Hmmmm...I was thinking about Double-DIN Head Units today, and this thought came to mind.

Current situation. I have a Magden M1.b Performance Computer that displays gauges and information on an LCD screen (LCD Head Unit, for example). It has a variety of display outputs (VGA, Composite Video, etc.). My thought today was, what if I got a 7" Monitor instead of a head unit. I found a Lilliput 669GL-70NP, which has an HDMI input and a VGA input.

I could use the VGA for the Magden gauges (and I might be able to use the touch screen on the Lilliput, but I haven't looked into it yet), and I could use the HDMI input for a computer or my Droid X or something and essentially have a carputer.

Issues that I'm trying to troubleshoot:

- Getting an audio signal to the speakers. I think I would have to re-rout my Shaker 1000 Head Unit to somewhere else (maybe the glove box, and that would give me an AM/FM tuner, and I could run an aux. input to the computer or Droid X or whatnot, and it would play the audio that I choose on the Lilliput.

- Touchscreen interface from the PC or Droid X. I would want to be able to use the touch screen aspect of the monitor in the dash to manuever around the menus and interface. This might be a deal-breaker if I can't figure out how to get that to work.

- Mounting. I wish I could find a screen that is more aesthetically pleasing (smaller plastic border, more like a 7" HU. I'd also have to make a custom mounting bracket or modify one of the current ones available to get it to work.

This might be a typical carputer, but I've never thought about it, so it's all new to me. Is this unrealistic, or could I get it to work?

 

I'm confusing myself doing this research. If only I could find a more streamlined monitor I would take this idea seriously.

Reason I thought about it was I figure if I am spending $900 on a head unit. I might be able to build something like this for a similar price that will have all the functionality of a head unit and more.

At this point, I still feel like controlling the audio will be more trouble than it is worth, but I'm sure everyone who roams this section of the forum can chime in and help me here.

 

Let me just stop ya right there.

1. Touch-screen interface requires a controller for the actual touching. Capacitive which is ideal, which nearly every smart-phone has, or resistive 4 or 5 wire, more being more accurate. But none of these specialized touch-screens are capacitive. Thus annoyingly erratic, especially when the temperature drops.
This requires what it is wired into to know how to communicate with it, not standardized. So your phone will not operate on this even if you did have a standardized output from it.

2. A 7´ screen made for this specialized application is the most expensive portion, to get one that looks as good for normal use as the average 7´ head-unit already made costs about $600 once you get a transflective coating on it. This will fit your double-din with a scoche or metra kit, but likely will be ugly in comparison mounted from a normal AM HU. And it will be unreadable in direct sunlight. Not to mention craptacular looking next to a pioneer's display.

3. Computers are never amplified for their sound even if built-in. So you need to tack on amp(s) regardless, this is after you buy the computer, case, processor (non-atom etc based on-board ones), memory, bluetooth, running a good NC mic, and any other baubles you want to tack on. This doesn´t include a smart automotive power-supply that will be necessary.

4. Computers aren´t really set up for this task, they´re susceptible to noise/RFI that the usual head-unit will shrug-off. Even just the monitors themselves, getting rid of this noise is often-times impossible to lose entirely without using feed-through caps on everything going in and out of the device(s) themselves, or the power-supply being used.

5. Cost, think $1k+ by the time you get it where you want it to be, not including time. Basic lower-end, onboard processor.

6. Like many of the other threads I´ve seen for complicated electronics work, this isn´t just for the weekend install.
You either have to have this knowing it will be ongoing, in addition to being a royal PITA to start with, or you should just get a good head-unit and be done.

If your still truly set on it, or would simply like to understand it further, the FAQ here should answer most of it. What does the Magden use for it´s OS? You will still need to get the touch-screen drivers to it for the lilliput and others to operate with it. I´m assuming it´s just stripped down windows XP, in which case your good. However, you´d still be in the same boat as before really, possibly worse, as you´d have to change inputs to show the car pc, and the magden performance pc interfaces.

None of this includes the software purchasing needed, install time, diagnosing issues, adapters, or setting up a front-end application (such as RideRunner that I use, Centrafuse is a bought one that is popular as well) in order to control what you have installed.

If you seriously plan on this, ask the magden guys if you can get the application used moved to your own car pc. As from what I´ve read this is all their PC is, mini/micro-itx, 32bit winXP, with their application using an ODB-II interface. So in essence, your doing this a second time, since I´m guessing you´re essentially locked out of the magden aside from the app interface, no?

Car PC is awesome to have, I won´t lie. Unlimited options really, depending on how insane you wish to integrate things.
HVAC for instance with the above links, TPMS, etc.. in addition to ODB-II and such. It´s also unlimited time, money, and often-times programming to get things working half as well functionality wise as a good head-unit.

Hands free phone for example..
Headunit:
Run provided mic, pair phone, done.
CarPC:
Pair, install supporting applications, update OS for any .net or other associated runtimes needed,
then if it works integrate into a plug-in for your Front-end,
then debug that to get working. If your lucky, then it works.

Your short answer would be, doable? Yes. Feasible, probably not unless your looking for a long-term project. Droid will not interface, period, on it´s own. Why would you have gotten the Magden in the first place? As a dedicated car pc is essentially what it is, slower of course, with that 1 express purpose in mind.

Good friend on this board that I´ve known since god knows when asked me in a similar fashion. He´s quick with electronics and computers, and my response is the same. Don't do it without being set on it, and having twice what you think it will cost you for it. Price it out at 700, plan on closer to 1400.

 

Well damn. I don't really understand why the monitor wouldn't be a plug-and-play. Is the issue with getting the touchscreen aspect to work?

Because isn't the in-dash monitor the exact same as a regular computer monitor? If that's the case, the monitor would just display the output from the PC (probably Windows 7 or something similar). If so, I can make a bootable Droid OS disc, and run an external CD/DVD drive to an accessible location (center console maybe). Then I could boot from the disc and run Android.

As far as getting the touch screen aspect to work, which I assume is what you are highlighting as the problem, I have no idea? How does it work in the phone, or the Android tablet PCs?

The only reason I really want Android is for Google Nav. Now that I think about it, the nav won't work unless it knows where I am located, and the computer won't (I don't think). I just took this aspect for granted because it's integrated into the phone. I would have to find a way to attach a GPS antenna, and use Google nav through it, which I don't know how to even begin this task.

You are running a PC, are you not? Can you give me a brief synopsis of what you are running at this point? Maybe a few photos of the finished product?

The only reason I'm considering this is because it seems to me like the prefabbed head units being released currently are well behind the current trends in technology. For example, the Kenwood interface looks ancient, while the Pioneer nav leaves a lot to be desired. I began thinking that if I could essentially build my own head unit, it could integrate the best aspects of all of the current systems.

It seems like it wouldn't be expensive if the products were available, but they just aren't, at least ones that are specialized for the task of an in-dash application.

Any thoughts on this? I feel like I'm just rambling because I don't know much at all about car PCs. I know a ton about the hardware of desktop PCs, but in this application I'm lost. I have a lot of ideas as to how it could and should work, but it seems like the realistic application of these ideas is limited by the technology available.

 

Yes.

Yes.

No. This gives you the OS your droid runs, it doesn´t give you the hardware and integration the phone gives you.

It´s proprietary, and a ¨touch-screen¨ is an overlay, unless you want a small plastic overlay that spans a whole 2 inches and figure out the wiring, then trying to find a driver that would be generic enough to function.

You need a GPS device, AND an antenna for it, if it doesn´t come with one or is outside mountable as a complete receiver. Then driver for it on the OS used to give the data(BU-353 uses another chip to do rs-232 conversion to usb), and software that can read from that to give you the appropriate nav info.

In this incarnation it´s:
Win7 64bit,
8gigs of RAM,
Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor,
Opus 360W Inteligent Vehicle DC-DC Power Supply (DCX6.360),
ZOTAC GeForce GF9300-G-E ITX WiFi LGA 775 Mini ITX Intel Motherboard
Lilliput 629 ´7 monitor that was torn apart to fit the solid custom case front,
BU-353,
bluetooth dongle that I can´t remember who it´s made by,
And enough power, usb, and cat5 runs to wire a house with.

Oh, and because this one is so insane, a single slot GPU cooling fan I altered to deal with heat issues I´d get sometimes when the heater was running long-term, as the plastic ducts act essentially as a radiator.

see here, and here for a couple of pics I posted in that thread.

I thought the whole point to the magden unit was to avoid having to do what your proposing..

Because it´s so specialized, and prone to the problems I´ve mentioned. Even the exact same thing in the same year car will likely have differing RF/noise issues to contend with. The volume of sales just isn´t there. Which is why tablets will probably be the middle ground where most wish to go for later. Ipad has frankly a lackluster draconian OS behind it, but it also has nice slave like cheap chinese labor making nearly second to none capacitive touch-screen interfaced high-res screens. In addition to being completely contained and controlled aside from needing an suitable external amp.

Gave ya the links...Info´s there. This would be another 2nd (or 3rd, as this one is heavy as well) novel sized page to even Cliff´s notes´ it.

 

Yes and no on the Magden. The Magden to me is just a fancy way to present information. All it is going to do is display information from the OBD-II, which I could do with traditional gauges or a Car PC.

The reason the Car PC idea came up is because I want things that a Head Unit can't give me. I'd like a solid navigation system and a sophisticated UI. Kenwood provides the first, Pioneer provides the second.

Creating my own Droid/Windows 7 running system would provide the best of both worlds if I could integrate navigation.

I got to thinking about that aspect, and then I thought about how cool it would be to integrate a phone into the head unit (through Droid). It would provide text, internet, apps, tons of stuff. The Windows OS would also provide even more access to programs and whatnot.

I'm sure all of these thoughts are commonplace to those with Car PCs, but to me they seemed awesome. It seems like they are more trouble than they are worth unless you really need the information output.

The Magden will provide the information I need, and give me a cool factor. I just thought integration of the Magden into a Car PC would provide the best of both worlds. Looking at the programs available for Car PCs for OBD-II output, the Magden looks like it is much more aesthetically pleasing.

 

Your install looks pretty freakin' seamless, I might add. It's not aftermarket HU status, but it's pretty damn close.

 

Fab work would be required to make it completely seamless, which I´m still contemplating in addition to overhead relocation of HVAC. Mainly so a larger yanked laptop screen can be used with a capacitive overlay. I just can´t justify the expense anytime soon, house needs my full wallet attention at present.

I´d do computer HVAC integration, but that takes it too far IMO, computer has issues or dies right now, no biggie, iphone it for a few. Dies when HVAC is integrated, no AC/heat...ya, not happenin´. Hasn´t busted in 2 years, but I do yank it out to do hardware updates, or if I just feel like testing something out that will take hours to install, as I don´t wish to keep the car running, or sit out there. That would just cause more trouble than it would be worth.

 

Yeah, I think I'm going to go the head unit route. I just wish someone would make a head unit that actually uses current technology. I'd be willing to pay if they would put in a processor that is actually up to the task of running the unit. I wish they'd put some time into the interface and the nav, instead of one or the other.

I'm also trying to figure out how I can get the Magden to display on multiple monitors. I don't know if it's possible, but I think it would be cool to add monitors to the back seats and display the gauges there, so that backseat passengers (rare) can see what's going on under the hood as they are thrown back in their seats.

 

The output can be split if it doesn´t support multiple outputs. You´d have to ask them as well, as it could end up just showing as an extended desktop at best if you used any second outputs on it.

It´s outlay is customized for you of course. You´d have to do some work with Dashcommand to get the interface and meters to that level of customized for the mustang. Entering specific PID´s, creating the meters, etc..