"I wonder what it would take to BUILD an MP3 player for the shop van?"

Have you ever heard that one before?? I know I have and XM radio is nice but how about those long trips to Chicago? Bringing your own music would be nice.

So, lets start a new thread (and the fact is I am so new at this. somebody else may have asked this very question)

I was thinking Mini-ITX (http://www.via.com.tw/en/initiatives...head/mini-itx/) like this from VIA, A laptop HDD and some sort of laptop display or somthig like that....I wanted to fabricate everything that I can...but obviously I will be buying the board and HDD...the display I might get off of a junked out laptop...just need to figure out the inputs to the display

and will need to figure out what to do for an OS....if I go all out...I could us XP media center....or LINUX...

Lets hear your thoughts.....

Since the winter season has started to show itself here in WI I thought that this would be a good "Over the winter" project...

{LMC} Roberta

good idea, and yah its been done! www.mini-itx.com enjoy !!!

I think someone else is trying to do this with their 1970's benz. I saw it posted yesterday but at the moment I'm a little to tired from being up all night playing NFSU2 to find you the link to the thread.

Why don't you just get a friggin MP3 player for your car? Alpine, Kenwood, Pioneer, are just some of the companies that make them.

even tho i got alot of music i still would like xm cause i can hear sum new stuff...

Quote: Originally Posted by turbopsi Why don't you just get a friggin MP3 player for your car? Alpine, Kenwood, Pioneer, are just some of the companies that make them.

if i have 30 some gb of music..i aight burning cds for all that LOL

Quote: Originally Posted by CLowN even tho i got alot of music i still would like xm cause i can hear sum new stuff...

That's also a good point.

EDIT: That's why you get a 30gb mp3 player from one of the above companies.

Quote: Originally Posted by turbopsi That's also a good point. EDIT: That's why you get a 30gb mp3 player from one of the above companies.

i thought u ment it as a deck that can play mp3's

nah they have a deck that has a hdd in it and yah can swap it in and out VIA a removeable rack!

Here's a bunch of liks for ya. Hope you'll find them useful.

http://cajun.sourceforge.net/
http://skylab.org/~chugga/mpegbox/
http://www.ryanspc.com/carmp3/mp3player.html
http://www.chaos.org.uk/~altman/mp3mobile/

Quote: Originally Posted by turbopsi Why don't you just get a friggin MP3 player for your car? Alpine, Kenwood, Pioneer, are just some of the companies that make them.

But where is the fun in that...I want to build it...not just install.....

Quote: Originally Posted by elitelilnoyd I think someone else is trying to do this with their 1970's benz. I saw it posted yesterday but at the moment I'm a little to tired from being up all night playing NFSU2 to find you the link to the thread.

That thread is here:

http://forums.pcapex.com/showthread.php?t=28441

Also, don't forget those of you that have an XM PCR.... there is software (no longer commercially available, but I may still have it stored away somewhere for safekeeping) that can rip the XM stream directly to mp3.

What I am looking for is a deck that can hold my entire MP3 collection....some 50 gig (now I don't need to travel with my entire collection so HDD size dosn't matter too much) but how about an indash deck that plays MP3's all I have seen are removable drives that locate in a seperate unit...I want 1 unit in my dash...would like to get XM in this deck also....so lets just say for the sake of arument lets not worry about cost...just need a deck.

May I suggest something along these lines:


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

Just pick up a 40GB Ipod and your choice '04 Alpine deck. This is what I'm looking into doing in my car soon.

Quote: Originally Posted by Psylariser May I suggest something along these lines: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW Just pick up a 40GB Ipod and your choice '04 Alpine deck. This is what I'm looking into doing in my car soon.

hmm it seems like a good deal! now mind you that i haven't bought anything off ebay before!

I've had great experiences with Ebay, but if you're still untrusting, you can always pick it up at an online retailer for around $100.

My friend did this, but it'll be impossible with a laptop display, too much propriotary BS. You dont need that much display-wise for an MP3 player anyway. I dont remember what sorta setup he had for the display though.