GPS and tv tuner questions

FtoSam · Post by **FtoSam** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:52 am

Noccers: You're lucky.. It took me 3 goes to find one with no noise. also happened to be the most expensive one

If i had to do it again, i'd buy a dc-dc PSU and build a system around it. they are smaller as well. so a lot less space and wiring needed.

Post by **Supplanter** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:52 pm

If you are having trouble finding an quiet inverter, make sure you get one with a (pure sinewave) output, rather than a (modified sinewave) output

FtoSam · Post by **FtoSam** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 1:34 pm

yep. agreed. thats what mine was. costs more but are much higher quality.

Post by **BorepYano** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:53 am

thanks for the input guys (now that i'm sober lol)

missed too much and i'm at work, so everything's goign to be in dot point form lol

do you guys think the car will be able to supply power to a full blown computer? (i.e. would the alternator put out enough?)

thanks on the info on inverters.

supplanter, thanks for that link, i was looking through there a while ago and then lost the link so cheers

samson, yup agreed on the "what is the parts designed to do" point. yeah i thought about it, but if i want to intergrate Every thing into one then i'm going have to cross some of these bridges when i come to them i guess.

noccers, let us know how your GPS goes, i dont know much about them so any input would be great

oh and i'll take u up on the software if the offer is still here

oh and what are your thoughts on using a small UPS in the set up...
i think it'll give me a bit more flexibility with the install. I know many of the DC - DC PSU have a built in thing where when the power is low it automatically turns off the computer/puts it on stand by, bit i guess you wont get that feture with the converters, so if i use a small UPS, then i'll be able to use the low battery (UPS = battery) and turn computer off thing.
well that what i think anyway

FtoSam · Post by **FtoSam** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:23 pm

As far as power.... ROFL.
Your Alt puts out about 75A prob.
A computer is lucky to draw 3A... and thats a full on computer. 350W PSUs have a max of 5A and i've never ever blown one. not even with 4 Hdds and 4 Dvd-rws and all latest and greatest crap.

As far as a UPS, Not a great idea in a car. UPS's generally have non-sealed Lead-acid batterys. (well in the cheaper range anyway)
Buy a fricken Dc-Dc PSU. sh*t buy 2 of em if you need more power. It will be around the same price of not less than a good inverter and UPS. Not to mention more reliable and more features that will benifit you.. like delayed power off. etc.
if you get a 100W PSU it will EASILY run a 2.5 or 3.25" HDD, DVD-RW, Wireless, GPS, CPU, Ram, etc.
The only system it wont run is a very high end system, i.e games system etc.
With the system you are building, build it to suit the aplication. You dont need dual core, etc etc. 2Ghz P4 is plenty and a Celeron would work just as well but lots cooler and less power. 512 Ram should be AMPLE and a 2.5" HDD will run cooler, quieter, less power and more resistant to bumps and shocks.
Heat will be an issue in your car. Computers dont like hot or enclosed conditions. So using cooler parts like Celeron Processors will be a saviour. and cheaper too.

Post by **BorepYano** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:00 pm

in light of what sam said, did 10mins worth of research (didnt know how the F*&^ i missed these when i spent those weeks researching

):

http://www.zantech.com.au/synocean/stc012450.html
(if i'm correct then this is a 450Watt DC-DC PSU... only thing is i'm not sure if this will offer all that battery deep discharge and safe shut down stuff that the other ones offer

, can someone enlighten me about these?)

http://www.opussolutions.com/index.php?p=product&id=49
(250Watt maybe enough to run a mobile hacking + gaming station lol)

FtoSam · Post by **FtoSam** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:22 pm

Second one looks the goods. 250W should be enough to run your system. Remember anything above that is for multi HDD multi DVD high power cpu high power GPU.

noccers · Post by **noccers** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:41 pm

Yep, I'm with Sam, don't bother with a UPS.

Offer is still there for the software, no dramas, just shoot me a PM when you're ready and I'll give you a link to d/l.

I tested the GPS out a bit lastnight, pretty neat little software package. Even has a Speed/Redlight camera database in it, with a lot of locations and it gives you a 500m heads up as to when you're approaching one. So now I open the GPS even if I'm not using it, and just leave it running in the background just incase

I'll keep you updated if anything else of interest comes up. It's pretty straight forward though

Post by **BorepYano** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 10:21 pm

noccers, PM sent.

And yeah i'm porbably not going with the UPS (since now that i have found dc-dc psu's that puts out enough... 450Watt muwhahahahhaha lol)

how's reception with the gps reciever? as i said before i know nothing about gps but the bigger then number of channels the better right? the one u posted up has 12, and i've seen more... mine's bigger than yours lol

and where did you mount the reciever?

what are you running in your car? (i.e. PC, laptop, one of them premade carputers?)

noccers · Post by **noccers** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 7:58 am

Well, I havn't had long enough to give a proper opinion on the reception. Needs to go through storms, etc, but so far it's fine; it's had a constant 10 satellites feeding it everytime I've used it. Atm the receiver is sitting on the rear parcel, cant even tell it's there it's so tiny lol

I'm using a laptop as my setup. nothing special, just a 900mhz with 128mb ram, 20g hdd + 40g external laptop usb drive. Using RoadRunner as the MM software cos it's free, and actually quite pleasant. I'd like to try StreetDeck but it costs money

Looks like a great piece of software though

Works fine, the only thing it does struggle with is DiVX/XViD, has a little trouble keeping up with them, but i don't watch videos anymore so it's no drama

And I just make sure that the music videos I get arn't DiVX/XViD

Post by **BorepYano** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:30 pm

well i've tried Road Runner, Centrafuse, Digital Dash and streetDeck. have to say RR seems to be the best even though it doesnt work with my tv tuner right now (i'll build the computer around it if i have to cos i'm so happy about it), centrafuse is about the same as RR, but u have to pay.. the other 2 r not very user friendly.

i may not use any front end, if i can... they all have limits.. or i'm going to see if i can talk a mate into writting me one