Speaker pods or not?

[Graham-P]

UltimaFAN said:

This is exactly what I'm doing. I don't want to install a heavy and bulky standard car hifi system. My solution is a simple Android 7'' tablet with all the flexibility. No need to do a hole in the dashboard, just 3D print of a frame for a 10mm thick solution. The last version of Android can finally use the USB for digital audio output, then everything is now ready. The system is then 100% flexible, can be updated as you want, it is lightweight, it has the best processing power and it is much cheaper than car hifi or car computer.
The main functions will be:
- Integrated GPS with Sygic
- OBD II connexion, fully customisable with Torque pro
- Mediaplayer with some GB of music, but this is not the first goal.
With a little bit of research, you find quickly the best software and everything can be configured with a root access.

For the ones who are doing sarcastic comments about the hifi in an Ultima, I disagree with it. I believe that the solution I'm coming with can be customized to specific needs and it will perfectly FIT the Ultima roadtrip oriented and roadtrip2track car that I'm aiming at.

My comment or smilie is there because in the good old days someone really went over OTT on an install and never heard the last of it.......but I agree that on long trips even short ones come to that, whenever we went out my wife would always put some music on (she was not an engine person, it held no magic for her) and even in the CanAm we could hear it. I am installing a pop up screen radio with reversing camera, iPhone compatible, so I get all the apps, satnav, music etc etc from the phone mirrored onto the radio screen. If I were clever, which I'm not, I would have liked to have installed a Oled touch screen to cover all that you have mentioned but just found going down the radio route a lot easier, which reminds me need to buy some speakers.

Graham

[Storer]

My thinking is that short trips need no other entertainment, just your right foot....

However, long motorway journeys at steady throttle openings need something. My solution is an ipad with Bluetooth wireless headphones. It was also my sat-nav, until I got the bill for data roaming!!!
This year my trip to Le Mans will see me using the headphones with my iphone. All my music plus hands free phone. Sat-nav is now a wide screen TomTom....

The added weight is minimal and I installed a power supply that offers 2 USB and one cigar lighter outlet to keep things charged.

I use the ipad mount (sticky mount) to hold both.

Technology has moved on so quickly that anything you install today you will probably want to change it in 5 years time.


Paul

[UltimaFAN]

Corsair613 said:

Time I spend driving is a rare escape for me and I value those moments of peace and quiet when I'm free to let my mind wander and just enjoy the scenery - and the visceral experience of driving, itself.

It's funny, I always listen to music in car for the exact same reason you don't. It's the only quiet moment I have without being disturbed thus the only moments when I can enjoy it. But I completely agree that the goal of the Ultima is definitely not listening to music!

I believe that the spirit of the Ultima is that you have a Hypercar for reasonnable price and that you can do what you want with it.


I analysed the carPC route, this kind of solution had a nice development between 2005 and 2010, but it seems to be dead now with no more support of the GUI software which were developped at that time. Nowaday the tablets seem to offer everything that is needed with the right interface and customising capabilities right from the box. Apple and Google made some announcements last year that they would like to put their OS in cars and they have initiated some partnership, thus it is the solution for the future.

Other advantages of tablet is that you don't need to drill any hole in the dashboard, you just need to put a holder or manufacture a frame. In addition, the screen will be at the right place, which is not possible to achieve with a standard car stereo without modifying the AC setup.

This was my decision process.

[F.C.]

I've struggled to understand the need for a "stereo" in these cars, I don't like the foot-well speaker mount at all, to me it is just ugly,
however the under dash idea of Marks is inspired and has given me a bit of a push to go down the Sat-Nav tablet route.
A small amp and a pair of reasonable speakers should do the job, I was planning to move the air-con controls as well so will do both jobs at the same time.
The question is: What tablet to use?
I don't want a full tablet like an i pad, something like the i pad mini would be more like it.
Any ideas?
I have an idea to use it for a reversing / rear view camera, sat nav, and possibly a real-time display for the ECU data.
Music would be an incidental.

[BogBeast]

Spent a lot of time cutting speaker holes. routing cables, installing head units. Can't remember the last time I turned it on,

I, myself, wouldn't do it next time and wish I hadn't spent the time (which as ever, ended up taking much longer than it was supposed to do) last time. Waste of time time and money for me.

I wish I had spent the time and money on a reversing/rear view camera instead....

[Abbosevolution]

I'm using an ipad mini with Dash Comander and Harrys lap timer - not looked at the rear view camera yet although its a good idea - just waiting for my IVA date

[UltimaFAN]

Configuration:
- tablet the current Asus Memopad 7. It fits within the height of the dashboard. More is too big.
- Y cable for charging and data
- mini usb3 hub
- USB sound level control
- car adapter 12v to Usb 5v as power supply
- Scantool OBD2 interface
- Behringer uca222 usb to rca converter
- Amplifier JBL MS-A1004

I confirm that it is time consumming, just to find and test this configuration was spread along several months, but for me it is part of the hobby.

[F.C.]

UltimaFAN said:

Configuration:
- tablet the current Asus Memopad 7. It fits within the height of the dashboard. More is too big.
- Y cable for charging and data
- mini usb3 hub
- USB sound level control
- car adapter 12v to Usb 5v as power supply
- Scantool OBD2 interface
- Behringer uca222 usb to rca converter
- Amplifier JBL MS-A1004

I confirm that it is time consumming, just to find and test this configuration was spread along several months, but for me it is part of the hobby.

Ok is the Asus the best choice?
Several reviews I have read slate it for not having an ambient light sensor and also lack of resolution compared to its peers, they also state screen reflection seems to be a problem.

[huzilulu]

Can a tablet be used for the following:

1) rear view camera display? If so, what kind of camera / app to get it to display?

2) GPS (offline / non WiFi / non internet)? If so, what kind of GPS unit and app again?

Thanks!

[UltimaFAN]

F.C. said:

Ok is the Asus the best choice?
Several reviews I have read slate it for not having an ambient light sensor and also lack of resolution compared to its peers, they also state screen reflection seems to be a problem.

7'' seems the right choice. My initial selection was the Nexus 7, but I was waiting for the new model and this size was discontinued. The Asus tablet is the evolution of the Nexus 7; Nexus 7 was manufactured by Asus for Google. There are not many Android 7'' tablet right now and for me Apple is a no go.
There are two versions of Asus MemoPad 7, the last one is the ME572C with a screen resolution of 1900x1200, this is nearly too much for a 7'' screen that you don't hold in the hand. Don't forget that you look at it at double distance.
For the screen reflection, it is not specially anti-reflection. The positioning on the dashboard reflects the rear bulkhead, which is dark in the GTR, it would be an issue in a CANAM.

Concerning the rear view camera, Android supports USB camera. The idea would be to find the right camera and use a video display software on the tablet. I haven't tested this yet!

[F.C.]

UltimaFAN said:

Concerning the rear view camera, Android supports USB camera. The idea would be to find the right camera and use a video display software on the tablet. I haven't tested this yet!

a USB Digital Video Converter cable should do the job if you have a bullet cam with only a/v sockets and power.

[UltimaFAN]

F.C. said:

a USB Digital Video Converter cable should do the job if you have a bullet cam with only a/v sockets and power.

Good proposal, it is then possible to use directly a real rear view camera.

Concerning the GPS function, if the tablet has an integrated GPS, it works perfectly and most of the high-end tablets have it. I used the Asus MemoPad 7 in my car with the Sygic software during a travel to Germany and it was fine.

[F.C.]

UltimaFAN said:

Good proposal, it is then possible to use directly a real rear view camera.

Concerning the GPS function, if the tablet has an integrated GPS, it works perfectly and most of the high-end tablets have it. I used the Asus MemoPad 7 in my car with the Sygic software during a travel to Germany and it was fine.

I think this could work nicely as a reversing camera with the earth linked to the reverse switch on g/box.
The task then is to set up an "instant" recognise of the camera by the tablet (which may be harder than I think), the more I learn about this idea the more I like it.

[UltimaFAN]

F.C. said:

I think this could work nicely as a reversing camera with the earth linked to the reverse switch on g/box.
The task then is to set up an "instant" recognise of the camera by the tablet (which may be harder than I think), the more I learn about this idea the more I like it.

It should be possible to do that with Tasker on Android. If camera ON, then open video app. If camera OFF, then stop video app. Or if you link it to an HID interface, you should be able to detect the input and start/stop a video app. Just a 1 minute search on Ebay and you can find this product: CarPC JoyCon wheel controls USB interface, compatible with Android.

That's the reason why I like Android and hate Apple!

[F.C.]

UltimaFAN said:

It should be possible to do that with Tasker on Android. If camera ON, then open video app. If camera OFF, then stop video app. Or if you link it to an HID interface, you should be able to detect the input and start/stop a video app. Just a 1 minute search on Ebay and you can find this product: CarPC JoyCon wheel controls USB interface, compatible with Android.

That's the reason why I like Android and hate Apple!

Ha genius! so basically an emulator to convert "any" button push/switch to "any" command.
I have spare room on my steering wheel buttons and it would be possible to double up on command per button with short press / long press programmed in.

That's it I'm trawling for a tablet and a joy con interface!
Cheers for the kick up the jacksy I needed to do this.

[UltimaFAN]

Tasker is not really an emulator, its a software which allows to programm any kind of tasks. Some of them such as power management will require a root access.

I think that with a button interface and tasker, you can change the volume, mute, launch any apps (GPS, MUSIC PLAYER). The possibilities should be limited only by the time you agree to spend on it. If you are a geek like me who doesn't like to loose time watching football, then it's fine!

I have installed another app which turns the tablet ON automatically when it is powered and turn it OFF automatically after a certain period of time when power stops. As soon as I have an idea and search for it on google play, somebody has already made a small app for this task.

[Storer]

I find that with decent rear view mirrors and parking sensors (which let me know when I select reverse with a single 'beep') there is no need for a rear camera.

I went the ipad route as there was very little opposition back then. I have a Go Pro wirelessly connected and can view what the Go Pro is recording and control it from my ipad/iphone.

I use the pad as a sat-nav in the UK but have a TomTom for Europe due to the data roaming cost issue.

Paul