Database Develop

Car kit done

I got my car kit done a few weeks ago, but still haven't found the time to put together an article on it. Here are the photos I took, though, feel free to ask questions if you like.
This project is not trivial and took a lot of time. It could be easier if you're willing to settle for more simplicity, like only getting sound out. I wanted to have sound, serial, power, the works. It requires the ability to solder small connectors and skill with a Dremel (high speed rotary tool). Basically I took one of the charging adapters apart to get the connector, and duplicated the mounting plate for it inside the cradle using a CD-ROM case cover. Some of the fitment is pretty tight, so you have to have a steady hand with the Dremel. The mount you see on the rear of the cradle is a leftover from a Nokia kit I believe. It is a standard car cell mount which can be purchased in many forms from many sources. There are also flexible pole mounts and others available.
The end result is that I can drop the XDA into the cradle in the car and it is charged, the Pharos GPS is connected (via the PS/2 connector you see), and stereo output is provided via the three-conductor jack on the back of the cradle. I am using the built-in microphone, after some experimentation with other options. It appears the XDA needs a high level microphone input, a straight microphone does not work. This sounds fine to most callers, but it means that I can't put the device into "car" mode which means you also get sound from the speaker on the device.
Hmmm, unfortunately, I can't find the pic I shot of it actually mounted in the car, so I'll shoot that tomorrow and post it.
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Respect, very well done!

Very well done indeed.
Just a tiny remark: Do note that the mounting screws for the attachment bracket will prevent you from using the extended battery that clips onto the back of the device... Glue might have been better.

Thanks for the compliments.
I agree that is a concern if using an extended battery. Flat head screws would work also. I will never use an extended battery, so I didn't bother. Glue would have been ineffective though because the mounting system isn't flat on the surface where it attaches to the cradle; it has lots of air space there, it is not solid.
Another possiblity is to attach the mount on the bottom of the cradle. I didn't do that because I'm putting it in a minivan with a high dash, and this arrangement proved to provide perfect positioning.
Here's are the photos of the kit in the car:

Someone on another forum asked for more details on this, so I thought I'd copy them here also. Mostly parts list and some construction details.
The parts list will make you laugh... In photos 1, 3, and 4 you see how I'm take a CD-ROM case cover to turn it into the mount for the connector. The edge, as you see in the photo, is perfect to "notch" into the little tabs on the bottom plate of the cradle. Notice that the stock PCB has holes to catch on little pins on those tabs; the rolled edge of the CD case is perfect to catch on this also. Same thickness. The connector from the AC adapter is thicker than the stock connector, so I had to cut out that piece and use another to hold the connector in place; alignment is perfect using that method. It was glued to the other piece with Duco.
In photo 2 you see the "ears" that I peeled back from the connector; these used to be the locking tabs. Later they will become the method to attach the connector to the plastic. In photos 5/6/7 you can see how I used large-head screws and nuts with washers to attach those tabs to the plastic. I made the tabs into a loop and measured their position, bent them as needed, then once the connector fit in the cradle just right, put on the screws. The connector is VERY solidy fixed this way, surprisingly.
Other parts... Standard stereo 3.5mm plug from an electronics supply house. The PS/2 style connector for the serial feed from the Pharos GPS was just cut off from an old keyboard that no longer works. (Thus justifying why I have had a dead keyboard in my closet for two years...) The power supply connection is the stock connector from the cradle originally. You also see a 2.5mm connector in one photo; that was going to be for the microphone, but I discovered it would require additional electronics. Therefore I didn't use it, and I leave the phone in regular (not car) mode, using the built-in microphone. It's not perfect but very good. People say I sound a bit distant but 100% intelligible.
The mount is something I had in my "cell phone stuff" parts box. After 15 years of using a wide variety of phones/mounts/kits, I have a lot of spares and extras. I'm 90% sure this came from a Nokia 82xx series car kit, or possibly a 61/51xx kit. In any case, mounts use a standardized bolt format like this, and you can buy MANY different types of mounts at cellular dealers. I have one on my desk (where I mounted by other cradle which I modified to allow use of the headset while cradled) which is a flexible any-position gooseneck type. The little metal plate affixing the mount is something I cut from flat aluminum; it's actually a prototype of the mount that I used to mount my last cell phone onto my motorcycle's clutch master cylinder (the PPC-PE mount for the bike is next). It's just to back up the plastic for strength, and since it was already cut for the size/bolt patter of a cell mount, it was easy. It prevents the use of an auxilliary battery on the PPC, so if that's a concern, you'd have to use an alternate method. Also, attaching the mount to the bottom of the unit is perfectly viable. In my case, I chose not to because this afforded a better position in my car.
So as far as the electrical connections... Very basic. You can see a pinout of the XDA connector here: http://www.mywirelessoffice.com/xda/connector/
The Pharos cable pinout is here, and was provided by someone else on PPC Thoughts: http://www.mywirelessoffice.com/pharos/pinout.html
Tools list:
Fine-point 25w soldering iron with a good, clean tip
Very thin solder, rosin core
Small cutters and needle nose
Dremel, cut-off wheel, and round shaping tool bit
Voltmeter helps if you have any issues/doubts
Screwdrivers and pliers

Carlos,
Before you know it you'll be an "XDA-Devoloper #carlos"
I guessing that somewhere on this sight there will be a more glorified copy of your report before long...
For the audio out, etc...
Is there a way of connecting this to the car stereo directly?
I remember a guy that had this with his nokia 7210 (matrix type). Again, nokia seem to do everything first (ish...).
When in his car and he received a phone call, it came all throught the speakers etc. funky!!!
MmF :roll:

Oh yeah, I had that with my Nokia 8200. Also had a "car" kit for it on my motorcycle, so I could talk on the phone in the helmet as well as the passenger and other bikes (if similarly equipped). It cuts off the radio automatically. I still have the rest of the system on the bike, but now have to build a holder and interface for the XDA. I have always has car kits that are system integrated, but the XDA is the first where I had to start from scratch.
Here's a photo of the bike setup for the Nokia:
Anyway, piping the sound through the car system can be done in many different ways. If you have a system with seperate amplifiers, you can buy a simple mixer to insert the sound before the amps. Or, many head units these days (like the CD-MP3 player on my bike) have front-panel 3.5mm inputs. I used to have an Eclipse CD changer/controller that automatically switched over to a back panel auxiliary connection when it detected input on that connection. Of course, there are the rudimentary cassette adapters and the RF injectors like the Radio Shack iRock which put the sound on an FM frequency.
There are a lot of solutions, just depends on your current setup and desired budget.

FINALLY!!!! Found: Cradle WITH Audio Jack!!!

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
Click to expand...
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
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol - it's true!

Bionic Lapdock not Working - Need Help

Hello,
I have a Bionic Lapdock that doesn't want to work with my Bionic and I was hoping that somebody might be able to point me in the right direction.
When I connect my phone to the Lapdock it will turn off the phone's screen, turn on the Lapdock screen, and show an animated red circle with the Motorola logo in it to show that it's loading (this occurs only once when the phone is first inserted or if the service is terminated and needs to reload). The background will load on the Lapdock screen, show all of the icons on the bottom, the phone status, etc, but the Lapdock screen will turn off in about 5 seconds and the keyboard and trackpad on the Lapdock do not seem to do anything. Typically the only screen I see on the Lapdock is the screensaver (the red circle with the Motorola logo inside of it that moves around the screen bit by bit) or the screen is off entirely. I have noticed that occasionally a trackpad will appear on my phone's screen and it will allow me to move the mouse cursor on the Lapdock screen for a few seconds before the Lapdock screen turns off again.
At one point I did have my phone rooted, but the 902 update broke it a while ago, and now I don't care to root it again because we can't use rooted phones and do various work-related functions with them (Citrix, Touchdown, etc).
But anyway, I first tried to do a full reinstall of 902 using RSD 5.6 (using the 682 MB file newvrz_xt875_5.9.902.xt875.verizon.en.us_cfc_01.xml.zip). The reinstall worked, but the same problem occurred with the Lapdock. I also cleared cache and did another factory reset to no avail. So then I downgraded to 893 using the full reinstall (file vrz_xt875_5.5.893.xt875.verizon.en.us_cfc_01.xml.zip which is around 671 MB), and the problem persisted. I then did an OTA update from 893 to 902, and the problem still occurs. I have also tried using an external mouse and keyboard, and those don't seem to have any impact either (the mouse lights up for a second when initialized, but then turns off).
I'm using the "MOTBIOLAPDK" if that makes any difference.
I'm not sure what else I can try, other than bring my phone and/or dock in to a Verizon store to see if it works with one of their phones (I bought the lapdock from that $80 sale that 1saleaday was having on eBay the other day).
Any help with this issue would be very much appreciated! Thanks for reading.

same issue
Hope we can get an answer to this. I have the same problem. I used Pathsaver to get to 902. I also bought my lapdock off 1SaleADay.

OH GOD I AM ABOUT TO CHOKE A *****
The extended battery doesn't easily allow for a complete connection with the USB port. I just had to take the extended battery off and put the stock battery on, and now *everything* works just fine. Everywhere I read it said that the Verizon extended battery was "fully compatible" with this dock. Oh well, hopefully this post will help out somebody in the same boat.
Also, you aren't connected to the USB port on the dock until a "Select Application to Launch" pop-up message appears on your phone (when the dock is closed, anyway). I had to press down harder on the phone to insert it properly than I thought would be necessary.

This is exactly what is happening with mine (purchased from the same website), I am starting to think these were on sale for a reason.
I thought it was an issue with a custom ROM (Eclipse 2.2) so I spent my whole evening messing with it before finally using Dhacker's utility to get back to 902 stock. Wasn't thrilled to have to go back to stock but I thought alright, finally I can use my new lapdock for the rest of the night. Nope. Same thing. Exactly as you described, it shows the Moto start up animation for a second, then the screen will load but the keyboard and trackpad won't work, then it goes to the Moto logo screen saver, and the phone screen in the dock turns back on and the phone just goes back to normal. I have no extended battery or case on the phone so I fear my issue is not that my phone just isn't in the dock all the way.
Ideas anyone? Or did I get a garbage lapdock?

UPDATE:
It looks like the extended battery on my phone masked some other problem. I had it working perfectly for about 45 minutes, but now I can't get it to work again and I'm right back to where I started.
It seems to be a connection issue, because if I push on it a certain way it will *sometimes* pop-up the webtop/"Select application to launch" dialog (it was doing this flawlessly with no extra effort not too long ago, so I don't know WTH is going on).
I used some compressed air on all of the ports, and that didn't help matters at all.
I'm hoping it's something simple that we can fix because I hate returning things.
Did anybody notice if their lapdock was new or used/refurbished? I couldn't really tell with mine, but I did notice that the Lapdock box was a bit banged up and there wasn't anything that indicated that it was actually factory sealed (it appeared like the box had been opened, and the user manual wasn't in the right spot either).

same problem here
I have the exactly same problem. I bought the lapdock from 1saleaday. Does any one think I can send it to Motorola?

I believe I've confirmed mine as actually defective as well. Once in 15 tries of connecting the phone and pushing down really hard will the phone screen show the "select application to launch" menu. I also noticed on the lapdock, on the dock part that flips open to accept the phone, right underneath the two connectors gets very hot to the touch when I have the phone connected, like there's a short or something going on. Practically burned my thumb.
Mine appeared the be brand new, the tabs on the lapdock box had the adhesive stickers over them, everything in the box was sealed (actually now that I think about it the plastic bag over the actual lapdock unit was not sealed).
The booklet mentions a warranty through Motorola. Should we bother trying to work with 1saleaday or just contact Moto?
This sucks!

Mine didn't get hot to the touch that I can remember when it was briefly working. I didn't have it in my lap though, so I might not have noticed. Right now it's a little warm, but not hot at all.
Mine had a clear plastic adhesive on the tabs, but it looked like regular packing tape on mine.
I would probably try 1saleaday first because they will be more likely to cover shipping expenses (at least I hope they do!). However, I just read their "return policy" which states:
"What is your return policy?
1SaleADay.com does not accept returns. For defective merchandise, notify us by filling out the form on our Contact page within 21 days of delivery for an exchange. Please include your order number, the name of the product, the date of purchase, and the issue you are having with the item. If the defective item is out of stock, it can be returned for a full refund. 

"
I'm guessing there's a good chance that they won't have many in stock, so they'll just refund you.
If I can't make heads or tails of this issue in an hour or so, I'll go to a Verizon store tomorrow to see if the Lapdock works with one of their Bionics, and also see if my Bionic works with their Lapdock (provided they have one on display).

Heh I was just reading about how terrible the customer service is for that website and that it might take a few weeks to get a refund.
I was thinking about the Verizon Store idea too but don't know if I'll be able to make it tomorrow. Let us know if you end up going or find anything out.
There's actually a couple of Motorola stores in my area, but I'm not sure they'd be able to help at all either. Maybe I will make a few phone calls tomorrow.

Another thing that's kind of odd is that you can pair a Bluetooth mouse to the phone and when the Lapdock screen kicks on for that 5 second period you can move the mouse cursor around using the Bluetooth mouse and interact with the Lapdock screen, but no matter what you do it'll still turn off in 5 seconds. Also, I was able to get a regular USB mouse and keyboard working, but ONLY when the Lapdock was working properly for that brief period of time.

Possible solution
I found a possible solution. I realized that the USB port was a little lower than HDMI port. I dissembled the docking part, pushed the USB port to the same level as the HDMI. IT WORKS PERFECTLY!!!

Yeah, I'm fairly certain we're on the right track that the issue lies at the part where the phone plugs in. That's why it'll turn off after a few seconds, poor connection.
I've been staring at the lapdock wanting to disassemble it myself because I'm impatient but I'm trying not to mess with it since there's a warranty. I just filled out the contact form for 1saleaday but I'm gonna try calling the Motorola stores in the morning just to see if any of them offer repair services or exchanges instead of having to go through a long process of warranty repair through the mail or waiting for a refund from 1sale.
---------- Post added at 12:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:48 AM ----------
herolee31 said:
I found a possible solution. I realized that the USB port was a little lower than HDMI port. I dissembled the docking part, pushed the USB port to the same level as the HDMI. IT WORKS PERFECTLY!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've been looking at the dock portion of the device trying to figure out how it comes apart without messing it up. Any tips?

Here are some disassembly instructions:
http://www.techrepublic.com/photos/...13&tag=thumbnail-view-selector;get-photo-roto
I will try that with mine as well; the HDMI and USB don't line up the same.

Somewhere in XDA forum, you can find an Atrix lapdock HDMI mod stuff. I can't recall which tread it was, but it shows detailed instructions for modding.

Cool. I might give it a shot I just don't want to leave any visible marks trying to pry out the little covers etc and then not qualify for a warranty if they can see I f'd with it.
---------- Post added at 01:39 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:20 AM ----------
Sweeeeet I got mine working by taking the dock apart too. Typing on the lapdock right now. Well I just have the connectors hanging out the back loosely and the plastic is still disassembled so I'll have to see if I can keep it working after it's back together, but damn at least I can use it finally. TIme to go out for a cigarette after fighting with this thing all freakin evening!!!

I was able to get mine working as well!
It looks like the problem could come back again though, because the metal plate that the USB connector should press up against appears to be at least 1 mm off. I just folded up a small piece of electrical tape and put it in between the USB connector and the metal plate, and another larger piece between the metal plate and the wall, so that it can't get pushed back down again.
Only 7.5 hours later and it's working. Yay
Also, I didn't realize how much of a fingerprint magnet these things are!

Yeah the fingerprints are really bad on this thing haha.
I was able to fully reassemble mine and still keep it in working order (for now). Part of the issue for me seemed to be the metallic tape they wrapped around the end of the connectors. The tape on mine actually came up onto the metal part of the connector that comes through the plastic and meets with the phone (marked with the red line in this picture I took), so this metallic tape was kinda getting in the way and preventing the connector from coming through as far as it should. I peeled it back, put everything back in place, and held the USB connector as far forward as I could while I tightened down the metal bridge that goes over it. So far so good.
Also you can kinda see it in the picture but it does actually appear like the wire from the USB connector is getting hot, a small bit of plastic where the wire was resting was even starting to turn brown from the heat. For now I just wrapped it with a few extra layers of tape but looks like I might have a soldering job to do in the future if this wire craps out completely.
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Now to see if I can get back on Eclipse 2.2 and still keep everything working.
Thanks for brainstorming together everyone, I was really disappointed that this thing wasn't working.

blackmetalbuick said:
...Now to see if I can get back on Eclipse 2.2 and still keep everything working...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a Lapdock 500 and cannot get Webtop to work on Eclipse 2.2, so I don't think it's a lapdock issue.

Trying to get webtop2sd working
Thanks for all contributing to this thread! I also picked up a 1saleaday Bionic lapdock. I just got it yesterday and I am on stock .902 rooted with motofail. Everything seems to work fine but I was *hoping* to get webtop2sd working.
Although it installed just fine I am not seeing any difference running the webtop, i.e. no additional memory etc. If anyone else is familiar with it I'd like to try to get it working. My main goal is just to be able to get a larger remote desktop so I can rdp into work when at conferences (when having the lapdock is an advantage over a full blown laptop).

blackmetalbuick - Oddly enough mine hasn't gotten hot yet. I've left the Lapdock screensaver on for 30 minutes and the only part that gets remotely warm on mine is just under the USB port near where the external power cord plugs in (the closest USB port to the power adapter).

Audi A4 In Dash Install

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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Click to collapse
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?

Custom controller

Apologies if this is the wrong section
Im big into emulation for android but hate the touch controls for emus. Obvious answer is a controller however all controllers seem to have alot of drawbacks. I figured I'd start trying to make a custom one and post my theories and progress here. I decided to use a wired xbox controller as my base for several reasons.
1. Cheap. I assume Im gonna mess up quite a bit and I can get off brand controllers super cheap.
2. Power. (This is just a guess on my part so please correct me if Im wrong.) No Bluetooth save power on tablet and wont have to charge a wireless controller.
Basic design idea.
Getting inspiration from this site http://x2jiggy.com/blog/2012/1/1/xbox-pc-arcade-joystick.html got me thinking about running wires for all the buttons and switches. My first idea is to to run the wiring off of all the points. Remove or grind down as much as the buttons, sticks, whatnot as possible without destroying the pcb. This is because I would be using this unit for the connection to the nexus. Get a second controller and basically chop it in half. Remove any connections on the pcb leaving just the buttons and switches. Hook up the wiring to the separate pieces. Obviously I would need a protective hose for the exposed wiring. Im hoping my uncle will let me use his 3d printer for making some type of case for it all. I was thinking I would remove the rumble motors to save power as well as weight.
Any thoughts if Im crazy or any other ideas?