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I stream XM all day at work and I have to flip my phone upside down in the cradle so that I can use the Y-cable to play the stream through my speakers. I've always hated this because, 1. it defeats the purpose of the cradle and 2. the phone is upside down.
So I tried to get smart this weekend and adopt my OEM audio Y-cable to my cheap $10 ebay cradle I bought a while ago so that I could listen to audio while the phone was docked.
That was a big mistake.
I snapped the PCB board in half and now I've got no cradle and no Y-cable for audio. So after hours of searching, I FINALLY found a cradle that has the correct USB connector, thus allowing an audio out.
http://search.stores.ebay.com/Premi...sooZ1QQfsopZ3QQsaselZ840472QQsbrsrtZdQQsofpZ0
I just ordered it and so I haven't tested it, but the connector is the right shape, so I have confidence that it will work. I only wanted to get this link up there for those who have been searching for this.
I think maybe you got too technical. When I bought my touch it came with 2 types of Y-cable one for power/3.5mm? audio connections and the other for power/usb headphones that came with my touch. I would have just plugged that into the usb port in the back of the cradle and powered it by my computer.
But since you showed a link to ebay - here is another store called the Naked Cell Phone in ebay stores. My link goes right to the HTC Touch accessories he has. and his cradles can accommodate a second spare battery. Worth a look.
Naked Cellphone HTC Touch accessories
On the left side are other options to other phones and accessories.
Have a great day
Maine Notary Net
mainenotarynet said:
I think maybe you got too technical. When I bought my touch it came with 2 types of Y-cable one for power/3.5mm? audio connections and the other for power/usb headphones that came with my touch. I would have just plugged that into the usb port in the back of the cradle and powered it by my computer.
But since you showed a link to ebay - here is another store called the Naked Cell Phone in ebay stores. My link goes right to the HTC Touch accessories he has. and his cradles can accommodate a second spare battery. Worth a look.
Naked Cellphone HTC Touch accessories
On the left side are other options to other phones and accessories.
Have a great day
Maine Notary Net
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Click to collapse
you're talking about this, right?
http://cgi.ebay.com/BATTERY-CHARGER...sidZp1742.m153.l1262?_trksid=p1742.m153.l1262
It doesn't allow you to play audio through external speakers and/or listen to the headphones while docked. While at work, I like for my phone to be upright so that I can see the screen.
I don't know what is so technical about wanting to have your phone in a docking station, where it is upright, and elevated from a surface and still have the ability to play audio through external speakers.
That looks like the one but it does not show the back -- didn't know if it had a miniUSB on the back.
Just trying to help
mainenotarynet said:
That looks like the one but it does not show the back -- didn't know if it had a miniUSB on the back.
Just trying to help
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Click to collapse
it's not the back connection that is the problem. it's the cradle connection. the part where the phone connects to the cradle has to be the d-sub pin layout. htc has pins on both sides, whereas miniUSB only has one side. the pins on the opposite side are for audio. regardless of how the back is wired, without the proper connection, you won't get audio out while docked.
I tried to rig something but ended up futzing everything up.
640k - did this docking station work for your intended purpose?
I'd like to pick up a dock, and was wondering about your experience.
Thank you.
harley! said:
640k - did this docking station work for your intended purpose?
I'd like to pick up a dock, and was wondering about your experience.
Thank you.
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Click to collapse
works perfectly well. definitely allows me to play all audio with teh phone upright. it includes ports for power and usb too, so it seems like you get the full function of the mini usb port with it.
my only gripe is the dock itself. it's a little clumsy to get the phone in and out and i find myself hitting the camera button when i remove the phone.
the dock also prevents use of the d-pad. which seems minor with a touch screen, but some apps respond better from the d-pad (or sometimes it's just easier). you can go up, left and right, but you cannot press down, even though it is visible.
the dock is also 2-3x the size of the phone which may be a turnoff for some people but the build seems to be quality.
however, it's definitely worth the $15. it comes with a charger and a usb cable. the audio out is a standard 3.5mm jack, so even if you don't want to play music through your computer speakers, you could always hook up headphones.
Got one!
I quite like this dock. I run "My Mobiler" on my desktop, so I can access the phone using my monitor/mouse/keyboard.
Now I can use the phone as my media player, transfer files, install apps, and (in theory) answer my phone calls hands-free using the on-board mic and my speakers. Haven't tried the last yet...
Thanks for the tip on this one, just ordered one for my car dock. Gotta love last.fm and podcasts for the commute streaming from Android on my touch!
just an fyi, the usb connection on this dock doesn't seem to be working for me anymore. i need to crack it open to see if i can find what's wrong. but i get intermediate connections and the phone goes in and out of being connected. not sure what the problem is, but i haven't used teh dock in a few weeks.
Cool i might get this. Been looking for a dock for a LONGGGGG time
Yikes, $18.00 shipping to Canada.
Cradle...
I got a deal where the usb/pc cradle, car cradle, 2 car power adapters, 2 wall chargers, 2 usb sync cables, and a soft case, and 3 pen/styluses all shipped for like $29, from Premiertek.net thru their ebay store, it also came with a belt holster that is kinda wonky but I really only wanted the 2 cradles anyway and I use my BlackBerry Perl's holster, cuz with my case it fits perfect. so I'm stoked, it allows for speakers on the usb pc cradle, and hands free built in on the car cradle... sweet. now I need to find a better mini audio plug to 3/8 sound adapter to use with the car cradle, mine only picks up the left channel.... but I have already confirmed it is my mini/3/8 adapter and not the cradles..
Anyone tried this on a vogue with android flashed?, want to know if audio out is all good.
640k said:
just an fyi, the usb connection on this dock doesn't seem to be working for me anymore. i need to crack it open to see if i can find what's wrong. but i get intermediate connections and the phone goes in and out of being connected. not sure what the problem is, but i haven't used teh dock in a few weeks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I feel bad for anyone still using a Vogue. That phone was a nightmare compared to my D1. This cradle is/was junk. I don't know/remember what the failure was, but I'm glad to have moved on. Hopefully you guys can upgrade soon. Get an Android phone, any of them. you'll be pleasantly surprised.
640k said:
I feel bad for anyone still using a Vogue. That phone was a nightmare compared to my D1. This cradle is/was junk. I don't know/remember what the failure was, but I'm glad to have moved on. Hopefully you guys can upgrade soon. Get an Android phone, any of them. you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We have one
*M* said:
We have one
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Click to collapse
lol - it's true!
Hello,
I'm looking for two things:
1) What is the best available anti-reflective/anti-glare screen film for the Streak 5?
2) I am trying to mount my Streak in a cradle. I'm planning to use a RAM mounting system and a slightly modified car cradle, but I'd like to also hook it up to power. The catch is, I'd like the "power" cord to run toward the back of the Streak as opposed to out the side. I'm not above making or modifying one, but I can't find a bare PDMI connector anywhere. I have two USB cables but it doesn't look like I could easily open one up to modify it. Are one of these cheap Chinese cables easier to open and modify?
Thanks!
Hey all! It's been a while since someone posted any vehicle install pics in this forum, so I thought I'd catch you all up on a little project of mine. I started it earlier this year, but now have it almost completed. Some of this was previously posted on another forum, so I apologize in advance if something doesn't make sense or seems out of context. I'll fill in any gaps, and answer any questions you may have.
I started with a car dock for my phone attached to a Bracketron mount. I'll be able to tether the phone's internet access with the Android tablet I'll be using as a head unit.
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I'm going to be using a rooted Nook Color, and in order to fit it in place, I needed to move the HVAC controls. After pulling the center bezel off and looking around, it appeared that the controls could be moved down after a little cutting and duct modification. Here is the end result after fabbing a pair of new brackets. I've still got to make a new surround to fill the gap.
In addition to the Nook, I'm adding a Hifonics HFEQ. This will allow me fine control over the signal being sent to the amps. I can switch between inputs and use it as the main volume control.
The approximate position of the Nook...
I'm using a tablet mount from RAM, and I've got to figure out a good way to mount it. That's coming up soon!
Now one last thing. I have a bluetooth OBDII reader installed for the Nook. I reversed the plug and bent it up slightly to keep it out of the way. I'll be able to use an Android app called Torque to read all relevent Jeep data.
Update time! I needed to get the Nook mount in place, and modify the center bezel. I had a lot of options when it came to mounting, but I wanted to keep it simple, and by default reliable. If it won't take abuse, it's not worth putting in a Jeep. So, I decided to utilize my existing Quadratec iVault. It has served me well for the past year or so, and now it was getting a few more holes... The idea was to eventually make a storage compartment behind the face, and use the face itself to hold the RAM mount. Now, I do realize that nothing is ever truly safe in a Jeep, but there are times I need to stash something quickly while running in to a store. The Nook itself would likely get put in there.
So, let's start with the mods. Due to the mounting points in the RAM, I needed to move the existing iVault lock to the left. I drilled a hole, and shaped it with my Dremel. This was the result.
Now I needed to make a few holes for the RAM mount.
Now finally the mount and iVault face are bolted together.
It was time for a test fit. As you can see, it attaches nicely. Now one could argue about the aesthetics of it's spacing away from the the bezel as it is, but it works well for me. It's within easy reach, and most importantly, nothing is blocked. That was a priority here. I've seen installs where the vents are unusable, or the HVAC controls are inaccessible. That may technically work, but I couldn't live with it. There was no way I wanted to sacrifice any function just to do something cool. That's also the reason the Nook isn't more tightly integrated into the bezel. It needs to be easily removable, and make for easy maintenance should it be needed.
Now, let's take a look at the Hifonics EQ. It's very easy to use in this location, but I'm not sure the pic is doing it justice. I have to do something about the gap above it though. I can't just shove a fill plate in there and call it good. I've got to fix it the right way. You can see the hole I added for access to the iVault lock.
So, it was time to do a little cutting. I've got everything marked out and ready for the Dremel.
After the cuts...
Let's clamp that piece in place...
I cut a piece of plexi to fit behind the hole, and epoxied it in place. Once the epoxy cures, it will get smoothed out with a fiberglass reinforced Bondo.
After a few light layers of Bondo and subsequent sanding, I gave it a quick shot of primer. Here you can see the fresh primer still in the process of drying. A few more coats and it will be like glass. I dare you to say it doesn't look completely OEM.
The last thing I did was reassemble everything to triple check fitment. It all looks good, so it's on to mounting the EQ solidly, and getting a fill plate made for the HVAC. Then it's painting and final assembly!
Well, after not doing much for a week, I tried to be productive last night. I swapped cases on my Nook Color to something more appropriate for the Jeep. I still need to get some hardwiring done, and also build custom touch contacts for docking. I'm just waiting on some parts from Mouser.com.
When I last left off, I was waiting for a few parts to arrive. Once they did, I set out to make the Nook easily docked in the Jeep. A lot of the more expensive tablets, such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab, make docking a breeze. Of course you have to spend nearly twice as much on the tablet to do so. That would defeat the purpose of doing this mod in the first place. Affordable and durable are 2 very important criteria here, and I've got to stick to the concept.
So, let's address the power issues first. The Nook needs to be able to be charged once it's in the cradle, and there's no way I was willing to plug/unplug in a power cord every time I wanted to take it in or out. The tablet is supposed to simplify things while bringing more features. If I can't accomplish that, then I was better off leaving a regular head unit in place. I wanted to just grab it and go.
Getting power to the Nook started with one of these. It's a micro USB plug with a board and solder points. You can see a test fit with the Nook in the cradle.
Next I had to mark out a small area that needed notching. This would allow the USB plug to seat fully in the Nook.
After the notching...
Okay, so now it was time to figure out a way to mount the plug to the cradle. I needed something simple, strong, and clean. I decided to bend some plexi and cut it to size.
Now that I had a mounting system in place, it was time to wire the plug. The method you see below allows for a USB extension cable to be added easily to the cradle.
In the next update I'll finish the power dock, and move on to a revised dash mount (I'm never satisfied!)
I've got a sneak peek at the almost finished install here. The biggest addition is stainless steel bar that now sits in front of the EQ. This bar will help protect it from bouncing and stray objects or people. The bar also serves a secondary purpose. It does a pretty good job of hiding the EQ from anyone peering in the windows when the top is on. Although I didn't get pics of the process, the bar is fastened to aluminum plates that are epoxied behind the bezel. It's pretty strong, and certainly isn't going anywhere.
It may be subtle, but you might also notice the tablet and mount are now sitting closer to the dash than in previous pics. I redesigned the mount and made it more secure while giving it a cleaner look.
With most of the work done, I'm now going to focus on a few smaller details. I'll cover that and finish this update in an upcoming post.
Touch contacts... I've mentioned them several times in the past, and now I've finally got a few pics to show you what I'm talking about. First though, my reasoning for implementing them. For it's price, the Nook Color is a brilliant piece of hardware. It's solidly built, and has a better screen than most tablets over twice it's price. The cheaper cost makes for a few missing features compared to other tablets, but when you consider this is marketed as an e-reader, it's pretty understandable. I've mentioned how I couldn't justify spending more on an Android tablet that would see some potential abuse. So, I had to get creative to overcome what the Nook was missing, particularly a docking port of some kind. If you've got to plug and unplug cables into the tablet each time you get in and out, it becomes a huge pain. You've already seen me fab a micro-usb connecter into a tablet dock. Now it was time to move on to the audio.
I've used these touch contacts from Mouser.com on other computer modding projects, and knew they would be perfect for what I'm trying to do here.
One of the most important aspects of this mod, was that I wouldn't have to change anything on the Nook itself. I wanted to leave it structurally intact. Should anything happen to the Nook, and I need to get it replaced, I won't have to redo any of my work. It also means I could sell it if I want, and not affect it's value in anyway. The Trident case I chose for the Nook is a critical part of this mod, and was bought specifically with this in mind.
Here I've found a flat, open area, and marked it for cutting.
A little time with the Dremel and a file left me with a perfect fit...
Up next, was a custom cable made from an angled 3.5mm plug and length of USB wire. (I only needed 3 conductor wire, but chose to use this due to it's increased thickness.)
Although I didn't take a picture of it, to fit the cable in the case, I drilled a small hole in one end, and used the Dremel to create a very shallow channel behind the case to route the wires to the touch contact. I soldered the wires to the contact, and put the case on the Nook.
As you can see above, the fit is excellent, and the function is even better. The case is removable without harming the Nook, and I've not compromised functionality in anyway. When the tablet is out of the Jeep, the contacts are unobtrusive, and should I need to use headphones, I can simply unplug without affecting anything.
Up next, the dock will get some contacts of it's own...
As promised, the dock now has contacts. It couldn't have been simpler. I cut a rectangle to fit the touch contacts, epoxied it in place from the back, and soldered on a 3.5mm plug. The dock was reinstalled in the dash, and I was done!
So, what now? We'll I plan on taking some video of how easy it is to dock, and some of the tablet's basic features. That should give you some idea of how well things really work together, and why I really love this setup.
Looks like a solid install. Awesome work!
spamolamo said:
Looks like a solid install. Awesome work!
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Click to collapse
Thanks! It is very solid, and a great solution overall for a vehicle like the Wrangler. Any other vehicle and I would have integrated it into the dash itself. It didn't make sense to do that here, but I wanted to make sure it was more custom than 'just throwing a dock on the dash.'
holy cow.....very nice!
Very well done. I especially like the contacts for the audio. nice touch.
Nice to see you over this side as well. Love the work. I'm thinking about doing it more and more I see it.
misterbbq said:
holy cow.....very nice!
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Click to collapse
Thank you! I always try to keep my work clean. The irony is that the Jeep itself its rarely clean.
grindill said:
Very well done. I especially like the contacts for the audio. nice touch.
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Click to collapse
Thanks. I wanted it to be easy to use. In or out, and just go. Who wants to spend time messing with cables?
dna59 said:
Nice to see you over this side as well. Love the work. I'm thinking about doing it more and more I see it.
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Click to collapse
Haha, yeah, posting this here was long overdue. Just do it... you know you wanna!
Wow I love it. Nice work
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Nice looking install! Interesting too as I've been considering something similar in one of my cars.
is the USB going to be for charging only, or are you planning on adding a USB GPS unit? (assuming nook will do host USB)
If the USB is going to be for charging only you can improve the charging rate by shorting the two data pins (the inner ones) - the millom will then show"AC" when it shows "charging" on the status panel, and will draw more than 500mA which is what it limits itself to from a normal USB port. Its not as fast as the stock wall charger but still an improvement.
cchant said:
Wow I love it. Nice work
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
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Thanks man!
w0mbl3 said:
Nice looking install! Interesting too as I've been considering something similar in one of my cars.
is the USB going to be for charging only, or are you planning on adding a USB GPS unit? (assuming nook will do host USB)
If the USB is going to be for charging only you can improve the charging rate by shorting the two data pins (the inner ones) - the millom will then show"AC" when it shows "charging" on the status panel, and will draw more than 500mA which is what it limits itself to from a normal USB port. Its not as fast as the stock wall charger but still an improvement.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Nook is set up to use host mode. I've got the cable and adapters, but haven't installed them yet. I planned ahead so it's a simple plug and play from cables I can reach through my glove box. I am experimenting with a SSD based hot swap usb device. It 'usually' works, but I'm going to do some more testing before I go ahead with it. I've got around 40gb of music I'd like accessible at all times if I'm going to do it right.
I know that it's a little slow to charge this way, but it's never been an issue. The power to the Nook is a 12v constant tapped into the OEM stereo harness. I do have a shut off switch if I don't drive the Jeep for extended periods, but otherwise it's always on. The power draw is so minimal that I'm not in the least concerned about battery drainage. If it did happen, then I'd want to replace the battery anyway, as it has no business in my Jeep.
I don't use a USB based GPS device, I use a bluetooth one instead. It's mounted above the driver side visor, and powered via a USB cable ran through the windshield frame. It only charges while driving though. It's attached with velcro should I need to easily remove it. Here is a pic.
craigbru said:
I know that it's a little slow to charge this way, but it's never been an issue. The power to the Nook is a 12v constant tapped into the OEM stereo harness.
I don't use a USB based GPS device, I use a bluetooth one instead. It's mounted above the driver side visor, and powered via a USB cable ran through the windshield frame. It only charges while driving though. It's attached with velcro should I need to easily remove it. Here is a pic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
12v? Does that work ok? I experimentally modified a USB charger as test of the AC-charging thing, but hard wiring to switched 12v would be easier.
After my post I searched here on XDA and came across the BT adapters - much easier than USB, plus I can wire in a decent GPS antenna inside the dash. What model is your GPS unit and does the BT have the range to pair reliably? I've seen a few posts saying it only works a few inches
Thanks for the info and posting the install !
w0mbl3 said:
12v? Does that work ok? I experimentally modified a USB charger as test of the AC-charging thing, but hard wiring to switched 12v would be easier.
After my post I searched here on XDA and came across the BT adapters - much easier than USB, plus I can wire in a decent GPS antenna inside the dash. What model is your GPS unit and does the BT have the range to pair reliably? I've seen a few posts saying it only works a few inches
Thanks for the info and posting the install !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I should clarify. I'm using one of these wired to constant 12v. The Nook is receiving a standard 5 volts from a USB cable.
I'm using this adapter, and it's been flawless. It picks up the GPS signal quickly, and pairing takes only a second. It's kept it's pairing at a distance of about 5 feet during testing, but as it sits in the Jeep, it's only about 2 feet away. I've never had it lose connection.
What nav software do you use? I'm wondering if the bluetooth GPS works with Co-Piolt or Navigon? I do not want to use google because i'm on a 200mb data plan.
222psm said:
What nav software do you use? I'm wondering if the bluetooth GPS works with Co-Piolt or Navigon? I do not want to use google because i'm on a 200mb data plan.
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Click to collapse
I'm currently using Google, but I'm caching the maps. I've not tried it with other software yet, but I'd certainly like to. It's on my list of things yet to do.
While I already have this posted over at Rootzwiki, I figured it would make sense to post it over here for the wider audience. There may be some parts missing from here (copying useful parts over, and the thread covers a few months), but the full thread can easily be found. I am using Timur's ROM, and installing the Nexus into my 2006 Audi A4. Ever since I bought the car I have been annoyed/disappointed with the factory stereo, for one thing it has a tape deck (why a car made in 2006 has a tape deck, is something that will forever confuse me). It also has no bluetooth, no GPS, no way to add an aux input except using a cassette type adaptor. All in all, its pretty limited. My options for replacing it were either an RNS-E ($800+) or an aftermarket unit (cost of aftermarket unit + approximately $200 in wiring to get it functional).
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I have already replaced everything downstream of the head unit, starting with a JBL MS8, I then have a pair of Alpine amplifiers running all of my speakers. The sound is good, but just something about the original head unit always bugged me. On an Audi forum I am a member of, I recently saw someone had mentioned they were looking to install an iPad into their dash. That got the wheels turning, and before you know it. I was holding my wifes Kindle Fire up to the dash.
Since the fitment was good, I decided to go ahead with the project. Bought a 16GB Nexus 7, I went with the 16GB because I don't plan to store a whole lot on the tablet itself. I also started ordering a bunch of supplies that I would need:
Dash kit
12V DC-DC Regulator
Fuse Tap
OTG Cable
USB Hub
90 degree mini USB connector
Sabre USB-DAC
I thought about leaving the Nexus stock for a couple weeks, but after about a day rooted it and flashed with Timur's USB ROM. I removed my stock head unit from the car, plugged the JBL MS8 into the 3.5mm output, and nothing. I then realized that the MS8 currently gets a remote turn on signal from my OEM head unit. Currently I am trying to locate a switchable 12V somewhere, but likely will end up using the fuse tap.
Here is where things look so far:
The kit is not pushed all the way back in, this was really just for test fitment purposes. Since I don't yet have the fuse tap, I want to keep my OEM head unit in there for a couple more weeks. Mental note: If you think you are going to sneeze when using a Dremel, switch off the Dremel:
In order to get the Nexus to sit flush, I had to dremel off some material on the back of the dash kit. The scratch is only noticeable at certain angles, but I may well pick up another dash kit at some point. Once my 90 degree USB connector arrives I need to figure out which of the area's in red below I need to cut some away from. They are simply plastic, that I think help hold the stock head unit in place. So I should be able to cut a notch out for the USB cable to go through:
That's about the extent of my progress for now. As I am currently waiting on a few things to arrive in the mail. Ultimately I will have the Nexus semi permanent in the dash (I want to be able to remove it if parked in high crime areas), USB-OTG cable plugged in, then a USB hub, with the USB-DAC sending signal to the MS8, and an iPod flashed with Rockbox as external storage in the glovebox for music. I plan to use my cell phone and bluetooth tethering for streaming music / navigation. At some point I am also going to pick up a Connects2 harness and Joycon to retain my steering wheel controls, and am also keeping an eye on the useage of an easycap in order to add a back up cam.
Original Rootzwiki Link: http://rootzwiki.com/topic/39361-2006-audi-a4-in-dash-install/
Edit: Had a few people asking me for the launcher, it should now be attached to this post. The black border was in order to keep the image centralized on my home screen. Along with this image I just used UCCW to create hotspots for opening the apps.
Bit of an update from today...
Safety first when working on the car.
Pulled out the glovebox, knee bolster on the drivers side and trunk trim in order to run wiring. I had to run a new remote turn on wire to my MS8 as there is no switchable 12v in the trunk. Power and ground to the fuse box area, and I wanted to run a USB extension into the glovebox for my flash drive.
For now I ended up removing the inline fuse that I was using behind the fuse box on the 12v going to the 12v regulator, I may add it again, but have it tapped into a fused circuit, so not sure I need to.
I got 99% of things working today, my ground wire to the USB hub needs to be re-done. The wires are so thin that the splice was not working, for now I just have them twisted together. I did get music playing through the MS8, and my USB flash drive was mounting fine. The other issue I am running into is when I turn off the ignition, the hub loses power instantly, causing the Nexus to give me a warning about improper removal of USB storage. I am trying to find out if there is a way to use Tasker to unmount the storage. But, I don't think I can get it to work, as the second the ignition goes off, the hub loses power. I may just have to manually unmount each time (which sucks).
The other thing is that I need to trim some more plastic to the right of the tablet, due to the 90 degree micro USB adapter, and charger cable, the dash trim does not seem to fit in properly. I am planning to finish these pieces up tomorrow, and then see how it does with my commute to work on Tuesday.
Last update for the weekend, mostly working.
I glued a couple small pieces of foam at the top to push the Nexus outwards, I may add something to the bottom as well to make it sit a little more flush. Somewhat afraid to remove it at the moment though, due to the USB issue with the cable being knocked slightly causing it to lose connection. I do want to think of a solution though, as like I said, I want to be able to remove it from the car.
Took a quick test drive into town and back (about 30 miles of driving) audio / power did not cut out at all. Battery went from 78% when I left, and was back up to 83% when I got home. Spent half the time streaming music from the flash drive, the other half streaming over Slacker using Bluetooth tethered to my cell phone.
Next steps are to save up for a CAN-BUS interface, and then pick up a Joycon. Having had to change the volume via the screen, I want to use steering wheel controls. It's difficult to accurately adjust the volume, so I want the steering wheel option back. I also need to try and think of what to do with the USB. If I can find a charger cable with a shorter plug section, that may work as I can remove the 90 degree bend. But, most I have looked (I have 3 different kinds laying around the house) all have a similar length to them. I also need to re-calibrate my MS8, the center image is slightly off to the left with the Nexus. I am also likely going to refine my Tasker profiles at some point.
The one issue I did have after going for a drive, was that the Nexus froze when I got home. I am 99.9% sure it was my fault though. When I was running wires, I had the battery disconnected, which caused my key-fob remote to be out of sync with the car. To sync it back up, you put it in the ignition, turn the ignition on, push the lock button, then turn the ignition off again. I did this in fairly quick sequence, which I think caused Tasker to lock up as it was still powering everything on, when I removed power again. I had to pop the dash trim off, and reboot using the power button. Working fine now though (still need to sync the key).
I drilled a larger hole today for my new USB cable (the hole is a mess as I had to use my Dremel, and there is 0 room to work there, especially as the tan piece to the right is a visible piece of the dash that I don't want to tear up):
What's annoying is that while USPS say my new cable has been delivered, it's not in my mailbox
Next thing I need to do is figure out a better way to make the Nexus sit flush against the bezel. I could tape it, but would prefer not to do that. In the first picture above, the blue box is around a piece that I glued some foam to, but it came off (I only used a small amount of glue). I may go this route again, the only other option is to try to fabricate some kind of hook system to the back of the bezel, but I am there is not much room on the back:
The advantage to making some kind of hook system though, is that it will likely hold the tablet nicely against the bezel, and make it a little easier for removal/installaiton. You can see in the bottom right of the bezel where I had to cut a section out, this kept pushing on the power / volume rocker when I was installing it in the car causing it to either end up muted, or power off.
I wish that cable were in my mailbox!! I might try to get things working in its current configuration at least for my drive to work tomorrow. Chances are I will get annoyed with it cutting out though, and give in.
Edit: So, just went down to the garage to take a look at things. Seems like I need a new OTG cable, I was looking at the male end of mine that would plug into the Nexus, and noticed it at a slight angle, if I touch it, I see it spark. Not sure if that's a result of it being a cheap Chinese cable, or the plug being pushed at an angle by the dash. Either way it means I am now having to find another OTG Y-cable, which I will be lucky to get before Monday. I may try to look inside at the pins, just to make sure there is not something that has fallen in there causing a short. But, at the same time am not sure I want to risk my equipment on it.
Thankfully I can use my phone to listen to music on the way to work and back.
Here is my awesome fix for getting rid of the gap:
Yes, that is elastic from some underwear. LOL. I did not want to buy some elastic if it did not work, so figured what the heck, use some elastic from some boxer shorts. Works perfectly, holds the Nexus up against the bezel, and is strong enough that I can hold onto the plastic with the Nexus in there, and it won't fall out.
The gap that is left though is due to a slight curvature in the bezel:
Currently I am not sure what to do about that piece, if I try to sand it flat then I essentially am going to have to sand the top and bottom lip away almost completely. I have a new trim piece coming that should match the interior a little better, not sure if that is curved or not yet though, if it is as well, I may just deal with that piece. When it's in the car it's not too bad, and I don't know that I want to eliminate the bottom/top lip to have that piece flat.
Also, since I don't think I posted this picture yet, here is the downward facing micro USB cable from usbfirewire.com:
Some new parts arrived today, first new trim piece, this matches the dash perfectly. I just hope I can get it to work as it seems deeper than my current one.
Also my Joycon arrived, with pre-shrunk heat shrink... LOL. We have had unseasonably warm temperature here the last 2 days (90F) so I think the heat shrink did what it was supposed to do.
Finally the CAN-BUS adapter arrived as well.
I am hoping to get the Joycon installed this evening
After getting the Joycon installed, I also went ahead and ended up ordering a DCDC-USB, I had been having various odd issues and it turns out that most of them were a combination of poor power, and poor connections. I created a pigtail to connect to the DCDC-USB that has 2 female USB ports, one of them provides power to the hub, the other to the Nexus. Also running a Jabra Journey to route phone calls through. Charging rate is awesome, my battery typically gets to full during a single drive to work, and remains full all week long. Here is how the Nexus currently sits in the dash:
And here is a launcher I am working on:
It's supposed to mimic the RNS-E, so far it's not quite where I want it to be as I want to use %MTRACK to have a basic text of what song is playing, and not use the current widget. Apart from that though I am pretty happy with it.
Next things to do are to try and program a button on my steering wheel to activate voice search on the Nexus, possibly a back up camera and that's about it really.
Pretty neat!
Very cool! You made me LOL when I saw the Hanes. :good:
bhess said:
Pretty neat!
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Thanks.
~wolverine~ said:
You made me LOL when I saw the Hanes. :good:
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Haha yep, that worked surprisingly well for holding the Nexus in place!
That looks pretty darn good man! From a fellow A4 owner (06 A4) I got stuck with the symphony II as well and was looking to upgrade to the RNS-E but I just don't know if i wanna pay that much, but i do prefer the OEM look over aftermarket. Looking how you got this thing set up and diggin the RNS look a like launcher, I might just need to get another nexus and have a side project. Subbed man! Will be willing to share the launcher? Keep us posted!
So what are you doing to keep your n7 from getting so hot in such a confined and unventilated space?
Awesome mate.:good:
Very nice build. A lot better than my setup in a 98 Dakota Sport (cheap eBay dock and an old droid 2)
Sent from my XT907 using xda premium
Freshtojeff said:
That looks pretty darn good man! From a fellow A4 owner (06 A4) I got stuck with the symphony II as well and was looking to upgrade to the RNS-E but I just don't know if i wanna pay that much, but i do prefer the OEM look over aftermarket. Looking how you got this thing set up and diggin the RNS look a like launcher, I might just need to get another nexus and have a side project. Subbed man! Will be willing to share the launcher? Keep us posted!
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I kept looking to upgrade to the RNS-E as well, but it's typically $800 cost, plus the wiring harness costs required put me off. I can definitely share the launcher, I am still working on it some, but as soon as I am happy with it can send you a copy. It's the 1st launcher I have put together, so a bit of trial and error at the moment. I would need to figure out a way to share it all as one thing, at the moment it's a combination of a background, and UCCW widgets. If nothing else, I can certainly help you getting it set up on your Nexus.
CreepyE said:
So what are you doing to keep your n7 from getting so hot in such a confined and unventilated space?
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Absolutely nothing, well, I put a sunshade up in my windshield, but that's it. So far I have had no issues with it, and that has been with the 100F+ temperatures that the inside of the car can see in the Virginia summer. I thought about modifying the A/C ductwork that runs behind/above the tablet, but at the moment see no real need to do so.
naiku said:
I kept looking to upgrade to the RNS-E as well, but it's typically $800 cost, plus the wiring harness costs required put me off. I can definitely share the launcher, I am still working on it some, but as soon as I am happy with it can send you a copy. It's the 1st launcher I have put together, so a bit of trial and error at the moment. I would need to figure out a way to share it all as one thing, at the moment it's a combination of a background, and UCCW widgets. If nothing else, I can certainly help you getting it set up on your Nexus.
Absolutely nothing, well, I put a sunshade up in my windshield, but that's it. So far I have had no issues with it, and that has been with the 100F+ temperatures that the inside of the car can see in the Virginia summer. I thought about modifying the A/C ductwork that runs behind/above the tablet, but at the moment see no real need to do so.
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Great work I installed one in my friend b6 a4
Good work on this Audi, seems original not custom made. Congratulations!
Excuse my ignorance, but the CAN-BUS adapter is used with the Joycon? The Joycon does not function as a steering wheel control on its own?
TampaChris said:
Excuse my ignorance, but the CAN-BUS adapter is used with the Joycon? The Joycon does not function as a steering wheel control on its own?
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The Joycon only reads resistance based signals, which CAN-BUS is not, so the adapter essentially takes the CAN-BUS signal and converts it into a resistance type signal that the Joycon is then able to interpret.
naiku said:
The Joycon only reads resistance based signals, which CAN-BUS is not, so the adapter essentially takes the CAN-BUS signal and converts it into a resistance type signal that the Joycon is then able to interpret.
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I just bought a joycon for my mazda 3. Do i need this adapter? i thought i can go from the steering wheel harness into the joycon into the USB hub. Will this not work?
Hello. I have an SWM 8802 that has audio which went kablooey. So I need some advice on a replacement head if necessary.
[Background] I came back from picking up my car from inspection, stopped at a store, let a song finish, and the audio just went dead while the rest of the head remained on. Over a few weeks I reset the hardware connectors to the back of the unit, even rewired the blue wire from my 07 Civic EX with premium sound (uses a stock factory amp by Clarion) and antenna wire. When I set it up initially about a year ago I had to tap in to a very small gauge wire from the harness to get audio. Now I still held on to my factory radio and connected that to only the stock harnesses (and without the blue antenna wire that led to my SWM 8802), and I was able to get audio. [/Background]
I ordered a replacement wire but am looking at listings on Ebay for cheap touchscreen units. I noticed that those under $40 seem to have a similar look and feel to Android, but do not list "Android" in their listings, yet others list Windows CE (which I hear is outdated). Looking closely at some of them and doing Google-fu I also notice some no-name touchscreens like the 7651D also seem a bit old. So while some of these units have an Android look and feel, do they really run Android at all? I purchased my SWM 8802 to have the ability to download a few apps and experiment with it, but I could never get the GPS and mirror link working constantly. I use my car to only drive locally during the week, but may take it out further on the weekend when going to thrift stores and such. I already have a backup camera and would like to use it for that, the Radio, and for Bluetooth for answering calls. It would be nice to have GPS tid to the unit instead of having to look at both the head unit screen AND my phone. Everything else wouldn't be used as much.
So my question is this: Based on my needs, is it worth paying extra for a head unit that fully features Android, or could I get away with a cheaper unit that doesn't advertise as having it?