VMS systems

[jimbo jones]

has any body used one of these?
http://www.vmscarpc.com.au/content/homepage.html
are they any good?
what are they worth?

[-AJ-]

has any body used one of these?
http://www.vmscarpc.com.au/content/homepage.html
are they any good?
what are they worth?

I've had a look at VMS car pc's. They are using Centrafuse see http://www.fluxmedia.net

Reason for me not to buy a VMS car pc:
- I've got an old laptop that I can use. If you don't have one, eBay has enough useable Pentium IV laptops that will do the job for $ 500 aud.
- I don't like Centrafuse. You can't change enough to make it suitable for your own needs. I use RoadRunner with MapMonkey and changed the RoadRunner skin to all the stuff that I need. Own weather, no phone support, own applications, no radio, added OziExplorer, wireless broadband etc.

With a Lilliput touchscreen for $ 300 aud you've got your custom made setup for $ 1000 aud. (inverter, laptop, screen, cables, software)
I don't count the time you need to configure RoadRunner ;-) But it's worth it.

[jimbo jones]

thanks for the info
jimbo

[chuckybear]

I like media impact as a front end for my car pc.
But my system is a dedicated car computer, it does my mp3 and blue tooth for car phones. I use my old stereo for radio only and this will change soon so the computer does everything.

Go to www.mp3car.com, go into the forums and into the front end section. They have a good selection of front ends to choose from, most of them are free, and they are quite helpful in sorting out any problems.

Look on ebay for your touchscreen. I recently bought a 7" touchscreen for only $92 aust. delivered. You can build up a car system quite cheaply getting stuff off ebay.

[jimbo jones]

I like media impact as a front end for my car pc.
But my system is a dedicated car computer, it does my mp3 and blue tooth for car phones. I use my old stereo for radio only and this will change soon so the computer does everything.

Go to www.mp3car.com (http://www.mp3car.com), go into the forums and into the front end section. They have a good selection of front ends to choose from, most of them are free, and they are quite helpful in sorting out any problems.

Look on ebay for your touchscreen. I recently bought a 7" touchscreen for only $92 aust. delivered. You can build up a car system quite cheaply getting stuff off ebay.


only problem is I dont know much about them :confused: & would be hard for me to build my own system
jimbo

[chuckybear]

I didn't know anything about them before I started either.
The mp3car website was great for learning about the software and what is needed, as for building the system, I used the internet and computer for dummies book to learn how to put it together.

Took me awhile to figure out and learn, but that was half the fun for me.
If you want a hand or need some info let me know, I'll help out where I can, and if I dont know, then I'll help you find out.

[-AJ-]

Look on ebay for your touchscreen. I recently bought a 7" touchscreen for only $92 aust. delivered. You can build up a car system quite cheaply getting stuff off ebay.

That's a good price! Do you know the brand / eBay store? Is it the Eonon 242? I'm afraid the resolution of 640 x 480 is a bit low, although it has a 4:3 aspect ratio with that resolution. How does it go with the sun and viewing angle? Is it shock-proof?

And Jimbo, if you can install Windows XP and some other software and connect a few cables you're almost there. After this, install a front end with the standard options and you've got a working system. Then you can start changing it bit by bit (after making a backup of the working configuration)

[chuckybear]

I'm still mucking around with it in the study, I did do a trail fit a couple days ago in the cruiser and it seemed to fit well, I have sat in the sun int he study and viewed it fro different angle all up it was pretty good. The unit is a HBO but when I took the back off it chips inside said toshiba, so it's proberly a rebadge of a generic brand. And it was from that Ernon from hong Kong. I paid for the screen and with in 4 hours I had a fedex shipping number so I coulod track it from Honkers. Took 3 days from buying it to arrive. Just check out ebay for them. I say another one going for 1 cent still with only 14hours left on the auction the other day so they come up quite often. Normaly they go for about the hundred bucks.

Just a quick one AJ. do you run a radio card in you pc and if so, what brand and how does it go?

Cheers,

chucky

[HDJ105]

They are coming to our 4WD club meeting next Tuesday night, will see what sort of display they put on there.

[Jules @ Aawen4x4]

I have had a look at the VMS car PC though it was release after I had already started building my own PC for the car.

VMS are using a 7" Lilliput touchscreen for their systems. Though I have to say that the bigest problem that I forsee for the VMS Car PC is not the screen as these are all fairly similar. The problem is the size of the box and finding somewhere to fit it. Most people who are interested in the VMS car pc will be non 4wd and the most common place to install is under the front seat or in the rear side panels. BOTH of these locations are not good in a 4WD because if you do get caught in a creek crossing or deep mud hole then these are the first place to fill with water - a sure fire way to kill the computer!!

I have also noticed that all of the good bits are extra USB additions to the system. ie. the GPS is an external USB unit. The engine management functions look very interesting but only work if you have the correct tyrp f engine management computer. My GQ patrol does not have an engine management computer and as such does not interface with the system at all. The interface is OBD2 compiliant - if you have this then great!

My system is installed in the stock location for the GQ radio with the touchscreen located on the top of the dash, I have not had any problems with glare at all.

Cheers
Jules

[-AJ-]

Just a quick one AJ. do you run a radio card in you pc and if so, what brand and how does it go?

I've got the Avermedia AverTV Hybrid + FM card bus in my laptop, see http://www.avermedia.com/cgi-bin/products_digitvtuner_hybridcardbus.asp?show=2

I've only used it for watching TV at the campsite, the analog TV is good although I use a bigger Dick Smith external antenna. The digital TV has an outstanding quality and I expect the radio is also very good; I’ll fire up the radio this week to test it. I haven't used the radio because I use my car radio / MP3 player and connect my car pc with an FM transmitter.