I've had a PC installed in the VX since late 2002. It consisted of a Epia 800, with PCI radeon 7500 (for 800x480 resolution) and the first version of the Xenarc. Along with an extremely flakey ODB, and an alright GPS. It used a 40gig 2.5" laptop drive. It was powered by a PC Power & Cooling DC-DC 100w - though they don't seem to make them anymore... Still a damn good unit. Start up/shutdown was processed by a shutdown controller circuit I put together.
System used S3 for startup/shutdown. It had taken about 7 seconds to boot.
I fabricated a custom enclosure for the unit and it was mounted underneath the drivers seat. I crimped a long length custom ATX power cable, and the DC-DC supply was mounted underneath the passenger seat.
LCD was mounted in a custom enclosure I created out of fiberglass, which replaces the area where the ashtray/cd changer went. It was molded around a spare dash trim piece so the whole unit could easily be removed. So it works fine with my '01.
I had used it for quite some time until I started getting frustrated with the lack of brightness with the LCD. Was gonna upgrade it, then had engine trouble with my '99, sold it and bought a '01. That was a year ago.
Haven't reinstalled it back in the '01 as I just recently started putting a new system together. Still using the Radeon 7500, Epia M10000, and the 2.5" drive. Along with all the usual goodies, bluetooth, wifi, gps, ODB, etc.. Fabricating a new, smaller case for placement again under the drivers seat (stays the coolest under there).
I should note the M10000 S3 tests puts it with a boot time of only 5 seconds. Believe it or not.
I just recently re-engineered the mechanism for the drivers seat latch to move the seat forward/backward. Before, it used a long metal silver rod to engage both latches when the handle is tugged. I replaced it with metal cable, and ran it along to the top of the bottom of the seat. To free up for space heightwise under the seat. Works great, need to get pics. This allows me to keep the case taller so I can also put in the basic stamp + voltage regulator circuits, plus wifi, odb, and the GPS module all the case.
This time the 2.5" drive will be encased in a shock-absorbent gel casing taken for a Panasonic toughbook.
The newer system is almost done, I'm working on the finishing touches for the basic stamp. It will control startup/shutdown along with auto adustment of the backlight luminosity for the newer LCD display (which is the latest version of the Xenarc). I actually took a picture of that!
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Originally Posted by coachreed
