Building a cheap "Car PC"

The VCR King · Nov 3, 2015

beers · Nov 3, 2015

There are so many better ideas to put your limited budget towards..

What are you even trying to accomplish?

voyagerfan99 · Nov 3, 2015

I will never stop asking why you come up with such hair-brained ideas. You just want to waste your money, don't you?

Just buy a Surface and mount it to the dashboard.

Geoff · Nov 3, 2015

There are lots of issues with this.

What do you want this PC to actually do?
You don't have a monitor listed. If you have one, where would you put it?
How are you going to input data into the PC? A keyboard and mouse? How would you use them in the car?
What are you going to do with a coax-based TV tuner? Do you have cable service in your car?
Where would you store this large computer?
Having a mechanical drive in a car PC is a horrible idea.

You don't use home desktop components in a car, you just don't. If you really want a car PC, either get a RaspberryPi or a tablet.

Shlouski · Nov 3, 2015

I would go for the tablet if I were to install anything in a car, simply because it would be far easier to install and would be able to perform most task pc's could.
First it would be a huge benefit having a touch screen over any other input device in a car. Find space in your dashboard out of the way of controls you need in which a tablet could fit, you can remove the head unit and go with just an amp to make more space if needed. Measure and design a bezel which can be attached to the dashboard to hold the tablet and hide the cables. Go to a shop which can make your bezel out of fiber glass and have it sprayed the colour of your choice. It would be simple to hook up a second hidden 12v power socket running off the leads to the original, then use a 12v to usb 5v adapter to power the tablet. Pick up a head unit with audio in connectors of the back or an amp to power the speakers and hook your tablet up to it. You can make it so the tablet is removable for security reasons, maybe use something like velcro on the tablet and bezel which can't be seen, but will hold the tablet securely in place.
I think this would be the easiest and most effective option, but I would be interested I hearing other ideas, does someone know an easier method, other than just using your phone of course

I wonder if a bezel could be 3d printed, damn I want a 3d printer.

Darren · Nov 3, 2015

You're wasting money

ReMiXeDg · Nov 4, 2015

I can give 2 peice of advice maybe 3.
1. Don't use a mechanical drive get yourself something like SSD.
2. Your going to have to run wires etc my suggestion would be to install the computer out your trunk.
3. Your crazy for the idea , hope it works do share lots of photos with us.

Geoff · Nov 4, 2015

ReMiXeDg said:
3. Your crazy for the idea

This is the best advice anyone can give

Building a cheap "Car PC"

The VCR King

Well-Known Member

beers

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voyagerfan99

Master of Turning Things Off and Back On Again

Geoff

VIP Member

Shlouski

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Darren

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ReMiXeDg

Member

Geoff

VIP Member