= CarPC Hardware = [[TracNav(TracNav/PageTOC|noreorder)]] One part of the project is of course the CarPC. CarPC is acting here as a multimedia system controlling MP3 and video playing. It does also support internet radio and all that nice stuff one can do with PCs :) So on this page I am presenting the used hardware and some statistics incl. pictures. OpenBM's left button field do control the BMW radio without need of a CarPC. Yeah, it do this by emulating a MID device. The right button field is for the control of a CarPC. Whenever one push, release or hold a button, a message is sent over the IBus. The [wiki:Software/GatewayDBus IBus/D-Bus Gateway] is receiving that messages over the wire and sent it as a key-code to the system. So it does emulate just a usual keyboard, so actually very few of those keys. == IBus Receiver == For receiving IBus messages I built a device similar to the well known [http://www.reslers.de/IBUS/index_de.html Ressler-IBus] interface. It is based on the TH3122 and MAX232 chip to convert IBus messages into usual RS232 serial voltage. The ibus interface is connected to the internal COM-Header of PC's mainboard and is living completely inside of the CarPC housing. Pictures follows... == Hardware == For the hardware of the CarPC, I am using an Mini-ITX board from Zotac, namely the [http://pden.zotac.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_images.tpl&product_id=185&category_id=97&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1 Zotac ION-ITX Series F]. Here is a short hardware overview: * '''CPU''': Intel Atom 330 1.6GHz dual-core * '''RAM''': DDR2-800MHz CL5 2GB, I think it is from Buffalo * '''GPU''': nVidia ION graphic chip, best suited for multimedia applications ;) * '''HD 1''': 32GB SSD from OSZ, with really tested 400MB/s read and 90MB/s write :) * '''HD 2''': 1TB Samsung Spinpoint-F2, is currently not connected, but will act as external HD. * '''Power''': M2-ATX supporting, I think up-to 90W, so around 7.5A. * '''Housing''': VoomPC-2 enclosure * '''Rearview Camera''': STO-IR 120deg, incl. IR-Led for night vision The full power consumption of the system incl. TFT is around 3A when playing MP3. So, I think the M2-ATX is more than enough for that. The boot time is around 20sec, which is pretty good. The boot time is still not optimized, and I hope to push it down to at least 15sec. 10sec will be the ultimate goal, but I doubt that it will be possible. [[Image(http://www.tevs.eu/stuff/bmw/DSCI3169.JPG.small.jpg, 400px)]] [[Image(http://www.tevs.eu/stuff/bmw/DSCI3153.JPG.small.jpg, 400px)]] == Installation/Mounting == For the installation of the CarPC I choosed the place in the trunk. The CarPC was mounted using special rubber-screws as widely used in LPG (liqued propane gas) installations. This bolts allows reduces vibrations and are perfectly suited for a CarPC. Although I am using a SSD and do not have any rotary components except of the cooling fans, I think reducing the vibrations would not make it worse :) [[Image(http://www.tevs.eu/stuff/bmw/DSCI3171.JPG.small.jpg, 400px)]] [[Image(http://www.tevs.eu/stuff/bmw/DSCI3175.JPG.small.jpg, 400px)]] {{{ #!html

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