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Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 8:54 pm
by d3ad1ysp0rk
Pimptastic wrote:GPS, voice control, wireless internet, webcams (reversing cams), computer controled (glass) windows, DVD burning...the list is pretty endless.
This gives me so many ideas with a mix of the computer and a good wireless card.

Keep the computer on at all times, running a hidden web cam. Whenever the car is started, start recording and sending it to a server in your work/home. Anyone tries to break in, not only do you have GPS running, showing you where the car is, but you have plenty of potential photographs (and different angles) of the thief.

Not only this, but you could implement a program I only wish I had the programming expertise to write, because I'm sure it'd be pretty successful.
A background process that monitors wireless connectivity (strength) as well as distance and strength of other WAPs in the area. Automatically connects to a new WAP when the connection level gets to be more like x% (20% difference in strengths for example).

It'd be nice, but I have no idea on how to interact with wireless cards using either Java or C++ (the only system languages I know proficiently).

Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:08 pm
by feyd
a decent car alarm these days comes with GPS capabilities, along with an option to hook it into a cellphone. Couple that with a visual indicator key-fob that reaches 1/4 mi (400m) .. and you already have a fairly nice setup for security.

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 2:49 am
by JayBird
d3ad1ysp0rk wrote:A background process that monitors wireless connectivity (strength) as well as distance and strength of other WAPs in the area. Automatically connects to a new WAP when the connection level gets to be more like x% (20% difference in strengths for example).
It already exists...google for war driving

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 3:28 am
by Gambler
By the way, you can get iPod's with HDD's bigger than 20gb now-a-days.
It's called 'mp3 player', not 'iPod'. There are other brands, and some of them are cheaper and have more capabilities than iPod.

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 3:34 am
by m3mn0n
Pimptastic wrote:
d3ad1ysp0rk wrote:A background process that monitors wireless connectivity (strength) as well as distance and strength of other WAPs in the area. Automatically connects to a new WAP when the connection level gets to be more like x% (20% difference in strengths for example).
It already exists...google for war driving
That's banned in some places, I hear. heh

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 3:48 am
by Grim...
Gambler wrote:
By the way, you can get iPod's with HDD's bigger than 20gb now-a-days.
It's called 'mp3 player', not 'iPod'. There are other brands...
It's called 'iPod' if you're talking about iPod's, though. Anyway, 'mp3 player' is an overgenerlisation too, what about devices that can play wavs, oggs, wmas...

And we're talking about portable players - 'mp3 player' could refer to something that's part of your stereo.

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 4:32 am
by m3mn0n
I'd have to agree with that.

I find it odd how a CD player can be marketed as an "mp3 player" these days. ;)

It reminds me of when television makers decided to start measuring the inches diagonally instead of up and down or across, just so they can market larger numbers. :lol:

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 6:07 am
by d3ad1ysp0rk
Pimptastic wrote:
d3ad1ysp0rk wrote:A background process that monitors wireless connectivity (strength) as well as distance and strength of other WAPs in the area. Automatically connects to a new WAP when the connection level gets to be more like x% (20% difference in strengths for example).
It already exists...google for war driving
I know what war driving is, and I knew they have scanning programs, I just didn't know they had programs that attempted to keep you online as much as possible.

I found some good software on sites resulting from a google search, but I didn't really see any software that did that. I could always be not reading the wording right however.

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 6:20 am
by JayBird
Well, the programs just auto-connect whenever possible...which is effectively what your are saying

Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2006 6:09 pm
by josh
Anyways, I don't think I would be using it mainly for wardriving, maybe I would have windows / linux notify me when a network is within range and check my email from time to time.. but I doubt it.

The main features would be the ability to watch a DVD, playback video / audio off the harddrive, and maybe someday wire it into the car's actual computer so I can readout things like speed, RPM, etc. onto the LCD.

With a 10 second cold boot I could have audio within a few seconds of finishing backing out of my drive-way which is excellent. Leaving it in hibernate would result in an instant boot but I may need to get an extra battery dedicated to the computer so I don't have to worry about shutting it down over long weekends or when I will be away from my car. Primptastic, was the 10 second cold boot from ignition to audio, or what exactly? You did not elaborate in your PM.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2006 3:18 am
by JayBird
jshpro2 wrote:Primptastic, was the 10 second cold boot from ignition to audio, or what exactly? You did not elaborate in your PM.
The boot time was maybe slightly longer including the POST.

My Windows XP was ripped to shreds...only had the bare minimum of stuff needed for the applications i needed to run.

It automatically booted into Mediacar, a touch screen menu where you launch your musc, vids, gps etc etc.

Connecting to your cars ECU is pretty straight forward...as long as your car supports OBD-II. There should be a port hidden away somewhere under the dash that you just plug into....load up the software and your away. The cables are quite expensive tho. For my model of car is was about £100 i think.

As i said in my PM, i seriously recommend you spend a LOT of time reading the forums over at http://www.mp3car.com...lots and lots of information there!

Mark

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:30 am
by Gambler
And we're talking about portable players - 'mp3 player' could refer to something that's part of your stereo.
It's about brands, not semantics. Every time you mention commercial brand you're doing advertising for free. Frankly, I'm quite tired of hearing about iPods every day. Like they're the only players out there.

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2006 2:23 pm
by josh
Gambler,
Do you get mad when people ask you for a KLEENEX, or if you want to play YO-YO, or go for a dip in a JACUZZI? Besides we weren't talking about them like they were the only brand, we were talking about them because that is the type of mp3 player I was considering.


Anyways

Yeah pimptastic, I've been reading over that site and I've been learning a lot; thanks for the link

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2006 3:02 pm
by Roja
Gambler wrote:
And we're talking about portable players - 'mp3 player' could refer to something that's part of your stereo.
It's about brands, not semantics. Every time you mention commercial brand you're doing advertising for free. Frankly, I'm quite tired of hearing about iPods every day. Like they're the only players out there.
In this case, its about semantics. Jshpro2 specifically said iPod, specifying the brand, and the 20gig limitation was fairly unique/specific to the iPod, so clearly he meant that brand of mp3 player.

The iPod is mentioned so often specifically because it is so widely used. Its overwhelmingly the market leader, with no contender even showing half the market share they have. Whether you like that or not doesn't change its status.

Jshpro2 was considering one as an alternative to a carputer. You could have easily (helpfully!) offered specifics about an alternative mp3 player that had the features he wanted, but you didn't. ;)
Sami wrote:I find it odd how a CD player can be marketed as an "mp3 player" these days.
Tell that to my expensive headunit that *is* a CD-player that plays mp3's. I burn a cd full of mp3's and it plays them. Thats not marketing BS, thats an honest-to-goodness market advantage, and I paid (alot!) more for it than I would have for a standard CD player. 15 songs v. 150 is a significant and marketable difference.

Carputers are a tough sell for me. I love the geek factor, honestly do. But realistically, when are you going to be in the car and *need* more than 150 songs at a time (or some multiple of that, since now there are cd-changers with mp3-cd support)?

Its a ton of extra work, cost, and frankly, they arent reliable, they drain your battery, and take up space. Just doesn't seem worthwhile unless you are the ultimate road-warrior. (If you have kids, and are doing road-trips once a month, you qualify, and can ignore everything I just said. heh.)

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2006 3:07 pm
by josh
Roja wrote:But realistically, when are you going to be in the car and *need* more than 150 songs at a time
When are you going to *need* any songs at all?
Roja wrote: they drain your battery
Second battery