# Carputer Install



## bauch1425 (Jun 29, 2006)

After a couple months of work (and delays), I finally have my Carputer pretty much installed. All that is left to do is finalize the front end (software) I am going to use.
I had the center dash panel customized to house the 7" touch screen.
I mounted the GlobalSat BU-353 GPS receiver underneath the right dash vent.
I hooked the Carputer (Mac Mini) up to the CD changer port with a Blitzsafe auxilary adaptor and had the CD changer bracket modified to hold the Mac Mini in the same location behind the rear side panel. I was able to keep access to the CD/DVD drive through the original access door.
I modified a Griffin Powermate to use one of the blank buttons on the center dash (my car does NOT have heated seats) for an alternative form of control the computer, and scrolling through long lists as well.
I have a VAG-Com cable hooked up permanently to the Mini running XP inside of VMWare Fusion.
This was MUCH more of a project than I expected but I am extremely happy with the outcome.
More pictures (I'll update the site later with the completed install) at http://www.brandonauch.com/TTE....html
































And a link to a Quicktime video of it all in action (excuse the lame default slideshow music, if you can hear it







) Oh, and I had to tell it to look for my GPS on another COM port, so its not waiting for a GPS signal anymore. http://gallery.mac.com/b.auch#...black


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## ShockwaveCS (Jun 22, 2006)

*Re: Carputer Install (bauch1425)*

all i said was "son of a bítch"
b/c im jealous










_Modified by ShockwaveCS at 8:03 PM 6-14-2008_


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## exboy99 (May 14, 2002)

*Re: Carputer Install (ShockwaveCS)*

love the use of the mac mini,
frontrow looks great down there.


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## 1.8Tabamoura (Jul 29, 2005)

very nice.


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## l88m22vette (Mar 2, 2006)

*Re: (1.8Tabamoura)*

So what are you going to do with your DIN? Storage?


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## bauch1425 (Jun 29, 2006)

*Re: (l88m22vette)*

What DIN?


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## Kammer (Apr 14, 2000)

*Re: (l88m22vette)*


_Quote, originally posted by *l88m22vette* »_So what are you going to do with your DIN? Storage?

Sounds like he still needs the head unit for audio. The mac's audio output goes through the CD-Changer plug via the Blitzsafe.


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## bauch1425 (Jun 29, 2006)

*Re: (Kammer)*

Right, the stock radio is still behind the TT cover. Audio goes through the CD changer channel. The stock audio system is fine with me for now.


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## 1.8Tabamoura (Jul 29, 2005)

Couple of questions 
IS that a lilliput monitor ?
Are you going to paint your custom sorounding black.
Can you reproduce that piece and sell one to me ?
this is my install. I would love to clean it up a bit have my leather pieces back.


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## bauch1425 (Jun 29, 2006)

*Re: (1.8Tabamoura)*

Yep, it's a Lilliput - same model as your monitor I believe - EBY701. 
I didn't do the custom bezel work myself, I sent my center dash piece and LCD to a guy who does it out in Florida. Got in contact with him from the mp3car.com forums. His name is Brian, or "Nexson" on the mp3car forums. 
The surrounds color is a bit off to the rest of the interior, which is grey. It's probably a couple shades off (Brian didn't have anything to do off of besides the surround itself). I will probably try to color match it better, or I'll go black - but that may look a bit out of place with the grey interior. 
Brian and I didn't think the leather pieces would actually fit, but we were both surprised when it fit absolutely fine!








Let me know if you want me to have him contact you.


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## BeasTToftheEast (Sep 20, 2007)

just curious how much did this project run u?


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## Corradokid135 (Apr 10, 2006)

*Re: (TTguy30)*

That looks amazing! Great work! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## bauch1425 (Jun 29, 2006)

*Re: (TTguy30)*

I haven't sat down and calculated it all out, probably $1500 - $2000 I would imagine. I wanted to try to do it for around 1K but that simply wasn't possible.


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## 1.8Tabamoura (Jul 29, 2005)

*Re: (bauch1425)*


_Quote, originally posted by *bauch1425* »_Yep, it's a Lilliput - same model as your monitor I believe - EBY701. 
I didn't do the custom bezel work myself, I sent my center dash piece and LCD to a guy who does it out in Florida. Got in contact with him from the mp3car.com forums. His name is Brian, or "Nexson" on the mp3car forums. 
The surrounds color is a bit off to the rest of the interior, which is grey. It's probably a couple shades off (Brian didn't have anything to do off of besides the surround itself). I will probably try to color match it better, or I'll go black - but that may look a bit out of place with the grey interior. 
Brian and I didn't think the leather pieces would actually fit, but we were both surprised when it fit absolutely fine!








Let me know if you want me to have him contact you.


thanks for the info I will contact him. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## ShockwaveCS (Jun 22, 2006)

*Re: (bauch1425)*


_Quote, originally posted by *bauch1425* »_I haven't sat down and calculated it all out, probably $1500 - $2000 I would imagine. I wanted to try to do it for around 1K but that simply wasn't possible.


but remember he has a mac mini and a liliput screen to start the price off in the thousand dollar range already


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## bauch1425 (Jun 29, 2006)

*Re: (ShockwaveCS)*

I got the Mac Mini used (with 2 years left in the warranty) for $400 locally. 1.66GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, 80GB HD, SuperDrive - great deal. 
I actually ended up having to buy a second Lilliput since my first one died due to messing it up when taking it apart. The first was $185.00 shipped, and the second $245.00 because I needed it next day aired. So... if the first hadn't broke I would have only been set back $585.00.


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## cdougyfresh (Sep 16, 2004)

*Re: (bauch1425)*

looks good but painting the facsia black would really finish it off nicely!


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## bauch1425 (Jun 29, 2006)

*Re: (cdougyfresh)*

Even though normally, on the grey interiors, the center dash is grey? I might have to pchop that to so I can see what it'd look like...


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## cdougyfresh (Sep 16, 2004)

*Re: (bauch1425)*

eh>? isnt your dash black though?


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## bauch1425 (Jun 29, 2006)

*Re: (cdougyfresh)*

The top panels are black, the lower panels are all grey (as well as my seats, carpet, door cards, and every other lower panel)


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## cdougyfresh (Sep 16, 2004)

*Re: (bauch1425)*

oh thats weird - I didnt know interiors came like that! 
The lighting in the photo is kinda weird - the seats look black to me
I guess the grey isnt so bad then - its just thatt the HVAC controls look out of place being black.


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## Qu!cks!lva (Jul 7, 2007)

Great effort...
I do like what you did there.


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## stjacket (Apr 26, 2007)

*Re: (Qu!cks!lva)*









what a carputer should do


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## 1.8Tabamoura (Jul 29, 2005)

*Re: (stjacket)*


_Quote, originally posted by *stjacket* »_








what a carputer should do

cover your ac controls ?


_Modified by 1.8Tabamoura at 5:07 PM 6-15-2008_


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## stjacket (Apr 26, 2007)

*Re: (1.8Tabamoura)*

so what does yours do again?play muisc only right? mine has a real function and pupose, besides play music, there is nothing like real digital gauges of my choosing, like boost, cmd boost, a/f, lamda, timing,intake temp, acc. torque,cmd torque, maf, and more. oh, the screen flips down to access the hvac instead yours of being in the way of the shifter , getting mad glare and being located way to low to safley look at while driving.


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## exboy99 (May 14, 2002)

*Re: (stjacket)*

my non computer/ gray lower dash
to show the comparison.
















looks pretty OEM at night








so is it easy to control iTunes? is that little hole near the screen
an IR reciever so you can use the little remote for the mac mini
and browse through frontrow? and finally MRAZ is great! Nice taste in music.


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## bauch1425 (Jun 29, 2006)

*Re: (stjacket)*

Plays music, movies, displays pictures. Navigation software. VAG-Com. Your gauges are nothing more than VAG-Com as far as I can tell dude. The screen is in NO WAY in the way of the shifter and I rarely ever have a problem with glare.
As far as being down too low, there is nothing I need to be looking at the display while driving. I can control my music using my modified Griffin Powermate knob which is mounted *high* on the dash and requires no eye contact to control. The GPS audio also routes through my audio with turn by turn directions so there isn't even a need to look down at it.
Your points are moot.
exboy: Yah, it's incredibly easy to control iTunes (Front Row). I use my modified Griffin Powermate to do it. Just click/rotate to change songs, rotate for volume, hold down for 1s to go back on Front Row displays (rarely need to), etc... The IR hole is for the touch screen since I did not want the buttons showing. Mraz is great! I met him back before he was really famous and then he had only been playing/singing for somewhere around 3 years.. crazy talent.
That's exactly the color of my interior as well. My camera is kind of crappy so it didn't really distinguish the colors well enough.


_Modified by bauch1425 at 8:03 PM 6-16-2008_


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## turbott920 (Nov 13, 2007)

*Re: (stjacket)*


_Quote, originally posted by *stjacket* »_so what does yours do again?play muisc only right? mine has a real function and pupose, besides play music, there is nothing like real digital gauges of my choosing, like boost, cmd boost, a/f, lamda, timing,intake temp, acc. torque,cmd torque, maf, and more. oh, the screen flips down to access the hvac instead yours of being in the way of the shifter , getting mad glare and being located way to low to safley look at while driving.









Got pics of your setup with the HVAC showing? I have a feeling it's not to easy to do on the fly/while driving...I do like the look but wouldnt wanna be fumbling around or having to pull over to turn the heat up


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## Bazzy (Jun 14, 2007)

*Re: (bauch1425)*

I wanted to do a carputer setup a while back.. i had a great design for the bezel. I might even still make one and sell it:








HVAC will go behind the old radio cover. Head unit would be deleted or moved to the glove box... volume controlled through a modified griffin powermate using the rear window defrosters button location.

_Modified by Bazzy at 10:14 PM 6-16-2008_


_Modified by Bazzy at 10:15 PM 6-16-2008_


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## bauch1425 (Jun 29, 2006)

*Re: (Bazzy)*

I've seen that done before, was nice! I know it's a mockup but that large of a screen would look a bit out of place with the tiny TT interior/dash.


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## exboy99 (May 14, 2002)

*Re: (bauch1425)*









this is the powermate that he modded to fit behind 
what would be the heated seat button
what a clean install! pretty smart way to make
use of the dead button there.


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## TXR32 (Jun 4, 2006)

*Re: (exboy99)*

OP ... very clean and functional carputer man. I really like how everything looks and how you've integrated the sound through the factory speakers etc.


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## cdougyfresh (Sep 16, 2004)

*Re: (vwglinut)*

it does look very oem now that you posted up a good interior pic of it before the install http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## Bazzy (Jun 14, 2007)

*Re: (cdougyfresh)*

That's a 7.4" screen. I did mock up paper sizes, the only tough part would be extended the bezel down to the metal leg rest things. You'd have to trim up the padded part a little. You said you saw that done? I'd love to see it! Any pictures? The HVAC is the perfect size to fit behind the TT radio cover


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## bauch1425 (Jun 29, 2006)

*Re: (Bazzy)*

I honestly don't remember where I saw it... if I come across in I'll let you know. It looked nice though. The particular install I saw kept the same height as the stock panel IIRC. 
My display is a 7"... you don't have much more room to go bigger - and if you do, it'll look a little disproportional IMO.


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## judoGTI (Mar 5, 2002)

*FV-QR*

Looks great! Nice work.


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## Blue20thAE (Jul 8, 2006)

*Re: (stjacket)*


_Quote, originally posted by *stjacket* »_mine has a real function and pupose, besides play music, there is nothing like real digital gauges of my choosing, like boost, cmd boost, a/f, lamda, timing,intake temp, acc. torque,cmd torque, maf, and more.

why is all that necessary when your engine is pretty much stock. yea when you go BT and have a built motor i can see the point of monitoring these "vitals" but as of now, you, nor i, nor anyone with basic boltons needs these functions on a HUD such as bauchs carputer
OP - clean install man! i want one!!!!


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## freegeek (Jan 19, 2008)

*Re: (stjacket)*

Does anyone know what software is running on this carputer to create the gauges?


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## TXR32 (Jun 4, 2006)

*Re: (freegeek)*

VAG-COM





















...pretty sure its VAG


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## bauch1425 (Jun 29, 2006)

*Re: (TXR32)*

VAG-COM...


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