Car PC: Display for Pressure, Data & More

I'm currently in the process of installing a computer in my car. Last night, I was sitting at my computer and, as usual, admiring my system information, which I have displayed directly on my desktop. That's when I had the idea: could you also display data from the engine (oil temperature, water temperature, boost pressure, and other interesting things) on a monitor, similar to how I display my system information?
The question here is, which interface should be used to retrieve the data, and how should the data be presented graphically.

I mean, it's just an idea , but maybe we can make something out of it.

Just let VAG-COM (or VCDS) run in the background...

VAG-COM: This is how it's done.

Hello!

How about the OBD interface?

Then, connect to the RS232 (COM) interface via the diagnostic adapter. With VAG-COM/VCDS, you can then read and log the data, and (display it graphically?).

Technical article: https://community.dieselschrauber.org/en/viewtopic.php?t=3089

Have fun!
Mathias.

The problem is that the plug would always have to be plugged in, and I don't want a mess of cables inside the car. If I can tap into the signal from somewhere else, then we can talk about it.

Hello,

What's the problem with accessing the back of the diagnostic connector?
If you want to properly install a PC in a car, that should actually be the least of your problems, or are you planning to connect the PC to the cigarette lighter?
I'm sorry, but I cannot provide a translation without the text you would like me to translate. Please provide the text you want me to translate from German to English.

Best regards, Rainer.

No, I've dismissed that idea. It seems the cigarette lighter doesn't provide enough power, and the 12V socket in the trunk was probably a casualty of cost-cutting measures on the Highline model. It would have been perfect.
But no, now everything has to be done differently.
I would prefer to leave the PC in the glove compartment and run a cable directly from the battery to it.
The advantage of the whole thing is that I don't have to run any cables for the screen and sound.
Well, let's see what happens.
'Tapping into the plug seems feasible, but it remains to be seen whether the graphical representation can be made more visually appealing, as it's not exactly the most aesthetically pleasing.'

No, I have rejected the idea that the cigarette lighter doesn't provide enough power .

see the last post by rainers link...
My home PC, along with its CRT monitor, would run perfectly fine on the Kippbräter.

There are essentially only three sensible options for a computer in a car:

- embedded board (single-board computer). Available from 486 to P4 processors, covering all price ranges.
- standard board with a 12V power supply ( http://www.bicker.de/deutsch/produktpdf/BES-620V.pdf )
- laptop or its internal components.

CU Gremlin.

Gremlin wrote:

- embedded board (single-board computer). Available from 486 to P4 for all price ranges.

Without wanting to advertise: http://www.mini-itx.de/

EDIT: Are there (or were there?) also models in the size of a car radio (is that called a DIN slot or something?).

Hi,

I was just about to suggest ITX, but wolfi was faster .

Here's what I've always wanted to ask about "computers in cars": Do you know if anyone has ever managed to "crack" the changer protocol of VAG car CD changers, so that it can be emulated with simple, self-built hardware using a small embedded computer?

The idea is to access a vast MP3 archive (or whatever format) through the existing changer control system, without making any changes to the radio system itself.

Of course, an MP3 radio is the simpler alternative, but it works in some cars (e.g., Ibiza 6K GP01, but only with a huge amount of effort, because the radio is fused with the BC and climate control - moreover, it's probably an exciting challenge .

Best regards,

Jan (will be offline this weekend).

AFAIK, there is currently no way to emulate the signal from a CD single-player or a CD changer. However, an FM transmitter can easily solve this problem.

My project uses a VIA EPIA motherboard with an integrated CPU, audio, and VGA. A Wi-Fi adapter provides the connection to the home network, and a standard 300W power supply powers the HDD and the motherboard via a voltage converter that is directly connected to the battery.
The VGA cable is attached to the original VW phone holder via a touchscreen.
Assuming the cable from the battery towards the glove compartment can be easily routed, everything else should be straightforward. The audio can then be connected directly to the VW Gamma system via an FM transmitter.

A standard 300W power supply unit provides power to the HDD and the motherboard via a voltage converter.

'I would prefer to replace that with a 12V PC power supply.'
It's quite complex to convert from 12V to 230V AC, and then to generate 5V and 12V from that.

CU Gremlin.

But the 12V power supplies I've seen so far are all very expensive. If anyone has one of those for under 40€, please let me know :-].

Converting from 230V upwards and then back down introduces a lot of interference, and I've experienced all of that myself, even when modifying the power supply of a PC.

http://www.cartft.com has quite a bit of material, I myself have an ITX board in a Morek case connected to a 25-euro notebook power supply from Conrad - no problems starting it up, etc. - it simply .

Otherwise, it is also recommended to read the forum from http://www.mp3car.com/ - there, CarPC users like us are helped .

Hi,

Quote:

But an FM converter solves this whole problem quite easily.

Not really, because then you wouldn't have any traffic announcements anymore, unless you powered the whole thing with a complete radio, which would be more than pointless.

Best regards,

Jan.

is really quite ingenious to convert from 12V to 230V~ and then back to 5V and 12V.


RICHTIG!
I don't know which computer it is or whether the power supply is sufficient, but if you (or a friend) have knowledge of electronics: http://www.richterfelix.de/netzteil/version2/

We built that power supply during our training, and I used it to run a P I 133 MHz as an MP3 player.

For older PCs where you don't use a COM port, you can even omit the negative voltages. You only need to stabilize the 12 volts (which can be difficult because a normal voltage regulator typically requires about 2 volts of 'headroom' – even with a low-dropout regulator, it might be tight) and the 5 volts (and always pay attention to the power consumption).

Best regards,
Mathias.

@ Jan:

The tuner always locks onto a specific frequency, allowing you to continue listening to your desired radio stations.

@mWeid:

Unfortunately, the power supply's performance is probably not sufficient. Besides that, I'm not very knowledgeable about electrical circuits, and I wouldn't feel confident enough to manage that thing properly.

After reading all of this, I suppose I'll have to resort to using a 12V power supply.