v5 Is On The Way & Traffic Data Is Live

Well... its been a joy ride since I last posted. First of all - the traffic data.... Its live thanks to mostly to RadioTrib on the DC forum & Wicked Websites. You can find more info over on my dedicated Informatics site as well as more about the project its self on Sourceforge. Currently based on the BBC TPEG data it converts it in to diffrent formats including KML. The second version will use the upcoming DATEXII system which has far more advanced data and will be an EU standard.... meaning if its done for one contry it will work for the rest ;)

Ok - drum roll please.... yes... its here ( well in planning any way ).... v5 is now been looked at for the new car. Yes you heard right a new car. I was looking at the VXR but with the roads the way they are now... tax on the up and no doubt some other disaster ( just look at the finance markets and what they are doing to the world right now ) just around the corner it seems a little silly. Any way - because of all this I am looking at getting a 2.0t Xpack ( Vectra-c.com forum link ). This will look the same ( if you get the factory fitted kit ) and will be very punchy around town as well as having a load of top end ( so I am told ). So - some time around mid year I will be looking for the exact one I want... and as before I'm willing to wait to get the exact spec I want.

The best bit about this is oodles of space and a wacking great big double din space in the dash ( 2005 face lift models onwards ;) ) so I can create a new system them way I want to. I have a work log on the DC forum although I'll still post here so heres some basics for you to get an idea of what it will look like...

• CarTFT TMR 7" Screen
• WRX Double DIN Enclosure
• Intel ITX Mobo
• Mini ATX Tower Case ( small ) for the boot build
• New Boot Door Cover to hack & some perspex
• Connects2 Double DIN Kit
• Connects2 Steering Controler
• DAB Receiver ( TBA )
• TMC GPS ( Just waiting for a new one to come out )
• SATA Hard drive for the System
• MP3 Player ( Prob the Creative Zen ) to act as an external HD
• Memory ( 512mb )
• May be an extra Video card

With luck I'll be getting the double din ( From Custom Car Computers ) enclosure very soon with the screen in the new year. There are several reasons for this including the fact that I can do with out upgrading the backend for a short time how ever I will need the screen as soon as I get the car. Plus I am rather hoping that Intel will bring a new faster board out by then. Incidenatally before I sign off... the reason I am going for Intel ITX board is that they arer a tad fasrter & they have customisable bios images :)

Before I go I'd like to mention Ranger GUI from Karputer. At last we MAY have a front end that looks after the needs of those in the UK and not just mainland EU or the US... the beta is worth a look and they are taking feed back and unlike others actually listening. It also includes the first decent GPS maps I have seen - and better yet it creates then using vector graphics for truly impressive details

Stay tunned or visit the forums to see what I am up to... ( trust me there is more ;) )