gregom

iTrader: (3)

I'm having trouble trying to decide on what I want to do here in the future... I want Navi for sure, and I'd really like to just have my personal music collection available at my fingertips via a touchscreen, but there are some advantages and disadvantages to going either route.

The Kenwood deck would be simple and easy, possibly cheaper too... BUT, I don't want a display in the stock stereo location, and not only that I WILL want another screen in the stock navi location to display the navi on. And I honestly don't want two displays in my dash. Plus, I don't even know if the Kenwood deck would work with stock speakers and the stock sub. I would like to upgrade them at some point but not quite yet...

Question is... can I just plug a flash drive in the back of the Kenwood deck with all my music? Or a USB cable routed to the front? How about an actual external hard drive? Does the Kenwood deck have the ability to read good'ol mp3s so I can select whatever song I want?


The other option, build a custom computer and stuff it somewhere in the car, then just put a 7" display in the stock navi location. Plus here is I get my one display setup I want, and can likely keep the stock stereo (at least for now)... Plus I'm damn good with computers so I will know how to use it. I can get a navi system and software for the PC and there is plenty of in-car media software designed for the PC I can use. Only problem here is possible cost and difficulty getting a custom setup done and installed cleanly.

Or, I could just go with a nice aftermarket deck, and the Kenwood navi box by itself with the external Kenwood screen... bypassing all that money and hard work. This would probably be the cheapest option for the time-being.

What do you all think?

sintaxeror

iTrader: (3)

I love my 5120... plays my mp3's flawlessly off an 8gb thumb drive. I imagine with an DC-DC power supply you could run an external HD.

gregom

iTrader: (3)

Good to know

Can you play video off the flash drive too?

I wonder if with some cutting and fiber glass work you can get it to fit in the stock nav location...

whitemikecn

iTrader: (8)

As for the stock nav location it will be a pain in the rear end! I wouldnt even attempt it unless you have an engineering degree from MIT. Have you looked into the Pioneer Z series with the 30 gig harddrive? Check it out also.

Chris

davidz33

iTrader: (7)

Personally, I went with (kenwood W702 screen+G510 gps)+(ddx512+BT200 bluetooth). CarPC was just too much of research and reliability became an issue.

If software is not your concern, you should go with carpc setup. mp3car.com is a great source for hardwares and their advantages, disadvantages, and compatibility issues.

5120 (or 512 which is what I have) have no problem playing music off of flash or plug'nplay hard drive. Only problem comes from software bug which the unit only can read upto 10gb no matter what the capacity of your device is. I believe this issue will be solved soon. Even if this issue doesn't get solved, you can always go with iPod.

512 or 5120 can only play mpeg type videos. But I'm not 100% sure.

sintaxeror

iTrader: (3)

havent tried but i am pretty sure it will only play mpg.

Going to be a lot of cutting and fab.. many have researched that here and most have determined that the final product wouldn't look quite right due to space constraints.

Mikey-Z

iTrader: (2)

Here's my install. The comp install was easier and more reliable than I thought.

My comp's been running for 2-3 years now and the only problem that was not self-induced problem is the AGP card cable getting loose. No reinstall yet, and even if I had to, I have the most current OS partition ghosted to a backup anyway.

Space restrictions wasn't limiting - i can and do run a full atx board
Screen mount is ridiculously easy - if you have an 04. Buy the 03 nav compartment and no fab needed
Stock stereo can be kept - if you want to.
Nav is easy - install iGuidance

gregom

iTrader: (3)

Well that depends really on whats behind the stock nav location... maybe as long as there is room and no steel you'd have to cut through, just cutting up the plastic and making a fiberglass case to mold inside would work. But that would be a lot of work.

Someone who has replaced their 04-05 cubby with the 03, what did you see behind it? Think there is room for the 5120?

I haven't checked out the Pioneer Z series... i'll look into it, thanks!



This definately seems like a good option... I'd probably go with some nice aftermarket single DIN deck at some point. I like this because its cheap, simple, and I will only have one display.

BTW can your DDX512 or the 5120 for that matter play mp3s off a DVD disc? 4 GB of mp3s on one disc is better than 700 MB.



Nice install! You actually put a whole computer in there... I was looking into one of the little micro boards.

So I cant tell, where is your comp? In the trunk? How did you route the video cable because those are pretty beefy aren't they?


Thanks for the replies guys!

Mikey-Z

iTrader: (2)

Behind the driver seat, where the Bose Sub is supposed to be. Video cable is no thicker than a good quality 8ga power wire. Run it under the center console. A PC install (in a Z) is definitely less work than hacking up your dash to mount the 5120 in the stock nav compartment.

If you really just want the one screen + stock HU look, just get some kind of stand alone nav unit that has a 7" screen. Then mount it in the cubby hole. I don't know about what brands are out there now, but i'm sure there is one out there that can look quite good inside the nav cubby.

gregom

iTrader: (3)

Cool... I could probably put one in the cubby behind the passenger seat just as well so I can keep my sub. Already have all the parts, could just cannibalize an extra PC I have sitting here which isn't being used and stick it in. Only thing i'd need to buy is the display, an inverter, navigation antenna and software... sounds pretty easy actually. Plus it would be easy to remove if I get a new Z.

Or I could do the KNA-G510, but then I won't have a computer system to play my music collection and videos.

Thanks for the info... i'm leaning towards the computer since I already have those parts and they will work well for a in-car PC.

Spike100

gregom,

I read your message and would like to respond to your points and questions.

Blending a PC into a CES (Car Entertainment System) is not an easy task. CarPCs certainly provide the greatest amount of flexibility when configuring a solution. The problem you have here is it is a totally custom setup, and it requires a massive amount of research. Add to this a problem with “environment” (a car’s interior can go from minus 30 degrees F to over 125 degrees F). So you can see it is imperative to select the components carefully. This is not an issue with standard CES components, which are designed to withstand the extreme conditions in a car’s interior.

Another issue with a CarPC is selecting the optimum operating system for the applications you plan running on your car computer. You are faced with the expense of buying the operating system and the applications you want, and the additional expense of updating these applications. It can become very expensive for the value you receive.

An easier solution that is scalable is the Kenwood KOS environment. If you go with this solution, you install a central KOS Controller, and add anything you want to create a custom CES that suits your requirements. You can even add a CarPC to this arrangement for total flexibility.

Whether you want one LCD or two isn’t the issue since you can drive the entire CES with a single touch-screen monitor.

--Spike

gregom

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for your feedback... I am extremely familiar with PC's and already have a system that should work quite well for my needs. Winter doesn't get that cold here so I don't think it will be a problem, and with a little modding I'm sure i'll be able to keep it cool enough. Software isn't going to be an issue as its already running a legal copy of Windows XP which is the OS I'd use anyway. Only software i'll need to buy is the navigation software and hardware.

The Kenwood system would be simpler but is going to cost more money, and while it seems to work quite well (I played around with the 5120 at BestBuy) I will prefer the customizable interface in WinXP.

Anyway i'm probably going to go with the PC...

BTW Mikey-Z what display are you using?

Spike100

^^ Just some thoughts from personal experience…

I also write software and produce cross-platform applications for Mac and Windows, so I understand your decision.

I did a CarPC for my Z, but never liked it at all:

• The available GPS software for PC’s is really slow and provides poor guidance. Garmin’s GPS application software is really fast, intuitive, and just great.
• The co$t for GPS software is greater for PC implementation than what you pay for the same on a Garmin device. And… it is weak on a PC and powerful on a Garmin device.
• Integrating a CarPC into a CES is expensive, unpredictable, and very time consuming.
• When planning a CarPC, it often appears a bargain until its final implementation, which often runs way over the initial cost estimate.

--Spike

Mikey-Z

iTrader: (2)

One of the Lilliput screens. 229 maybe... I forget.

Good luck with the comp. Be prepared though... from the people I know who've tried it (both online and locally) quite a few run into some kind of problem. Just read the worklogs on mp3car.com to see the many 'unfinished' projects on there. Don't say I didn't warn you about malfunctioning m2-atx power supplies, burned out lilliput screens, and GPS dongles that won't work off a USB hub .

I installed mine from test bench to car in one weekend. But then again, I got that stubborn one-track-mind that won't leave until the job is done and I was willing to use hot-glue where needed heh. I also spent hours on the mp3car.com boards just soaking up info before buying the gear.

Most of the time I spent on mine was tweaking the OS, trying front ends, looking on the boards, altering skins, flashing 'boot' images to the mobo, installing different plug-ins, integrating external apps, etc. Even now, there's a few more things I want to add that I just don't feel like doing in the summer.

Can you put together a working comp, install an OS and have it running off your car battery in a few hours? Sure why not - probably only take a few hours if you tested it properly before running the wires and if you know what you're doing.

Will you be satisfied with the result though - knowing you can always tinker with it a little bit more? Probably not hehe.

Spike100

^^ You did a great job describing the CarPC venture.

Devising and installing a CarPC becomes as much a hobby as a solution. The job is never quite done, and goes on forever. I believe that is what makes CarPC’s attractive to some. The enthusiast loves to tinker with software and hardware as they work to integrate a computer into a car’s CES.

But, consider this: Do you really want to sit inside a car and run a computer? Or, would you rather have a reliable GPS, music and video player, and fun add-ons such as rearview camera?

Certainly a computer provides a rich environment of functions; but in the end, a 7” monitor isn’t adequate for the majority of PC software applications. Most programmers write applications for a minimum size screen that is 12”. And you must consider the fact that PC components are not designed for the harsh temperature extremes of a car’s interior.

--Spike

gregom

iTrader: (3)

Well guys I got lost today in the city I work so I got pissed off enough and just went out and bought a Garmin Nuvi 5000. Got it home and with the work of a dremel managed to squeeze it inside the stock navi location. Just need to clean up the wiring later.... but it works perfectly. Will be great not having to waste 15-20 minutes tomorrow trying to find my way around.

It's not that I don't think I can get a computer working I just don't have time for it right now... plus this is just quick and easy which is what I need right now.

Anyway, check out a few pics after the install...