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Build Your Own Car PC | 
 enlarge | Author: Gavin D J Harper
Publisher: McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics
Category: Book
List Price: $27.95
Buy New: $13.03
You Save: $14.92 (53%)
New (25) from $13.03
Avg. Customer Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 224744
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 212
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 7.2 x 0.7
ISBN: 0071468269
Dewey Decimal Number: 629.2549
EAN: 9780071468268
ASIN: 0071468269
Publication Date: March 28, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Pub date: 2006. Paperback. Condition: As New. New book with slight shelf wear. We are a tested and proven company with over 300,000 satisfied customers since 1997. Delivery confirmation on all US orders. Choose expedited shipping for delivery in 2-6 busi
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Everything you need to expertly install car PCs This is a heavily-illustrated, step-by-step guide to installing and controlling a car PC -- using commonly-available, off-the-shelf components. Numerous how-to photos and product shots allow you to easily navigate each step even if you have little "do it yourself" experience. - Includes parts and required tool lists, troubleshooting tips, and a list of manufacturers where you can purchase the parts best suited for your customized system
- Companion website offers free software and demo versions of products to use with your car PC
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| Customer Reviews:
 Pure Genius! April 29, 2006
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Another truely sensational book!
After reading and thoroughly enjoying his last book (50 Awesome Auto Projects for the Evil Genius), this had a lot to contend with,- but the detail, friendliness, and utter genius of this guy and his projects are once again, outstanding!!! Unlike most books of this nature, there is a separate chapter for components required throughout, a great idea! Once the project is completed, you're not on your own - as the author guides you through all the setup procedures until its ready to use. I tried several off the projects in the previous book, some succeeded, some, ummm, didn't, - but I think that anyone even slightly interested in cars and / or computers would really enjoy this, whether or not you own either!
This book is full of detailed photos which really help understand some of the more complicated parts - and probably a necessity for the less technologically-minded of us!
Please don't stop writing, because I don't want to stop reading!
 Good in-depth instruction on building your car PC plus apps April 22, 2006
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
This book takes you through building a car PC, using the VIA EPIA Mini-ITX series of motherboards. The case for putting a PC in your car is becoming increasingly compelling with the demands of the modern driver. As well as "infotainment" applications - keeping the kids amused on long journeys, occupying passengers in traffic jams, providing music and rich media for all passengers etc, there are also a great many more "serious" applications such as navigation and route planning, avoiding traffic jams and so called - "telematics" where in-car communications and car computing are fused seamlessly into a single solution.
While the Mini-ITX solution does limit your options in relation to PCI accessories, most of the functions you could ever want are integrated into the board anyway. For example, AC'97 sound which will meet the needs of all but the most demanding users. Video-wise, the EPIA Mini-ITX motherboard's on-board video is well suited to the sort of applications that you will be running in your Car PC. Thinking about what you would like to be using in you Car PC, you might come up with a list that looks something like:
Satellite navigation
Listening to music
Watching DVD's
Watching files store on your hard disk
Surfing the net
Typing the odd document on-the fly
This book will help you make your car PC capable of all of these tasks. This book is much better than the author's other book "50 Awesome Auto Projects for the Evil Genius". This book has all of the construction details and insights that other book lacked. I notice that Amazon does not show the table of contents so I do that here:
Chapter 1: Why would I want to build a Car PC?
Chapter 2: Buying your components
Chapter 3: Building Your Car PC base unit
Chapter 4: Installing the operating system, motherboard drivers and front end
Chapter 5: Connecting your Car PC to the "Real World"
Chapter 6: On-board diagnostics
Chapter 7: In-car speech recognition
Chapter 8: Killer software applications for your Car PC
Chapter 9: Getting more out of your Car PC
Chapter 10: In-Car GPS Epilogue
Great information, but the review on here is not correct. April 21, 2006
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
The book has some really good information. It goes in depth in every aspect of building a car computer. The only thing I am mad about is that on this site, it says that it shows you how to set up automated air and heating, and ultra sophisticated security system.
The book has no referance to that material at all. I was hoping to get that. Other then this it has great stuff in it.
Does it make sense for you to have a car PC? April 20, 2006
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
The first thing that I thought when I saw this book was why would I want to build a car PC. Then I picked up the book and the first chapter was titled 'Why would I want to build a Car PC.'
The first reasons that he gives have to do with entertainment: replace your radio with satellite or audio jutebox, add television and a DVD player. Well, the last time I turned on my radio, which is AM/FM and maybe cassette (I forget), it worked. But that was several years ago. I don't like the noise. So far, no sale. Other people, perhaps yourself, will want an improved entertainment center, so this might be important for them.
Then I got to Chapter 6. Here he is talking about On-board Diagnostics. Your car (unless it is really old) has built in diagnostics. This electronic system monitors all kinds of stuff that's going on in the engine. Now this is something that I can care about. When the stupid 'CHECK ENGINE' light comes on I'd like to know if it is something serious like no oil pressure (i.e. pull over quick) or if it's something like the car has been X miles and it's time for regular service.
Then in Chapter 10 he goes into GPS and map software. That stuff is expensive if you buy it from the car company and it goes out of date quickly. If you do your own you can upgrade it as often as you like.
All in all, maybe it does make sense to build a car PC.
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