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<DIV><SPAN class=273380814-23032008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>From
the responses on this initial message it seems that CarPuters could be very
popular among hams, look at the number of replys just off of this one message on
the list.</FONT></SPAN><SPAN class=273380814-23032008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>MP3CAR.COM is interesting but I do not quite care for it. I
am wondering if it would warrant a HamCarPuter mailing list?
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=273380814-23032008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=273380814-23032008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I am
looking it install one on my 08' Expedition since the wife does not care for a
laptop on her lap for 8+ hours. A RAM mount is nice, I have one in my work truck
but it does take up space for passenger leg room. I would like it mounted IN
DASH but if I pull out the stock radio I lose the rear controls and would need
to duplicate the FM/AM/CD accessability even if I were to do put a FM/AM tuner
in the MiniITX/or USB. If you own an 08' Expedition you know that there is VERY
little spare room unless you remove the trunk plastic pannels. Very little
underdash room, nothing inside of the center console, 0% room under the seats,
air bags every which way you turn etc.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=273380814-23032008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>If you
mount the LCD on the dash you will probably get washout most of the time not to
mention a theft target, if you mount it anywhere else you will block the air bag
or some dashboard control.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=273380814-23032008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=273380814-23032008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Kenwood makes a great in-dash infotainment system but ALAS even though it
is a computer you can't load up your own software in it. Wonder if it could be
hacked to install Linux software?</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=273380814-23032008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=273380814-23032008><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Rich</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>
aprssig-bounces@lists.tapr.org [mailto:aprssig-bounces@lists.tapr.org]<B>On
Behalf Of </B>jkelly<BR><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, March 23, 2008 9:56
AM<BR><B>To:</B> TAPR APRS Mailing List<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [aprssig] LCD
in the car<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Here is some more info on the CarPC.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Traditionally CarPC's were dominated by Mini ITX
motherboards.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Their low power consumation and cool running
(fanless) with PCMCIA</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>slot were ideal </FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2>for harsh auto environments.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Intel has produced a MB in the same form factor
that is about $75</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and had good success. </FONT>Intel
D201GLY2A Both are still popular.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The hard drive is usually the item that could go
first. I have never lost one.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Some folks are using a compact flash on linux or
modify XP or 98 to</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>limit write cycles to the
memory.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Having a broadband card in the system makes the
CarPC really special.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Besides, media playback and GPS, once you
get online then weather radar,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>talking email, web, webcam, echolink
- just about anything can happen in the car.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Wifi is cool for obvious reasons but people have
written programs that when</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>you pull in the driveway it will autoconnect your
CarPC and download any</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>podcasts etc that may have come in on your home
pc. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I would remote desktop to my shack and with Skype
listen to dx on the road.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In the winter when the LCD screen starts it will
be a little dark and slow till</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>it warms up. The LCD is a touchscreen but I
also have a trackball and mini keyboard</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>on the center console.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>There are a lot of "frontends" that people build
that turn the PC into a enterntainment</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>center with buttons for all the possible things
you would want to run in the car.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If your interested</FONT> <FONT face=Arial
size=2>- go for it - it is a very rewarding project.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jeff</FONT></DIV>
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