Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Audio Computers and music

I like how you're starting the enclosure. Are you going to display more of the guts of the computer, or keep it all in the case?

This is long, and might be a snorefest, so if you don't like novels skip to the bottom of my post--help would be appreciated:


In reply:

Originally posted by vpogv:

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Xbox's work, but if want to benefit from GPS, internet, and mainly music rather than games, and movies a computer is a better choice. (now don't say an Xbox is a computer please )

Xbox costs:
~$150 for the xbox
~$50 for the chip
~$100 for a larger hard drive
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$300 for the xbox set up MINIMUM

Now, perhaps you have to have somebody do the modchip install for you, or you want a remote, or any other parts, that's more $$

Carputer costs:
~$150 for the motherboard
~$70 power supply
~$50 memory
~$100 for the harddrive
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$370 for the Carputer

More money for the Carputer itself, but it will run cooler than the modded xbox like ITinker said, more people know how to piece a computer together than mod an xbox and you can change or alter the Carputer easier than the xbox (ie: more things that can be different).

For roughly $70 I would rather have the ease of the computer for the internet, wireless, gps, sound, etc.

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1: If you want gps, and internet, there are idiotproof versions of linux for the xb, or xplite is "made" for it as well (due to the 64 mb constraint of the xb).
2: You don't need a modchip for the xb, you can softmod using exploits, and bios loaders.
3: Harddrives are cheaper than that... my 160 gig was $80 a year ago, and now I've seen them as low as $50 online.
4: The xbox is modular--very easy to create a jack, pop in the box, and go off. There are new dashboards to utilize usb ports, and linux drivers(not hard to find for a lot of mainstream equipment)
5: If you truely knew anything about computers, you would know the xbox is a stripped down version of a computer that is designed to run in a linear boot state(almost nonmultitasking) creating a faster, more responsive gaming engine.
6: Benefit of the doubt: $100 for the xbox($129 @ gamestop), $80 for the harddrive, $7 for mechassault(to run the exploit. Do the math. $216
7: The xbox is smaller, can fit behind a dash, small enough where it can be fit permanently behind the dash, or in my case fit in a modified glovebox with modular ports for av/power.


Help here would be appreciated:
I just wish someone would prefab some kind of box, or climate control for either behind the dash, or in the car. I see this stuff all the time on mtv, but how would it function well in lets say, MN at any time in a stable mode? There are expensive stable in car computers out there, but there has to be a way for this to work on a broke man's budget. Links/anything would be appreciated. I've searched this up and down.....

Good points, I was just going off my 250 gig HD, blah blah, but you are correct with the softmods instead. As far as size goes, many of the smaller motherboards will fit behind the dash though. So it boils down to personal preference.

As far as showing more guts for the computer, once I clean up the inside of the case alittle more it should look beter. By that, I mean wrap up those wire so they aren't all over the place and put the uv lights in.

XB is cool, but I don't own one. Plus, I have built this computer already, and I have my back up computer built already also.

Here are some pics from today of what I have done.

Pic 1: I finished the back wall and put the foam inserts around the case. They are the same inserts that came inside the case box when I bought it. I still need to make a bracket to keep the unit from sliding and bouncing around. It looks a little off center here.


Pic 2,3: I had two 10" Kicker Comp Subs that I bought a long time ago(about two years), but never had them installed in anything, so I dicided to put them in for now. The instalation instructions said they would run fine in a free air set up, so I havn't completed a solid box yet behind the subs. I will put the top cover on though, I think it would look tacky without it. Also, I still have little spaces to fill in around the wood. Nothing is perfect thought, right.



Pic 4: Here is a pic of how everything would kinda look once its done. I havn't glued anything in perminate yet. I still have more wood work to do. Also, I am still trying to figure out how to get the computer out once everything is in. I'm thinking about top hinges and a swinging door, so I can just slide it out/in when I want. I have some Bazuka amps in for now so that I can test the subs, but plan on replacing those with a Kicker Amp before I am finished. I am mounting a cap inside the right corner piece, and mabie a monitor inside the left if it will fit. All of the wires you see will be hiden so don't worry, I just through them in the trunk for now. I will also have some neon lights up top and down low for some visual effects


I will get about half of the work done this month, but I am not planning on having everything finished until next month. I still have more stuff to buy(monitors, amps, door speakers, ect.). Overall, I am saving myself about $1500 on installation, plus money spent on a rental car for a week by doing it my self. I've spend about 80 bucks so far($40 on jigsaw, $30 on wood, $10 on beer). Better than puting the car in a shop. That's with me !!

I will keep updating so check back often.

Looks like things are coming along nicely.

I can't wait to see the final project! What kind of calculations are you using for the sub enclosure--are you using winisd? What kind of power setup (big 3, alt, power/ground wire, etc) are you using?

nice work

My back seats don't fold down. I have a couple of bolts and some hooks holding it in. Thats why I said mabie some top hinges so I can just swing the center section up for now.

I read the thred on the svt rear bucket seats, and I was thinking of converting to those for my next project. That would give me that flip down option I think.

Instead of starting a new post, I figured I would ask my questions on this one since its already started. Still working on system a little at a time, I finally hooked up the carputer, everything powers up.

The monitor is on then fads out, turns black, but doesn't power off completly. I havn't had a chance to adjust the screen resolution on the computer, so I'm not sure if that is the problem. I suspect it isn't getting enough power. I have the monitor 12v line pluged into the remote amp output of HU along with the amps, and ground wire spliced into HU factory ground. I think this connection is wrong and may be the problem, I will rewire it tommorow. What is a good screen resolution for a 16:9 display? Type of monitor is a Plye PLWHR7 7.2" display.

Second I wanted some tech advice on my wireing. The +/- wire frome the power inverter(PI) are wired(looped) directly to the battery via 4awg wire, 60a(+) inline fuse, grounded as per factory instructions, and I installed a battery isolation switch(BIS) that I brought from petboys to kill the entire system to prevent current draw while the car isn't running. My second 4awg + wire comes from the PI through a second 60a fuse into a 1 farad cap. I have two 4awg wires leaving my cap. One going to a distributor block with two 8awg outputs for two amps, and the other 4awg going to a pioneer 720w amp for the subs. All three amps use a common ground. The cap is grounded on the opisite side of the trunk, and the power inverter is grounded min of 3ft from both. Is this ok or should I try something like wireing the cap & amps seperate from the PI? If I do that should I think about replacing my battery to a Optimum redtop or yellowtop? Should I change my battery wire from 4awg to 2 or 0?

Switched on, the power inverter will only start running after the engine is started, but will not cut off once the engine is cut off. It will, however cut off once I disengage the BIS. Is this normal? Could the PI be drawing power from the battery once the engine is cut off, or from the cap?

Computer works normal and boots in about 20-30secs, no problems noticed just the monitor.

Nice job man but i would have suggested buying a smaller form case, such as one like this and this. You can buy these cases online and they take a special kind of motherboard (microatx) but other than that they have your standard AGP8x or pcix, and pci slots. They also support all the high end desktop cpu's and plenty of ram. These kind of computers usualy are make buy people going to alot of lan partys cuz they are small and compact but still pack enough punch to get high fps in the games.