Computer - Page 3 - Toyota Yaris Forums

eTiMaGo · 03-13-2007, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razr

Unfortunately it's not quite that simple. The ATX specification requires 12DVC, 5VDC and 3.3VDC - all of which must be tightly regulated (i.e. no voltage fluctuations) and clean (i.e. no ripple)

In order to run a desktop PC in a car you will absolutely need power supply of some description, be it a purpose built DC-DC one, or DC-AC-DC in the form of a regular ATX PSU and a DC-AC inverter.

Notebooks with car charger kits are a lot simpler :)

Exactly. Each route (old laptop vs Mini-PC) has its advantages and drawbacks. My old laptop has two problems: USB 1.1 only, and crappy sound. What I was planning was to get a USB2.0 PC Card, and an external USB sound card like one of the Creative Extigy's. With a custom-built PC, you would avoid these kinds of headaches!

Razr · 03-13-2007, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eTiMaGo

Exactly. Each route (old laptop vs Mini-PC) has its advantages and drawbacks. My old laptop has two problems: USB 1.1 only, and crappy sound. What I was planning was to get a USB2.0 PC Card, and an external USB sound card like one of the Creative Extigy's. With a custom-built PC, you would avoid these kinds of headaches!

Wow, your old laptop really is old LOL

Black Yaris · 03-13-2007, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razr

Unfortunately it's not quite that simple. The ATX specification requires 12DVC, 5VDC and 3.3VDC - all of which must be tightly regulated (i.e. no voltage fluctuations) and clean (i.e. no ripple)

In order to run a desktop PC in a car you will absolutely need power supply of some description, be it a purpose built DC-DC one, or DC-AC-DC in the form of a regular ATX PSU and a DC-AC inverter.

Notebooks with car charger kits are a lot simpler :)

no problem there guy, that is what a dual wave rectifyer is for :), The power supply in a computer is basicly a transformer and a dual wave rectifyer, the rectifyer will set a specific voltage, no problem, and is basicly a couple Diodes

Razr · 03-13-2007, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black Yaris

the rectifyer will set a specific voltage, no problem, and is basicly a couple Diodes

The keyword being rectifier of course :)

In any case, what youre describing is a DC-DC converter, so we're in agreement

Black Yaris · 03-13-2007, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razr

The keyword being rectifier of course :)

In any case, what youre describing is a DC-DC converter, so we're in agreement

Yes sir

lets go drinkin

eTiMaGo · 03-13-2007, 04:55 AM

First laptop I ever owned, even though it's just gathering dust now, it has sentimental value

It was pretty fancy in its time, one of the thinnest lightest laptops available (Asus M2 series, just about 2.2kg for a 14"...)

And the specs are still good enough, 1.8GHz Pentium M, but gonna need a boost in RAM as well. Not gonna do any gaming with it, though, that's for sure!

Razr · 03-13-2007, 06:02 AM

If you only need USB2.0 for the Creative sound card, an alternative would be a more basic USB audio adaptor (like those that come bundled with better headphones, and actually sound VG), or if you're going full audiophile maybe one of the Creative Audigy 2 ZS Notebook PCMCIA cards -though the latter is a pricey option.

eTiMaGo · 03-13-2007, 06:09 AM

Hmm that is a possibility, but can those handle plain old USB1.1? I'm not looking for audiophile quality, but if I can get 4.1 or 5.1 output it would work well with my current amps and speakers. And, I would still want the PCMCIA slot for a USB2.0 adapter, that way I can have a bit more flexibility for peripherals.

Razr · 03-13-2007, 06:51 AM

Yep, no problems running a headphone style adaptor on USB 1.1, but most are only stereo output. A bit of googling should turn up something suitable.

Razr · 03-13-2007, 06:54 AM

OK, just googled for: 5.1 usb audio adaptor
Here's a couple of hits on USB 1.1 compat devices:

http://www.usbgear.com/usb-audio-adapter-5/index.html

http://www.turtlebeach.com/site/prod...udioadv/micro/

eTiMaGo · 03-13-2007, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razr

OK, just googled for: 5.1 usb audio adaptor
Here's a couple of hits on USB 1.1 compat devices:

http://www.usbgear.com/usb-audio-adapter-5/index.html

http://www.turtlebeach.com/site/prod...udioadv/micro/

Sweetness! The turtlebeach one looks good, but 5.1 seems to be only achieved through digital output, that's gonna be a pain in the @$$ to interface with plain analog amps

So, that usbgear one looks very promising, thanks for the heads-up!

eTiMaGo · 03-13-2007, 07:01 AM

Hmm OK I'll see what I can find

Problem now is the screen...

This one seems just the best:
http://www.digitalww.com/DWW-6500.htm

but seems to be out of production until May when they introduce a new version... Not many other choices for double-DIN touchscreen VGA screens...

Even the single-DIN ones available on mp3car.com seem to have some bad reviews. I'm not even going to waste time to start thinking about finding something suitable locally

Is this just a pipe dream?

Razr · 03-13-2007, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eTiMaGo

Not many other choices for double-DIN touchscreen VGA screens...

Well, it doesn't necessarily need VGA (or DVI) input - so long as the video adaptor in your notebook can do overscan on its TV output you will get full screen output via composite video. Any ATI 9xxx/1x00 or Nvidia x2GO/5x00+ can do this with the right driver and/or utility, and even some on-board video chipsets can do it.

The only issue then is compensating for the overscan in your media center software, which Media Portal does very nicely

eTiMaGo · 03-13-2007, 09:14 AM

yeah but the picture quality won't be anywhere near as nice, I'd prefer the pixel-sharp look of a proper PC connection, especially when running software such as Centrafuse

Plus, the laptop has no TV out, so it's a moot point

Razr · 03-13-2007, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eTiMaGo

yeah but the picture quality won't be anywhere near as nice, I'd prefer the pixel-sharp look of a proper PC connection, especially when running software such as Centrafuse

Plus, the laptop has no TV out, so it's a moot point

The question remains as to just how pixel sharp those VGA screens really are of course

If they had DVI input I'd be a little less sceptical..

As you note, moot point anyway

That Centrafuse software looks pretty cool - the skin especially is perfect for small touch-screens / car use. The nav and sat radio features aren't terribly useful for us here in the land of smiles (and technology retardation) though

I'm signing up so I can download the SDK and see what's possble with it

jdubau55 · 03-13-2007, 05:17 PM

Ihave this one on my desktop....works nicely for what I want.

03-13-2007, 04:55 AM	#6
eTiMaGo vroom vroom View User's Garage Drives: lil red 5-door Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 7,744	First laptop I ever owned, even though it's just gathering dust now, it has sentimental value It was pretty fancy in its time, one of the thinnest lightest laptops available (Asus M2 series, just about 2.2kg for a 14"...) And the specs are still good enough, 1.8GHz Pentium M, but gonna need a boost in RAM as well. Not gonna do any gaming with it, though, that's for sure! __________________ The price of freedom of religion, or of speech, or of the press, is that we must put up with a good deal of rubbish. - Robert Jackson Bye bye 1NZ...

03-13-2007, 06:09 AM	#8
eTiMaGo vroom vroom View User's Garage Drives: lil red 5-door Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 7,744	Hmm that is a possibility, but can those handle plain old USB1.1? I'm not looking for audiophile quality, but if I can get 4.1 or 5.1 output it would work well with my current amps and speakers. And, I would still want the PCMCIA slot for a USB2.0 adapter, that way I can have a bit more flexibility for peripherals. __________________ The price of freedom of religion, or of speech, or of the press, is that we must put up with a good deal of rubbish. - Robert Jackson Bye bye 1NZ...

03-13-2007, 07:01 AM	#12
eTiMaGo vroom vroom View User's Garage Drives: lil red 5-door Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 7,744	Hmm OK I'll see what I can find Problem now is the screen... This one seems just the best: http://www.digitalww.com/DWW-6500.htm but seems to be out of production until May when they introduce a new version... Not many other choices for double-DIN touchscreen VGA screens... Even the single-DIN ones available on mp3car.com seem to have some bad reviews. I'm not even going to waste time to start thinking about finding something suitable locally Is this just a pipe dream? __________________ The price of freedom of religion, or of speech, or of the press, is that we must put up with a good deal of rubbish. - Robert Jackson Bye bye 1NZ...

03-13-2007, 09:14 AM	#14
eTiMaGo vroom vroom View User's Garage Drives: lil red 5-door Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 7,744	yeah but the picture quality won't be anywhere near as nice, I'd prefer the pixel-sharp look of a proper PC connection, especially when running software such as Centrafuse Plus, the laptop has no TV out, so it's a moot point __________________ The price of freedom of religion, or of speech, or of the press, is that we must put up with a good deal of rubbish. - Robert Jackson Bye bye 1NZ...

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03-13-2007, 06:02 AM	#7
Razr YRS WHOR View User's Garage Drives: White 2007 Yaris E-Limited 5dr Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Chiangmai, Thailand Posts: 359	If you only need USB2.0 for the Creative sound card, an alternative would be a more basic USB audio adaptor (like those that come bundled with better headphones, and actually sound VG), or if you're going full audiophile maybe one of the Creative Audigy 2 ZS Notebook PCMCIA cards -though the latter is a pricey option.

03-13-2007, 06:51 AM	#9
Razr YRS WHOR View User's Garage Drives: White 2007 Yaris E-Limited 5dr Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Chiangmai, Thailand Posts: 359	Yep, no problems running a headphone style adaptor on USB 1.1, but most are only stereo output. A bit of googling should turn up something suitable.

03-13-2007, 06:54 AM	#10
Razr YRS WHOR View User's Garage Drives: White 2007 Yaris E-Limited 5dr Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Chiangmai, Thailand Posts: 359	OK, just googled for: 5.1 usb audio adaptor Here's a couple of hits on USB 1.1 compat devices: http://www.usbgear.com/usb-audio-adapter-5/index.html http://www.turtlebeach.com/site/prod...udioadv/micro/

03-13-2007, 05:17 PM	#16
jdubau55 Drives: 2007 White Yaris LB 5 Spd. Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Blacksburg, VA Posts: 451	Ihave this one on my desktop....works nicely for what I want.

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