I've been reading through MP3Car.com and pondering the idea of building a car PC or even buying one of the ready made ones with the streetdeck software. Seems the cost is about the same as a high end unit like the AVIC Z1 but where those stereo units are lacking are a nice fullscreen 7" Topo maps and ability to choose my own GPS software, wirelessly synch and download MP3s from my home PC while the vehicle pulls up to the driveway, and so on.

Has anybody here done anything like that in the wrangler? Where is a good spot to put a mini car computer that would be safe from rain and thieves? I was thinking about mounting it in the glovebox if I don't go with something that fully installs in the double din space.

 

This guy put a pc in his Liberty under the Passenger seat. Specs and pics on his site. Bill Forde

 

I had one in my celica for a while. I actually found it a pain in the ass. On a 5 min drive to get radio would take like 5 mins for the comp to get up and running. then having to actually look at it to change it was just as bad. My way to solve this problem was by doing this.

you can't really run two screens in a jeep and I don't trust the thieves so I would never do this.

 

I was going to do this in my truck before my jeep, but there is just no way I can do it in a jeep. If you figure it out kudos...

no room, too much element exposure, theft problems, and the big one - shock values.

If I was going to be a mall rider and always have the hard top on, then in car pc would be sweet, but a jeep will just put too much bounce and i'd be scared to go in any water with a PC under my seat. screw that - i'm going offroad.

 

I did some more searching around on the internet and found this site which refers to a case designed to handle dust and such. mini-box.com/VoomPC-Enclosure-2

A lot of other items listed in there too to basically build it all. Hmmm...

I was hoping to get around the load times and such by using Vista since the PC can hibernate storing information on the Hard Drive. I am also curious if I could use one of those single DIN touchscreen monitors and at the same time have another single DIN normal radio in the same bay with both hooked up so I can use the radio if I didn't want to muk with the computer.

 

you need vga monitor for a touch computer. I have never seen one that is flip out single din. If you find one please let me know because doing the pc and a radio is the only way this works right.

 

Maybe, but find me a case that can do that and withstand the repeated shock of rock crawling or trail riding - and then I'd consider it.

If you ask me, you're just going to invest a lot into something that's going to A) get stolen because it's a jeep or B) break because of shock

 

SuTec,

If you figure out a good way to do it i would love to see it. I was thinking about going the car-puter route but decided against it due to the elements. (i know i am echoing other posters)

i decided to go with the Pioneer AVIC-D2 (wanted one of the Z's but couldnt justify the extra money). i am really happy with it thus far. it will play data disks so i can have around 150 songs on one cd - i know that doesnt compare with what a 500GB hard drive would be like on a car-puter though.

just one warning - right after i got my D2 i went wheeling and got so much dust / sand inside my rig that the unit was having a really hard time ejecting disks. keep in mind it was the unit was fully closed and not even playing the whole time i was wheeling. i ended up taking the whole thing apart - complete casing down to the circuit boards and cleaned out all the motors, now it works fine. My point is, with a carputer you will really have to watch the dust / dirt and def. water. If you come up with something please share with us. Good Luck!

 

I will be a good experiment none the less I think. I will be going slow and it won't start right away for sure since I just got the Jeep and I do want to make sure I have a much inproved security system than stock on it. When I do get started though I'll post what I do.

drinkingmymilk -> This seems like the best single DIN that I can see. Seems as though it also integrates both a TV tuner and AM/FM tuner. store.mp3car.com/Lilliput_GL701_NP_C_T_p/mon-020.htm

I think I'm going to start off firstly with the software and pay around with that. I have an old laptop that I can experiment with at first. I think I'll look into running RoadRunner or StreetDeck on it. If that all works out then I'll start the investment with a touchscreen monitor. I wonder if I can turn the top dash cover into a flip open monitor of some kind. Now that would be cool.

 

Wow....check out all of the crap in this Liberty.....