Car PC

[rtbrjason]

I still have that keyboard, minus the mousey bits. I agree, it sucks. I'm still looking for a small keyboard that doesn't suck.

 

I have a Logitech DiNovo mini that's well built (a thing of beauty, really) but hard to type on.

 

I'm looking for a laptop keyboard minus the laptop.

 

I've got the DiNovo mini as well as a gyration mini mce kb.. The dinovo is much better for the car where excessive typing is rare for me.

[NSFW]

I don't type a lot, but I do type just enough that using my thumbs to hunt-and-peck is kind of annoying.

[cfaber]

Yeah the diNuvo is great, I have it as well, except for the total lack of F keys =-/. I've been using the stowaway folding bluetooth keyboard for a while as well. No mouse but great for typing. Another option you folks may want to look at is the Moneual MK700 keyboard. This is a great (and cheap) 2.4GHz keyboard with an optical trackball. I use it for my MPC all the time and love it.

[Jerboa113]

what kind of keyboard is that? ione scorpius?

 

 

yup.. thats it exactly.

[cfaber]

Hi Folks,

 

Well I think I may have found the combination to match the OEM paint on the bezel almost exactly.

 

Base coat (at least 2) SEM High build primer surfacer (42013 gray mir 1.55)

 

Final coat (at least 3) Rustoleum camouflage non-reflective black (1916 FPP)

 

with this combo you get the same texture, flatness and slight reflectiveness (with sparkle) that you see in the OEM paint.

 

-cf

[cfaber]

Here is a closeup of the bezel with two coats of paint. Once complete I'll post all the photo's from start to finish.

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=69792&d=1245691571

[alaskajoel]

that looks really good - i'm excited to see the final product!

[cfaber]

Ok,

 

Here is my Bezel with screen.

 

Initial fabrication work, lots of sanding still left:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_jABUXREarfE/SkPKmyLTE7I/AAAAAAAACqs/X831tuWDAt0/s512/dsc00488.jpg

 

Here is the back side of the piece. Note the holes drilled through the frame so that the body filler (bondo) has something to mechanically attach to:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_jABUXREarfE/SkPKnUrBYMI/AAAAAAAACq0/WKQjWewvSVM/s512/dsc00490.jpg

 

Third coat high build primer - Note I had to strip some layers off with lots of sanding around the buttons, as the primer raised the button bezel too much for the buttons to work:

 

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_jABUXREarfE/SkPKniyRxFI/AAAAAAAACq4/Pr8-uZhAveQ/s512/dsc00494.jpg

 

Closeup of the finish:

 

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_jABUXREarfE/SkPKn653ZRI/AAAAAAAACq8/6LsHVyFjrvs/s512/dsc00495.jpg

 

The finished bezel ready for the screen to be mounted:

 

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_jABUXREarfE/SkPKoUIK1hI/AAAAAAAACrA/apmBNzo0iCQ/s512/dsc00496.jpg

 

First action shot (no flash):

 

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_jABUXREarfE/SkPKovoEMLI/AAAAAAAACrE/14DUT40kBww/s512/dsc00497.jpg

 

Second action shot (flash):

 

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_jABUXREarfE/SkPKo0WuNDI/AAAAAAAACrI/D-_G1p7ei8E/s512/dsc00499.jpg

 

Back of the screen:

 

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_jABUXREarfE/SkPKpDHTjVI/AAAAAAAACrM/N0IwOO3-80w/s512/dsc00501.jpg

 

Probably spent about 10 hours on this, Mostly because I wanted it to look as good as possible when I remounted it. I'll post my Car PC solution next.

[NSFW]

Very nice.

[Jerboa113]

slookin good. I'm afeared that it might be too black to be oem finish, but its DAMN close.

 

Do you have an oem piece you can put beside it?

 

tbh I think our factory pieces are dipped or sprayed with some sort of rubber coating. Ford did similar to their late 90s early 2000 truck interior components.

[cfaber]

in fact, after installing it, It's almost not black enough. It's _Exactly_ the same color as the dash vinyl.

[cfaber]

So this might be interesting for some of you using the laptop solution like I am. I've hacked the power button my laptop so that there is a dongle which comes off of it. I use this box:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_jABUXREarfE/SkTmwGkDofI/AAAAAAAACro/uy4LLholbtA/s512/dsc00502.jpg

 

(Red wire leaving the box is connected to relay on timer board, black wire is connected to DC to DC converter)

 

To provide both DC to DC power conversion (the large silver thing labeled 19v 16v on the top). As well as a one-shot, 1 second relay which triggers the laptop when the car is powered. The laptop is then configured to stay running until it reaches 70% battery life then it shuts down. This allows me to continuously charge the thing when the car is on, as well as have it run for quiet a while so I can say, sync files via wifi to it when I get home, or not have to wait for it to boot back up again if I'm making lots of stops. Once the laptop does shutdown, it only goes into standby mode, which it can sit in for literally weeks at a time without a problem.

 

Also, this box happens to fit perfectly under the radio, so I have the dsub video, USB, power, and power on wires running under the passenger seat where the laptop sits, so the install is mostly stealth and easy removable.

Edited June 26, 2009 by cfaber

[NSFW]

I did pretty much the same thing for my laptop. I have it set to sleep after a few minutes, then hibernate after a few more, but I like your idea of staying on until 70%, I'll have to try that.

[NSFW]

Well I think I may have found the combination to match the OEM paint on the bezel almost exactly.

 

Base coat (at least 2) SEM High build primer surfacer (42013 gray mir 1.55)

 

Final coat (at least 3) Rustoleum camouflage non-reflective black (1916 FPP)

 

with this combo you get the same texture, flatness and slight reflectiveness (with sparkle) that you see in the OEM paint.

 

Awesome, thanks.

[nemo]

I did pretty much the same thing for my laptop. I have it set to sleep after a few minutes, then hibernate after a few more, but I like your idea of staying on until 70%, I'll have to try that.

 

I'd be careful of that. Gotta be careful it doesn't drain the car battery.

[cfaber]

The `CIG' circuit is on a relay, at least from what I can tell, and once it the car is powered down, the circuit is shut off. (At least on my 06 LGTL).

 

Funny you should mention that though, I did almost kill the battery leaving the map lights on all night after a late night of final installation =)

[NSFW]

Exactly... The laptop only get power when the car is on.

 

I did kill a battery by leaving map lights on.

[TNPaparazzi]

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=27161495#post27161495

 

FOR SALE

 

 

Ahahahahaha Thatt's my thread! lol... I'm in the middle of doing a 6 speed swap cause my tranny blew and I need the money really bad so I've been selling anything and everything. I was gonna ask 1000 for it but I figured I wouldnt get any hits on it. I though 700 was a decent price though. Im trying to sell some brand new wheels, 2 paintball markers, and a nitrogen tank also if you know anyone that's interested

[f1anatic]

I am helping a brother by spreading the word...but sadly i do not need two CarPCs.

[TNPaparazzi]

Just sold it

[cfaber]

So to follow up on my posting. I still haven't had a chance to snap shots of the screen in the car. Hopefully I'll have time today. But in other news, I took the car in to get detailed, well the folks there decided that the screen bezel needed some vinyl polish. Long story short I'm extremely pleased with how it looks. The polish darkened the bezel just enough to _exactly_ match the OEM finish.

[Jerboa113]

pardon me if I'm skeptical.

 

PICS!!

[cfaber]

Ok Here they are, in the car.

 

This is the screen bezel:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_jABUXREarfE/SlTaspMN9BI/AAAAAAAACzo/gYl9rNI3S5E/s512/dsc00513.jpg

 

And this is the side vent for reference, both taken at the same time, same white balance same lighting:

 

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_jABUXREarfE/SlTatEpbdbI/AAAAAAAACzs/Cm1-a0vxx3g/s512/dsc00515.jpg

[gfxdave99]

Nice work!

[Jerboa113]

looks damn close in that pic. What about a night flash? Thats when mine really stood out as HEY LOOK AT ME IM AFTERMARKET!