On the inside:
The computer consists of a 1.8Ghz Celeron CPU with 1GB DDRAM, a 260GB HDD and loads of USB devices. The computer is mounted in the glove box. For that I needed to modify the Travla C137 case a little bit so that it would fit in there. Everything is powered by an Opus 150W PSU.
The "cool" thing about mounting it in the glove box, is that the carpc is cooled by the AC at all times. Also in the glove box we can see the IR sensor from the cordless notebook size keyboard.
The screen for the computer is a 7" Hitachi custom mounted on top of the center console. The console is custom made, and it's based on the X3/Z4 OEM navi, custom modified to match the Megane's dashboard and it's a motorized fold in/out type of monitor.
The entire PC is controlled from one single point...everything from mouse movement to volume adjustment is made from the SpaceNavigator located just above the handbrake.
Some of the functions like volume control next/previous song or play list shuffle are also available on the modified steering wheel control, where we can see the Griffin Powermate integrated in there as well.
There are a lot of USB devices hooked up to the CarPC, like:
1. DVB TV Tuner with the antenna hidden away in the stock tweeter location.
2. FM Tuner
3. GPS BU 303 mouse also hidden in the same location
4. The 2.7" Mio H610 custom navigation located in the clocks is also permanently hook up to the PC through an USB port. It's antenna is also hidden in a stock tweeter location.
5. Griffin Powermate in the steering wheel controls
6. USB joystick for the actual steering wheel controls
7. USB DVD player - mounted just below the factory CD player
8. USB Wifi stick - also hidden in the dashboard
9. USB GSM modem for Internet connection
10.Bluetooth for phone connection and for a mini Bluetooth Keyboard.
Future plans:
11.USB Rear Parking sensors - coming soon
12.USB Tyre Presure Monitoring Sensors - coming soon
13.USB Valetine One radar Detector - coming soon
Of ocurse navigation could've easily been implemented on the carpc, but the fact is the pc is handling so many devices and it can do so many things, I just didn't want the screen to be always showing the navigation.
That's why I decided to have a separate navigation system. Custom mounted inside the clocks it's a 2.7" Touch screen Mio H610 navigation system. You can see in the first pic the factory clocks that come with the Megane. I also changed the background foil with a black one, sprayed with black the inner plastic rings, and added two chrome rings that really give the interior a premium touch.
The key and STOP light have been also relocated in the left/right of the trip computer.
Hooked up to the front monitor is also a rear view camera mounted in the rear badge of the car.
3M Carbon interior trim was applied on some interior parts.
One of the most interesting things the CarPC does is the DSP feature. I have no head unit, so the sound commes out of the PC directly into the 3 amplifiers mounted in the trunk.
So the sound is processed by the PC with the help of the Audiotrack Prodigy 7.1 HiFi Sound card (made by ESI) and a few very smart bits of software.
The sound system is a 4 way active system and it consists of the following:
- tweeters: Helix RS801 Competition custon mounted in the side mirror supports
- midrange: DLS Iridium 3" custom mounted in the front doors (the design is not yet finished)
- midbas: Focal Polyglass - will soon be changed with Helix RS806
- Subwoofer: Phase Thriller 15” in custom case inside the trunk
- amplifier for the mids and tweeters is a Helix DB4
- amplifier for the midbas is a Helix DB2
- amplifier for the subwoofer is a Phase Linear RS1 monoblock
Again, the sound install was ment to be as low profile as possible...that's why the subwoofer and amplifiers are hidden away for the untrained eye...;)
A few pics of the sound system:
A short clip on one of the major TV channels we have here in Romania:
http://www.protv.ro/emisiuni/shows/pro-motor/video-un-megane-modificat/20221/pagina-1.htmlIf you have any questions just ask, and I'll do my best to answer them. :)
