Car PC

[aigochamaloh]

Why did they get rid of it after 06? WTF! Hahahahaha, oh well. I guess I'll have to splice into the radio or something. They did leave an ACC switched line there right? I wonder if I can get the satellite radio harness and plug it into the stock headunit and take switched power off of there.

[Jerboa113]

iirc the fuse panel has a 12v line you can tap.

 

you can use the sig lighter 12v for acc since it powrs off with the car.

[nemo]

I don't know what connector the factory navi plugs into, but the OP connector provides constant 12v, ACC, IGN, Speed signal and various light signals too.

 

Actually, if you have the vacation pics look for "OP Connector System" and it will tell you what lead carries what.

 

Vacation Pics?

[Jerboa113]

dont ask.

[nemo]

don't tell?

 

[aigochamaloh]

iirc the fuse panel has a 12v line you can tap.

 

you can use the sig lighter 12v for acc since it powrs off with the car.

 

I have a 10 gauge kit for power and everything. I hate splicing into stock wiring, but I guess I can go after the cigarette lighter if it comes down to that for the ACC switched power.

[Jerboa113]

yea its just something that tells the system to turn on. You can use one of those spade crimps.

[f1anatic]

I have about 10 seconds lag between key on in ignition and the juice flowing to the CarPC and Screen. The juice comes from the Carnetix P-1900 inverter which is getting feedback from the middle cigarette lighter.

[Jerboa113]

f1 what atre you using for aux input? Or does your radio have stock aux in?

 

I am using the jazzy mod and I have mad ground loop even from my iphone being powered off the cig lighter.

 

its better now than it was, but most of the time I leave the thing unplugged because its so loud.

 

I dont want to have to use a GLI just for this, but I guess I dont even understand why its even a factor.

[f1anatic]

I am using the Jazzy with the GLI. I purchased the premium package at the time cause i did not want to take a chance and feel disappointed by the sound, for 25 bucks more only. But I got to say: it was better in the begining. Now I am hearing some static/interference in the system, espec if I am talking on the phone. The funny thing is, my BBerry has such a crappy signal indoors, that I cannot conceive it affects the system....but it does.

[nemo]

^ I haven't tried, but when I developed a few plug-ins for it, the skinning portion didn't look very easy. But some people could probably pick it up quicker than others.

[dbrunone]

So I havent read all 95 pages of this thread, but I'm sure someone's covered it....

 

Is this possible to do using the stock Subaru NAV touchscreen?? That would be amazing.

[executor485]

So I havent read all 95 pages of this thread, but I'm sure someone's covered it....

 

Is this possible to do using the stock Subaru NAV touchscreen?? That would be amazing.

 

I think someone had it working, but the resolution of the stock screen was pretty junk because they couldnt get a VGA hookup, they had to do it through the composite video. So just that alone would make it problematic for me personally, not even counting how difficult it would be to get the touchscreen part working.

[Jerboa113]

what you could do (is what I planned to do) is chop up the stock system and put your own touchscreen in there..

 

but.. if you have a stock system that works I'd understand why no one would want to do that..

 

the screen is like $900 new from SOA.

[executor485]

what you could do (is what I planned to do) is chop up the stock system and put your own touchscreen in there..

 

but.. if you have a stock system that works I'd understand why no one would want to do that..

 

the screen is like $900 new from SOA.

Yep... Some ppl have done that as well, or if they dont have the SpecB, they will order the nav unit faceplate for the cubby and do it that way.

The stock system has its limitations, and some people want more than it offers. I would be fine with the stock setup, but I do like my carpc as well. Its a give and take thing

[Jerboa113]

I have a stock navi bezel in a box in my garage along with a bunch of other parts. That was my project, but it never got off the ground. After more than $3k in expenditure on the project I still had nothing to show.. so I got out of the hobby.

 

now I'm trying to think ahead 2 years.. this car will have 100k miles on it by then and it will be time to retire it.

[dbrunone]

now I'm trying to think ahead 2 years.. this car will have 100k miles on it by then and it will be time to retire it.

 

retire it at 100k??? no way...i'm taking mine to 200k, easy.

[Jerboa113]

it has 4 CV boots that could fail, 4 wheel bearings (at least 4) 3 diffs, U-joints between the tranny and the rear diff that can wear out, and an oil and water cooled turbo with a cat before it..

 

plus its an interference engine..

 

theres just too much risk in incurring thousands of dollars in repairs with a single part failing to really keep it in the high risk long hauls.

[Rishi]

Hi all, this thread has been key in convincing me to put together a carpc project. Things have been slow going, but so far I have been working on the fabrication part of things and have procured all the major parts (I think!).

 

So far I have:

Xenarc TSV screen ~$200 ebay

Bezel - partly bondoed - see attachments. $100

Computer ~$150

Carnetix P1900 ~ $100

Supplies: bondo, paint etc.

 

This project has been a bit more complex than I had anticipated with a lot of learning as you go, and still learning.

 

As far as planning, I've decided that I can stuff the CarPC on an antistatic mat under the passenger seat. Considered the trunk and the glovebox, but felt that I wanted things to be as inconspicuous as possible.

 

A couple of questions:

1. Where is the best placement for the carnetix P1900?

2. How best to power the P1900- directly from the battery, or from the cigarette lighter or tap into the fuse box?

3. What is the best way to sand the bondo/ bezel and paint it? I've been having trouble getting a smooth and even surface. What's the best paint for the plastic and bondo? The last picture is with the Xenarc LCD frame placed behind it.

 

Any help or suggestions are much appreciated!

[salvi]

If you only used mainly bondo for that thing, it will crack. Especially when putting it back in place since there will be less bending of the piece and it's going to put a lot of stree on it.

[Jerboa113]

it looks very good so far.

 

I ran power right off the battery, but when I did I had substantial alternator whine.. I would recommend using something off the fuse box or a cig ligther.. you may still have whine if you do that but it should be less.

 

what is your input to the stereo? Do you have a newer car with factory aux in?

[Rishi]

Hopefully not! I've reinforced the bondo with dense cardboard and cotton mesh - was in the form of rigid canvas I found at the dollar store. Of course, time will tell if it will crack....

[Rishi]

Yes, its an '08 with Aux in which I intend to use. Now that I'm thinking of it, it may be easiest to locate the P1900 in the armrest and and power it with the cigarette lighter located there. Will it be necessary to fuse the P1900? Or can I rely on its internal fuse for surge protection?

[Jerboa113]

I always run an inline fuse on any device plugged into a cig lighter.. even tho it also has a fuse in the car.

 

thats a good placement idea as long as it doesn't produce a lot of heat.

 

if it does you might need to rig up some kind of fan.

[NSFW]

I powered my screen and PC from the cigarette lighter circuit. No extra fuse, I trust the one in the fusebox.

 

The cigarette lighter is no longer in the car, btw.