Here you will find out about the
hardware I have used for v5 and any I plan to use in
the future. Where I can I have given you information
as to how good the product is and others that do the
same job.
Old Details
For v4 Here
My Screen - TFT 7" In Dash Manual
Pull Out Screen
This
screen started life out as a
Cartft.com CTF 700
TMR and a
WRX Double Din cage.
It took a lot of planning and trials once I had the
parts together to make them look OEM and fit the
dash correctly. You can see here in the gallery how
the unit was put together but the top end of the
design was to make it look factory fitted - some
thing I think you will agree I have done. Using the
cage also gave me the advantage of having some free
dash space which was handy considering there is very
little in the Vectra C. One major mod I needed to
completed before the screen was ready was to remount
the IR and Light sensors in to the dash in order for
me to still use them after installation. The light
sensor for those that do not know controls the
backlight strength so that in sunny or dark
conditions the screen is still readable and not
glaring.
Overall I am pleased with this screen although it
does have a little bit of reflection on the shiny
surface. This is more than likely due to the touch
screen overlay rather than the screen its self and
not an uncommon feature on a lot of screens. Further
more it is a large surface which is close to the
gear selector which is probably why I notice my hand
been so close
Additional
information :
In all 8 Out of 10
From
Cartft.com
My
Second CPU / Motherboard Etc -
Intel D945GCLF2
(with integrated Atom 2x 1.6Ghz CPU,
TV-Out)
I
wanted to upgrade to a faster board for
my system and the new Atoms looked
pretty good value and the newer ones
would fit in to the Voom2 Case. I did
look at the Jetways how ever the main
winner for me on these Intel boards was
the ability to customise the BIOS boot
image to match the cars OEM system very
easily especially when added to the 1GB
low profile memory I got.... btw its
worth noting that good memory should be
used here.
Successor
of Intel D945GCLF Main board.
Differences :
- TV-Out (S-Video)
- Dual Core Atom CPU
- 1000 Mbit LAN
- Additional onboard-USB-header
- 24pol ATX
The
Atom-CPU mainly was developed for the
upcoming „Mobile Internet Devices“
(MID), which are fielded between
notebooks and cell phones. „The
processors were equipped in 45nm
production with the worlds smallest
transistors“, said Intels Vice President
Sean Maloney.
As IT-world currently is crying for
GreenIT this mainboard can be the
answer. For example Intel was able to
reduce the power consumption of the CPU
from processor D201GLY2 from 20W to
2.05W, which is really incredible ! Here
other main boards can not compete with !
D945GCLF Form Factor Mini-ITX Mainboard
CPU Intel Atom 330 @ 2x 1.60GHz
(Silverthorne 45nm) Chipset Intel 82945G
(ICH7) L2 Cache 512kb Graphics Intel GMA
950 Memory 1x DDR2 533/667 RAM Power 24
Pin ATX, P4-connector Connectors (rear)
- 1x
S-Video
- 2x PS/2
- 1x Parallel
- 1x D-SUB15 (VGA)
- 1x RS232
- 4x USB 2.0
- 1x LAN 10/100/1000MBit
- 3x Sound (Line Out, Line In,
Microphone) Audio Realtek High
Definition Audio Connectors
(internal) - PCI
- Audio
- 4x USB
- 2x SATA
- 1x IDE Included - D945GCLF2
Mainboard (with 2x 1.6Ghz Atom CPU)
- I/O ATX rear plate
- SATA cable
- IDE cable
- Quickstart-Guide
- Drivers CD
Note : The CPU heat sink is very
heigh. That is why it does not fit
into every enclosure.
Compatible with :
- Voom
- Voom-2 (CD/DVD drive only connectable
with Slim-to-SATA adapter)
- M300(-LCD)
- Travla C137
Not compatible with :
- M200(-LCD) (needs replacement heatsink)
- Morex enclosures (needs replacement
heatsink)
For Operating you need a P4 adapter or a
PSU with P4 connector which with my M2 I
have any way.
Bootup-Durations :
- Cold boot : 29 sec.
- Standby : 3 sec.
- Hibernation : 21 sec.
Additional
information :
You can
find Cartft.com's own review
here and my full
review
here how ever I do
recommend them so much so I went out and bought
another for my desktop.
In all 9 Out of 10
From
Cartft.com /
Linitx
|
My
First CPU / Motherboard Etc -
The VIA EPIA MII-Series
Mini-ITX Mainboard ( Now retired )
|
The
complete Digital Home Platform integrating CardBus
and CompactFlash for seamless wireless
connectivity, enhancing digital media performance
and media portability.
Providing
the signature low profile, minimal noise and
reduced power of the VIA EPIA series on a 17 by
17cm small form factor, the VIA EPIA MII Mini-ITX
Mainboard is an “all-in-one” entertainment
platform geared to the digital home. The VIA EPIA
MII-Series easily slots in to a digital home
infrastructure providing a vast horizon of
applications that feature sophisticated
connectivity including wired or wireless media
servers, mobile PCs, receivers for the living room
and beyond.
The VIA EPIA MII is available with the fanless VIA
Eden™ ESP processor for ultra low power, quiet or
silent system designs, or the VIA C3™ processor
for rich media-intensive applications. Enhanced
multimedia performance is further delivered
through the VIA CLE266 chipset featuring
integrated VIA UniChrome™ 2D/3D graphics and an
MPEG-2 accelerator with motion compensation, along
with support for the greater memory bandwidth of
DDR266 SDRAM and the high transfer speeds of
ATA-133.
An array of modern storage and connectivity
options are supported, including onboard CardBus,
CompactFlash, and a PCI slot. The VIA EPIA MII
also offers support for the latest in high
bandwidth connectivity through IEEE 1394, USB 2.0
connections, as well as S-Video and RCA TV-Out
(NTSC & PAL) and 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet. The
VIA EPIA MII also offers support for a number of
embedded LCD panels and is fully compatible with
Microsoft® Windows® and Linux operating systems.
The VIA EPIA MII can be fitted into a full range
of Mini-ITX chassis as well as FlexATX and
MicroATX enclosures and power supplies.
This is a great board as it gives you that
PCMCIA and a Compact Flash port with out the
need for a large board or using that valuable
PCI port. I chose it specifically for this
reason rather than a faster 1.5mhz board as I
planned to use my TDK Trueblue BT card with it
and a Voom case. |
f |
Specification
VIA EPIA MII-Series Mini-ITX Mainboard
Specifications |
Model Name |
• EPIA-MII12000/EPIA-MII10000/EPIA-MII6000E
•
EPIA-MII12000G/EPIA-MII10000G/EPIA-MII6000EG
(RoHS Compliant)
|
Processor |
• VIA C3™/ VIA Eden™ EBGA processor |
Chipset |
• VIA CLE266 North Bridge
• VIA VT8235M South Bridge |
System Memory |
• 1 DDR266 DIMM socket
• Up to 1GB memory size |
VGA |
• Integrated VIA Unichrome AGP graphics
w/MPEG-2 Accelerator |
Expansion Slots |
• 1 PCI |
Onboard IDE |
• 2 X UltraDMA 133/100/66 Connector |
Onboard Floppy |
• 1 x FDD Connector |
Onboard LAN |
• VIA VT6103 10/100 Base-T Ethernet PHY |
Onboard Audio |
• VIA VT1616 6 channel AC' 97 codec |
Onboard TV Out |
• VIA VT1622AM TV Out |
Onboard 1394 |
• VIA VT6307S IEEE 1394 (Optional) |
Onboard CardBus / CompactFlash |
• CardBus Type I & Type II
• Ricoh R5C476 II / R5C485 CardBus
Corntroller |
Back Panel I/O |
• 1 CardBus Type I and Type II slot +1
CompactFlash Slot
• 1 CompactFlash slot
• 1RJ-45 LAN port
• 1 PS2 mouse port
• 1 PS2 keyboard port
• 1 Serial port
• 2 USB 2.0 ports
• 1 VGA port
• 1 RCA port (SPDIF or TV-Out)
• 1 S-Video port
• 1 1394 port
• 3 Audio jacks: line-out, line-in and mic-in
(Smart 5.1 Support) |
Onboard I/O Connectors |
• 1 USB connector for 2 additional USB 2.0
ports
• 1 Front-panel audio connectors (mic-in and
line-out)
• 1 CD Audio-in connector
• 1 Buzzer
• 1 FIR connector
• 1 CIR connector (Switchable for KB/MS)
• 1 Wake-on-LAN connector
• 1 LPT port header
• CPU/Sys FAN/Fan 3
• 1 Connector for LVDS module (Optional)
• 1 Serial port connector for second COM
port
• ATX Power Connector |
BIOS |
• Award BIOS
• 2/4Mbit flash memory |
System Monitoring & Management |
• CPU voltage monitoring
• Wake-on-LAN, Keyboard Power-on, Timer
Power-on
• System power management
• AC power failure recovery |
Operating Temperature |
• 0~50°C |
Operating Humidity |
• 0% ~ 93% (relative humidity;
non-condensing) |
Form Factor |
• Mini-ITX (6 layers)
• 17 cm x 17 cm |
In
all 7 out of 10
( Would
be Nice To Be Quicker )
From
Cartft.com /
Mp3car
/Custom
Car Computers /
Karputer /
Linitx /
Digitalww /Via
|
My Power
Supply - Mini-Box 160w M2 With ATX PCB
The
M2-ATX is an high powered vehicle 12V DC-DC
ATX Power Supply. It is similar to the M1-ATX but with
a higher wattage. Likewise, this power supply is
designed to provide power and to control the on and
off switch of a motherboard based on ignition status.
The M2-ATX power supply is capable of surviving tough
engine cranking down to 6V, as well as transient
over-voltage situations.
M2-ATX has 8 user selectable microcontroller driven
timing modes that allow you to choose up to 8
ignition/shutdown timing schemes. By removing all
user-selectable jumpers, M2-ATX becomes a traditional
PSU with no ignition control and it can be used in
non-vehicle applications.
The PC still consumes a few hundred milli-watts even
when your machine is switched off. This is needed to
monitor the PC's on and off status.
If the computer is in the sleep mode, the memory needs
to be powered at all times requiring more power. The
power consumption in the suspend mode is a few watts.
Regardless of battery size, it is possible that your
battery will drain in a matter of days.
Whilst in deep sleep mode, the M2-ATX constantly
monitors your car battery voltage levels. Thus
preventing deep discharge situations by automatically
shutting down until battery levels reach safe levels
again.
Specification
160 Watt Output. ATX, 6-24V wide input range. Ideal car Power Supply for operating low power P4,
P4-M, Celeron, AMD systems. Intelligent shutdown controller. On and Off Motherboard control. Battery deep discharge prevention. Survives vehicle engine cranks. 15A Automotive fuse (mini-blade). VIA, P4, and AMD CPU Support.
Features
This power supply ensures that there are no more
dead batteries, no need to restart during engine
cranks and has multiple timing schemes.
Size
Width 1.77" x
Length
6.31" and is less than 1" high. The same version of
microcode will run on both M1-ATX and M2-ATX.
Package Contents
160W M2-ATX PSU. 20pin ATX Cable extender plus HDD and Floppy power
(9inch) Power input cable harness terminated in 0.25"
(12inch). 2 x pin M/B on and off power on control wire harness
(9inch). 3 x Jumpers to control various power sequencing schemes.
1 x
ATX Voom Case PCS Connector
To view the User Manual
Click Here
In all
8 Out Of 10
From
Cartft.com /
Mp3car
/
Custom Car Computers /
Karputer /
Linitx /
Digitalww
and
Mini-Box
My
Case - The Mini-Box VoomPC2 ITX Case In Black
This
time I upgraded to the Voom2 case the main difference been that it can take a
DVD drive which it got. every thing fitted before how ever I could not use the
ATX connector I used on v4 so a standard cable was used. I also had the added
external power connector included in my package which gave me the ability to
supply 12v DC power to an external device from the M2 PSU.... in my case this is
the screen and with an additional connector I now have the ability to
supply power to both my screen and the CarPC CPU its self from one mains brick
which is ideal for shows.
Dimensions : 263mm x 215mm x 75mm
Installation Tutorial :
Support / Manuals
In all
9 Out Of 10 ( Would love to see an mATX Version )
From
Cartft.com /
Mp3car
/
Custom Car Computers /
Karputer /
Linitx /
Digitalww
and
Mini-Box
USB
GPS & Adator Leads
This
is a basic NMEA GPS unit with a MMCX connector.
While this may sound amazing the GPS seems to be
very reliable and so far hase not let me down. The
main reason for updating to this £15 GPS was the
MMXC connector. This connector with a lead I have
had made up ( MMCX to Fakra ) allows me to use the
roof mounted OEM sat nav arieal and has changed my
adverage lock on v4 from 7-8 satalights to an
adverage of 10-11 out of a possible maximum of 12.
This increased lock means the acuracey and speed of
the GPS far exeeds what the OEM unit with a speed
pulse sense had.
In all
7 Out Of 10
For more
information
Ebay
My
Sound Card - A Sound Blaster USB
I went
do the USB route as I could digitally move the sound
from the rear of the car to the front with out any
interference. This was needed because due to some
length issues I ended up running my power and data
cables side by side. The Sound Blaster MP3+ is
also know for not having any hibernation or standby
issues as well, top this with the powered USB hub in
the dash it means its very easy to install and run.
The drivers are in built in Windows XP how ever I
would recommend you download the latest driver set
from Creative any way. I got this unit from EBay for
around £25 how ever they are now harder to find so
keep an eye out.
-
100%
Sound Blaster-Certified Audio
-
Bass
Boost - No more puny bass! Bass Boost it for that
extra punch that your music deserves
-
10 Band
Equalizer - Really make it "your" music. The 10-Band
EQ gives you total flexibility in personalizing the
characteristics of the music you listen to
-
CMSS 3D
- Expand your audio experience over stereo speakers or
headphones. Turn normal stereo sound into virtual
surround sound. Movies never sounded so good over
headphones
-
SVM -
Avoid huge jumps in volume with Smart Volume
Management. The volume of MP3s encoded at different
levels will be automatically adjusted so you get an
even volume across across your whole collection
-
EAX
effects - Give your music or recordings some ambience
by adding real-time effects such as Concert Hall or
Arena to recreate the listening environment you want.
In all
9 out of 10
For more information visit
Creative
My
WIFI Adaptor - An Inventel UR054g
Maximum speed of 54Mbps
IEEE 802,11b (DSSS) 2,4GHz standard
Internal Aerial
Ad-hoc or infrastructure communication
64/128/256-bit WAP & WEP-coding
In all 6
For more
information
http://www.inventel.com/
My
Silabs USB FM Adaptor
The USB FM Radio Reference Design is a unique example
of Silicon Laboratories' mixed-signal leadership.
This reference design combines a high-performance
USB enabled microcontroller (C8051F321) and the
revolutionary single-chip FM Radio Tuner (Si4701).
When you plug it into your PC's USB port and launch
the radio player software to listen to your
favourite radio station right on your PC. This
reference design has been adapted by the CarPC
community due to its ability to hang on to a signal
so well. My own was modded to add a Motorola style
connector to make it a lot more compatible with a
car system and utilise the external aerial that is
installed. For the Vectra I had to purchase a
further adaptor due to the the OEM antenna been
amplified although I have still not got it to a
point I am happy with the reception. Some people
have had excellent success with the Silabs how ever
I am not one of those yet hence the low score. This
unit is supported by Centrafuse 2.
These
units are now end of life so if you can pick one up
do so - you may not regret it and if it does not
work I am sure some one else will be interested in
having it from you.
In all
8 out of
10
For more
information
http://www.silabs.com/usbradio/
My
OBDII Elm 327 1.2a
Processor: ELM327 USB
OBD-II Protocols: ISO15765-4 (CAN);
ISO14230-4 (KWP2000)
ISO9141-2
J1850 VPW
J1850 PWM
Output protocol: RS232
Baud rate: 9600 or 38400
Indicator LEDs: OBD Tx/Rx, RS232 Tx/Rx, Power
Operating voltage: 12V, internal protection from
short circuits/overvoltages
Nominal idle current: 45 mA
Using
Centrafuse 2 for ELM327 USB you can perform
the following operations:
-
Read diagnostic trouble codes, both generic and
manufacturer-specific, and display their meaning
(over 3000 generic code definitions in the
database).
-
Clear trouble codes and turn off the MIL ("Check
Engine" light)
-
Display current sensor data, including:
In all
8 out of
10
For more
information
Ebay
My
Bluetooth Adaptor
Compliant with open standard: Bluetooth 1.1
Dial-up Networking DUN Network connection to
Internet, e.g. web browsing and e-mail Modem, PC, PDA,
Phone, AP
Using TDK’s own high performance ceramic antenna, the
PC card provides invisible connection to a host of
peripherals, with ranges of over 50 metres.
The latest version of TDK's Bluetooth software (v1.3)
supports the following profiles: Personal Area Network
profile, PAN; fully integrated audio (Headset and
Gateway) profile; Hard Cable Replacement Profile, HCRP;
easier access to folders used in data transfer;
Bluetooth set up wizard; quick connect wizard; printer
setup wizard; transferring images from and to picture
phones.
-
Fax FAXP Faxing
ISDN-Modem, PC, Printer, Fax
-
File Transfer FTP File Transfer. Transfer multiple
files and folders and browse recipient Phone, PDA, PC
Hardcopy Cable Replacement HCRP Printing, Printer,
Scanner, PC
-
LAN Access LAP Network connection via PPP Access
Point, PC
Object Push OPP Contact, calendar, photo, ringtone
exchange Phone, PDA, PC, Printer
-
Note: Profiles subject to change dependant on new
Bluetooth profiles being approved 3 SCO channels
-
Personal Area Networking PAN Network connection
Access Point, PC
-
Serial Port SPP Serial data exchange Modem, PDA, PC,
Phone, Printer
-
Synchronisation SP Synchronisation Phone, PDA, PC
Audio Headset HSP Audio gateway, playback Phone, PDA,
PC, Headset
-
voice and data channels
-
723Kbps maximum data transfer speed
-
Bluetooth power class: 1 up to 100m range (free
space)
-
Interoperable with all major Bluetooth manufacturers,
including Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Axis, 3Com, Palm,
Compaq.
|
-
Maximum RF output power 4mW (6dBm)
-
Normal RF output power 1mW (0dBm)
Integrated Antenna
-
CSR BC2 Chip set
-
Range: Up to 100 metres free space
-
Weight: 30 g
-
Size: Extended TYPE II PCMCIA card. Length – 103mm
-
Operating temperature: -20 to – 75 °C
-
Storage / shipping temperature: -20 to 85 °C
-
Supply Voltage 5V
-
Power consumption: Normal – 46mA
|
In all 6 out of 10
For more
information visit
TDK.com
The Media Remote RF
Control ( Also Known By x10 or a Fire Cracker )
This
custom RF remote comes with everything you need to add control to pretty much
any application you may be writing. It comes with a USB RF receiver, and you can
download drivers as well as source code and test programs online to help you
integrate support into your program. This remote is silver in colour and has
everything you need to put yourself in control of entertainment. All the buttons are
clearly labelled with symbols that most everyone knows; this means even people
who have never used the remote before learn how in just minutes.
You will notice that each button has a few functions. When you press search for
example, you can type letters in just like you do on a cellular phone, once the
search is done, the buttons return to their normal functions. The use of
multi-function buttons allows the remote to be very small in size.
Since the remote uses RF technology there is no need to aim it at a receiver,
just be within 15 feet of it. It uses radio frequencies to transmit to the included receiver
which hooks to your computers USB port. You may also want to have a look at
Girder - the application has
a control set just for this remote, look for 'Fire Cracker'. Finally the remote is very small at only 6.25" x 2" x 1" in size
- very well worth the money.
In all 9 out of 10
http://www.mediaremote.com/
My
Portable Keyboards - PS2® MINI-key & PS2 Number Pad
This
mini USB key board was originally for use with Sony
PS2's how ever because it is USB it works just like
a normal PC keyboard but its a lot smaller. The
downside how ever is that a couple of keys such as
Del is missing which means you can not do a control
alt delete when needed.
That
been said I do tend to use the XP 'On Screen
Keyboard' a lot (
c:\Windows\System32\OSK.exe ) as I find it very
useful but again that too can at times have some
keys missing i.e. '\'.
I also
have a PS2 ( as in PC connector ) number pad too.
The reason for this is its small and if you look at
it all the keys you need to access your BIOS and
change any config or even press enter when that
pesky hibernation file needs deleting are there.
Best bit was it cost only a few £ as I got it from
Ebay.
In all 7 out of 10
For More Info Visit
http://www.dreamgear.net
& Get From
Cartft.com /
Custom Car Computers /
Linitx
My
My USB Hubs
A Standard USB 2 4 port mini hub from Ebay
In all
8 out of
10
For more
information
Ebay
My
IPod Classic 160
With support for up to 40,000 songs and up to 200
hours of video on a 2.5-inch QVGA colour display
this iPod gives me portability of my music, images
and video in a lighter, thinner design than before.
The reason for having one of these was originally to
play and use at home with movies how ever it has the
added ability to be a backup to all my music and
images as well away from my home network.
With my
recent addition of Centrafuse 2 I can now use the
Ipod directly meaning I don't need to fill my hard
drive up on my CarPC or mess around with network
connections when I want to update quickly, finally I
am now able to play pod casts in the car which for
me is a totally new experience.
To
finish my custom install
I purchased some foam
sized for my arm rest and cut out inserts for both
my Ipod and a second mobile phone which I some times
carry
Features
-
Cover Flow.
Browse through your music and video collection
by flipping through album art. Select an album
to turn it over and see the track list.
Enhanced interface.
Experience a whole new way to browse and view
your music and video.
Sleeker design.
Beautiful, durable, and sleeker than ever, iPod
classic now features an anodized aluminium and
polished stainless steel enclosure with rounded
edges.
In the Box • • iPod classic
• Earphones
• USB 2.0 cable
• Dock adapter
• Quick Start guide
Requirements
Mac | PC
• USB 2.0 port
• Mac OS X v10.4.8
or later
• iTunes 7.4
or later
• Internet connection
In all
8 out of
10
For more
information
Digital-Car
&
http://www.bandmlatexupholstery.co.uk/
The Reversing
& Forward View Cameras & CarTFT Reverse Sensor
This camera is easy to install. Simply plug RCA
Video Jack to your car monitor and connect 12V (red wire) and ground (black
wire) to the power.
Specifications
RCA Video Cable and Power Wire Provided.
No Connection Problems with any car monitor.
This camera is water proof and comes with a quality compact metal housing.
One of the smallest and most compact cameras on the market specifically designed
for rear view systems.
Crystal clear resolution: 628 x 582 (420 lines).
100 Degrees wide viewing angle for safety back-up of Jeeps, Vans, Pick-Ups,
Estates, or any vehicle.
Rear
camera view switcher
(automatic)
Monitor picture will be changed to rear view CCD
camera automatically when the reverse gear be
switched.
- Dimension(L x W x H) : 82x60x25mm
Connect 1 or 2 video (PAL/NTSC) sources to this
switch and your camera. Then connect the switch with
the vehicle rear light power (12VDC). The switch
then automatically will switch to the camera view,
when the rear gear is shifted in !
In all
TBA
For more
information
See
Cartft.com
and
Custom Car Computers
-
4 x 50 W
-
2 RCA preouts
-
1 RCA Auxiliary Line Input
-
CD-R/RW Capability
-
WMA & MP3 Decoder Built-in
-
Rotary Volume Control
-
4 Tone 3D F/L Display
-
Motorized Slide, TDF
-
Remote Control Included
-
Selectable Key Illumination
In all 9 out of 10
For
more information visit
Kenwood
To power
all this I used AWG wire and the easiest way to do
that was buy a kit. Mine came from CPC and only cost
around £24. The kit contains most items you need and
some you don't. Running from the battery though the
fire wall is the mains and to get the ground I took
that from a local screw point in the boot area. The
ignition was sourced ( fused of course ) from the
existing stereo's DIN connector. Its important to note
where possible run the power cables away from the
audio and video cables. In my case I was unable to do
this so to clean the sound up a little I have
installed a ground loop isolator and a USB sound car
located at the front of the car.
Included in this kit 60 Amp : 5m x 10mm2 red power
cable, 0.5m x 10mm2 black earth cable, 10m x 1.5mm2 OFC
speaker cable, 5m blue remote cable, 5m directional double
screened phono cable.
Gold AGU
fit fuse holder (terminated to cable), Gold plated AGU
fuse 60amp, Fitting accessories bag
containing gold plated speaker and power terminals,
screws and cable ties.
In all 7 out of 10
For
more information visit For more
information
See
Cartft.com /
Custom Car Computers and
CPC
Future Add-ons Will be announced when they are
available how ever they will include USB DAB & a DVB-H
receivers
Old Details
For v4 Here |