...surf MM.net while driving?

[Petrograde]

check this out. http://www.mp3car.com/

A Car'puter! I was wondering when someone would do this.

great,.. just what I needed, something else to pour money into. :P

[DarthMarauder]

Dang it. You just had to post this so someone will be beating me to the punch. I have been researching this and am starting my carputer end of this winter and will hopefully have it installed in spring. Hopefully I will still be the first MM owner with one. I will be taking plenty of pics once I start and will post my progress as I go along. That is a very excellent site for anyone else wanting to attempt this.
:lol:

[DEFYANT]

With a Jotto Desk you can do that with a laptop computer and do it cheeper. Thats the set up I have now. I had a cell card for my ole lap top that allowed me to connect a Sprint cell phone to the computer. Cell service = internet.

[Petrograde]

I dunno if someone will beat you to the punch,.. since there really is no 'plug 'n play' model out there. Lots of custom stuff. May take awhile to get everything installed.

I've been thinking about where to put the CPU,.. under the seat maybe? behind the dash? I don't think the trunk is a good idea, due to the heat and cold.

You are right about the forum,.. great info! and it has the best newbie FAQ I've ever seen! :bows:

[ckadiddle]

Pick up some used cop laptop and car mount cheap from auction maybe?

[Petrograde]

Pick up some used cop laptop and car mount cheap from auction maybe?

I have a laptop now that I use for datalogging. It's not the point to have a dash-mounted laptop,.. I want something fully intergrated and somewhat OEM looking.

I do like this retractable monitor,..
http://www.mp3car.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=25&products_id=120 ...very spiffy.

well,.. I don't actually intend to surf the internet while driving, but,.. it would be nice access to all my MP3s. Not to mention OBDII datalogging that's internal. ...and perhaps GPS navigation.

The more I read that site though the more I realize what a PITA it'll be to set up.

[fastblackmerc]

Aren't there enough people not paying attention when they are driving because thay are talking on a cell phone, eating, drinking, putting on makeup, reading, using their PDA's, etc. already??? Now we're going to be typing!!!

[Vortex]

Aren't there enough people not paying attention when they are driving because thay are talking on a cell phone, eating, drinking, putting on makeup, reading, using their PDA's, etc. already??? Now we're going to be typing!!!

I agree 100%

[Petrograde]

Aren't there enough people not paying attention when they are driving because thay are talking on a cell phone, eating, drinking, putting on makeup, reading, using their PDA's, etc. already??? Now we're going to be typing!!!

I see what you are saying,.. I don't plan on having a keyboard mounted on the dash. :P

[Warpath]

These things have been out for a little while now. Another brand is drivesoft

http://www.drivesoft.net/

This one is really good because it is a multimedia type computer (DVD, MP3, 5.1 surround, etc.). It also boots up really quick in something like 7 seconds so that you don't spend half the time of short trips booting up a desktop or laptop. This brand has been featured on Pimp My Ride too.

http://www.drivesoft.net/thumbnails/Screens/MAIN1.jpg http://www.drivesoft.net/thumbnails/Screens/MAIN2.jpg

http://www.drivesoft.net/thumbnails/Screens/DVD.jpg http://www.drivesoft.net/thumbnails/Screens/GPS.jpg

[fastblackmerc]

I believe it's illegal in most states for the driver to be able to see video while he's or she is driving.....

[merc6]

Navi screens don't count ;)

[DarthMarauder]

I dunno if someone will beat you to the punch,.. since there really is no 'plug 'n play' model out there. Lots of custom stuff. May take awhile to get everything installed.

I've been thinking about where to put the CPU,.. under the seat maybe? behind the dash? I don't think the trunk is a good idea, due to the heat and cold.

You are right about the forum,.. great info! and it has the best newbie FAQ I've ever seen! :bows:

I will be truck mounting it but will box it off on the shelf next to the spare under the rear speakers then I'm going to run fans under the rear deck to pull in air and have fans running in the box I build to exhaust the hot air into the truck. I am going to run a 220w power supply they list in there forums for the cpu and a 90w for the fans and monitor that flip out is the one I have my eyes on. As far as a distraction the beauty of the system is you can run a mic in the cabin and do voice recognition and dont even have to worry about looking at anything but the road. I will run a touchscreen and have a mini keyboard for anything I have to do but will only use it when parked. I will probably get the gps and Siruis sattlelite attennas. The drivesoft is very similar to a front end. I will run a front end of some kind to make things easier. Front ends are just programs that either run off windows or linux so you can have the big button to navigate alot easier and run it like a standard style head unit. Like I said when I start this in the spring I will be posting plenty of pics and info on what I'm doing and will run temp test to make sure everything is cool and let everyone know how is runs. Don't want that overheating like my amps used to do in the truck.

[DarthMarauder]

Just for curious minds this is the case I am pretty close to getting to start my project. Won't even look like a cpu in my truck.

http://images10.newegg.com/NeweggImage/productimage/11-190-049-11.JPG