# PIC'S! Water cooled car computer @ 95% complete



## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

Here is the latest pics of my carputer setup....the dash and trunk...

I'm thinking about repainting the center console...just not perfect. I nicked the paint fitting the machine acrylic cover as well. 
But you'll note the pair of USB ports where the ashtray use to live, as well as the engine start/stop button, which is now fully functional...

You'll notice the rectangular 'grooves'...these wil be used for illumination (blue LED of course) in the near future.
The two dots are status LED's for the push-button start...orange when the start sequence has started, and a green LED for when it's started and ready to drive.

And of course, below the screen, the pair of VU meters and the Powermate volume/control knob...

(Ignore the finger prints!)










Here it is booting up...










And loaded (Centrafuse 2 frontend)...I'm using Phidgets USB sensors to monitor inside and outside temps, outside humidity as well as current flow to the PC and battery voltage...
The center portion also displays my tire pressure and temperatures, nav data, among other things...










The trunk, I made the finishing cuts on it yesterday...
I was hoping the LED lighting would permeate thru the machined acrylic better, but I'll add two more strips to the front side of it to even the lighting better...
There are also 2 CCFL tubes in the main 'window', which aren't well illuminated with the lighting/camera...
The two exhaust fans also run with blue LED's...

Right now, it's the raw MDF. I'm going to chamfer the cutouts and cover it in carbon-look black vinyl...




























The 'window' to the PC has a framed piece that's covered in speaker grill cloth that can optionally be used to keep it hidden...

Here are some night shots...again, the blue is a little 'washed' out because of the camera exposure...


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## ypahuboy (Apr 8, 2009)

nice


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## cd300 (Mar 25, 2009)

What vehicle is that? I assume Ford... 

And push button start


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## AVIDEDTR (Sep 11, 2008)

very nice....any chance for an equipment list?


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## vicw (Mar 1, 2009)

Sweet. I want to build a carputer myself, but I want to find economical places in Toronto to find the parts. You're in Canada, where did you or would you shop for the stuff?


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## mjgonegm (Jun 21, 2008)

Real Nice !!!!!!!, One problem thought what about frezzing ?? I thought the water colling liquid was cabple of frezzing ?

Whats the specs ?


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

cd300 said:


> What vehicle is that? I assume Ford...
> 
> And push button start


It's an '02 SVT Focus, 'Sonic blue' paint...


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

vicw said:


> Sweet. I want to build a carputer myself, but I want to find economical places in Toronto to find the parts. You're in Canada, where did you or would you shop for the stuff?


I've had good luck with DirectCanada and NCIX...and of course, Ebay.


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

mjgonegm said:


> Real Nice !!!!!!!, One problem thought what about frezzing ?? I thought the water colling liquid was cabple of frezzing ?
> 
> Whats the specs ?


I'm running 50/50 coolant water in it, and I pull it during the winter...

It's a X2 AMD 2.2Ghz, 1GB RAM, dual Asus Xonar sound cards and 500GB HDD...

Maybe I'll do a write-up with build pics this week...


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## mjgonegm (Jun 21, 2008)

get more RAM !!! its to cheap not to max out on ram these days


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## akanoon (Aug 12, 2008)

Looking good. Do you only have that one display? If so, why two soundcards?


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

Build List:

VenHaus speaker wire for tweeters and drivers...


















Made from CAT5...LOTS of CAT5









The amplifiers...TRU T4.65's









The components...


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

The sound cards...


















Some software...


















Beginning the trunk fab...









The sub and modified OE enclosure...



























Old board setup...









I did away with the north bridge cooling and the AGP video card.


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

The MDF/plexi enclosure...



























Machined acrylic top...


















Birch wood amp rack...









Home made interconnects and RCA's...









Roughed in touch screen display...


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

Speakers mounted in the back...


















...and the front









Machined acrylic amp surround...


















Dash opening (USB hub and PSU for hub and monitor...









Distribution block/vreg's









Coolant!









Push button starter...









Modified TPMS board...


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

Interface for 'catching' button actions from the OE steering wheel audio controls...









That's about it really!


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## Tonyguy (Nov 15, 2007)

Nice work man! Is that a huge ass volume knob below the screen?


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

Tonyguy said:


> Nice work man! Is that a huge ass volume knob below the screen?


Thanks...
Yeah, that's a Griffen Powermate...a programable USB wheel. Gotta love how it's like a replica hi-fi stereo knob...


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## acencsu (Aug 21, 2008)

Hey I see that you're using Rubberfilter for your crossover and I've been trying to find some info on that program. Two questions:

1. Is it an FIR filter?
2. Have you tried the 384 db/octave setting and if so, does it make it sound weird? (I've heard there may be an audible noise right at the crossover point with that steep of a crossover.)

Thanks for you help. Your setup looks great by the way.

_Edit: I had one more I forgot: What power supply are you using to run all of that gear?_


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## Tonyguy (Nov 15, 2007)

WuNgUn said:


> Thanks...
> Yeah, that's a Griffen Powermate...a programable USB wheel. Gotta love how it's like a replica hi-fi stereo knob...


Dude that knob is awesome! Where can you find it online?


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

Knob:
Griffin Technology: PowerMate - USB Multimedia Controller

I'm actually not using Rubberfilter anymore...I don't think I went any higher than 24dB on it though, when I was using it...

I'm using LS filter right now...










I plan on moving away from this and using Pristine Space. I want to make my own filters using (((Acourate))). I have my Berringer measurement mic ready, and I'm just waiting for my MXL Marshall Mic Mate to arrive...
Basically, each driver/tweeter will have it's own IR filter, tuned to the individual response of the speakers themselves, with room correction and crossover as well...
Pristine Space can accomodate 8 outputs and any one of 8 seperate impulse responses for each of those channels, so it's very flexible...

This will be the only VST plugin I'll need as well....sound in}Pristine Space}Sound Out...which will help with latency and CPU usaage.

I just hope I have the CPU to pull it off!!


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## maxxis (Jun 10, 2008)

This is awesome.

Was thinking of going car PC route instead of processor like BitOne etc.

Very nice build.


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## maxxis (Jun 10, 2008)

This is awesome.

Was thinking of going car PC route instead of processor like BitOne etc.

Very nice build.


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

Thanks...
Tuning by PC offers SO many different options...
I think someone made a 3rd party plugin for controlling the BitOne from Centrafuse...pretty cool option as well!


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## Therum (Apr 18, 2009)

You are my hero! You are the first person I've seen that has actually built a car pc with sq in mind. You have given me a reason to live. I mean a basis for me to build my own!

Subscribed


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## rockinridgeline (Feb 2, 2009)

Inventive, high tech, cool, different, interesting, ambitious...

I'm impressed. I have been thinking a lot about carpc over the last few weeks. Maybe my next big project?

Kudos!


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

Thanks!! You get a lot of satisfaction building something like this...


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## thehardknoxlife (Mar 20, 2006)

Nice work, but is the water cooling necessary? As much as they leak I see it being problematic in the future. Especially from the vibrations of the vehicle.


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## newtitan (Mar 7, 2005)

okay the detail in the wiring is AWESOME

so what software are you suing that can control both soundcards? that was ultimately my undoing was getting software DSP to work with phase shift, crossovers, and EQ

do tell ???


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## Therum (Apr 18, 2009)

Oh please do tell. That was the major killer for my project. Not being able to control the audio.


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## Therum (Apr 18, 2009)

Download Audiomulch and play with it.


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

thehardknoxlife said:


> Nice work, but is the water cooling necessary? As much as they leak I see it being problematic in the future. Especially from the vibrations of the vehicle.


No, not necessary...
As much as they leak?? If I had ANY sorta leak, I would be ruining my hardware...I obviously don't want to ruin my hardware, so I make sure there are no leaks


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

newtitan said:


> okay the detail in the wiring is AWESOME
> 
> so what software are you suing that can control both soundcards? that was ultimately my undoing was getting software DSP to work with phase shift, crossovers, and EQ
> 
> do tell ???


Basically, ASIO4All made available all 16 outputs on my 2 cards...
But on MY cards, there was only 1 (Vista) driver that worked properly channeling the audio...
I spent HOURS trying drivers and even trying different OS's to arrive at where I'm at now...
ANY of the other dozen or so drivers I tried, would 'overlap' or cross talk to different outputs and/or keep the sub-out as lowpass and center channel mono. 

If you plan on running dual sound cards, expect it to not go together and work at the first attempt!

If your running a single card, it's pretty straight forward, with the right drivers...


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## Therum (Apr 18, 2009)

Cool. I downloaded the trial version. I cant seem to get the sound to pass through AM and out of AM to the speakers. So when I enable audio it has a slight echo.


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

Therum said:


> Cool. I downloaded the trial version. I cant seem to get the sound to pass through AM and out of AM to the speakers. So when I enable audio it has a slight echo.


That's because your audio is being passed thru to the speakers because your sound card speakers are still the default sound device...
If your sound card doesn't support pass-thru, you need Virtual Audio cable...


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## Therum (Apr 18, 2009)

Yea. I figured that. I'm playing around with it on my laptop for the moment. Just downloaded virtual audio cable. Thanks for the help! right now im not liking you that much.  Why? Because now I'm going to have to add this to my list of projects for mine and my wifes cars!!  What makes it so bad is that last year. I did a rough build of a car pc but wasnt satisfied with not being able to control the audio as much as I wanted to. Sold most of the stuff and now here we are. Now I have to start building it all over again.


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

lol
Well, look at it this way...you already have a bit of experience for the next builds!


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## ndpace (Apr 29, 2009)

nice
(I had to reply before I could post my first question)
Jim


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

Okay...trunk is done...well, sorta. I think I'm going to add 1 more LED strip to the back of the false floor...
And the upholserer needs to fix those wrinkles!! WTF! I knew I should of did it myself!














































And with the lights...


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## prophet_ca (Feb 29, 2008)

how loud are all those exposed fans. All those fans must sound very loud.


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## bLG (May 1, 2009)

just got my mobile test gear running, now I have something real serious to try to do.
GREAT job!


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

prophet_ca said:


> how loud are all those exposed fans. All those fans must sound very loud.


The rad fans are controlled by Speedfan...they are off unless the CPU hits 55 degrees C, which isn't very often. When they do fire, they max out at 65%, and only run for 20 seconds or so...

The other two exhaust fans are basically eye candy...they are switched on with a button on the sub cover carpet, and only when the trunk is open...same with the LED's.

I have to isolate the power wire with a diode though...I think the alarm pulses the trunk light (where the fan/LED's draw their power) after 15 minutes, and it's backfeeding, and triggering the alarm! lol


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## freemind (Sep 11, 2008)

That is a very sexy build man!


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## Therum (Apr 18, 2009)

Hey. did you by anychance measure preout voltage??


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## WuNgUn (Feb 9, 2008)

Nope...but the Xonar's have a pretty decent output stage...

I do, howver, measure the current of the PC, on the fly, using an Phidgets amp sensor! 
6 to 7.5 A typically...


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