Mobile computer

[racermx187]

APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: as soon as I get a few problems figured out BUDGET RANGE: as cheap as possible

SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: music, movies, internet

PARTS NOT REQUIRED: need everything

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: newegg or amazon COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA

PARTS PREFERENCES: doesn't matter

OVERCLOCKING: No SLI OR CROSSFIRE: No

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1440x234 roughly

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: This PC will be built for my truck. I plan on putting a 7in screen in place of my current radio and then running a PC to that screen. I have kind of decided to use the Atom platform as low power consumption is key. Using this paired with a SSD is my plan. If people think a regular hard drive can survive the rattles of being on the road then I may try one. I will also be using a Clear Wi-Max USB card to access the internet anywhere I go for Pandora and online radio sites.

My biggest problems are as follows:

1) I need onboard video that has TV out, so that I can hook up an RCA for video into a monitor like this.
http://www.amazon.com/Power-Acoustik-PT-700MHR-Widescreen-Headrest/dp/B000165D5A/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=car&qid=1273864943&sr=1-9

3) The audio on mobo must be HD like the RealTek one where I can assign each output to a different speaker set. I have one amp in my truck for all my door speakers and one amp for my sub.

2) Power. I was thinking of just hard-wiring in an inverter to run the PC off of unless anyone has a better idea.

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CPU/Mobo/GPU
Not sure due to the TV out requirement

RAM
Wintec 2x1GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820161172

PSU
Not sure. Depends on CPU/Mobo selection

SSD
64GB Kingston V-Series
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820139133

Case
not sure if I will buy one or make one that fits well in my truck where I plan on mounting.

OS
Win7 or Ubuntu

Remote
Lenovo multimedia
http://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-Multimedia-Remote-with-Keyboard/dp/B0036VO67I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1273865725&sr=8-1-catcorr

 

[Alvin Smith]

=bump=

Hi ... I am answering mostly because this thread was about to go to page 2 without a response. It's a Sunny Saturday, here in Texas, and I gotta git me outside and cop some rays.

You prolly are not going to "like" what I have to say, all that much, but it should be said. ... here goes ...

*************
If you are "going portable", you definately DO want a notebook (with SSD) ...
... you DO NOT want any sort of ATX/uATX mobo or PSU ... and, I do mean "PERIOD".
*************

* ATX RAM and other components WILL rattle loose ... with frequency ...

* Notebooks (most) are already set up for 12VDC and most have (even) more than one video port out.

* My Core2 DUO has HDMI and D-Sub out ... 512MB of GDDR and all the slots and connectors are designed for mobile vibration and jarring.

* You can take it with you ... (and NOT leave it in hot/vulnerable the vehicle) ...

* adequate shock mounts and decent power inversion (well filtered), will run into several hundreds of dollars. See "SKB Shock Rack Case" ... See 12V/120V inverters.

... There are so many reasons, I ain't even going to go on ... these are some ove the main ones ... others include size, mounting, major batt drain, etc., ad nauseum.

... Just give up on that ATX idea ... unless you have a pentagon budget.

... To be truly righteous ... you should look at a Tough-Book(TM), or other "battle hardened" notebook designs ... A 128GB SSD runs ~$350 ... Get any of the OCZ Vertex flavors or a Corsair P128. ... Cheaper? ... Kingston 64GB will do, in a bit of a pinch ... can still hold like 10 movies and 1000 songs, plus OS and APPS.


= g'luck ! =

 

[Alvin Smith]

doing the wrong thing the right way ...

But IF you insist on the wrong solution, ... you should do it right (at least) ...

Now ... there MUST be a good 1U or 2U rack that is cheaper and less bulky than this ...
... there may be "permanently mountable", 2U shock-racks, that are not as bulky as this "travel" type waterproof model ...

http://www.rackmountsolutions.net/popup-images/Roll-X-Racks-3U-Rolling-Rack.asp

AND ... I ain't gonna even TRY to find you a good inverter but IT HAD BETTER HAVE EXTREMELY CLEAN OUTPUT ! ! ! ! ... !
(Many models made on the other side of the world will wreck your mobo in seconds flat ... REMEMBER ... most inverters are used to run power tools, and, as such, DO NOT have the power conditioning that is required for sensitive tronix).

And you would do MUCH better to just get a good (normal) mobile DVD/CD/MP3 player with an iPod input (and std. 1/8th" Aux line) ... Rather than to expect any kind of standard ATX SATA optical (DVD/CD) player to "not skip" or get jolted out of alignment.
... Even a "personal sports" type "anti-skip" player would be superior.

notebooks can do surround sound, out ... at worst it would be a USB or firewire external option (but very compact).

Just WHY not let's don't try to re-invent a very complicated wheel, when so many VERY swanky options, (purpose built) are ALREADY AVAILABLE, on the mobile market ....

... Look at what comes in the hippest SUVs ... then go cannibalize one, at a junk yard ... it will still cost ya ... yes it will.

= Alvin = ... Don't go ATX !

 

[Alvin Smith]

but ... one of those ATOM/ION2 510D SOHO media server thingies, might be JUST the ticket, for a crazy man, such as yourself ... I think the power options will be much better and the GPU will be integrated and it is as small as a brick and no huge tears if stolen ... lookin at $500+ for a "good" solution.

 

[Alvin Smith]

Here Ya go ....

... no fuss ... no muss ...

MSI 6676-001BUS Intel Atom D510 (1.66GHz, dual-core) Intel NM10 Intel GMA 3150 Barebone

$159.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856167041&cm_re=atom_d510-_-56-167-041-_-Product

 

[racermx187]

Thanks for all the suggestions Alvin, but I dont know if you got mobile as meaning "in my truck at all times", kind of like mobile audio.

This is what I am trying to accomplish. I have decided on using a 10' Lilliput touschscreen monitor that I will fabricate into my dash. My biggest questions were on what hardware would be sufficient to run Windows 7 and be low power enough to use in my car.

 

[Alvin Smith]

Well ... it is a matter of vision and elegance ...

*MY* first choice would be to get a surround audio (USB2) breakout solution for a notebook that has a hefty/snappy media drive and (maybe) a boot SSD.

I would just keep the notebook in a cusioned backpack, on the floorboard and take it with me, into the coffee shop, or stow it behind the rear seat, when shopping.

Otherwise ... I might choose an ATOM based mini-brick.

Both options can run off of vehicle power.

Notebooks are obviously properly evolved, for this purpose ...

My daughter has a GO(TM) 8" DVD player ... she takes on long trips ...
.. it also plays CDs and MP3s AND ... It has ALL MANNER of outputs (not surround).

That is the nut of it ...

Any other bright ideas ? ?

= Al =