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Project:
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Jollyeskimo's Project 850itx Part 1 |
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Guest Author:
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Jollyeskimo
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Date:
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October 7th, 2005
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Introduction:
Like many people, I once had an iPod. After selling my 20GB off many moons ago due to the inadequate
storage, I decided to build and install a complete PC into my car as the iPod’s replacement. The car that
I currently own is a 1993 Volvo 850GLT. While it isn’t exactly anyone’s dream car, my Volvo is a
reliable and solid means of transportation that’s served me well over the course of its lifetime.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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Before I could even muster up a cheesy "MTV, Please Pimp my Ride!" pun, several problems had already
revealed themselves. Firstly, the rig had to be very small in size, with a monitor equally small in
order to be unobtrusive and reasonable in terms of power consumption. Secondly, with nothing but a 12v
cigarette lighter outlet in the car, something must be done to power the rig and all its accessories.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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To keep the package small, I decided to use a laptop originally to power the entire setup. My Compaq
X1010CA fit the bill as it was easily stashed behind the front passenger seat, and had a battery to
keep it running even after the power was cut. I also snatched a Lilliput 8" touch screen LCD off eBay
to mount directly on the dash instead of using the laptop’s unwieldy widescreen. Extensive testing
would reveal that both of these weren’t the best of choices, but that’s another story for another day.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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Lilliput TFT displays are one of the more popular choices for in-car PC setups, due to their size,
power requirements (12vDC), USB-compatible capacitive touch screen modules, and great picture quality.
Mounting was a piece of cake, as the LCD comes with its own adjustable stand, but I chose to not place
it directly on the top of the dash but to keep it a bit more subtle, and instead zip-tied it to the
circulation vents in the center of the console to: a) keep it lower and therefore less visible to
would-be thieves, b) position it so that it would be quick and easy to reach, should I need to do so
while driving. After all, "Drive Safely" used to be Volvo’s slogan before they decided to soften their
company’s image a bit. It may be simple, but it's actually better than bondo-ing it permanently to the
dash since I still need my stereo, and the viewing angle is much better and adjustable this way.
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