Car Pc Hacks

by Stolarz, Damien

• ISBN13: 9780596008710
• ISBN10: 0596008716
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-09-20
• Publisher: Oreilly & Associates Inc

Summary

Whether they're called in-car computers, carputers, automotive PCs, or car PCs, personal computers are finding their way into automobiles in increasing numbers. Written by experienced hardware hackers and automobile customizers, Car PC Hacks is the only book available on this increasingly popular topic. It's perfect for enthusiasts from both the computer and automotive worlds, with a bevy of cool tips and tools for tricking out their cars with computers. The book covers the basics of power and hookup considerations that stall so many would-be car hackers, and provides detailed coverage of hundreds of things that a car PC can accomplish.

Author Biography

Damien Stolarz has been studying and working in the car PC market since the late '90s. Last year he started his own company, carbotpc.com, to cater to the entertainment and aftermarket car PC market.

Table of Contents

Credits	vii
Preface	xiii
Chapter 1. Car Power Basics	1	(45)
1. Understand Car Electrical Systems	1	(7)
2. Prevent Electrical Fires	8	(5)
3. Gauge Your Wires	13	(3)
4. Connect Your Wires	16	(4)
5. Calculate Your Car's Battery Life	20	(6)
6. Upgrade Your Car Battery	26	(3)
7. Add New Power Connectors Throughout Your Car	29	(4)
8. Use a Huge Capacitor to Sustain Power	33	(3)
9. Upgrade Your Car's Alternator	36	(1)
10. Add a Second Car Battery	37	(3)
11. Put Home Power Outlets in Your Car	40	(6)
Chapter 2. Automotive Audio Entertainment	46	(37)
12. Get a Headful About Your Car Audio	46	(5)
13. Install a New Head Unit	51	(3)
14. Get Computer Audio into Your Head Unit	54	(6)
15. Amp Up Your Computer Audio	60	(4)
16. Make a Very Cheap AUX-in	64	(2)
17. Reduce Your Audio System's Noise	66	(6)
18. Control Your iPod with Your Car Stereo Knobs	72	(1)
19. Tune Your PC for Radio Reception	73	(3)
20. Record Radio Shows	76	(1)
21. Listen to Email, Weblogs, and RSS Feeds on the Road	77	(2)
22. Find Out What Was Playing on the Radio	79	(4)
Chapter 3. Automotive Video Entertainment	83	(60)
23. Understand Video Connectors	84	(3)
24. Choose Your Screens	87	(5)
25. Install a Headrest Screen	92	(5)
26. Install a VGA Touchscreen in Your Dashboard	97	(5)
27. Install a Sun Visor Screen	102	(2)
28. Install a Motorized Fold-out Screen	104	(2)
29. Install a Fold-Down Ceiling-Mounted Screen	106	(5)
30. Supersize Your Fold-Down LCD Screen	111	(1)
31. Turn Your Laptop into a Fold-Down or Dashboard Screen	112	(4)
32. Connect a Car PC to Your Factory Screen	116	(7)
33. Install a Rearview Mirror Screen and Camera	123	(3)
34. Boost Your Video Signal for Multiple Screens	126	(1)
35. Customize Each Passenger's Video	127	(3)
36. Tune in TV in the Car	130	(1)
37. Receive Satellite TV While Driving	131	(1)
38. Play DVDs with Your in-Car Computer	132	(4)
39. Put Multi-Channel DVD Surround Sound in Your Car	136	(4)
40. Install a Video Game Console Computer in Your Car	140	(3)
Chapter 4. in-Car Computers	143	(86)
41. Choose an in-Car PC Hardware Platform	144	(6)
42. Power Your Car PC	150	(4)
43. Start Up and Shut Down Your Car PC	154	(10)
44. Reduce the Boot Time of Your in-Car Computer	164	(4)
45. Keep Your Computer on During Engine Cranking	168	(3)
46. Turn On Your Car Computer Before You Start Your Car	171	(3)
47. Boot Your Car Computer on a Schedule	174	(2)
48. Choose an in-Car PC Software Platform	176	(5)
49. Install Windows on a CompactFlash Card	181	(8)
50. Power Your Portable Devices in the Car	189	(3)
51. Install USB Ports in Your Car	192	(3)
52. Build an in-Car PC	195	(10)
53. Build an in-Car Macintosh	205	(12)
54. Install a Mac Mini in Your Car	217	(12)
Chapter 5. Car PC Interface Options	229	(25)
55. Control Your Car PC with a Keyboard and Mouse	230	(2)
56. Control Your Car PC with a Handheld Remote	232	(4)
57. Control Your Car PC with a Touchscreen	236	(3)
58. Car-Enable Clunky Applications	239	(4)
59. Listen to What Your Car Computer Is Saying	243	(3)
60. Control Your Car PC with Voice Recognition	246	(4)
61. Find More Ways to Control Your in-Car Computer	250	(4)
Chapter 6. Wireless Connectivity and in-Car Internet	254	(42)
62. Get Online in Your Car	254	(6)
63. Make Your Mobile Phone Hands-Free with Your Car PC	260	(6)
64. Transfer Data to and from Your Car PC	266	(6)
65. View Real-Time Traffic Data on the Road	272	(5)
66. Videoconference from Your Car	277	(3)
67. Use GPS on Your Car PC	280	(9)
68. Find WiFi Hotspots on the Road	289	(7)
Chapter 7. In-Car Applications	296	(49)
69. Plug into Your Car's Built-in Computer	296	(7)
70. Put a Video Jukebox in Your Car Theater	303	(8)
71. Choose Your in-Car Navigation Software	311	(4)
72. Play Thousands of Games by Emulating Video Game Consoles	315	(5)
73. Use CENTRAFUSE as Your Car PC Frontend	320	(7)
74. Use Neocar Media Center as Your Car PC Frontend	327	(9)
75. Use FrodoPlayer as Your Car PC Frontend	336	(9)
Index	345