I figured I might as well show what I've done. I love the whole concept of 'CarPC' because you can do so much with them if you put enough time into it. This is not for everyone. Just because you can build a computer doesn't mean you can fully take advantage of it in a car environment. There are a lot of specifics that you need to work out and choosing the correct software and hardware for what you will need to do. I originally thought I could do this in one week or less.. just order the hardware and put it together.. but I was wrong. Took me about another week and a half to get the software tweaked to my liking before I actually moved the install in the car. Even now.. my CarPC is not done. That is the thing with these.. you will never be done because there is ALWAYS something you can do.

The hardware I used:

Case: Morex 5677 Mini-ITX Case - Cheap and small. Exactly what I was looking for.
Motherboard: Intel D945GCLF - Has a onboard 1.6ghz Intel Atom processor as well as built in graphics and sound. It really is a beast in itself and a PERFECT solution for a modest-hardcore carpc setup. It's mini-itx.
PSU: M2-ATX 160W - This is a little beast. 160w is all you will need in a modest CarPC environment. This is a PSU built for the car environment. To power it you +, - (ground), and one cable running to a +12v ignition switch so the PC goes on when the car is on and off when its off.
HD: 100gb Seagate SATA - Went with a laptop HD because that is what my case would fit and that's all i really needed. i couldn't justify spending hundreds for a SSD drive.
Memory: 1gb Kingston - A bit overkill but it's nice to have.
LCD: Lilliput 629 7" (2008 LED model) - This LCD is GREAT in the daytime. No need to spend more for transflective stuff.

Thats the core stuff then I have a GPS reciever, a wifi dongle, a bluetooth dongle and my obd2 interface. I am also in the process of setting up my dash cam. The frontend I am using is Centrafuse. To get all the sound into the stock HU I used a Grom audio aux interface unit. I mounted everything into my dash using a jdm nav holder dash piece I acquired from swoope (thanks for the awesome shipping!). ** UPDATE 9/8: I have transplanted my LCD into an OEM Nav Housing, check page 3 for pics and info. ****

Here are some pics from the whole process..

case:
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/case.jpg
motherboard:
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/mobo.jpg
ram:
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/ram.jpg
psu:
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/ps.jpg
grom audio auxin unit:
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/auxin.jpg
gps reciever:
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/gps.jpg
obd2 interface (elmscan)
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/obd2.jpg

some assembly pics..
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/assm0.jpg
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/assm1.jpg
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/assm2.jpg
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/assm3.jpg

http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/unit1.jpg

some pics while i was loading software and running it through its paces of benchmarks..
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/test1.jpg
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/soft1.jpg
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/cf1.jpg

all the crap i had to somehow stick in the car..
http://implux.net/~alz0rz/images/rx8/carpc/transport.jpg

the install..
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/ic0.jpg
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/ic1.jpg
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/ic2.jpg
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/ic4.jpg

http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/trunk.jpg
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/trunknew.jpg

testing..
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/IMG_1886.JPG

and mounted and pretty much done... what you see in these pics is Centrafuse with an embedded program called DashCommand that uses my obd2 interface to pull live data from the ECU and onto the screen. I went with the Nissan GTR gauge look.. I had wanted to do that from the very beginning. Other than the GTR you'd be hard pressed to find this look anywhere else in the world - had major help from the software developers themselves to customize the skin to how I wanted it and to use parameters the rx8 reports.

http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/gtrdash2.jpg

And that's it... like I said though I am working on a few things. There is plenty of room for expansion on this project. I am currently working on implementing a dash cam as well as a rear view camera. I am in the NYC area so if anyone needs any help with any of this stuff let me know. In case anyone is curious this whole thing ran me just under $1,000 and that is because I opted to get many goodies. You can do it cheaper.

I am tired now and want to sleep.. hopefully people like what they see and feel free to ask questions!!

Some vids of it in action..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjl2d8qqokI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_IX9icdzb0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8S4SjQAU2o

UPDATE 9/8

I got my hands on a motorized OEM nav housing and transplanted my Lilliput into it.. you can read more details about it on page 3.

http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/oemcarpc2.jpg

http://albertaguayo.com/images/oemright.JPG

looks really good,

the only thing i did different than you external hardware setup was go with a bluetooth gps reciver..

nice job..

expect a pm in a month or two about the gauge software. that stuff is slick.

beers :beer:

Looks good.

nice but kinda bulky

Looks great! I've speced out almost identical hardware for mine (so I'm especially glad to see that you didn't encounter any major hurdles) -- except for the Lilliput monitor. I'm anxiously awaiting that Metra dash kit so I can drop a double-din unit into the dash and feed PC display through that.

Damn. and I thought I had a lot of crap under my center console.

Good job Alz0rz. Is your stereo next on the to do list?

Looks awesome man, one day I hope to do the same. Congrats

looks really good,

the only thing i did different than you external hardware setup was go with a bluetooth gps reciver..

nice job..

expect a pm in a month or two about the gauge software. that stuff is slick.

beers :beer:

Ah, my gps receiver is on the inside of my trunk lining. Upside down. Still get great reception.

Looks great! I've speced out almost identical hardware for mine (so I'm especially glad to see that you didn't encounter any major hurdles) -- except for the Lilliput monitor. I'm anxiously awaiting that Metra dash kit so I can drop a double-din unit into the dash and feed PC display through that.

As was I but getting the Metra kit would have meant replacing the entire HU (which I was willing to do) but that would have also involved getting an aftermarket amp to interface with the stock speakers.

This Lilliput monitor is great even in direct sunlight.

Damn. and I thought I had a lot of crap under my center console.

Good job Alz0rz. Is your stereo next on the to do list?

Yep. Saved the money I was about to drop on the stereo upgrade. Will hold off on it until I see what I can do with the Metra later on.

Thanks for all the comments folks!!

damn al great job! i may be talking to you soon about having a setup of my own

I like the gauge setup. I am looking for something similar for my CarPC.

We basically have the same setup except I mounted my case under the passenger seat.

Looks great. I've been thinking about doing something similar when I get an RX8 (planning for 5-6 months). $1000 seems pretty cheap too. I'm figuring I would still want the GPS and wifi, plus a larger HDD. Where else could you have saved money aside the bluetooth, the memory and the dash cam?

The gauges are nice, but I think the functionality of a built in GPS and the music/video system are much more useful features. Beats the hell of out an iPod adapter.

I love car computers. A car computer was my first major car audio project.

That said, after spending several years dealing with finicky front ends, buggy software and GPS programs that blatantly try and rip you off, I'm way happier with my factory nav system then having a carPC solution.

I'll probably have a carPC in my 8 at some point, but it will be doing media playback, OBD-II stats, and wardriving, not GPS.

http://implux.net/~alz0rz/images/rx8/carpc/gtrdash2.jpg ... I am tired now and want to sleep.. hopefully people like what they see and feel free to ask questions!!Really beautiful! I want something similar to those guages. 842,000 RPMs!

damn al great job! i may be talking to you soon about having a setup of my own

Tuesday night!

I like the gauge setup. I am looking for something similar for my CarPC.

We basically have the same setup except I mounted my case under the passenger seat.

I thought about under the passenger seat too.. but it just wasn't feasible. People would be kicking it from the front or the back and who knows what could fall down there.

Looks great. I've been thinking about doing something similar when I get an RX8 (planning for 5-6 months). $1000 seems pretty cheap too. I'm figuring I would still want the GPS and wifi, plus a larger HDD. Where else could you have saved money aside the bluetooth, the memory and the dash cam?

The gauges are nice, but I think the functionality of a built in GPS and the music/video system are much more useful features. Beats the hell of out an iPod adapter.

The GPS receiver was $50, the WiFi adapter was $15. I got my 100gb HD for $35 on eBay.. HDs are extremely cheap nowadays. The memory was something under $30. The camera I'm using as a dash cam was $20.

Eh to be honest you could go a bit cheaper by getting cheaper hardware, less pricey motherboard. Or fabricate your own case. Don't go cheap on your LCD... although I have to say.. my LCD is GREAT for daylight viewing and it was only $250. It's the new 2008 model of the Lilliput 629, it has LED back lighting. This is it: http://store.mp3car.com/2008_Lilliput_7_VGA_Touchscreen_629GL_70NP_LED_p/mon-016.htm - I got it for $250 from eBay. If you end up buying this LCD make sure it is the 2008 model with LEDs.

To save some more $ you could not get an OBD2 interface. Mine cost me $160 for the OBD2 interface and the software. Then I paid an extra $25 for the gauge software, although you could do that in the software (ScanXLElm) that came with the obd2 interface. The $25 version is alot more lightweight and is made for CarPC use.

That said you really shouldn't be going cheaper. This system I pieced together is not hardcore but it is more than what is necessary for a CarPC. It is a perfectly good desktop even!

7" screen? and i do hope it holds up better than my last screen.. but the heat here 8 months out of the year killed it..

beers :beer:

al, nice shit bro didnt know u were that much of a techy nerd. good stuff bro.

Al, great job! I wanna see the GTR-esque guages at the meet :)

Impressive and good write up. Cheers.

Wow, just wow. That is a work of art. Very very nice.

Thanks for all the comments!

I finally received the dash cam today. The video quality is pretty good for what it cost me although it stutters a bit if I twist it a certain way.. no doubt to crappy wiring in the gooseneck. Regardless I'm deciding whether I really want to run it as a dash (running) cam or make it a rear view camera. I'm thinking of just having it record whenever the car is on (you never know what you catch) and delete files older than a week or so.. i have about 70gb of HD space i'm not using.

edit: this is it http://cgi.ebay.com/New-USB-Mini-640x480-Pixel-Gooseneck-PC-Laptop-Webcam_W0QQitemZ320287618656QQihZ011QQcategoryZ461 6QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

nice man :)

maybe u can offer this as a service to rx8 ppl? lol

nice man :)

maybe u can offer this as a service to rx8 ppl? lol

i have no problem helping people out with this stuff.. full installs I can do also.. but that's on a case by case basis :)

Thanks for posting this info.
Based on your input, I did some research on the Motherboard/Processor and decided to go w/ the same stuff.
I'm buying;
Intel D945GCLF
Lilliput 629
M2-ATX - 160W

The case I'm buying is going to be used in conjunction w/ the new Metra kit.
It's a double-din carpc case that allows me to mount the screen onto the front of the case.
http://www.bybyte.com/mini_cases.htm

I already have the bluetooth dongle/Wifi Adapter/GPS/ODB2 connection

Just waiting for the Metra kit to be released.

Thanks again for your info.

i'm selling my carputer... comes with everything


http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?p=2611540#post2611540

here is a pic of the main stuff
http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u274/rx8rasp/For%20Sale/DSCF0441.jpg

i'm selling my carputer... comes with everything
pm me if anyone is interested



My interest is very dependent upon the computer's specs, the monitor's resolution, and your asking price...

Oh damn, that is so a thread jack if I ever saw one. :eyetwitch

Oh damn, that is so a thread jack if I ever saw one. :eyetwitch


yea it is, sorry.

my car blew up and burnt to the ground right after the dealer put a new motor in it so i'm just trying to part this stuff out asap.

i'll delete my post from here if you want

Holy Thread Jacking BAtman!! ;) RR: just delete some of the pics so the post isn's so big and replace with a simple link. Problem solved. :D:

ok...

alz0rz: that is a SWEET looking car PC. The ability to have those real time gauge readings is truly awesome.

Tempting...

are u running your screen at 800x480? i never could get my lilliput to work with the intel board... i tried a few diffrent custom dtd reg but couldnt find one to work so mine is running at 800x 600 which is fine but my videos screw up

nope I'm at 800x600.. I too couldn't get 800x480 on the lilliput.

i'm hijacking my own thread but RR.. holy SHIT I just read your posts in your local forums.. that is INSANE.. glad you're okay!!

nope I'm at 800x600..

i'm hijacking my own thread but RR.. holy SHIT I just read your posts in your local forums.. that is INSANE.. glad you're okay!!

we lost a REALLY great car due to that dealership's incompetence :(

Alzors: just saw that this ran you less then $1k. DAMN IT, my wallet is going to hate me. must....resist....

we lost a REALLY great car due to that dealership's incompetence :(

Alzors: just saw that this ran you less then $1k. DAMN IT, my wallet is going to hate me. must....resist....

ay, the lcd is probably the biggest single expense you'll have.

Continuing this project I am currently looking into getting a retractable sort of thing going.. I don't live in the best neighborhood and I have to street park every night (or off the street reserved lot if it isn't full). I usually just put a small discreet bag over the lcd at night and hope for the best. I'd really like to get a OEM Nav Hood or the JDM Nav flip up tray but $ is tight.

I already have the OEM nav which is why it makes it SO tempting to do this upgrade.

Is that my old shift knob I see lol? That carputer looks like a pretty involved install, but definitely worth it.

Alzors: just saw that this ran you less then $1k. DAMN IT, my wallet is going to hate me. must....resist....Let's do it. :)
I'll call you when my stuff arrives. We can install the extra JL amp and get the wiring cleaned up.
Then we can start ordering your parts.

I can show you what I got, and we can build a similar setup for your car.
I'm getting everything for around $750 shipped.

@ alz0rz -
Do you know if the additional $25 software for the guages works w/ any ODB2 reader?
I have a CANscan that I'm going to be using.

@ alz0rz -
Do you know if the additional $25 software for the guages works w/ any ODB2 reader?
I have a CANscan that I'm going to be using.

This is the software.

http://www.palmerperformance.com/products/dashcommand/index.php

I'm not too sure so you should check the forums. I highly recommend the ElmScan5, get it on eBay coupled with the diagnostic software (and logger!) for about ~$160 brand new from Palmer themselves.

Is that my old shift knob I see lol? That carputer looks like a pretty involved install, but definitely worth it.

Yep. ;)


I'll get an actual video of my setup in action later tonight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjl2d8qqokI

Crappy video will do better but this is it in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP4SsVhC18s&fmt=18

I just noticed in that very first picture you have your mazda key is one of the flip out ones. I know this is crazy off topic but do you know where I could get one?

I just noticed in that very first picture you have your mazda key is one of the flip out ones. I know this is crazy off topic but do you know where I could get one?

You can buy it off eBay and then program it yourself or have the dealer program it.

Back on topic, I have gotten my hands on an OEM Nav hood motorized housing.. woot! I'll be pouring over the R&D that has already been done by some people with the technical knowledge on these forums to get this motorized thing to function and look like OEM.

In case anyone is interested I will be selling the dash piece I have now with the JDM Nav tray. I'll be putting it in the F/S section in a few days... pm me if interested.

al

Count me in, I want to do this too. Questions...

1. What's the fastest processor speed for a mini itx (sp?)
2. I have 2 12" L5 Kickers, I need to put this carputer somewhere where it doesn't mess up the HD with the bass... Will this fit somewhere in the front? Maybe under the dash nex to the steering wheel axle or should I put it under passenger (or driver's seat?) As soon as I find a solution to this let's get it rollin'! :)

Count me in, I want to do this too. Questions...

1. What's the fastest processor speed for a mini itx (sp?)
2. I have 2 12" L5 Kickers, I need to put this carputer somewhere where it doesn't mess up the HD with the bass... Will this fit somewhere in the front? Maybe under the dash nex to the steering wheel axle or should I put it under passenger (or driver's seat?) As soon as I find a solution to this let's get it rollin'! :)

1. I believe it is something to the tune of 1.8ghz, I may be wrong though.

2. I also thought of under the dash.. there just isn't enough room. I thought of mounting it underneath the passenger seat as well but who knows what can get down there.. As an option thought you could try stuffing it in the glovebox or if you go with the same mini-itx case I went with you could possibly mount it underneath the glovebox somewhere with some sort of bracket.

Finally got my hands on a better camera today.. here are some demonstration videos I shot. Make sure you view them in 'High Quality'... anything else looks like crap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjl2d8qqokI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_IX9icdzb0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8S4SjQAU2o

Feel free to check out the other random videos I uploaded. :)

man that set up is so clean. good stuff man.

Count me in, I want to do this too. Questions...

1. What's the fastest processor speed for a mini itx (sp?)
2. I have 2 12" L5 Kickers, I need to put this carputer somewhere where it doesn't mess up the HD with the bass... Will this fit somewhere in the front? Maybe under the dash nex to the steering wheel axle or should I put it under passenger (or driver's seat?) As soon as I find a solution to this let's get it rollin'! :)


fastest??

- Well, there is the via epia cpu's that clock at 2.0ghz but they are still very slow. (very low heat)

- You can go core2duo mini-itx, you'll have the fastest carputer on the block, but it'll cost you your left nut

- Lastly, there is the amd geode cpu, it clocks at only 1.4ghz but is considerable faster than the 2.0ghz via cpus. Don't mistake it for a core2duo, it's not that fast, but the price is right.

Theres a new LGA775 Mini ITX board that runs Intel G45 chipset. With that you could technically put in a Q9650 3.0Ghz quad-core.. but you would need at least a 200w power supply.

But you know what I really think would help a carpc? SSD hard drive and sufficient ram.

A quad core in a CarPC...? Unless your doing some real time encoding or something it's kinda overkill!!

Also.. it seemed like the popular choice was SSD but it wasn't worth it from my perspective. Just get a good laptop HD and you should be set. I have had 0 problems with my laptop HD in regards to skipping/failing on me. That and soild state drives are still hella expensive, my 100gb laptop hd cost me $30 compared to some $600 for a 64gb SSD. The only other benefit would have been boot up times but I can live with my 25 second *cold* boot up time, tyvm. :)

Probably not worth it in the short run, But SSDs will definitely outlast the hard drive. Also has lower power consumption, and is faster. I would imagine putting the OS on a small SSD then probably a bigger standard hard drive for MP3's, maps, etc.

ay, the lcd is probably the biggest single expense you'll have.

Seems like the software was the biggest expense. If you are running Centrafuse with nav, it ties the LCD for biggest expense at $250. Plus Windoze license, $25 for the gauge panel, $160 for scantool. So right around half your budget went to software? Not a bad thing, just trying to run the numbers. :)

Software prices can be.... negotiated.. if you know what I mean.

Probably not worth it in the short run, But SSDs will definitely outlast the hard drive. Also has lower power consumption, and is faster. I would imagine putting the OS on a small SSD then probably a bigger standard hard drive for MP3's, maps, etc.


SSD isn't actually faster in all terms. It has MUCH quicker seek times but the throughput is less than a standard disc hard drives.

I ran a standard 3.5" desktop drive for 3 years and never had a problem.

Seems like the software was the biggest expense. If you are running Centrafuse with nav, it ties the LCD for biggest expense at $250. Plus Windoze license, $25 for the gauge panel, $160 for scantool. So right around half your budget went to software? Not a bad thing, just trying to run the numbers. :)

ay, centrafuse $125 (non-nav). I didn't buy the Centrafuse Nav.. I acquired iGuidance by other means ;). The $160 was just a package deal for the OBD2 interface thingy I didn't have to buy it and I could have gotten it separately for $75.

woo check out what came in today..

http://implux.net/~alz0rz/images/navhood.jpg

Nothing like the OEM look:

http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/oemcarpc1.jpg
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/oemcarpc2.jpg
http://albertaguayo.com/images/rx8/carpc/oemcarpc3.jpg

I took apart my Lilliput and transplanted it into the OEM LCD bracket. Re-used a few parts. I had to de-solder the IR receiver from the Lilliput button PCB and mount it in the OEM IR housing then solder 3 wires from the PCB to the IR receiver. The LCD fit perfect I just had to wedge a few pieces of foam to one side to keep it aligned horizontally. MAJOR PROPS to Chainu27 for helping through alot of it.

OMG!!! first time I've seen a carputer using the OEM retractable housing. (there might be others out there, just first time I've seen it completed) That is EXACTLY the look I'm going for. I wanna run my scanalyzer gauges on it. :D:

oh man, wallet is going to HATE me...


Your setup looks amazing Alzorz, congrats!

P.S. you've got a CEL on. ;)

OMG!!! first time I've seen a carputer using the OEM retractable housing. (there might be others out there, just first time I've seen it completed) That is EXACTLY the look I'm going for. I wanna run my scanalyzer gauges on it. :D:

oh man, wallet is going to HATE me...


Your setup looks amazing Alzorz, congrats!

P.S. you've got a CEL on. ;)

CEL = misfire. It's been blinking and it finally just stayed lit. Code says its rotor #2 misfiring. I think it's time for new coils.

I have to add that I still don't have the motor working yet. For that I am waiting for someone to come through (he can name himself if he wants to don't want him to get flooded by others) with a controller he programmed specifically for this purpose of operating the functions of the housing without the OEM lcd pcb. It's all working on his end and he just needs to order the controller board to tie it all up. Neat stuff.

wow al that looks great, im glad you put it to good use instead of having it just sitting around collecting dust like it was for me.
keep up the good work i love the clean look of the oem nav housing

Nice upgrade.
That's what I had in my mind untill I saw the R3.

So motorize screen work fine?

So motorize screen work fine?

Check out 2 posts above you. :)

Check out 2 posts above you. :)

I guess you need new circuit board....
Good luck with it.

I guess you need new circuit board....
Good luck with it.

I've decided that for the time being I'm going to be re-using the stock LCD PCB to control the motor like OEM (no lighting though). I'll be creating a simple harness that feeds the OEM PCB 12v, ACC, and GND to regain tilt, memory, and open/close control. I'll be making a new carpc video when I work this out on the weekend.

This will hold me over until Chainu27 completes his self contained controller - lighting, auto lcd power on/off, etc.

where do you get the oem dvd dash that you bought and where can you buy a dvd player 2

and that looks good

where do you get the oem dvd dash that you bought and where can you buy a dvd player 2

and that looks good

I bought the OEM Motorized Nav hood from someone on these forums.

On another note.. my oem nav hood is now fully operational in my car. Complete with motor control!!!

I bought the OEM Motorized Nav hood from someone on these forums.

On another note.. my oem nav hood is now fully operational in my car. Complete with motor control!!!

damn .... ive been wanting to do my car pc like that but could never figure out how to do motor control

alz0rz are you willing to make kits for the whole set up?

A lot of the Rx-8 owners dont have NAV and if the price difference is not that much, yours is the BEST of the BEST throught my 5 years of rx8club forum reading on these...

Charge 10% on the cost and you are golden!

^^ getting the oem nav housings won't be easy

I'm waiting for my mazdaparts jdm dash to come in. It's only been a couple weeks since I ordered it but it feels like it is taking FOREVER. I had thought about going the true OEM route but the prices and availability (or lack thereof) of OEM nav mounts made it problematic.

I've got all my stuff but the lcd all buttoned up too...

I bought the OEM Motorized Nav hood from someone on these forums.

On another note.. my oem nav hood is now fully operational in my car. Complete with motor control!!!

I want to know how you did this. I'll want to do the same in a few years down the road when my maps are hopelessly out of date.

alz0rz are you willing to make kits for the whole set up?

A lot of the Rx-8 owners dont have NAV and if the price difference is not that much, yours is the BEST of the BEST throught my 5 years of rx8club forum reading on these...

Charge 10% on the cost and you are golden!

Thanks for the compliment. :)

Sourcing the OEM Nav Hoods is really hard. You just have to hope for someone parting out there car or check salvage yards. I got lucky that I followed up someone mentioning they had one for sale.

I want to know how you did this. I'll want to do the same in a few years down the road when my maps are hopelessly out of date.

I used this diagram provided by Chainu27:
http://www.rx8club.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=123404&d=1215735180\

Soldered 1 wire from pin 1Q and tapped into 12v line I had going to the back of the car for the computer. Ran another wire from pin 1O and tapped the accessory receptacle directly below in the center console. And finally grounded pin 1P somewhere else. It's a ghetto way of doing it. I must add that the lights in the buttons themselves don't work. I had to keep the factory LCD PCB to pull this off so I had to stick it into the hood with my Lilliput PCB. All in all it's a stopgap measure until I get the appropriate PCB from Chainu.

With that in place my carpc is pretty much settled in now, much better than I had hoped for. I will be re-making a full video one of these days.

Two things I am working on are fully getting Centrafuse to cooperate with me and getting my dash cam running.

awesome!!!....I want one!!!!.....ready-made and ready to be installed!!!

Thanks for the compliment. :)

Sourcing the OEM Nav Hoods is really hard. You just have to hope for someone parting out there car or check salvage yards. I got lucky that I followed up someone mentioning they had one for sale.



I used this diagram provided by Chainu27:
http://www.rx8club.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=123404&d=1215735180\

Soldered 1 wire from pin 1Q and tapped into 12v line I had going to the back of the car for the computer. Ran another wire from pin 1O and tapped the accessory receptacle directly below in the center console. And finally grounded pin 1P somewhere else. It's a ghetto way of doing it. I must add that the lights in the buttons themselves don't work. I had to keep the factory LCD PCB to pull this off so I had to stick it into the hood with my Lilliput PCB. All in all it's a stopgap measure until I get the appropriate PCB from Chainu.

With that in place my carpc is pretty much settled in now, much better than I had hoped for. I will be re-making a full video one of these days.

Two things I am working on are fully getting Centrafuse to cooperate with me and getting my dash cam running.

the stock navi hood is a right place right time good karma thing. glad you got it.. the whole setup is zesty..

but to all getting the stock navi hood is luck!!!

beers :beer:

I watched this one go from 99 cents to its final selling price yesterday.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130254783777&ssPageName=ADME:B:WNA:MOTORS:1123

^ that's nuts..

I got mine for $300 but that was only the center panel w/ hood and original lcd w/ pcb. I picked it up at that price instantaneously. Like the guy had the payment in his account 10 minutes later.

It's all settled in now and looks so OEM that it almost bothers me! People don't know what to too think of it!

its nice but seems like fitting the screen into center console would be a lot cleaner way to go...

its nice but seems like fitting the screen into center console would be a lot cleaner way to go...

nothing cleaner than OEM...

agreed alz0rz... and yeah, I was pretty surprised at what the final price was for that auction. It seems anything auto related with the word Nav in it goes about 10 times more than it's worth.

I have the factory navigation in my 8, and have been wanting to go with a car pc for the longest time...getting new nav discs seems like it might be a hopeless task...why pay the dealer a few hundred for them when i can get a car pc with the correct software...

Im in south jersey...can anyone help me replace the screen. I'm honestly scared to do it myself.

another question i have is: can you use the gps hardware from factory on a pc? Where would one get drivers for that?


Thanks guys
Keith

I have the factory navigation in my 8, and have been wanting to go with a car pc for the longest time...getting new nav discs seems like it might be a hopeless task...why pay the dealer a few hundred for them when i can get a car pc with the correct software...

Im in south jersey...can anyone help me replace the screen. I'm honestly scared to do it myself.

another question i have is: can you use the gps hardware from factory on a pc? Where would one get drivers for that?


Thanks guys
Keith

I had just seen this. I am in NYC and would be willing to do the LCD swap for you, I PMd you details.

It's not worth it trying to interface the factory antenna with a carpc setup. One of the more popular USB GPS antennas is the BU-353. $40. I have it underneath the trunk liner on my trunk lid, it's stuck on there with the magnet it has, it is upside down even. I get great reception even in the city.

As for the software I use iGuidance 4 and have it embedded into Centrafuse.

al

As OEM as it can be.

http://implux.net/~alz0rz/images/oemright.JPG

http://implux.net/~alz0rz/images/oemright2.JPG

I have finalized everything pertaining to the software - finally. It's pretty much done. One thing that I do have left to do actually is some wire management in the trunk.

alzorz: you've inspired me. This is my next mod. :)


P.S. while you're doing wire management in the trunk, hardwire that radar detector. ;)

alzorz: you've inspired me. This is my next mod. :)


P.S. while you're doing wire management in the trunk, hardwire that radar detector. ;)

Thanks and duly noted on the radar hard wire. Just bought a modular cable for the 8500 x50. I had planned on doing it.. sometime. ;)

So the original PCB works normally except for turning the the LCD on/off and the dimming lights?

Everytime the car is turned on you have to turn the LCD on separately?

The LCD goes on and off itself. The lcd had a hidden firmware menu with an option to turn that on. It's all auto now.

All the original pcb does is motor control.

how does it go on n off itself? when the power is out it automatically shuts down? and vice versa?

how does it go on n off itself? when the power is out it automatically shuts down? and vice versa?

yes, it senses when there is 12v power.. i have it wired to acc and ground.

Great and amazing thread. I would appreciate if you can help me with questions I have in my thread.

I'm going to be doing a full video "review" on it again very soon. The other videos I have on youtube right now are crappy quality and outdated. It will be all aspects of my pc, not just the gauges.

Stay tuned!

Patiently waiting for your video. You are the man.

Can you please also show the functionality of tilt and open button:). I would also suggest that in addition to posting the video on youtube post a directly high quality link of video on rapidshare or megaupload.

Furthermore have you got voice navigation working in your car.

Thanks

I'm going to be doing a full video "review" on it again very soon.

Awesome! I just scored a nav hood and I'm planning on doing a similar project. Yours seems to be one of the cleanest installs.

Need help & suggestion with software.
So you have Centrafuse + some nev program.
I might want to go cheaper (free) with Road Runner.
Then if is does not work well, I might get Centrafuse with nev.
Just worried that RR wont work with OBDII software.

Oh, with OBDII, you are using ELM Scan5 USB + DashCommand, right?

Thanks.

Need help & suggestion with software.
So you have Centrafuse + some nev program.
I might want to go cheaper (free) with Road Runner.
Then if is does not work well, I might get Centrafuse with nev.
Just worried that RR wont work with OBDII software.

Oh, with OBDII, you are using ELM Scan5 USB + DashCommand, right?

Thanks.

Correct, I use Centrafuse 2 with iGuidance 4.0. You can "acquire" Centrafuse and iGuidance in other ways of which I will not mention, I will leave that to your imagination. ;) Roadrunner takes too much effort to get working properly and I find it very slow and the interface unintuitive. However you can "embed" programs into RR - just don't ask me about the process.

I do use ElmScan5 with DashCommand. Though I only need to have DashCommand running to show my gauges. ElmScan is just the diagnostic software for logging, diagnostics, etc.

Centrafuse 2 OBDII function does not work that well ?

The OBD2 function in Centrafuse.. is kind of limited (crap). All you can view are a bunch of generic PIDs and view/clear trouble codes. That' it.

I'm going to be doing a full video "review" on it again very soon. The other videos I have on youtube right now are crappy quality and outdated. It will be all aspects of my pc, not just the gauges.

Stay tuned!

Bump. Waiting on review :)

I'll try tomorrow.

Hey Al would you be able to help me out im local to your area if i purchased this or can you tell me the maybe downfalls of this system? http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=162521. If you think its a bad idea and im better off piecing my own system let me know.

I'd piece my own setup if I had too. However that setup is beautiful in terms of looks. If you were to buy that you'd have to plan out beforehand what you were doing for the actual system itself. Motherboard, psu.. etc. I'm not sure how sound would be getting from the HU to the PC in that setup. He retained the radio not too sure about anything else.

You can check out my setup if you want.

btw, I once again did not get around to making that video I've promised. I will soon.. I hope. :(

Disparately waiting 4 the video

Ah yes, never got around to it.

My car is currently in the midst of ongoing stuff.. i'll get to it sooner rather than later. Give me a few days.

how do i get digital guages on my laptop while i'm driving without stripping the inside of my car like alzorz did. is there like a plug in play setup that i can just plug into my obd port and then run software on my computer to show the data like intake temp, water temp, load etc....

here is all you need: http://www.hymee.com/scanalyser.htm

i got vista on my laptop the newest version will it work

send a PM to Hymee.

how do i get digital guages on my laptop while i'm driving without stripping the inside of my car like alzorz did. is there like a plug in play setup that i can just plug into my obd port and then run software on my computer to show the data like intake temp, water temp, load etc....

Hymee's tool is a nice "plug and play" solution, however it is not skinnable like the software I used - DashCommand.

It was plug and play in the sense that all I had needed to do what plug in the OBD2 port to usb interface and then just run the program with the appropriate skin.

Alzorz what is the plan to release Dash Command Skin.

This entire CarPC will be up for sale shortly.

$1,000 shipped.

This will include:

OEM Nav Hood which has a transplanted Lilliput 629 2008 LCD vga touchscreen.
The computer hardware itself (Mini Itx board with a 1.6ghz Atom processor, 1gb ram).
The audio interface with the stock headunit (Grom).
The OBD2 interface (Elmscan5).
The USB GPS antenna (BU-353).
Alot of wiring.

This entire CarPC will be up for sale shortly.

$1,000 shipped.

This will include:

OEM Nav Hood which has a transplanted Lilliput 629 2008 LCD vga touchscreen.
The computer hardware itself (Mini Itx board with a 1.6ghz Atom processor, 1gb ram).
The audio interface with the stock headunit (Grom).
The OBD2 interface (Elmscan5).
Alot of wiring.


:rant: :banghead:

I just bought a nav hood and screen, well setup deals at least and don't want to screw them, I am not a jerk.

Would you possibly sell just the computer or something like that?

I assume this means the car was considered totaled D:

:rant: :banghead:

I just bought a nav hood and screen, well setup deals at least and don't want to screw them, I am not a jerk.

Would you possibly sell just the computer or something like that?

I assume this means the car was considered totaled D:

I actually have someone interested in the OEM Nav Hood + Screen.. so if you want to buy EVERYTHING else.. computer, usb gps antenna, audio interface, obd2 interface, all wiring.. that will be flat $520 shipped.

let me know.

al

I actually have someone interested in the OEM Nav Hood + Screen.. so if you want to buy EVERYTHING else.. computer, usb gps antenna, audio interface, obd2 interface, all wiring.. that will be flat $520 shipped.

let me know.

al


Hmm tempting... I don't care about the OBD or the audio thing... but it may be worth while once I price everything out....

I'll get back to you.

Hmm tempting... I don't care about the OBD or the audio thing... but it may be worth while once I price everything out....

I'll get back to you.

the components in the computer (inc the case) add up to ~$350, the obd2 interface is $120, the USB gps antenna is $60, the audio interface is $75... and then there is all the wiring. i dont think i want split it up that much.

the components in the computer (inc the case) add up to ~$350, the obd2 interface is $120, the USB gps antenna is $60, the audio interface is $75... and then there is all the wiring. i dont think i want split it up that much.


ya, see all I'd want is the computer, possibly the gps...

Any chance of releasing your dash command skin. Comeon man we have been asking for a long time and now that you are selling, you might consider giving something back to the community..

Any chance of releasing your dash command skin. Comeon man we have been asking for a long time and now that you are selling, you might consider giving something back to the community..

yeah.. he's a real dick for not thinking about you after his car was totaled :uhh:

Hey Guys,

I bought this off Al and will be installing it into my 04 8 when I do my cloth to red/black leather interior swap. I will probably change things up a little though and put the PC in the cab of the car. I'm thinking under the passenger seat or might find a better spot when I strip the entire interior out (minus carpet) for the swap.

I was also thinking of the back seat vertical console. It has a lock on it, so no super easy access there. I'll be moving back to Oklahoma soon and need to be able to keep it cooler than I think a trunk would do, so we'll see.

I don't actually have it yet (should get here next week).

I'll be doing a write up of the interior swap and will just include the CarPC steps with that. Being a computer nerd and a car guy, I'm really excited about this. I'm already trying to think of ways I can expand on what Al's already done.

I have the G1 (by T-mobile/HTC) Android phone and it has software that converts it to a wifi hotspot, so I can stay connected at all times. There's also software to control my PC thru my phone remotely over wifi. Using the touch screen on the phone as a mouse pad and using the keyboard on the phone as well. I'll be setting up sycing via my HomePC and the Car. I just have to get into the guts of the Centrafuse software and see what I can do with it.

I'd also like to setup some custom USB ports that come out of the console to hookup external hardware, drives, phone charger, etc. I'm going to try and create a custom cradle at some point too for my phone to sit in, charging, so yes, I'm going to totally geek it out :)

I am VERY new to this stuff though so if any have any ideas, I'd love to hear them. Al has done a wonderful job on this setup, and I'm excited about getting to keep the project going.

Has anyone tried just using the factory nav screen as the computer display and use bluetooth for keyboard, etc? From the pin-out earlier in the post it looks like there is a way to feed video to it provided that you know the signal format, resolution, etc.

I have both a factory Nav and a Pioneer Nav in my car. Both are live currently and the Pioneer Nav has video in and out. I would love to put gagues on my factory nave screen through an in car computer but I don't want to waste money and work on a new screen if not nesecary.

Has anyone tried just using the factory nav screen as the computer display and use bluetooth for keyboard, etc? From the pin-out earlier in the post it looks like there is a way to feed video to it provided that you know the signal format, resolution, etc.

I have both a factory Nav and a Pioneer Nav in my car. Both are live currently and the Pioneer Nav has video in and out. I would love to put gagues on my factory nave screen through an in car computer but I don't want to waste money and work on a new screen if not nesecary.

I know it can be done, but I also know that it is NOT worth the hassle. you would have to solder video feeds and I'm not sure how well it works anyway. Your resolution would no doubt be messed up and need tweaking. If you really want to do that, buy an aftermarket 7" screen and swap it out. You can get them cheap if you don't want a touch screen.

Thanks. I am really good with a soldering iron (actually I am a certified electronic tech) so I don't mind that part at all but the main thing is I want to see if I can leave the factory nav functional and use a switch to flip between the two. If I use an aftermarket screen I will have to figure out how to hook up the factory nav to it.

software gps running on a carpc > the archaic factory navigation setup.

just get rid of it altogether.

Please see my thread in diy; swapping lcd in factory nav is very easy.

Alzorz any chance on releasing the dashcommand skin.

Please see my thread in diy; swapping lcd in factory nav is very easy.

Alzorz any chance on releasing the dashcommand skin.

I think Alorz has made it very clear that he doesn't intend on releasing the skin until the new version of Dashcommand comes out which won't be until this summer. On the other hand if you keep bothering him he may decide to never release it. I'm not trying to be a jerk Hussain, just telling it like it is. I'd like to have it much as the next person but good things come to those who wait.

With the recent turn of events and since I have sold my entire carpc.. I guess it will be up to the new owner.

I may end up using the same skin for another carpc build in my next car. ;)

I think Alorz has made it very clear that he doesn't intend on releasing the skin until the new version of Dashcommand comes out which won't be until this summer. On the other hand if you keep bothering him he may decide to never release it. I'm not trying to be a jerk Hussain, just telling it like it is. I'd like to have it much as the next person but good things come to those who wait.


tigerman, alzorz stated in my thread about three months back that he is going to release the skin "soon". I am not being a jerk, I was just reminding him; plus i beleive that one should share whatever information he has. if all people had selfishly guarded their developments or knowledge we would never gotten anywhere with our cars as well as pc's. Look at all the people raging from developers of road runner to diy guides on this very forum. I myself started as a novice and ended up writing the most comprehensive guide for carpc's in rx8's (although it took me about 5 hours to write the whole damned thing.

alzorz, sorry about your car man. However, if you plan to come good on your promise it would be nice if you can give all of us a date, so that we are not termed as jerks when we keep bugging you.

Fired up the PC today. Everything came on...looking good so far :) Had one minor issue where we had the power to the nav motor and the power to the screen on the same circuit (front cig lighter) and it was popping the 15A fuse. Moved the fuse to 20 and it started melting the wiring to the screen power (too much current), so we re routed the power to the motor to the rear cig lighter that already runs on 20A and moved the front back to 15A. No wire melting :D

As far as pulling the skin, I haven't played too much with the software yet, but would be happy to post it when I do, but it will be a while. My car will sit in a garage for the next 6 weeks while I'll be working in D.C. still. Further updates to come. I will probably post my own thread and give a link to it in here.

Want to say what a good job alz did on this. It's been very easy to hook it up on my side so far coming from his system. Needed almost zero instruction. It's pretty straight forward install as long as you know what you're doing with routing power wires.

-Derek

Fired up the PC today. Everything came on...looking good so far :) Had one minor issue where we had the power to the nav motor and the power to the screen on the same circuit (front cig lighter) and it was popping the 15A fuse. Moved the fuse to 20 and it started melting the wiring to the screen power (too much current), so we re routed the power to the motor to the rear cig lighter that already runs on 20A and moved the front back to 15A. No wire melting :D

As far as pulling the skin, I haven't played too much with the software yet, but would be happy to post it when I do, but it will be a while. My car will sit in a garage for the next 6 weeks while I'll be working in D.C. still. Further updates to come. I will probably post my own thread and give a link to it in here.

Want to say what a good job alz did on this. It's been very easy to hook it up on my side so far coming from his system. Needed almost zero instruction. It's pretty straight forward install as long as you know what you're doing with routing power wires.

-Derek

I am currently building one.. and could you explain your problem a little more? I don't want to run into anything like it...

I am currently building one.. and could you explain your problem a little more? I don't want to run into anything like it...

We just had an issue where we had like 20 guage wire hooked up to the power for the LCD screen and we put it on a 20A line and the wire did not like that much current :) . We moved it to a 15A line and worked just fine.

But the reason why we had to switch is b/c we were blowing the 15A Cig line with having the housing motor power and the screen power on that same line, so we broke it up and kept the LCD power on the 15A front Cig line and moved the motor acc power to the rear Cig line which was already at 20A.

It's all together now and everything is working great so far with the housing motor and the and the computer. I think I shorted a USB inlet though b/c I'm getting an error about USB power surge. I'm going to have to disable one of them I think, but the computer itself is not a concern of mine. I can build those all day long.

We mounted the CarPC in the Vertical Console leading to the trunk. The wiring comes out right behind drivers side rear seat. We left that unbolted (as it slides into place) for easy access to the unit.

I work up a little write up tomorrow on the whole process. We changed out the interior at the same time from Cloth Black/grey to Leather Red/Black.

ah, rotarykillz I forgot to tell you the wiring on the nav hood itself.. seems like you got it right though.

red = ALWAYS ON 12v
black = ground
grey = SWITCHED 12v

made a DIY for people to see how I did the wiring to get the nav hood buttons to work

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=172054

ah, rotarykillz I forgot to tell you the wiring on the nav hood itself.. seems like you got it right though.

red = ALWAYS ON 12v
black = ground
green(I forgot what color it was) = SWITCHED 12v

I figured as much...if you want the thing to close down once you turn the car off :)

Thanks again for a great setup. It went as smooth as I could have asked for. You had a nice preinstalled MP3 collection too :D

I'm going to play with the gauges a bit. Throttle position doesn't seem to be accurate, but I've heard there's a new dash command coming out so might wait for it as well. As soon as I get back to my car (It's in Tulsa. I'm in D.C.), I will try and locate that skin and get it uploaded for you guys. I move back to Tulsa at the end of May, so look for it Mid June after I get all settled down after the move. If someone is really really wanting that sooner than that, PM me and I'll see what I can do to maybe have my brother get it off there.

I figured as much...if you want the thing to close down once you turn the car off :)

Thanks again for a great setup. It went as smooth as I could have asked for. You had a nice preinstalled MP3 collection too :D

I'm going to play with the gauges a bit. Throttle position doesn't seem to be accurate, but I've heard there's a new dash command coming out so might wait for it as well. As soon as I get back to my car (It's in Tulsa. I'm in D.C.), I will try and locate that skin and get it uploaded for you guys. I move back to Tulsa at the end of May, so look for it Mid June after I get all settled down after the move. If someone is really really wanting that sooner than that, PM me and I'll see what I can do to maybe have my brother get it off there.

hehe yeah forgot I was giving you my entire music collection! :)

the throttle position reading inaccurate is a function of the rx8 ecu, for some reason it will always report 67% as max.

hehe yeah forgot I was giving you my entire music collection! :)

the throttle position reading inaccurate is a function of the rx8 ecu, for some reason it will always report 67% as max.

Thanks for the info...any luck on the search for a new ride?

Thanks for the info...any luck on the search for a new ride?

have my sights set on an S2000.

between the insurance settlement and a bit more saving I am looking to pay for it cash, no loan this time around.

getting out of the car payment obligation with the car being totalled and the insurance money was a blessing in disguise.

S2000 should be a ton of fun...very nice cars :)

Why did you not use the Radio option for the Centrafuse. I don't see it anywhere on your interface.

We just had an issue where we had like 20 guage wire hooked up to the power for the LCD screen and we put it on a 20A line and the wire did not like that much current :) . We moved it to a 15A line and worked just fine.

But the reason why we had to switch is b/c we were blowing the 15A Cig line with having the housing motor power and the screen power on that same line, so we broke it up and kept the LCD power on the 15A front Cig line and moved the motor acc power to the rear Cig line which was already at 20A.

It's all together now and everything is working great so far with the housing motor and the and the computer. I think I shorted a USB inlet though b/c I'm getting an error about USB power surge. I'm going to have to disable one of them I think, but the computer itself is not a concern of mine. I can build those all day long.

We mounted the CarPC in the Vertical Console leading to the trunk. The wiring comes out right behind drivers side rear seat. We left that unbolted (as it slides into place) for easy access to the unit.

I work up a little write up tomorrow on the whole process. We changed out the interior at the same time from Cloth Black/grey to Leather Red/Black.


Well I am going to wire the nav hood power up to the battery line I am running, and the ignition up to that sig. Idk what I am powering the screen off of. Probably the same front cig lighter. Maybe an add-a-fuse, as I have run a lot off of the back cig lighter already.

Thanks for the info

Well I am going to wire the nav hood power up to the battery line I am running, and the ignition up to that sig. Idk what I am powering the screen off of. Probably the same front cig lighter. Maybe an add-a-fuse, as I have run a lot off of the back cig lighter already.

Thanks for the info

I powered the screen off of the Front Cig Lighter(15A), but when I tried to power the screen and the motor, the fuse blew. I figured since it's just Cig Lighter, I'd install a 20A fuse there. This started to burn my wiring for the screen power, so shut that down quick :)

Ended up wiring the screen to the FRONT Cig Lighter(15A) and the Motor to the rear Cig Lighter(20A). That worked out great.

I powered the screen off of the Front Cig Lighter(15A), but when I tried to power the screen and the motor, the fuse blew. I figured since it's just Cig Lighter, I'd install a 20A fuse there. This started to burn my wiring for the screen power, so shut that down quick :)

Ended up wiring the screen to the FRONT Cig Lighter(15A) and the Motor to the rear Cig Lighter(20A). That worked out great.

So you powered the motor off the rear cig lighter? or the ignition wire to the nav housing off the rear lighter?

So you powered the motor off the rear cig lighter? or the ignition wire to the nav housing off the rear lighter?

Ignition wire to the nav housing motor off the rear lighter. Also have a constant power source running from the car battery as alz had mentioned earlier.

http://cgi.ebay.com/GROM-Audio-Mazda-Radio-Zune-MP3-RCA-Aux-Audio-Adapter_W0QQitemZ120409196570QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH _DefaultDomain_0?hash=item1c08f2881a&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

This is the only thing i could find.. But how do i know what firmware i have?????

http://www.gromaudio.com/store/aux_adapters/grom-aux-maz.html

My thread lives on!

Turn on the radio, push and hold the Text button, then press and hold Preset
1 button to display version

ha ok THANKS!
Going to bed, later

I've been actually considering redoing this on my second 8.

Maybe.. just maybe.. if the funds ever allow it again.

This has been on my list for a long time. Since you are just 'considering' it, why wouldn't you do it? (other than funds) Is there a hassle component or other drawback once it is fully installed?

The OEM nav hood will be hard to source at a reasonable price.

Apart from that there is no other drawback.

It is all you'd ever need in terms of entertainment in the car, with the exception of maybe upgrading the sound system in general (speakers, woofer, and amp).

Cool, thanks. About what I expected, but wanted to check :)

I do alot of long distance driving, and my current setup has alot to be desired. Front cig port for my radar detector, rear is split to dual, one powering an inverter which powers my laptop, the other powering an FM transmitter to play music/movies over my 8's speakers, air card in the laptop for the frequent traffic.com checks (I use it all the time passing through NYC) Work hasn't replaced my GPS yet, but when they do, I am already out of connections, not mention cables everywhere, laptop seatbelted into the passenger seat, etc... :)

CarPC would resolve most of this, and it's on my short list.

ha ok THANKS!
Going to bed, later

Are you looking to just get audio? Because I bought a "Car2PC" and it does audio and allows the stereo buttons to change the song and such on the computer itself. It was also cheaper than most others that I found. That grom audio is not the only one.

Cool, thanks. About what I expected, but wanted to check :)

I do alot of long distance driving, and my current setup has alot to be desired. Front cig port for my radar detector, rear is split to dual, one powering an inverter which powers my laptop, the other powering an FM transmitter to play music/movies over my 8's speakers, air card in the laptop for the frequent traffic.com checks (I use it all the time passing through NYC) Work hasn't replaced my GPS yet, but when they do, I am already out of connections, not mention cables everywhere, laptop seatbelted into the passenger seat, etc... :)

CarPC would resolve most of this, and it's on my short list.

Just a little suggestion in the interim... I assume you have your radar detector on your front windscreen, no?

I have my GPS mounted up there and I'm a cable clutter freak, so I picked up a second cig lighter and an add-a-fuse kit at the local auto supply place.

I added a second fuse into the fuse box on the drivers side and brought the wires out the back of it, up under the dash. The pos cigarette lighter got wired to the add-a-fuse and the negative got sandwiched under a bolt in that region that I sanded a bit of paint off of to provide a decent ground.

I did that almost a year and a half ago and it's been working great ever since. I found the cable on my TomTom fits quite nicely in the crevasse between the gauge cluster hood and the dash surround, then it disappears down the side of the wheel.

Handy. Thanks, I will have to do that.

Mazda 02+ Auxiliary interface(GROM-AUX-MAZ)
Mazda RX-8 04-08 (*, radio firmware v9.55 or later /v10.1 and v9.81 not supported/)

I have Version 9.82.. So i guess i am good! :)

I will also check "cartopc" Thanks

Hey alzorz and Rotarykillzz can u guys release the Skin for us to share plzzzzzzz i know alot of ppl being waiting for it since they 1st saw your Mad 8 in action

skin is on HUSSAINS CarPC HowTo thread.

Wait, what skin? the dash command one? I really want that.

and my lilliput 629 should be here in like an hour. I am about to shit myself I have been waiting so long. Pray all goes well!!!

^ I dont think the poo will help your situation lol good luck

my question is, would this setup work on the 09 rx8 due to the display differences?

If you mean the nav hood, there is no longer a motorized NAV option on the 09's.

my question is, would this setup work on the 09 rx8 due to the display differences?


The setup would work.. but you'd have to find a way to put a screen in the 09 dash.

Something like the metra kit for the 04-08 models... But I don't know of anything like that exists yet.

found it finally lol

ROTARYKILLZ YOUR THE MAN


thank u so much bro

As was I but getting the Metra kit would have meant replacing the entire HU (which I was willing to do) but that would have also involved getting an aftermarket amp to interface with the stock speakers.



Incorrect if you have BOSE
Hey all!
I am starting a CarPC installation company in the bay area. I have done numerous installs, and recently purchased an rx8 that will we use as our show car. It will have 2 screens, one in the navi hood, one in the double din.

If you have a BOSE amp, it is possible to tap into it. Most BOSE amps have 4 channels coming in and then internal crossovers go to the numerous speakers in the vehicle. The only issue is that Bose does not use the standard voltage for line inputs. An easy fix is to use line amps ($12 each) to boost the signal going to the BOSE amp. You get exceptional sound quality and its cheaper and easier than adding an aftermarket amp. Besides, I am REALLY impresed with how the rx8 BOSE sound system sounds. If you guys have any questions or need any qoutes, let me know!

Dima

Dima, I hate to be contrary but for any serious audiophile the Bose system is absolute CRAP! I have a 2008 that came with the Bose 9 speaker system and the sound quality was so poor that I ripped it out. I now use a Pioneer AVIC F90BT with Pioneer Championship series speakers and amps. The sound quality difference is stunning.

Now granted that the Pioneer equipment was way more expensive but price aside it is just plain wrong to call the Bose system good.

I 100% agree, but to say it's impossible is simply not true. Just today we installed 2 quality line amps going into a Bose amp from a car pc in a g35. Agreed, not the best quality, but concidering that it does the job, and it's literally 75 times cheaper than ure set up, it is not a bad alternative.

As for being an audiophile, I am a sound engineer who has 3 years experience in studio and live sound. The stock Bose system in the rx is quality as far as stock goes. I hope to be able to drop enough cheese to have a setup like yours

so are you still using the car PC? Is it a PITA in anyway (other than maybe the install)

No, i sold it when my first rx8 was totaled. rotarykillz is continuing the legacy.

Anyone have the bose amp pin diagram need to get acc and ground from it to power my pc.

thanks

Hey RCPilot

I did the same thing for my Car PC, took a 12V and Ground from the amp. The ground is the thick black one, the 12V is the white one (same AWG as black one) and the ACC is the blue one I believe. Its a bit higher AWG but not THAT high.. Also, Im not sure how your getting the audio into your Bose amp, but Ive noticed a HUGE audio quality drop when I connected my CarPC to my Bose amp.. You might wanna look into getting one of these.. (or two, depending on your setup)

https://www.mobilesoundworks.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=cloc_d

Hey RCPilot

I did the same thing for my Car PC, took a 12V and Ground from the amp. The ground is the thick black one, the 12V is the white one (same AWG as black one) and the ACC is the blue one I believe. Its a bit higher AWG but not THAT high.. Also, Im not sure how your getting the audio into your Bose amp, but Ive noticed a HUGE audio quality drop when I connected my CarPC to my Bose amp.. You might wanna look into getting one of these.. (or two, depending on your setup)

https://www.mobilesoundworks.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=cloc_d

Should I just tap the rear cig lighter then? wasnt planning on the extra expense for the line driver.

So you're tapping the amp for power for the carpc power supply?
If you can manage it I personally really suggest you run a dedicated 12v line from the battery. Doing it this way preserves the car-specific power supply functions(assuming you're using one) where there are the delayed power-off and hibernate functions that go with the ignition. The only thing you should be tapping from the bose amp is the switched line.
And ground it in the trunk to the strut tower or something.

I agree with alz0rz. That IS the way it should be done, but its not the way mine is running. I tapped into the amp for 12v and GND. I ran a ACC line from the Metra kit harness though. As for the cig lighter, yeh that should be fine for an ACC.

You should just prepare yourself for a HUGE drop in audio quality. Like, I was SHOCKED. Its one of those "you dont know what you have till you loose it" situations. How do you plan to run your audio to the amp?

I agree with alz0rz. That IS the way it should be done, but its not the way mine is running. I tapped into the amp for 12v and GND. I ran a ACC line from the Metra kit harness though. As for the cig lighter, yeh that should be fine for an ACC.

You should just prepare yourself for a HUGE drop in audio quality. Like, I was SHOCKED. Its one of those "you dont know what you have till you loose it" situations. How do you plan to run your audio to the amp?

"How do you plan to run your audio to the amp?"
CAR2PC - not sure if that answers your question...didnt make any other plans for audio.

Here is my plan now...run ACC from the CIG and ground to the strut.

Oh, I guess I have a broader question. Is your car PC REPLACING your head unit? or is it just adding on??

Oh, I guess I have a broader question. Is your car PC REPLACING your head unit? or is it just adding on??

Adding on...

Ooooh alright, nevermind the line driver then. You wont need that! Cig lighter is a perfectly fine ACC!

Ooooh alright, nevermind the line driver then. You wont need that! Cig lighter is a perfectly fine ACC!

GREAT! another quick Question. Do you know if i need to run the .25 jack from the CAR2PC module to the PC...the instructions are in broken english and i think it said either or. I just ran the USB

Anyone know more?

Got a link to the product? Is this it?

http://car2pc.com/maz_beta.html

Got a link to the product? Is this it?

http://car2pc.com/maz_beta.html

http://www.car2pc.com/products.html :suspect:

Yup thats it

alz0rz pictures in all your posts are dead now... could you please upload them again

ohhh, damn it.
my host owned me.
all my pictures = gone. :(
anyone with any ideas, google cache?

Photobucket?

Photobucket?

If I had them I would be able too do that, but I don't. :(

NM! I found the raw pictures in an old backup... gotta do some resizing.. but they will be back!!! or atleast most of them will be.. didn't find some of the later ones ;[

All pics have been restored!

Ok, Im very interested in doing this set up, bat after reading through this thread Im more than a little confused. The instructions at the beginning are easy enough, but I want to use the OEM nav hood, and I have a bose system, and it sounds like those are things I have to make changes for. Can somebody clarify please?

Ok, Im very interested in doing this set up, bat after reading through this thread Im more than a little confused. The instructions at the beginning are easy enough, but I want to use the OEM nav hood, and I have a bose system, and it sounds like those are things I have to make changes for. Can somebody clarify please?

Yes, you'll need to replace the lcd in the oem nav hood with a touchscreen lcd.

Yes, you'll need to replace the lcd in the oem nav hood with a touchscreen lcd.


lol that's not true...

lol that's not true...

sure it is, unless you want to spend $400 on a vga input switcher and still have a crappy non-touchscreen lcd (which means you're going to need a keyboard and mouse in your car) with a terrible resolution for a computer.

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=188843

I've installed those touchscreens... did so on an eeepc 701. it's actually pretty easy once you've got the lcd separated.

I'd still go with a lilliput or zenarc vga screen resolution wise and iGuidance is much nicer than the stock nav system. If you had it I doubt you'd ever toggle back to the stock nav.

i had iguidance before. it was annoying because as an add on app, the audio doesn't cut out or lower in volume while guidance is speaking... and lock on times just aren't reliable with a USB receiver. i don't want to wait 5-10 minutes to acquire satellites (this is with a holux and with the global sat). with the stock one, it's literally instant. interface totally blows though, that's for sure... but when i need to use it, which is rare, i know i can count on it

everything you mention is tunable. acquisition, for example, is dependant on the receiver, not the app. I have $35 receiver that acquires immediately....

I've had success adjusting volumes between apps and iGuidance under Windows 7 and previously XP. It really isn't a problem for me. iGuidance tends to run about 25% higher than all other apps... There's also a very subtle fade out / fade in for ancillary sounds.

GlobalSat BU-353 USB GPS BU-353 1 36.95
Receiver

http://www.semsons.com/glbuusbgpsre.html

I run my gps receiver inside the lid of my trunk, tucked away in the well back by my fin.

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=188843

right, that was what I was referring to.

you still have to take apart the hood and lcd.

you'll need an input switcher.

and the resolution is still terrible for a computer.


a proper touchscreen lcd costs $250.

right, that was what I was referring to.

you still have to take apart the hood and lcd.

you'll need an input switcher.

and the resolution is still terrible for a computer.


a proper touchscreen lcd costs $250.

how's that what you were referring to? i recall hearing something about a keyboard and mouse in your car. i spent 300 out the doors on my setup. the resolution i'll give to you... i wonder how much you spent on your hood tho :)

if i didn't have stock nav to start with, i'd do the same i suppose..

everything you mention is tunable. acquisition, for example, is dependant on the receiver, not the app. I have $35 receiver that acquires immediately....

I've had success adjusting volumes between apps and iGuidance under Windows 7 and previously XP. It really isn't a problem for me. iGuidance tends to run about 25% higher than all other apps... There's also a very subtle fade out / fade in for ancillary sounds.

GlobalSat BU-353 USB GPS BU-353 1 36.95
Receiver

http://www.semsons.com/glbuusbgpsre.html

I run my gps receiver inside the lid of my trunk, tucked away in the well back by my fin.

i have that exact receiver. i'm definitely interested to hear what you tweaked for IMMEDIATE acquisition. never seen it on mine using sifrdemo to tune that guy up. you don't even have direct line of sight with the sky?? :eek:

Yeah I didn't mention it in my post for some reason.. o.O, but right away when you said that it wasn't the only way I knew what you were referring to. I read that thread a few days ago.

I didn't have the oem hood, that ran me $300.

The guy asked because he already has a OEM hood and I don't think I'd ever suggest to anyone to get just a touchscreen overlay and go the lengths of taking apart the LCD portion just to reuse the same LCD. What is it like $150 now for a touchscreen overlay? and then the basic video switcher is $284 from mazdaparts?

The Lilliput i used was $250. Since he already has the OEM hood that's all he will have to spend.


And about the Bu-353, I never got immediate acquisition, but it was never longer then 1-1.5 minutes after a cold boot. It had really good reception and was fairly inexpensive. I had mine mounted upside down (magnet) on the inside of of my trunk lid lining.

IDK, my BU-353 doesnt always read when i start up. I have to go through the "advanced settings" to make it see it. I am using centrafuse program. I have been on the forums and seems like its a problem.
I do get sat, reception instantly but doesnt always show my navigation spot.

But other then that mines good :)

correct... it shoots thru my trunk lid.... and i immediately go 5 bars all green... I had a holux/microsoft one previously that took a minute or two... before that a cheap ebay one that locked almost as quickly as my bu-353.

Seriously nothing special happening

I haven't messed with RR or any other carpc integration apps for some time... I write all my own stuff and run a grom car2pc interface. custom controls integration, large fonts on windows 7, and touchscreen is my current preference. iGuidance 2009 is my nav software of choice. I went through them all a couple years back and it was clearly the best.

Yeah I didn't mention it in my post for some reason.. o.O, but right away when you said that it wasn't the only way I knew what you were referring to. I read that thread a few days ago.

I didn't have the oem hood, that ran me $300.

The guy asked because he already has a OEM hood and I don't think I'd ever suggest to anyone to get just a touchscreen overlay and go the lengths of taking apart the LCD portion just to reuse the same LCD. What is it like $150 now for a touchscreen overlay? and then the basic video switcher is $284 from mazdaparts?

The Lilliput i used was $250. Since he already has the OEM hood that's all he will have to spend.


And about the Bu-353, I never got immediate acquisition, but it was never longer then 1-1.5 minutes after a cold boot. It had really good reception and was fairly inexpensive. I had mine mounted upside down (magnet) on the inside of of my trunk lid lining.

overlay was 30 bucks and the avswitcher was 275 shipped. if you take a look around there's actually a VGA solution as well for 80 bucks, but i wanted to have reverse camera as well. if you switch monitors, i don't think there's a way to get the stock nav system to input to it, and i wasn't about to not use a $2000 option built into my car if i could help it. basically if you want all 3 (reverse cam, carpc, stock nav), there's literally no other way to do it.

if you don't have stock nav in the first place or don't care about reverse cam, then you have other options...

i don't know how you guys are getting such quick lock on times. i have gotten 1 minute locks on OCCASION. not something i could count on... maybe it's where i live

Check your COM ports. The lower the com port the better. Think mine is on COM3, and it gets reception as soon as windows opens up. Im just trying to figure out on CENTRAFUSE why it doesnt always see it.

the COM port # should be completely irrelevant assuming you're not relying on an auto-detect function. If you are then duh... disable auto-detect and hardwire the virtual COM port.

Yeah just pick a dedicated COM port for the receiver.. was a pita trying trying to troubleshoot my initial build and it turned out that was the problem.. ighhh

Still have this in my 8. Awesome setup. Going to redo the os soon and install an ssd with win 7

:) Thanks for keeping it alive and in a good home!

I've played with the idea of doing it all over again... :)

Maybe this time in a Metra..

Is possible download from any site, your fantastics gtr dlx gauge ? I was modified the setup of any others and if You like I send.

Tnanks

made a DIY for people to see how I did the wiring to get the nav hood buttons to work

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=172054

This is excellent! think i can get the motor mechanism working from your diagram. however how do I link the screen to DVD player and reverse cam, which wire do i solder as I do not have the OEM wiring harness......... Many thanks? Do i need an avswitcher? Thanks.

allllllllllllllllll my next in the list bro

yes sir

links to this amazing thread, do not work anymore. This makes me very sad. Hey alzorz, I know it's probably asking a lot, but if you could uploadd them again, that would be awesome.

and sadly I had to sell my 8 with this system still installed. Maybe the guy I sold it to will end up here :)

and sadly I had to sell my 8 with this system still installed. Maybe the guy I sold it to will end up here :)

Yes I blame you for making me do this again!!! :evil_laug

Fix the pix =]

alllllllll !!!!! i need help with the dashcommand

Fix the pix =]

+1:Eyecrazy:

Sorry to thread jack, but i had a carpc,

I sold the dash piece and screen, but i still have the PC part. if anyone is interested in it. It was the same setup as what alzroz had. I just used windows XP. You can install any operating program you would like.

If anyone is interested let me know :)

Sorry to thread jack, but i had a carpc,

I sold the dash piece and screen, but i still have the PC part. if anyone is interested in it. It was the same setup as what alzroz had. I just used windows XP. You can install any operating program you would like.

If anyone is interested let me know :)

I am. I was going to start building one.