Anybody else into Carputers here?

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

I was just wondering is there people with carputing background here?

Cause thing is that im wondering should i start to use xlobby in my car too... Ive been using centrafuse and road runner so far... but centrafuse seems to get further and further from my ideal frontend and road runner has always had some flaws from my perspective. Yet xlobby seems perfect... but i guess truth can be only seen when it is totally adapted to in car use... anyway im just interested to know if there are people with whom to discuss and mayby even design xlobby for car-use.

And yes ive seen that one audiskin here... thing is just... if i see one more audi skin i go crazy....

Anyway point is not so much about skin... but functionality and backend integrability... skin can always be made to fit....

[jowaldo]

I always thought of doing it, but I just got a new car not that long ago, and its too nice for me to tear apart to put a carputer in it, plus it has a navi and I can hook my ipod and control it with my stereo.. so there goes that idea..

I always thought it would be fun tho to do it on a friends car

I did it like 6-7 years ago in the beat up car I had at the time. Its insane how much farther they have come tho since then. With all the different hardware available (touchscreens, miniPC's, wireless junk) and xlobby... there are many awesome possiblities

[techspaces]

I'm working on one now to put in an airplane that my FIL is a fractional owner of. I need to make a skin with just DVD browsing and storing functions. Nothing fancy since it will only hold 30-40 movies at one time. The hard part is going to be getting info and cover art. Anybody know of a way to save a local copy of the IMDB?

[badubo]

Anybody know of a way to save a local copy of the IMDB?

you can take a look there : http://www.imdb.com/interfaces.html

[techspaces]

Well, it seems that to put an electronic device in an airplane, no matter what it's use or how it's connected to the airplanes systems, you have to get approval from the FAA. And they require engineering diagrams, EMI tests, mounting location diagrams, weight distribution impact, and a check ride with the equipment installed and operating. So my $1000 movie player just became a $15,000 movie player!

Oh well, I'm still going to build it and put it in my car.

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

Oh boy, that sucks! We have to add it to the endless list of f*ckd up AA-agencies... like RI* MP*

Just an idea thouh...

Ive been using carputer like a year now... originally got into hobby in matter of weeks, reason for that was that im using a tablet (convertablet actually), cause i wasnt ready to invest atleast 1000€ something i wasnt sure i like... but yet using my tablet would mean a quick shortcut to test carputing around... I just had to build a mounting for it and interfaces with car system... Now that i know i love the hobby... i will still build dedicated system someday.

Now why i am telling this.... Cause there must be a line when "plane system" turns into passenger carried "personal system"... and i bet it is not defedined well enough, and there just might be your loophole to exploit. just go for it!!

[techspaces]

Now why i am telling this.... Cause there must be a line when "plane system" turns into passenger carried "personal system"... and i bet it is not defedined well enough, and there just might be your loophole to exploit. just go for it!!

Actually, I did consider this angle. If it is a "personal device" that can be taken off the plane and only connects to the DC power bus at a cabin power point specified for passenger use, then it does not need approval. However, the intent was to connect it to the monitor already installed in the plane, which by FAA definition would link it to another subsystem and defeat the personal device status. So like I said, I'm going to build it and install it in my car anyway. If the plane owners really like it after they see it there (of course I'll be showing it off!) then they can either buy one and install it themselves, risking a fine if an inspector sees it. Or, they can pay for some else to go throgh the whole approval process.

The really assanine thing is the FAA still does not have a device type approval process for IFE (In-flight Entertainment) systems. They have to be done for each plane. How long have TVs and movie players been in airplanes? 30 years? They have to be one of the slowest agencies I've ever delt with.

[techspaces]

I installed the comp in the plane anyway. It works like a champ! I've got the skin choked down so that the movie menu opens at startup and it only allows browsing and playing the 15 titles saved. If a DVD is insterted, autostart immediately plays it in MPC. If I can figure out a way run a local database with cover art, I'll allow saving to the HDD, but at this point that doesn't seem feasible.

My other thought is to make a small app that will run on a USB2.0 drive. When this is plugged into a pc with a DVD drive and internet access, it will allow ripping and storing to the drive that could then be plugged back into the comp on the plane for a larger list of movies.

The next task is to build one for a car with WiFi, GPS, etc.

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

Haha way to go!!! i bet u have fastest computer running XLobby around here

3,5 Ghz? whats that, mine runs 3/4 MACH!!!


I think we would really aprociate some pics from installation... who knows mayby steven could even but one on the mainpage

[rubbah]

i'm in the (verry slow) process of making a carpc for a friend, it will run on a via 1300MHz connected to a 7"Lilliput touch screen.. the skin is about done but the car install will take some time. the skin will support, movies, music and gps integration throug the x window plugin.

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

Sounds like sweet setup.

Just dont forget to post skin when u get it ready, screenshot teasers while getting there would be nice too

[techspaces]

If you haven't already found it rubbah, the M2-ATX powersupply from LogicSupply dot com is a beauty. It powers the the computer when the ignition is turned on and shuts it down after an adjustable delay after ignition is turned off. It keeps the puter from having problems related to sudden power loss. I set it to hybernate the computer so it doesn't take as long to boot up when the car is started.

[rubbah]

If you haven't already found it rubbah, the M2-ATX powersupply from LogicSupply dot com is a beauty. It powers the the computer when the ignition is turned on and shuts it down after an adjustable delay after ignition is turned off. It keeps the puter from having problems related to sudden power loss. I set it to hybernate the computer so it doesn't take as long to boot up when the car is started.

hey.. sounds great guess we did the right call when going for that one

[techspaces]

Ok, it's official. Xlobby has passed 40,000 feet. Here's a few shots taken on the ground.

loading screen...


MiniITX installed in place of old VCR..


Scales down element skin only shows movies menu...


I had to make a few tweaks to make it work in the airplanes power system. The computer never gets a chance to shutdown, so I was having problems with xLobby crashing after power loss. Not sure what was corrupting, but it was a general MS application error message. So, I made a copy of the xLobby directory in the root. I'm using a startup script to overwrite the xLobby directory with the good copy everytime the computer boots.

[jowaldo]

Ok, it's official. Xlobby has passed 40,000 feet. Here's a few shots taken on the ground.

loading screen...


MiniITX installed in place of old VCR..


Scales down element skin only shows movies menu...


I had to make a few tweaks to make it work in the airplanes power system. The computer never gets a chance to shutdown, so I was having problems with xLobby crashing after power loss. Not sure what was corrupting, but it was a general MS application error message. So, I made a copy of the xLobby directory in the root. I'm using a startup script to overwrite the xLobby directory with the good copy everytime the computer boots.

pretty cool!!