lard
Well-known member
You may have seen my carputer install thread - in which I've integrated a windows 7 based car pc running centrafuse to give satnav, tunes, radio, mail, web, cams e.t.c. in the bus, I've had to rip it out with the interior and have put it back in but without all the connections for web cam, sensors e.t.c.
Have been pondering further on the install and have a few niggles with the setup as it doesn't feel as integrated as I'd like
Long story short is that I'm after something a bit slicker that just works without annoying 3G signals issues, boot time and touch interface outside of the centrafuse application
I've had an ipad for 6 months and it certainly gives me the same touch interface but is a much more integrated solution, so I decided to install it into the bus and see how I get on with it, the PC will always be more customisable with mock headunit inputs, triggers for sensors (so light control, TPMS e.t.c.) but at the moment I just need a workable solutions for some tunes/satnav
I got a decent headunit of evilbay for £40 - I'm not a big audio guy but looking around the Sony CDM-X9000 was a top spec unit from around 2000, bargain old skool stylee
I also got a couple of shelf mount speakers that fit within the output power of the headunit - I have amps and speakers but no bed in yet which is where I'll be installing most of the audio kit
Installed the head unit in the glove box to hide it away from thieving chav types and ripped out the old stereo to run the cables through.
The ipad does support line out via the apple dock port but you can't control volume in line out mode through the ipad itself so for the moment I've put in an active holder that charges the device and a 3.5 jack that goes to the head unit. I've also got a jabra bluetooth unit (SP700) that takes audio over bluetooth and transmits over FM - unfortunately it works great with the iphone but the ipad doesn't support the bluetooth head unit profile (yet!) - when/if it does in the future I'll remove the 3.5mm jack from the headphone socket.
Anyway - piccies:
How it looked with the touch screen for the PC and an Ipaq running tomtom
Here is the mount installed - I need to get a blanking plate for the old stereo from somewhere(?) - the mount is the Brodit active mount and is drilled into the dash (I'm changing to a painted one at some point so a good test for my current padded one)
Head unit installed in the glovebox using a beetle under dash mount and cables cut through into the back:
Installed and running an app called "flick tunes" - this is a gesture based alternative to itunes: tap to play/pause, swipe for next and swipe up/down for volume/playlist
This is "Traffic HD" which can also do route calculations/sat nav - really good for avoiding the jams
This is a speedo app that takes MPH from GPS and will be great for sense checking my erratic speedo
This is a great app - "nav:free" which is a free satnav app from nav:mii that uses openmap data - also works on the iphone (3G > 4G) and is much better than my current tomtom, still being developed but I'd install it now whilst its still free!
Anyway - thought I'd share in case anyone else feels like doing the same, my family are always using it so will be nice to make sure it's not forgotten! Another bonus is putting a stereo and Jabra in I can control the bus tunes from my iphone which will be sweet when camping!
Have been pondering further on the install and have a few niggles with the setup as it doesn't feel as integrated as I'd like
Long story short is that I'm after something a bit slicker that just works without annoying 3G signals issues, boot time and touch interface outside of the centrafuse application
I've had an ipad for 6 months and it certainly gives me the same touch interface but is a much more integrated solution, so I decided to install it into the bus and see how I get on with it, the PC will always be more customisable with mock headunit inputs, triggers for sensors (so light control, TPMS e.t.c.) but at the moment I just need a workable solutions for some tunes/satnav
I got a decent headunit of evilbay for £40 - I'm not a big audio guy but looking around the Sony CDM-X9000 was a top spec unit from around 2000, bargain old skool stylee
I also got a couple of shelf mount speakers that fit within the output power of the headunit - I have amps and speakers but no bed in yet which is where I'll be installing most of the audio kit
Installed the head unit in the glove box to hide it away from thieving chav types and ripped out the old stereo to run the cables through.
The ipad does support line out via the apple dock port but you can't control volume in line out mode through the ipad itself so for the moment I've put in an active holder that charges the device and a 3.5 jack that goes to the head unit. I've also got a jabra bluetooth unit (SP700) that takes audio over bluetooth and transmits over FM - unfortunately it works great with the iphone but the ipad doesn't support the bluetooth head unit profile (yet!) - when/if it does in the future I'll remove the 3.5mm jack from the headphone socket.
Anyway - piccies:
How it looked with the touch screen for the PC and an Ipaq running tomtom
Here is the mount installed - I need to get a blanking plate for the old stereo from somewhere(?) - the mount is the Brodit active mount and is drilled into the dash (I'm changing to a painted one at some point so a good test for my current padded one)
Head unit installed in the glovebox using a beetle under dash mount and cables cut through into the back:
Installed and running an app called "flick tunes" - this is a gesture based alternative to itunes: tap to play/pause, swipe for next and swipe up/down for volume/playlist
This is "Traffic HD" which can also do route calculations/sat nav - really good for avoiding the jams
This is a speedo app that takes MPH from GPS and will be great for sense checking my erratic speedo
This is a great app - "nav:free" which is a free satnav app from nav:mii that uses openmap data - also works on the iphone (3G > 4G) and is much better than my current tomtom, still being developed but I'd install it now whilst its still free!
Anyway - thought I'd share in case anyone else feels like doing the same, my family are always using it so will be nice to make sure it's not forgotten! Another bonus is putting a stereo and Jabra in I can control the bus tunes from my iphone which will be sweet when camping!