Im thinking to starting one.. now that ive decided to keep my car till late 09 Alex, i know you had a 7" touch screen LCD. Is it possible for you to let me know where you got that from , how it would hook up to the pc(vga + usb) and what size it was( has to fit stock stereo position)? Also, where would the PC it self be housed, where the stock stereo is( behind the actual LCD)? How would it be connected to the actual car speakers. Yes i plan on using the stock speakers and such. And Power wise, would i have to get a power inverter or something? What sort of case? power supply?
My screen is still available if you are interested. They make computer cases that are sized/shaped/look like amplifiers. You could mount it in the trunk and run wiring to the front of the car. I'd say since you're doing this you could revamp your sound system and just build a rack back there for the amp(s) (2 if you are doing sub) and the PC itself. Placing the PC behind the screen is far far far from optimal as there is a substantial amount of heat created back there and it would be terrible for the PC in the long run. There isnt a lot of space either. As for connecting it to the car speakers you could just run the output into some sort of AMP most likely as would with your TV in your house, etc. An inverter would be optimal, but I believe you could fit a power supply into the computer case. I am not the expert on these things, of all people I know the best person to ask would be Milo's brother, E-mol (screen name here). He is out of the country, I would ask 420 instead as he's also built a multifunction car pc.
Actually RamblinWRX also knows alot about the whole Car PC. Alex actually got his PC from him, I believe. I have my PC mounted under the Passenger seat in a case that looks like an Amp. I have the Audio split from the PC using a 3.5 headphone splitter to RCA, then have that run to Amp 1 (Sub Amp) and then the out on that Amp run to Amp 2 (High Amp). The screen Alex has is the same as mine. It's a 7 inch Lilliput with the mounting bracket that fits in where your stock radio sits. The screen will sit back a tiny bit and will have a lip around the edges as is, or you can do what I did and cut the stock surround a little bit to get the screen to mount flush. I went a little overboard with the cutting, and had to bondo it up to fix, and never finished the job. If you are interested in seeing the whole setup, let me know. I am very happy with it, although I am having screen issues again. I have replaced the screen once already and the second screen is acting up. I am not sure what is causing my problem, so I will probably pull the whole thing apart this summer and rewire, and figure out what to do from there. I don't know if my issue is with the wiring, the screen, or the video card on the PC.
Definitely. I won't be going anywhere. Just message me when you are back in town and we can get together.
That looks a little different, however they may change the outer case from year to year. You have to remove the screen from the case and mount it to the bracket. I have the 2006-2007 model as shown here. Alex's screen will also come with this bracket designed specifically for the Imprezas.
Hey nsvwrx, I've got a CarPC currently up and running and have been into the hobby for about 2 years now so I've got a lot of knowledge in the area. Have you started your project yet? Your primary resource will be www.mp3car.com - full forum dedicated to the idea. For parts, I recommend checking out mp3car's classifieds, and logicsupply.com. The PC can be pretty much anything you have lying around, or you can go with smaller (more expensive) components for a more embedded install. The screen and power supply are the biggest specialty items. You can go with the mechtroniks LCD bezel which some people have mentioned (kind of pricey at $130 + screen, but makes things very easy), or you can do what I did and mount a 1-DIN motorized or manual flip-out monitor up top in the Subaru gauge pod. For the PSU, I *highly* recommend against using a standard ATX PSU and power inverter. For one, inverters put out very sloppy AC power, and two, they will always just turn off when you either turn the car off or crank the engine, w/o giving Windows the time to properly shut down. For this purpose, there are a dozen different DC-DC intellegent PSU's out there that you wire up directly to 12V and GND in your car. They have a third wire that you hook up to your ignition so that it senses when you turn the key on and automatically starts up, then senses when you turn it off, and initiates a proper Windows shutdown. Shoot me a message if you want to get together sometime to look over my system and talk shop over a beer. Actually, I'm thinking I'll probably go to next Tuesday's meet at Taco Mac, so that'd be a good time. ------------ Oh, and Alex - you said you had a screen available? I might be interested - I'll shoot you a message. ------------ And to 420 - what's the issue you're seeing with the screens? Maybe I can help out. You also mentioned you had replaced the screen. Do you still have the old one? I'd be interested if it's fixable. Let me know.
I sure have started my project.. and i go on those fourms ALOT... i just got the 7" liliput screen with the housing (from alex) thats all ive got so far.. still confused about some stuff (ie pc to speakers) What happens there?
Cool, so I guess Alex's monitor is no longer available (unless you've got a spare, Alex??)... Anyway, as far as PC -> car speakers, you've got two options. First is to pipe the audio to your headunit. This is how I've got mine set up. I picked up a Pioneer DEH-4800P (which matches the Impreza interior well - trim and illum), which has an aux-input that I just switch to for the PC. This way I have the radio and CD player still on the HU so I don't need to run it thru the PC. If you have a HU that doesn't support aux-in, you could get a FM transmitter like you would for an .mp3 player, or if you're using the stock HU, there's a modification you can add for an aux-in. Let me know if you need info on that. I recommend the HU method, but if you're adventurous, the second option is to get rid of the HU and let the PC be your primary ICE (in-car-entertainment). You'd hook the PC directly to an amplifier which powers your speakers, use the PC's CD-ROM as your CD-player (if you ever need it), and get a PCI or USB radio adapter. Well I'm heading out so that's the input for now. Keep your questions coming, I'm happy to help out. After getting mine going, I've helped 3 other buddies of mine out getting systems set up in their cars.
My original problem with the first screen was that on power up, the screen would just be dark, then have a white nothing slowly move across the entire screen, then would just go completely black and turn off. It would also, occasionally show the Decepticons logo at the bottom center of the screen. It first started when the weather started to get cold. At first, when it did it, I would stick a piece of paper over my air vents, to direct warm air over the screen, and once warmed up, it would work fine. Then after about a month of doing that, it died completely, still doing the same thing, but the heat didn't fix it. I sent that screen back to mp3car, and they said the control board(?) was bad and that they couldn't fix it. I then bought another Lilliput from mp3car, the other model Lilliput, 619 or 629, opposite of what I got the first time. They were the same from what I could tell, just the new one we were able to get the Auto On feature to work. This screen worked perfectly for about 2 1/2 months, then started to have issues. This one, when I turn the car on, it starts up fine everytime. Shows the avxxxx imbedded platform logo of the motherboard or whatever during boot up. Then, when it gets to the Windows login page, where I would enter my username and password, it randomly shows on the screen, "No input device detected" then the screen goes black and turns off. This is completely random. If I turned the car off and on, and sometimes repeated several times, 1 out of 5 or so times, it would boot properly, and work. Once the screen came on properly, it would be perfect until I turned the car off, and then it would be random again as to whether it would come on or not. Over the past couple of weeks, it seemed that when the weather was cold, it would work in the morning, for my ride into work, but not any other time the rest of the day. The screen has not come on properly in over a week now, so I am thinking that it might be completely dead at this point, but who knows, I could get in my car at the end of today, and it may start up perfectly. Also, on another note, for some reason recently, when cold, the screen will do some weird thing where it is like the vertical hold is not working. When that happens, eventually after the screen warms up, everything is fine, but while I am waiting for the screen to warm up, it has the Jurassic Park logo on it. I have never had anything Jurassic Park on the computer, songs from the soundtrack, any of the movies, nothing. I am complete baffled by it all, and starting to really get annoyed with the screen issues. Not sure what to do at this point.
"the second option is to get rid of the HU and let the PC be your primary ICE (in-car-entertainment). You'd hook the PC directly to an amplifier which powers your speakers, use the PC's CD-ROM as your CD-player (if you ever need it), and get a PCI or USB radio adapter." This is how I am doing it^^^ I used a 3.5mm headphone splitter to rca out, run to my amps. I use a wireless keyboard with media controls to adjust volume and change tracks and stuff. It is ok, but I don't have full control over volume. I can adjust somewhat, but at times, the minimum volume is still too high, and the only way for me to change it is to slide the volume control on Windows Media player, which is very difficult to do since it is so small, and since my screen is rarely working now, even that isn't an option most of the time. If you can afford to run a HU I would recommend doing so, but then where do you mount it, since the screen will be going where the stock radio is. You could get one of the EcuTek Delta dash housings that go where the clock pod is, and but a single din HU there, that is about the only option I know of.
And the old one doing the Decepticons logo. I had a video capture of it on my old phone, but I doubt it is still on there. If it is, I will post it up.
No, I am not, but I would think if it was a virus issue, it would be constant. The intermittent working kind of rules out virus, wiring, etc...
They're right, that does sound kind of screwy, 420. Maybe you could test that theory by swapping out the HDD (or just back it up) and start w/ a format and fresh install to see if the Jurassic Park and Decepticons logos go away... I'm pretty sure that if there were those kind of logos built into the screen as a screen saver of sorts on the Lilliputs, we've had heard about it by now. Also, the video signal going away after Windows boots definitely could be a software issue w/ the video driver. I would definitely start there. The other option is if you can reproduce the issue consistently, try plugging the video into a laptop output and see if the issue continue. Might be the easiest test to see if its the PC or the screen. It sounds like the PC (software) to me though, so that's probably a good thing... I would reason the other direction on this. I've noticed that software and wiring problems are very often behind flaky behavior. For example, my monitor was flickering/losing V-hold (composite screen, not VGA) a little bit and then completely going out for a while. It ended up being a cold solder joint on a particular wire in the screens guts. Tough to narrow down, but once I found and re-soldered it, it's been solid since. Just my $0.02.
I have two. I have a Phoenix Gold XS2500(?) for the Sub, and a Phoenix Gold Q-series 4 channel for the Highs. I have the 3.5mm headphone split to the Sub amp, and then the High Pass RCA output from that amp running to the 4 channel for my highs.
I am running all the stock door speakers. They actually sound pretty good, and can handle a good amount of power, as long as you remove all base. I am very pleased with the factory speakers. If you ever want to get together to check it out, let me know.
I don't think I've ever heard of anyone amping the stock speakers, but I suppose there's no reason it shouldn't work - just don't try to over-drive them. I would think they'd max out at about 30W per channel. Anyway, you'd either have to run new wiring from the amp to the speakers, or your could run the wiring from the amp up into the dash and hook into the stock radio harness (this would allow easy back-to-stock later on if you used a metra or the like wiring harness). At that point it'd just be a 3.5mm male to RCA male cable to input to the amp, and configuring the amp's settings so that you don't blow up the drivers.
Speaking of threadjacking (since it seems to have died anyway), I've got a question for you guys that have done the carPC. I just picked up a Lilliput EBY701, and it's pretty wide (196mm in the case, 164 for the LCD alone). I'm trying to figure out how to mount the sucker in the dash, and can't come up with anything short of really hacking my radio trim panel. I'm not against it, but I'm wary. Any of you guys have some pics of what you've done? Does anyone have a spare trim panel I could buy from you so I can hack w/o fear? Thanks!
cmags.. mp3car has a mount for a screen.. and the thread isnt dead. I am just in the process of buying all the parts.. i am half way there!
Nsvwrx, mp3car has a lot of custom installs for screens in different cars, but most people on there drop the $130 for the mechatroniks ready-mount bezel (which is what I paid for the screen) to just drop it in. I don't care for spending that much, and I hear that the screen I have won't fit in it anyway (the board in the back is 174mm wide, which is larger than both the Lilliput 619 and 629's boards. I'm curious to see if anyone's done any custom mounting. I'm toying with the idea of creating a custom gauge-pod hood to house the screen up top. That's where I've had the screen in the past, and I really like the area since you can see the nav screen without taking your eyes off the road, and it blocks no more of the road from the driver's seat than a bug deflector or hoodscoop does. Did any of you guys custom fab the dash panel or even better, dash top? If so, post pics!
im actually considering using a laptop... i have a few layin around.. hmmm and i got the bazel and the screen for 230... so yeah
Well, without the case, the screen is too small for the DIN opening (can see gaps on the sides and the electronics around the LCD top and bottom). So I definitely need to use the bezel from the case. I'm thinking of molding it in as many people have done, but I don't want to go hacking the radio bezel w/o a spare. (Does anyone have a spare to sell or know of a junkyard around that may have some '05-'07 imprezas?) However, I'd prefer to keep the monitor up on top of the dash and maybe build a custom housing for it up there. I liked my DIN flip-out model - maybe I can come up with something like the JDM nav system, but that's a lot of custom work and I've never done something like that. Damn thieves - my original screen was perfect and now I gotta make do w/ what I've got...
so, good news.. i got a new laptop.. well not new 1gig ram 1.6 amd turion x2 tl-50 for FREE here was the catch. it doenst have a screen... not that i need one ofr a car pc... this saves me a TON of time and money... i can simply hook up my liliput to this .. and BAM! instant car pc.. now i just have to figure out amp/powering issues!
I had a CarPC and it worked excellent. I even had satelitte radio and wireless internet on it. But when it messed up it became a HUGE pita and I was without anything for at least a week. After the 3rd time mine went out I just said forget it and got myself a Pioneer AVIC D3. I never had hardware issues but constant software/driver related issues. Also if you are going to do it right it will not be cheap. To do it right you will spend at least $600-800 or more. The problem with the laptop and regular PC's is that they are not designed for harsh car environments. There's a lot of vibration, bumps, and heat in a car environment. Sure they work but usually they die. However many people run them with no issue....it's a try your luck thing with using laptops/desktop PC's.