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So I figured I would do a small write up on building a Car PC as there has been some interest in it lately. I will try to cover all of the basics here about what is required before you start.

Components
To start, you will need basic components. These include:

Required
Monitor
Motherboard
Processor
Automotive Smart Power Supply
Memory (RAM)
Storage (HDD)
Case
Operating System
Front End Software

Optional
GPS Receiver
HD / FM / AM Tuner
Sirius / XM Tuner
OBD-II Interface
CD / DVD / Blu-Ray Drive (Also Required for OS Install)


Overview
Before you start buying parts there are same things you need to know about Car PC's that differentiate them from regular computers.

Motherboard Form Factors
Motherboards come in several form factors. Each have there own advantages and disadvantages. Here are the most common ones:

Micro-ATX
This is the type found in most desktop computers. I don't recommend these for Car PC's due to their size, but many have used them and mount a tower in the trunk.

Mini-ITX
The most common ones used in Car PC's. They dimensions are approx. 7" X 7" which can fit perfectly in a double din opening. I used this type in my 2005 Ford Mustang where I mounted all components where my double din radio used to be.

Nano-ITX
The smallest motherboard available to consumers today. These are perfect for Car PC's, especially when mounted everything behind the dash. The dimensions are approx. 4.8" X 4.8".

Pico-ITX
These are very hard to get as they have to be purchased in bulk. These are the smallest motherboards on the market today. The dimensions are approx. 4.5" X 3.3". I do not recommend these due to the cost.


Note: I recommend getting a motherboard with an integrated processor. A single core processor over 1ghz is more than sufficient for anything. The VIA and Jetway motherboards are the best to get.

Power Supplies
Automotive Smart DC-DC power supply (such as a M2-ATX) which will allow you to connect the 12 volt DC power from your car to your computer. Most DC-DC power supplies have other features such as an ignition switch which will turn your computer on when your car is started and will send a signal to go through a soft shut-down process or put the computer into stand-by or hibernation. Most of these DC-DC power supplies also incorporate an amplifier turn-on signal which is timed to not send a turn-on signal until the CarPC has alredy started the boot-up process. This feature is usually configured to prevent amplifier turn-on thump which can not only be very annoying, but can also damage your speakers


Most parts can be purchased from MP3Car.It is also a great forum to learn all about putting any type of PC into a car.

My first Car PC build consisted of the following components:

7" Lilliput Touchscreen
VIA EPIA M10000 (Upgraded to Jetway 7F2WE2G-OC-PB)
512MB DDR266 (Upgraded to 1GB)
M2-ATX
Custom Made Double Din Cage
Microsoft/Pharos GPS-360
iGuidance 3.0
RoadRunner (Now known as Ride Runner)
RadioShark
Belkin Class 2 Bluetooth
Infinity 1052W Sub in a custom Fiberglass Enclosure
Infinity 7541A 4-Channel Amp - (On the Way)
4X DVD-Burner
Cobra CB-Radio
2 USB Hubs

I highly recommend looking at the ByByte BlackBox N Case. They even sell a version with a 7" Touchsreen already integrated. It is a huge step building Car PC's. I will be getting one for the 240SX.

I also recommend taking a look at this guide on the assembly when using the BlackBox with a nano-ITX MB: http://bybyte.com/blackbox/BlackBoxAssemblyVER1.1.pdf


I have done several Car PC's and should be able to answer any questions anyone may have. Please note that this post was just a starter thread and you really need to identify what you want out of the system before starting.

Good info man!

Any pics? This sounds pretty sweet actually.

I'll post some pictures tonight of some of the components and will also try to find some of the pictures from my install in the Mustang.

Here's some pictures. Sorry I don't have any of the enclosure I created.:

Stock


Car PC




Amp & Handmade Fiberglass Sub Enclosure




Nano-ITX MB


M2-ATX Power Supply:

What sort of software do you normally run on these? Anything specialized to handle the audio? Any car specific programs?

The operating system is generally Windows XP. I have created a modified version that removes all of the extras that aren't needed. The primary application is Ride Runner; however, there are many alternatives. It provided a complete touchscreen friendly user interface for every feature you can think of. I also modified the windows shell to boot directly to Ride Runner, instead of the usual "Desktop". No extra software is really required, you just need to make sure the drivers are installed for all of your hardware.