Friday, May 12, 2006

Large update

That update at 4am the night I finished my computer never happened because I went to sleep. Here is a recap of the things that have happened since:

That night I gave up on getting the voice recognition to work, but I am still going to install the microphone into the car. Integrating the GPS program didn't work out as well, so, I just sealed up the computer and brought it to work.

Monday: I stripped the car completely, down to the metal on the inside, and began to lay dynamat (antivibration padding) wherever there was bare metal. I also ran all the new speaker wires from their respective places into the trunk of the car. -14 hours

Tuesday: I continued laying dynamat and began preparations for mounting in the new speakers. This involved tracing the old speakers risers with wood and then using a jigsaw to cut the new risers out. I continued to dynamat throughout the car. -14 hours

Wednesday: I put a lot of dynamat on the inside of the car and the amplifiers came. Dynamatting is quite an intensive process because dynamat must go everywhere where metal is inside of the car the old panels must still be able to go on. -10 hours

Thursday: Chose the mounting spot for the computer (in the rear driver side quarter panel) and began to run wires for the screen, etc. I continued to lay down dynamat. That day I also ran a 1/0 power cable (very thick power) through the firewall of the car, from the battery, to the trunk. We also took apart the screen of the computer and began to look at how that was going to mount.

Friday: I mounted the GPS antenna and ran the wire to where the computer is going to be. I finished running the computer wires (this involved taking out the center console and running wires under the carpet. I finshed dynamatting under the trunk and put it back together. I looked at the amplifiers for the first time and realized that the four channel amp is not going to work with my system because it doesn't support two sets of hi-pass speakers, so I am going to need to order two 2-channel amp's in order to have audio. This will mean I am going to have better sound, but it is going to cost a little bit more. I am not sure I can even get a hold of the two amp's that I want so we will see. Aside from that I installed the rear speakers and am almost done with dynamatting the rear quarter panel (passenger side, driver side is done).

Once all of the dynamatting is finished I will mount the computer and connect all the appropriate cables. The computer will not be powered until the sound system is in place however because I am going to use a 15 farad capacitor in order to prevent the car's battery from dying. So, in order to turn on the computer I will have to set up that capacitor first. Aside from that I have been sick since last thursday, but still coming in from 7:30am-~9:30pm.

Tomorrow the computer should be installed, along with the screen and disc drive. I also bought a USB hub so that I can hook up things to the front should I have the need to. This means the center console can go back in, along with the seats, etc. Any extra dynamat will go onto the floor of the car, so I think I will also have to lay some of that. If I can get a hold of these amps I should just barely be finished in time to present on Friday. After the computer goes in the only thing left to do is make a sub-woofer box (which can take days) and wire the amplifiers, capacitor, etc. Provided I can get these amp's the project should be alright and done on time. I also need to buy some really high quality minijacks to rca adaptors to connect the computers sound card to the amplifiers. I have also been checking everyday for a newer version of Centrafuse, but it has yet to come.

Here are some pictures (if you have a question feel free to comment on it and I will gladly answer as soon as I have some free time, but I have been pretty busy working these 14 hour days on my car):

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