Scratch Build – In Progress Project: Astra Touch

Project Astra Touch

Am currently building an in car pc. It's going to all be all done out of the way and hopefully look as stock as possible.

After some feed back am going for a nice 7" touch scren upfront mounted in the dash, where a sat nav unit is supposed to be, so it will look stock!
So the bits i have so far

PC componets:-
CPU AM2 5000+
Biostar Micro ATX mobo
2GB Corsair 6400 Pro
8400GS
64GB C300 SSD
Slim DVD burner
12v PSU

Monitor
7" touchscreen (widescreen)

Audio:-
sony head unit
2x 12" 1200W subs
2x vibe QB69
Vibe components upfront
2000W amp and 600W amp

Extras
Wireless keybaord and touch mouse pad (might get this tho)
USB GPS receiver
and might get wifi card.



As for a 2nd monitor I've got a samsung 23" Syncmaster, with a built in freeview. So i will have a telly also. I have got a invertor to convert 12v from a second leisure battery will install to power the screen. I plan on installing said monitor on a flip down from the roof of the van and it wil be able to spin around so can view from inside or out.

 

its about time you got started on this

i had 2 suggestions/questions:

1. have you thought about an SSD to reduce windows load times? if you hop in the van just to drive a few miles, the PC will have barely booted by the time you get to your destination with a spindle drive. an SSD might make the PC more usable on short trips.

2. personally, id reconsider a touch screen for control...as it opens up a whole lot more options for controlling/navigating the OS. imagine using an on-screen keyboard to search for a specific song by title right from the drivers seat most touch screens use simple USB connections for the touch screen control. i was thinking something like this: EBAY

im really looking forward to seeing this completed as its a project ive been interested in tackling myself

 

+1 for the touch screen, make life much easier.

Wouldn't be too worried bout the SSD wicked, just hibernate the computer instead and strip out anything starting that isn't essential.

Another thing to look at is rather than using an inverter there are special power supplies for car pc use that have auto on/off, etc.

Like this

 

You have both made me look up a nice touch screen to go on, just have limited space to put it. Also SSD is gonna be a later addition when funds are more available.

And as for the PSU i have somehting similar to above. It runs of 12v so can plug right onto battery.

The inverter is for the monitor, as its hard to source a nice monitor that runs off 12v

@ Wicked_Sludge - Its taken me ages to source a half decent van, the bits have been sitting in my room for monhts now! And now i have another thing holding me back, the snow, woke uptoday to find van covered. And i took today off to do work on the thing.

 

Miller Tech has some decent screens that run off 12v, and have touch screen functionality. They have these open frame kits that allow you to make your own enclosure or build it into the dash.

 

also head over to www.astraownersnetwork.co.uk for van help/advice its a very friendly and useful forum.

good luck with the build.... i wanna do a car pc but need more money lol

 

Finally got to do some work on the build.

Heres a pic of the back of the van now ply lined.



Have a guess where the PC is loacted (it is in there in he back!)



Edit, will update in a couple of hours of more interesting PC pictures. As the above isn't that great for this type of forum.

 

In the spare wheel hole? Or close to.

 

Nice try Blackwhizz, it was my first idea to put whole install there, however i like having a spare.
The PC is located inside the right (off side) ply wheel cover.

Heres a picture of said computer


Hole on the left will be covered with some mesh when i find some. Then the all the ply in the back will be covered in acoustic carpet and am going to have a layer of under carpet on floor for extra confort and possibly a bit of warmth.

I'm going to have to change the standard 120mm fan to a low profile as its rubbing the wheel arch.

SSD is on order, new front centre console with a space for (hopefully) as 7" touch screen monitor.
Holding off the big screen in the back for a bit as i'm not going to be spending much time in the van in this weather.

Ran a test of the setup last night connected to my Liesure Battery. All worked perfectly, however poor light = bad pictures so am not going to put these up.


Will do another update when i get a few more things sorted.
Have a good xmas all

 

looks good so far. im wondering if the motherboard wouldnt appreciate a little vibration dampening...particularly with the reasonable sized cooler you have there.

 

vibration is a killer with everything (well almost everything ) I am planning on putting two rubber washers when mounting the mobo. Also that is the stock cooler, so its not massive. Not sure if it worth trying to find a lighter one? Tempted by this but it doesn't say how heavey it is.

No update right now, no post so no new bits, I have however a very long weekend ahead, off fri/sat/sun/mon/tues. So hopefully will get some more done. Not sure i'll get much done friday night or saturday tho!

I have been working on mounting a slim DVD drive and thinking about mounting USB port up front for USB Flash drive.

 

i guess its just the tiny board that makes the stock cooler look so big

id say go with the lightest cooler you can find (without sacrificing proper cooling of coarse). the one you posted is nice, aluminum with no heatpipes. plus the low profile reduces the leverage the cooler has against the board.

 

No real update in regards to buil log due to poor delivery and crap companys.

However, have had delviery of new centre console and 7" touch screen. Now i need to find a way of fitting the screen into the small hole.



I have just started a thread on the modding page since i need some help with getting it fitted (here)

Not much of an update but thought i'd keep this thread going, otherwise i'll stop and forget all about it.

oh, just had delivery of the carpet for the back.

 

Why not try and mount a H50? That would be awesome and might give you some OC headroom

 

A decent W/C set up would be mint however i don't think the low power 12V PSU would like it! even a H50 would put a fair bit extra stress on the PSU. And my original plans were to underclock the CPU.

Nice idea tho

 

lack of power? your computer will be surrounded by ample 12v source: your car. while i wouldnt power things like the motherboard or HDDs off of your cars electrical system...things like fans and pumps could easily handle the 1-2 volt fluctuations of being tapped right in.

that said...i think water cooling might be a little much for a low-powered PC like this

 

That pump draws between 1-3v. not such a massive beast!

 

fan headers supply 12v.

except in the case of motherboards that support voltage speed regulation, which vary between something like 7-12v.

 

changed. My bad, getting up at 2 doesn't help you think straight

 

no worries