• Why I was trying to build a MP3 Player in my car
• Why using a PC for this (costs !)
• Closing words

So what else can a poor father do, than getting out of the way and searching an own , unchallenged sanctuary. And that simply was my car.

First I bought then a car radio with CD drive. Because I wished to hear everytime the music, I just wanted to hear, I was getting tired to change CD's all the time. Above all the "CD mountain" on the co-driver seat got higher and higher each day, and logically felt down on the floor a lot of times.

So a CD changer was required. Best for 10 CD's. That showed me, that the CD, that I wanted to hear right now, normally was not inside the changer. Changing CD's in the changer is not as easy, while driving.

A friednd of mine finally gave me a hint, to try out a MP3 player. Thanks god, I didn't buy one that time. A simple CD player, that plays also MP3, was not suitable because of its low capacity on CD's. The commercial players with harddisk (e.g. Blaupunkt, Rio, Apple iPod etc.) also not, because they are simply too expensive (EUR 500-2000, depends on the device and harddisk size) to be broken in the car (temperature, vibrations, dust etc.).

Because I'm driving a van (and also in future I think I will minimum have a station wagon), space was not really a problem.
So why not mounting a normal PC in the car ?

That's how the idea for this project was born. At this point I want to thank my wife for her patience she had during the construction. Also I want to beg my childrens pardon for the neglect during this time.

Finally I think, for sure there was the desire to proove that it's possible.
 

• Costs:

As I was able to investigate, the costs for my solution are ca. (depends on buying the components new or used):

• Hardware:
• If sometime you find out that the harddisk has not sufficient disk space, or the sound quality is not satisfying anymore, then ist is no problem to replace the harddisk by a larger one or to replace the sound card with a better one.
• Same case, if something brakes. Then there are no expensive special parts needed, but simply normal standard PC components.
• If you select each component very carefully, than it is possible to realize a very small and compact solution with little constructive effort.

• Software:
• No general binding to a operating system.
• A lot of MP3 and OGG players are available as freeware (but only MPxPlay for DOS). That means, that it is possible to choose the individually best.
• The front end "PlayIt" can be modified according to your needs (open source).
• Maybe on day the formats OGG / MP3 are not any more good enough, then there is no principle problem to update the PC system with a upgrade.
• Copying music data of some MB can be quickly done becuase of the network.

• Miscellaneous:
• That thing is easy connectable to your home stereo.

If somebody builds this player as I did, and has some improvement suggestions, I would appreciate to get to know about your opinion by e-mail.
Apart from that I want to wish you a lot of fun...