Double Din Retrofit

[A80Avant]

One of the things im considering for the future is the possibility to intergrate a double din multimedia player,like a Pioneer - AVH-P4000DVD for example.
I have already found and payed a a good amount of money for a nice plastic form to move the dash buttons on the area next to the handbrake.
I would like to preseve the middle air/con vents as the boost gauge and EGT are there and suit the car pretty nice.

Does anyone know what the multimedia deck should have as inputs or outputs in order to be able to connect a carpc there? That is crucial as i will be connecting one there to use the vems software at any instant if needed

thanks
Vasilis

[Smiley]

Recently i saw a windows baesd navi, that could be used as incar pc, for 'only' about 400Euros. Would that be an option?

2DIN:
http://cgi.ebay.de/Navigation-7-DVD-...3A1|240%3A1318

1DIN:
http://cgi.ebay.de/Navigation-7-DVD-...3A1|240%3A1318

[A80Avant]

that is not actually bad,also some carpc shops may have some ready solutions as well,but i want something that it is good quality and that can stand on it's own as well,i dont want the carpc to be working all the time,only when vems softaware is needed(or perhaps some big mp3 database is needed)

[Smiley]

Ok, I see.
But i don't see the point of your question regarding the connection to the car PC..
So here is what i think of
o First should be the line (or 'Aux')-In, to hear what the carPc will sound, as you don't want to have an extra amp or laptop-speakers.
o There are usually 4 line-outs (left right front and back) for the amp, you may want to use 2 of them to record music from 'air' to the carPc.
o You cant have an USB connection between the multimedia deck and the carPc. In use of a Big mp3 database the carPc has to be the player.
o By the way, where will be the display of the carPc? The Pioneer has a connection for the driving back camera, so theres an input. The PAL/NTSC/SECAM-connection i read of in the product description will be only an output..

Hope this helps in any way..

[Jonas_R]

I would go with the Infill system if you want a double din size and not making a custom build.

http://www.cartft.com/catalog/il/543

[Smiley]

Yes, but the price is a little by high, no? Ok, its a complete plug'n play set. If i want it cheaper i have to struggle with the various components.
Does the mentioned Infill come with tuner/bluetooth/GPS and related software? I don't think so..

[A80Avant]

if the carpcs available are easy enough to use everyday for radio/mp3 players i might consider them.

I dont want to get into the car and have to start the windows everytime i want to hear a song.That is why i was thinking of a regular double din deck,with an additional carpc connected to it.

@smiley: I want to use the screen of the double din deck for the car pc(whenever i turn it on) and the car's speakers can be used with the car pc whenever i would get a song played through the car pc.Thats the whole idea basically.
I dont use amps or anything like that.I usually use whatever the double din player comes with.
I also have a rear camera already installed to the car so i might use that,and as far as the TV is concerned,i might get one too.BUT the thing is , where would the car pc connect to the screen? Via AUX or USB?

[Smiley]

I think the only video input is that of the rear camera. I don't know the video format of these cameras but i don't think you can just connect the carPC to that without some sort of converter. Maybe someone else has a clue here.

You can't use USB for video input btw. With the USB port of the multimedia thing you just can make use of a USB stick or a USB harddisk as an external storage.

There is at least one carPc where you can use radio without 'booting'.

Don't know the boot times though - 15-20sec?
Maybe you want use your standard 1DIN Mp3-Radio (should have sound AUX In) with an 1DIN carPC EDIT: with integrated Display?

[Jonas_R]

Yes, but the price is a little by high, no? Ok, its a complete plug'n play set. If i want it cheaper i have to struggle with the various components.
Does the mentioned Infill come with tuner/bluetooth/GPS and related software? I don't think so..

It comes with software and GPS, not sure about tuner/bluetooth.

However this is a quality product, and if you assemble your own car pc and want decent software like Centrafuse then you will end up spending around the same amount.

[Jonas_R]

www.mp3car.com - read there A80avant lots of info.

You can run a CarPC with windows embedded and Nlite of a SS disc, then you should be able to get boot time around 10 seconds. You could also just use hibernate.

What sort of connection does your back camera have?

Normally on a Car PC you have D-SUB and component/SVHS, so if your screen have one of them then you can hook it like that.

If you want to run it with a double din radio, then look at casetronic, they make very small cases that fits Via Epia Nano/Pico itx boards. Then as I mentioned before I would combine it windows XP Embedded and then compile a very small windows install with Nlite and run it off a SS disc. Then I would use Centrafuse as the CarPC software, it perhaps one of the best "skins" around.

[Smiley]

Thanks for the answer, Jonas_R. I think most of us are searching for a all-in-one solution with radio/cd/mp3/dvd/navi with the possibility to run VAGCOM or things like that when in need. Most (if not all) products offer most of the features but lack some. The links i posted above for example lack an integrated amp and has only WinCE where i don't know if vagcom will run on..?
I would appreciate a solution that keeps my DIN-radio, with a hidden carPC and a touchscreen that flaps up from inside the top of the dashboard..

[A80Avant]

Reviving my own thread, and after having looked at others projects,
I am reconsidering...

I have already bought a second dash mount to chop, as well as a nice case that I could use to move the buttons away from the dash and in the space next to the handbrake

But after seeing this

I am torn as to either fit a double din unit in the middle of the case by relocating the buttons or keep the buttons and lose the ashtray (which I don't use anyway)

The downside of having the screen that low is the viewing point esp. For satnav.

I am planning to get a cheapish android unit.

What do people think?

[UrS4boy]

Double DIN retro fit

Factory:



After Market (in an UrS6 avant)

[A80Avant]

The frame on that pioneer seems very well placed but I doubt one can easily find one.

I am looking at the rns type android devices which are not bad. For the audi 80 they measure a tad wider at 236mm upper and 226mm lower end. However the plastic can be carefully trimmed and make it fit the 212mm opening on our cars.

They are a tad more expensive than a universal one but hey

[A80Avant]

After taking some measurements I decided to buy this one:

http://xtrons.co.uk/pf75aa4ar-7-andr...seat-exeo.html

This will need the external surround to be cut and reduced to 212mm from 236/225 and the height is 130mm.

Measuring the space there is 140mm from the buttons to the bottom of the dash so that could fit in there nicely. I will try and keep some sort of trim to account for the extra 10mm.

I will have to move the AC to the bottom and ditch the ashtray which I don't use anyway. I think that would be the best way forward...

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