Northvibes Carpc thread

northvibe · Post by **northvibe** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:46 am

Well I finally got around to fixing up the smashed up powerbook i got from work. It had been dropped and the screen hinges broke and so I pulled what I could for the client then it was given to me. So here is the start of the CarMac. We'll see how far I go with it, I already found some freeware gps (not the best apps i hear but they might work ok), I also think i found some mac os x odb2 software so I can have it plugged in to there too. So next week i think ill do the AUX mod to the HU so I can run sound through the powerbook and/or ipod. I had the whole unit stripped down to nothing to clean it up a little and i had the LCD all apart to see if the backlight plug came out inside the lcd. Apple doesnt make it easy to tear these things apart This is a Powerbook G4 667mhz, dvdrom, 384mb ram pc133, WAS a 15" lcd but the backlight isnt working (inverter board to fix that is 40 bucks), os X 10.4 installed with front row. I plan on running it with a bigger hard drive or a external for music, music videos, movies, odb2 and gps. The final project will have a 7inch touch lcd in place of the HU but for now I have a 5" screen for the passanger sunvisor that the CarMac will have to share with a xbox that needs repairing aswell. While rebuilding it I knew i didnt need the LCD so I took out the inverter and unhooked the LCD and the PB still worked with the monitor plugged in. Then I took out the modem because...well seriously who needs one The unit also boots with out the keyboard connected (so i used a usb keyboard to get around) but its back in now.

BlueCrush · Post by **BlueCrush** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 4:43 am

Cool! Can't wait to see it completed.

AKLGT · Post by **AKLGT** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 4:49 am

bleh! i gotta order a couple parts to fix mine. have a local shop here who's going to help me get it done right and fix all the wiring and power problems i've been having. other day, left the pc plugged in but the USB ports stay powered so it slowly drained my battery over the course of 2 days. well, went to go to work on Monday and the battery was dead. good thing Phil doesn't work on Mondays and i had a set of cables for the jump. yep, gotta get this thing figured out and fixed.

northvibe · Post by **northvibe** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 5:12 am

they have some specialy power supplies for carpcs that will monitor the voltage and engergy use to make sure your pc will not use all the battery. But they are sort of expensive like $100+ They sell them on mp3car.comhttp://www.mp3car.com/store/in...02828Yeah I have a p4 based pc I was going to install but then when doing parts it was going to cost some money specially for that nice power supply. So in the mean time Ill run a laptop, should be nice, I'll just have it run so when the mac see's no power from the power adapter it will go into sleep or turn off (since it has a battery), laptops do make some parts of life easier Good luck hope, i hope they can get that thing figured out so its working 100% perfect for ya, cuz you do have a nice setup!

AKLGT · Post by **AKLGT** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 5:45 am

i don't have the right mobo for that. it's an old HP laptop mobo with everything built into it. so ITX or other power supplies don't work. i have to replace the mobo with a cheapy to get it to work correctly.

northvibe · Post by **northvibe** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 5:59 am

oh i thought you had a laptop then went with a atx or other small motherboard. GRRR computers and cars eat money like its their freakin job!

Northvibes Carpc thread

Northvibes Carpc thread

Re: Northvibes Carpc thread (northvibe)