Besk_one

Ok, so i now have almost everyhting i need to get the Macintosh Car-Puter working!

Got my PowerBook G4 (sans screen) on friday, and just picked up almost everything else i need to get the computer up and operational.

Here's the pics, and the info for each:

Here's the PowerBook - a little slower than i wanted (400Mhz) but i can upgrade that later.



60GB hard Drive (was going to be 80, but this was free, so i can't complain!)



Airport 802.11b Wireless Card



Ok, this is the part that's going to really suck - in order to move the DVD-ROM out of the powerbook and underneath my headunit - i need to fabricate a custom cable - that involved un-soldering the ribbon cable connector off the drive and soldering longer wires between the drive and the connector - this is going to f'ing SUCK!

It's 25 connections, on EACH side of the connector - tha's 50 De-Solders, and 100 Re-Solders - UUUUUUGGGGGGGG!

But the effort will be well worth it in the end - i'll post pictures of the process tomorrow after i get it done.



Ok, now to power, i wanted a laptop with a battery so i could have the car-puter running independent of the ignition as well as the car battery (so i don't forget to turn it off and comput out in the morning to a flat battery!) - so i'm going to wire a dc-ac comverter to the accessory leads, and then have the standard powerbook charger plugged into that - when the car is running, the car-puter's battery charges - when the car is off or cranking, the car-puter runs off it's internal battery.

no messy tank circuts or wiring, real simple and staightforward.



ok, here's the basic setup all wired together (except for the dvd, and the power for the touchscreen, which will be wired directly to the battery)

We have - DC-AC to the AC adapter to the Powerbook

We have a USB hub to the Powerbook, with a Bluetooth Module, and 3 USB extensions plugged into it.

Powerbook to VGA extension cable and then to touchscreen

1 USB extension to touchscreen USB

2 USB extensions will be mounted next to touchscreen for game-pad hookup




---------UPDATE 3/10/04-----------

Ok, so the computer aspect is pretty much done, i've got the g4 up and running (there were some, eh... issues with getting the video to mirror, but that's another story)

All i need now is the memory upgrade and the hardware is pretty much set - i can't find the proper wire i need to run the wireless antennas to the top of the car, so for now the antenna is located under the seat with the powerbook.

hooked everything up to the car today to makes sure that it all worked, and i'm happy to say i was bumping mp3's and visuals on the way to the supermarket just now and i was surfing scionlife from my parking garage!

here's the pics, for now the screen is just sitting - hopefully soon i'll be able to tear down the center console and get to fabricating the mounts and bezel! after just a few minutes using the car-puter on the road, i cant wait to have it positioned in the double din space, it's gonna be sooo freakin awsome

here come the pics:

Testing the Car-Puter and screen with the Ninja Tune Zen TV DVD:



Transfering the music library (31.57GB!) and i added another 6GB this afternoon, it's over 20 days of music!



Here's the unit in the car in it's temporary home:




i'm gonna leave it installed in the car so i can bring it out to the Magnaflow meet so everyone can have a sneak peak

- Brian

mikochu

Awesome, dude! What'd you do to take off the screen?

Besk_one

i bought the computer with a cracked screen and just unboted the entire screen/hinge asssy.

should work great, just have to pick up a hard drive ribbon cable and the HD bracket, as the guy i bought it from removed the drive and forgot to leave the cable and bracket!

adroit

No better way to put that Powerbook to use. I'm working on doing something like that myself. Do any of you guys know any good deals on a 7" VGA?

NemoBronsky

This looks like a dope, easy setup minus the soldering, and fab work... But why is it a must that you move the dvd out of the powerbook and into the din?

Max2k

I must say, that is one of the coolest things i have ever seen. Props on choosing to use a mac as opposed to a windows box.

Docsnuff

That is gonna be awesome! Cant wait to see the finished product!


Doc

scionracerxb

looks pretty simple

Al-Truistic

So, when you are done you will have a "Panther in the Box!"
Very cool B!

Besk_one

just for the dopeness factor - it's way cooler to pop in a dvd under my headunit, especially since it'll look all factory when i'm done, instead of reaching under a seat! - and because i know that no one else will probably attempt it!

scioninla

Looks great..can't wait to see it. Between you and Dave M..Scion Evolution will have both the first full running PC and Mac in any Scion club..(as far as I know..no one else has done this..)

Man..I wonder if I still have my old Amiga laying around somewhere...Maybe I'll bust the amber screen from the old school days...

See you later..

Jugglah

You gonna have a "Powered by Apple" decal on the car?

- Jugglah

Max2k

This brings a whole new meaning to the phrase "wardriving"

Besk_one

hells ya! and the custom 5dB antenna i have for the wireless card should give me about 100 meters of range

Indy007

granted you can build it for $5 and a can of pringles, but some of us are laaaaazy

http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/accessories/666e/

Besk_one

naaa, pringles can antenna is way to directional to use in a car, but ey do give you wiiiiicked range, i'm using dual 5dB omin-directional antennas on top of the car for amximum war-driving goodness

Besk_one

peep my first post for the update!

- Brian

Tryx

damn... got the first in-person glimpse of the car-puter at the Magnaflow meet yesterday and im in love. i was going to do somthing similar to my xB but ran out of money at the last minute so had to give up. where did you get that touchscreen lcd though? that was the only thing that was holding me back

its_ikon

that setup looks good. where exactly did you install everything?

BiB

Do you have the keyboard mounted in the glove compartment? If not thats where you should put it so when you open it up it just folds down and you can type at a desent angle and have easy access. Just have to make it a removeable mount so when you need to work on it.