myself: I've found a way to buy the OEM navi at about 40% discount and I think I'll go that route.

It could also be a voltage problem: the Carnetix PSU if the voltage drop below a predefined limit shut itself off. I don't know if the M3-ATX has something similar...

I'm trying to go the Mac Mini route in the glovebox but I've not done a test, yet. Just taken measures and it looks like it can be done, probably opening the back of the glovebox for both ventilation and connector space.

I use a BU-353 unit with the Mac Mini and I don't have any issue with hibernation (I use a Carnetix 2140 PSU). (BTW the BU-353 actually is a serial GPS with an embedded USB-to-serial adapter.) The serial port is not always present in carPC hardware: it depends on the motherboard and/or the case.

OSX is a great software but in the carPC arena lacks a lot of possibilities... thus I'm using Windows XP. Yes, all recent Intel-based Macs can boot Microsoft Windows XP: you can choose between a dual-boot system (with Apple Bootcamp software) or do a single boot Windows installation simply booting from an XP installation CD and then adding the hardware specific drivers from a Mac OSX Leopard DVD. The Mac Mini is a nice piece of hardware: it is very compact, supports hibernation (which is a great feature for fast booting carPC) and it has not a BIOS splash screen which can be annoying in the car. I even streamlined my XP image by using NLite to remove non essential OS parts. Current boot times from cold are around 40 seconds and about 15-20 seconds from hybernation. As frontend software I'm using Centrafuse XLE togheter with a few plugins (TPMS, FileSync, ecc.).

I had the same identical doubts and decided to buy an Apple Mini that a shop was selling on discount (not the latest model). If you add the cost of a motherboard with a case, probably there isn't much difference from a price point of view and anyway the Mini provide ample performance numbers (I bought a Core Duo 1.67/512MB RAM/60GB HDD). My plan is to mount it in the glove box for the same identical reasons you explained; inside the glove box there there is a compartment for the manual which has the same identical dimensions of the mini (I own an Outback MY07). I think you can't find a smaller box than the mini, for what it provides. About cooling I think that it will not a problem: I plan to open the glovebox in the back and let the air go out in and under the dash. The mini is super silent and does not produce too much heat. Last thing: remember these are ideas/intentions and as I didn't yet realized them I can't guarantee they work! Good luck with your install.

Sharing the same feeling on the other side of the ocean... Summer vacations are my deadline: I promised myself they will be done with the new carPC! I'm just trying to do a phased roll-out to keep things simple and affordable, too. Regards.

Legz, Any news on the topic? I suspect american Outback/Legacy have a different glovebox. Can you post some pictures ? Thanks.

Thanks, legz for your comment, but from my measures it looks like the mini won't fit depth wise, especially considering the space for the video connector. Did you already tried it ? Do you have a picture of it ? Thanks in advance.

Thanks, F1. However it looks like the cases for nano-itx cannot be installed in the upper right space of the glovebox. At least not without hacking it. Moreover I'm not so sure about the performance of those boards... Mac mini is really incredibly small for the computing power and storage it has. Maybe I can design a support to be used below the glovebox...

Thanks, Kelvrick, for your answer. Could you please give me some more detail, esp. on the embedded board. Is it a commercially available product? How are the performance? Yesterday I had a look behind the glovebox and is does not look like there is a lot of space in the upper part (behind it there is the cabin air filter). Actually it is just two or three centimeters, right enough for passing the cables, I suppose.

Anyone tried putting a mac mini in the glovebox ? I'm planning my carpc installation and undecided between put the pc under driver's seat or in the glovebox. Personally I'm pending toward the latter because it looks easier (cables shorter) and more usable (DVD unit can be used). However I'm not sure if the space behind the glove compartment is enough to host the back of the mini (it looks like the upper part of the glovebox can easily host a mac mini apart for the depth). Thanks to anyone willing to contribute! PS: I own an european MY07 Outback.

..and for those looking for Brian? Can you do something for them ?

Thanks, man. I'm really interested in some more details, if you don't mind sharing them. I'd really love to integrate that info into the CarPC frontend (esp. the temperature reading and fuel data)...

NSFW, I'm in the same situation: actually he is making a bezel for me (since november!) and the last contact I had with him (via email) was the day before Christmas. I tried several times in the last month to get an answer to my emails but without luck. I hope he is reading at least this posts... Brian please let us know what's happening to you (and the bezels... ).

That is great news, CombatCQB! I'd really love to integrate that info in my upcoming CarPC project (BMac1203 are you listening? ). What kind of frontend are you using or intend to integrate the info with ? Thanks in advance. Diego.-

@BMac1203: you've got PM! Please have a look to it. Thanks.

There is an old thread with the service manual of the unit attached. If you can't find it let me know... I'll do the search for you! No, wait... here you are: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36342 The attachment is in the first post.