www.dme.org/log/2004/06/16/project-icece
Mazda MX5 MP3 player some years ago I've been interested in adding the ability to play digital audio to my car. At the time I was driving a company car, so modifications were not permitted.
switched, but the interest in getting a large chunk of music into the car without carrying around and managing a big stack of CDs has remained. When looking into how to build the system I was struck at how most people use low-end PC systems.
See the pictures for details, * It's too noisy: This is just wrong. When booting the machine is quite noisy, but this settles to a re-assuring hum once the Solaris platform management code kicks in to monitor the system.
power inverter necessary to get from the in-car 12V supply back to the 230V required by the system. It's possible that I might build an alternative plug-in power supply unit that didn't bother with the inverter, but that's a project for another day.
I was somewhat worried about this part of the project, after originally planning to use an Ultra 60 (which has built-in audio), but it all came together very easily. The current weak link in the system hardware is the connection from the soundcard to the car stereo - it's one of those cassette tape based systems. The cable runs from the machine in the back of the car through under the passenger seat and into the cassette player. The software used is very simple at the moment, nothing more than an rc script that plays random tracks from the mp3 archive stored in the 80G /export/mp3 filesystem. That filesystem is constructed by concatenating a bunch of 9G SCSI disks (the root filesystem is mirrored across a similar set of disks). There is no control interface, though the flexible manner in which the system has been implemented means that there are lots of possibilities.
The ability to use a normal cable as a cross-over is a great feature of the Apple machines. Future projects include: * A control interface: There are many approaches I might take to this.
If each of them had the option of watching their choice of films, television programs, etc. With a four port ethernet card in the E450 it would be simple to connect four Sun Ray 150 terminals and allow both general control of the system and also support each child choosing a video stored in the RAID array. This would probably also require upgrading the RAID array from 9G disks to something larger. Given passengers the opportunity to use the system as a general purpose computer would also fall out of this approach. The cabling itself is a little awkward, particularly the audio through to the front of the car. Removing the plastic door sill covers and threading the cable underneath would be better. Oh and ICECE is In Car Enterprise Class Entertainment, obviously. Here are a couple of pictures - click for larger versions and more.
here is that this "quality" implementation can only be the result of a "sick and twisted" mind. And have you considered Wi-Fi to allow for syncing with your home network when you pull up the drive?
It has the nice feature that people can rate' tracks, so its random playlist will be biased based on who is connected and how long since a track has been played.
"Dad, I'm sick of this song" "Ok, son, just use your terminal to telnet into the e450 and modify the rc script to exclude that song" "Can't we just get one of those dvd players like Jimmy has?"
I understand the whole zero cost thing, but damn, E450's are HUGE.. and you must never really go anywhere in your fancy SUV :p .. I think the disks would have long since been crashed if I was driving it. but I don't think video over sunray works very good (at least the last time I tried it).
You are a moron, but heres why: For a start you are rich enough to have bought\have a job that gave you a power book, why not use that to play your mp3's? No, instead you want to lug an ENTERPRISE CLASS sun machine arround in the back of your SUV. Way to go fool, try explaining that one to the insurance company. Second of all, you have put minimal effort into this: All the people who put computers in thier car for in car entertainment have a) hooked thier speakers and what not directly to the computer b) havnt built a hardware interface at all. All the Linux in car audio projects ive witnessed, the guys atleast went out and wired up an lcd screen and hacked up a keyboard for an interface. No, your just going to donate your power book (which could already do the whole project itself) as an interface. c) again on that powerbook: its a laptop, it runs on batteries, batteries which could most likely be recharged by your cars batter. Instead you are running an enterprise class sun machine off your car battery via an inverter. You dont have to worry about leaving your lights on buddy, this solution of yours is gonna drain your battery for ya! So lets recap: * Sun Machines belong in workplaces, not SUV's.
Both me and my mate drive falcons, his takes places in SQL comps (he is putting in a dedicated PC with screens and real interfaces properly), mine isnt quite ready yet. But an enterprise machine in an suv, geek wanka effect for sure. Its disturbing, you implemented someting you prolly stole from work, instead of putting in a CD-MP3 deck with 10 disk stacker for a few hundred buxs. Using a tape adaptor for your audio, well no need for quality i just want to hear my dodge audio that is sent down micro wires from an excessivley over the top MP3 decoding machine. Someone that takes pride in his car, treats it with respect and keeps it practical.
Both me and my mate drive falcons, his takes places in SQL comps (he is putting in a dedicated PC with screens and real interfaces properly), mine isnt quite ready yet. But an enterprise machine in an suv, geek wanka effect for sure. Its disturbing, you implemented someting you prolly stole from work, instead of putting in a CD-MP3 deck with 10 disk stacker for a few hundred buxs. Using a tape adaptor for your audio, well no need for quality i just want to hear my dodge audio that is sent down micro wires from an excessivley over the top MP3 decoding machine. Someone that takes pride in his car, treats it with respect and keeps it practical.
Maybe get a IBM 3070 to operate the electric door locks! A Cray One on the roofrack to run the intermittant windshield wipers. How about a VAX 7800 to operate the electronic ignition? Wait, this is starting to sound like a government contract.
Some of the less complimentary comments above are completely unnecessary. I rip DivX movies and play them through my XBox in my spare time. Either way it sounds like you are having fun and doing something different. Perhaps if you'd have put your project in one of those outrageously soggy, unconvincing, poorly designed Ford Falcons some of the comments may have been different...
Most off the shelf mini pc's are capable of running multiple mp3 instances and also play multiple films at the same time. They can also be fitted with 3 or 4 (if you remove the cd drive) 200gb disks no problems. Its certainly an interesting little project just seems seriously over the top. Especially considering the processing power in an E450 isnt high for its cost.
For all of the reasons already stated as well as some more I can think of. While it is "cool" that this piece of hardware could be used for something noone else ever thought of. If you put all of your creative energy into something useful you might actually be able to afford a CD/mp3 deck/changer combo to do the same thing. Oh, and This ghetto hookup in your truck is sure to kill any chance of you getting laid once you start explaining to the pretty (note: non-geek) girl how awesome your solaris plays mp3's.
hm, i question if this is all true, judging from the pictures your van has two extra seats in the back, that can be folded and pulled up to save space in case you don't need, they can, as far as i know those cares also be taken out completely, if you know that you definitely won't need them on your ride. now in actions the left seat would need the space of that your marvelous box, meaning that with the computer inside it's totally useless to carry it around. I guess its because you just put the bo...
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