MP3s, movies, GPS, Web browsing, and email all for $263 (long post)
04-25-2005, 04:17 AM
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MP3s, movies, GPS, Web browsing, and email all for $263 (long post)
Well...after much thought, research, and planning, I have finally settled on a multimedia, audio/video, system for my Vette..all for about $263. The final part of my system hadn't occurred to me until an incident at a friend's house yesterday (more on that later).
As I have mentioned in another thread, I am very impressed with some of the in-dash implementations (especially those that have the ***** to cut their dash, mod it, then put it back together to look as though it came directly from GM) however, I don't have the expertise, or ***** (the thought of cutting into my dash leaves me queazy) necessary to undertake such a project. Another consideration is cost. I'm a pretty cheap SOB, therefore the thought of spending in excess of $2000 also leaves me queazy. A third consideration is the desire to keep my Vette as stock looking as possible. As I'm sure many of you are aware, after-market stereo systems don't really increase the resale value of your Vette (some can actually decrease the value). Besides, I actually like the Bose system that came with my Vette (AM/FM with CD player, no changer). The sound is more than adequate/loud enough for me.
Here are the things I wanted to be able to do in addition to playing CDs and listening to the radio:
Play Mp3s
Play movies
Browse the Internet for text based information
Email
GPS Navigation
I have taken a look at a lot of different solutions to accomplish this. The nicest (if done properly, of course) are the aforementioned in-dash systems that combine a touch-LCD screen with a PC. Cost, installation difficulty, and not wanting to alter my Vette too much were factors involved in my decision not to go this route.
Another solution I looked at are the single unit, all-in-one, systems, like the AVIC-N2. I took a hard look at this solution but decided against it because I didn't like the fact that the motorized screen blocks the center A/C vent. I know many have circumvented (no pun intended) this by moving the A/C controls, however, this seemed like it would require skills I do not possess. Besides, you would still need some kind of PC interface in the equation to be able to browse the Internet and send/receive email. Cost, of course, was also a factor.
There are a few folks out there that have gone the PDA/iPod/Satellite radio route. While this is probably the cheapest solution, wires hanging off each individual device does not make for a very aesthetic looking system, plus you would need one extra DC power outlet (as you know, Vettes only have 2) to power up everything (or get a splitter adapter
). It does, however, leave your Vette in the least altered state. Plus you can easily unplug everything and move it to another car. This seemed like the way to go for me as I already had half of the components required.
The current version of my system consists of the following:
Dell Axim X50V PDA with 4GB CF memory card, 1GB SD memory card (already owned)
Seidio G2500 Car Mount/Charger with cable to power the Bluetooth GPS (already owned)
TomTom Bluetooth (BT) GPS unit and mapping software (already owned)
FM Transmitter ($25)
The Dell Axim X50V is an awesome device. It has bluetooth and Wi-Fi built in. It also has slots for CF and SD memory cards. That's 5GB of storage for MP3s (wasn't this the capacity of the first iPod?). The VGA screen is also much brighter and clearer to look at with respect to a standard PDA screen. I use the device mostly for work related functions (contacts, email, etc.) and originally purchased it because my old HP iPaq took a dump. It plays MP3s and Divx movies without any hiccups (ok...maybe an occasional stutter or two when watching Divx movies. No such problem playing MP3s)
I've had the TomTom BT GPS for a while and was using it in another vehicle (in conjuction with the iPaq). It's a solid unit and performs very well. I recently upgraded the software/maps to Navigator 2004 ($53 upgrade) as this version supports landscape mode (a function of Windows Mobile 2003SE, which is running on the Axim X50V).
The G2500 car mount is very cool. It powers both the PDA and the BT receiver (only 1 cable plugged into 1 DC power outlet). It also has a built-in speaker that can connect to the audio out of the PDA. I currently have the BT receiver mounted on top of the speaker as the audio out is connected to the FM Transmitter. It's a pretty neat looking package. Total cost to upgrade my Vette...$25. Pretty cheap, huh?
While my system, as currently configured, is adequate, you do get what you pay for. Specifically, I'm referring to the sound quality of the FM Transmitter, which (in a word) sucks!! I get a lot of interference (background noise), especially when I have the Seidio mount/charger plugged in. I can listen to MP3s semi-acceptably when it's not plugged in, however, battery drain becomes a problem. This is compounded if I'm using the GPS at the same time. Another problem is storage space. While 5GB is more than enough for the short treks I normally take in the Vette, Divx movies really start to eat up the space. After more research (and advice from Markcz...thanks Markcz!!!!) my solution to the MP3 sound quality issue involves the purchase of the following:
GM10-Aux input converter and CD Changer Wiring Harness ($147.93 delivered...it should arrive this Tuesday)
As I mentioned at the start of this thread, my solution for the storage issue hadn't even occurred to me until yesterday when a buddy of mine dropped his HP laptop from his kitchen counter to the hardwood floor. It cracked the screen and would not power up. After shouting a few expletives (ok...more than a few) he promplty ordered a new one from his desktop PC (he's a pretty wealthy guy...and not cheap, like me). After he ordered the new laptop he proceeded to throw the broken one in the trash. After informing him that it was not legal to dispose of electronic equipment in that manner, I offered to take it off his hands. I told him I would pay him for any parts I might be able to salvage. He said I could have it for free
!!
As soon as I got home I started doing research on a way to use the laptop hard drive as a wireless file server to store MP3s and Divx files. I stumbled across this little critter for $90:
http://usa.asus.com/products/communi...5/overview.htm
After all is said and done (provided the HD still works) the whole thing will cost me about $263 (which really would have only been $238 if I hadn't wasted my time with the FM Transmitter). If anyone already has the major componenets (i.e. the PDA and GPS stuff) this is a very cheap, workable, solution. Even if you're starting from scratch it's still pretty cheap when compared to other solutions.
As I have mentioned in another thread, I am very impressed with some of the in-dash implementations (especially those that have the ***** to cut their dash, mod it, then put it back together to look as though it came directly from GM) however, I don't have the expertise, or ***** (the thought of cutting into my dash leaves me queazy) necessary to undertake such a project. Another consideration is cost. I'm a pretty cheap SOB, therefore the thought of spending in excess of $2000 also leaves me queazy. A third consideration is the desire to keep my Vette as stock looking as possible. As I'm sure many of you are aware, after-market stereo systems don't really increase the resale value of your Vette (some can actually decrease the value). Besides, I actually like the Bose system that came with my Vette (AM/FM with CD player, no changer). The sound is more than adequate/loud enough for me.
Here are the things I wanted to be able to do in addition to playing CDs and listening to the radio:
Play Mp3s
Play movies
Browse the Internet for text based information
GPS Navigation
I have taken a look at a lot of different solutions to accomplish this. The nicest (if done properly, of course) are the aforementioned in-dash systems that combine a touch-LCD screen with a PC. Cost, installation difficulty, and not wanting to alter my Vette too much were factors involved in my decision not to go this route.
Another solution I looked at are the single unit, all-in-one, systems, like the AVIC-N2. I took a hard look at this solution but decided against it because I didn't like the fact that the motorized screen blocks the center A/C vent. I know many have circumvented (no pun intended) this by moving the A/C controls, however, this seemed like it would require skills I do not possess. Besides, you would still need some kind of PC interface in the equation to be able to browse the Internet and send/receive email. Cost, of course, was also a factor.
There are a few folks out there that have gone the PDA/iPod/Satellite radio route. While this is probably the cheapest solution, wires hanging off each individual device does not make for a very aesthetic looking system, plus you would need one extra DC power outlet (as you know, Vettes only have 2) to power up everything (or get a splitter adapter
). It does, however, leave your Vette in the least altered state. Plus you can easily unplug everything and move it to another car. This seemed like the way to go for me as I already had half of the components required.The current version of my system consists of the following:
Dell Axim X50V PDA with 4GB CF memory card, 1GB SD memory card (already owned)
Seidio G2500 Car Mount/Charger with cable to power the Bluetooth GPS (already owned)
TomTom Bluetooth (BT) GPS unit and mapping software (already owned)
FM Transmitter ($25)
The Dell Axim X50V is an awesome device. It has bluetooth and Wi-Fi built in. It also has slots for CF and SD memory cards. That's 5GB of storage for MP3s (wasn't this the capacity of the first iPod?). The VGA screen is also much brighter and clearer to look at with respect to a standard PDA screen. I use the device mostly for work related functions (contacts, email, etc.) and originally purchased it because my old HP iPaq took a dump. It plays MP3s and Divx movies without any hiccups (ok...maybe an occasional stutter or two when watching Divx movies. No such problem playing MP3s)
I've had the TomTom BT GPS for a while and was using it in another vehicle (in conjuction with the iPaq). It's a solid unit and performs very well. I recently upgraded the software/maps to Navigator 2004 ($53 upgrade) as this version supports landscape mode (a function of Windows Mobile 2003SE, which is running on the Axim X50V).
The G2500 car mount is very cool. It powers both the PDA and the BT receiver (only 1 cable plugged into 1 DC power outlet). It also has a built-in speaker that can connect to the audio out of the PDA. I currently have the BT receiver mounted on top of the speaker as the audio out is connected to the FM Transmitter. It's a pretty neat looking package. Total cost to upgrade my Vette...$25. Pretty cheap, huh?
While my system, as currently configured, is adequate, you do get what you pay for. Specifically, I'm referring to the sound quality of the FM Transmitter, which (in a word) sucks!! I get a lot of interference (background noise), especially when I have the Seidio mount/charger plugged in. I can listen to MP3s semi-acceptably when it's not plugged in, however, battery drain becomes a problem. This is compounded if I'm using the GPS at the same time. Another problem is storage space. While 5GB is more than enough for the short treks I normally take in the Vette, Divx movies really start to eat up the space. After more research (and advice from Markcz...thanks Markcz!!!!) my solution to the MP3 sound quality issue involves the purchase of the following:
GM10-Aux input converter and CD Changer Wiring Harness ($147.93 delivered...it should arrive this Tuesday)
As I mentioned at the start of this thread, my solution for the storage issue hadn't even occurred to me until yesterday when a buddy of mine dropped his HP laptop from his kitchen counter to the hardwood floor. It cracked the screen and would not power up. After shouting a few expletives (ok...more than a few) he promplty ordered a new one from his desktop PC (he's a pretty wealthy guy...and not cheap, like me). After he ordered the new laptop he proceeded to throw the broken one in the trash. After informing him that it was not legal to dispose of electronic equipment in that manner, I offered to take it off his hands. I told him I would pay him for any parts I might be able to salvage. He said I could have it for free
!!As soon as I got home I started doing research on a way to use the laptop hard drive as a wireless file server to store MP3s and Divx files. I stumbled across this little critter for $90:
http://usa.asus.com/products/communi...5/overview.htm
After all is said and done (provided the HD still works) the whole thing will cost me about $263 (which really would have only been $238 if I hadn't wasted my time with the FM Transmitter). If anyone already has the major componenets (i.e. the PDA and GPS stuff) this is a very cheap, workable, solution. Even if you're starting from scratch it's still pretty cheap when compared to other solutions.
Last edited by Dragonjo8; 05-02-2005 at 12:43 AM.
04-25-2005, 05:29 AM
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Sooo..... You're going to continue using your PDA to play the MP3's in your car, but it will be connected to the HU with a GM10-Aux, and communicating to an actual laptop hard drive via the bluetooth gizmo that only holds the drive. That's pretty cool!
If you don't want all of your toys to turn off with the ignition key it's possible for you to connect everything that needs 12VDC to a wire under the passenger kick panel fuse box that stays on with the radios Retained Accessory Power. Send me a PM or email if you'd like to try it that way.
04-25-2005, 06:08 AM
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Hey Markcz:
The gizmo (Asus WL-HDD) acutally communicates via Wi-Fi (802.11b). I spent a good part of Sunday (in preparation/testing how/if this is going to work) trying to get my PDA to communicate to my wireless network at home. I can browse the Internet, send email, etc. just fine on the Axim, however, being able to see the other computers on my network (and access their files) was tricky at best. This involved downloading software to the Axim so network drives could be mapped to it. Once I got everything working I could play MP3s and Divx files, that reside on one of my desktop PCs, on the Axim....from anywhere in the house! No stutters. It's cool. I'm sure this will work just fine for the short distance the signals will travel in the Vette (from the center console to the top of the dash). I've chosen the center console as the Asus unit appears to be slim enough to fit and there's a DC outlet there.
With regard to wiring the 'toys' directly to the 12V system of the Vette, I'm not sure you've read some of my other posts since I've become a forum member. I'm not too handy when it comes to DIY projects, although I can build a PC from scratch. I'm sure a lot of the Vette DIY stuff is pretty similar (especially anything dealing with electrical) to building a PC...and let's not forget I am cheap, so saving on labor is right in line with my money pinching ways; however, I'm not too keen on taking the chance of screwing something up on my Vette. I haven't had her long enough. Maybe as time goes by I'll get a little bolder and start doing things myself, like change the oil. It just costed me $65!
BTW...I forgot to mention the laptop HD is 80GB
The gizmo (Asus WL-HDD) acutally communicates via Wi-Fi (802.11b). I spent a good part of Sunday (in preparation/testing how/if this is going to work) trying to get my PDA to communicate to my wireless network at home. I can browse the Internet, send email, etc. just fine on the Axim, however, being able to see the other computers on my network (and access their files) was tricky at best. This involved downloading software to the Axim so network drives could be mapped to it. Once I got everything working I could play MP3s and Divx files, that reside on one of my desktop PCs, on the Axim....from anywhere in the house! No stutters. It's cool. I'm sure this will work just fine for the short distance the signals will travel in the Vette (from the center console to the top of the dash). I've chosen the center console as the Asus unit appears to be slim enough to fit and there's a DC outlet there.
With regard to wiring the 'toys' directly to the 12V system of the Vette, I'm not sure you've read some of my other posts since I've become a forum member. I'm not too handy when it comes to DIY projects, although I can build a PC from scratch. I'm sure a lot of the Vette DIY stuff is pretty similar (especially anything dealing with electrical) to building a PC...and let's not forget I am cheap, so saving on labor is right in line with my money pinching ways; however, I'm not too keen on taking the chance of screwing something up on my Vette. I haven't had her long enough. Maybe as time goes by I'll get a little bolder and start doing things myself, like change the oil. It just costed me $65!
BTW...I forgot to mention the laptop HD is 80GB
Last edited by Dragonjo8; 04-26-2005 at 02:23 AM.
06-19-2005, 06:55 PM
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As requested by scott_fx, here are the pictures of my system (sorry this took so long...I've been extremely busy):
These are the components of the system (The Dell Axim X50V PDA, Asus WL-HDD w/80GB HD, and the TomTom Bluetooth GPS)
This is the Seidio mount (washed out due to the flash...it's actually just about the same color as the dash). Note that the wire for the audio out runs through the center of the coiled power cord then behind the door for the power outlet/ash tray.
This is a shot with the PDA plugged in and running Mortplayer MP3 player. It has a custom skin that I modified to run in landscape mode with large buttons (which don't show up very well....my camera sucks!!!).
This shows the location of the GPS receiver. It is mounted (via a magnet) to the backside of the Seidio mount. The not so neatly wrapped wire to the left is the power cord for the GPS receiver (which also plugs into the Seidio mount and is thus powered by the same coiled power cord).
The wireless hard drive is located in the armrest compartment. It is powered by the power outlet located there. The DC power cord was ordered separately as it does not come with the WL-HDD. It's actually made for an ASUS PDA (A716, I think)
This is a shot of the GPS software running.
Pros:
1. Cheap (especially if you already have most of the components)
2. Portable (everything unplugs in a matter of seconds)
3. Safe due to the almost "eye-level" location of the display
4. Easy to install (even for a klutz like me)
5. Easy to pull new MP3s off the home network while parked in the garage.
Cons:
1. Not as aesthetically appealing as the in-dash systems (like scott_fx's)
2. A slight delay (about 3 seconds) when skipping to the next MP3 track. This is probably due to the fact the wireless adapter built into the WL-HDD is no speed demon. I do not get this delay when using the PDA on the home network.
These are the components of the system (The Dell Axim X50V PDA, Asus WL-HDD w/80GB HD, and the TomTom Bluetooth GPS)
This is the Seidio mount (washed out due to the flash...it's actually just about the same color as the dash). Note that the wire for the audio out runs through the center of the coiled power cord then behind the door for the power outlet/ash tray.
This is a shot with the PDA plugged in and running Mortplayer MP3 player. It has a custom skin that I modified to run in landscape mode with large buttons (which don't show up very well....my camera sucks!!!).
This shows the location of the GPS receiver. It is mounted (via a magnet) to the backside of the Seidio mount. The not so neatly wrapped wire to the left is the power cord for the GPS receiver (which also plugs into the Seidio mount and is thus powered by the same coiled power cord).
The wireless hard drive is located in the armrest compartment. It is powered by the power outlet located there. The DC power cord was ordered separately as it does not come with the WL-HDD. It's actually made for an ASUS PDA (A716, I think)
This is a shot of the GPS software running.
Pros:
1. Cheap (especially if you already have most of the components)
2. Portable (everything unplugs in a matter of seconds)
3. Safe due to the almost "eye-level" location of the display
4. Easy to install (even for a klutz like me)
5. Easy to pull new MP3s off the home network while parked in the garage.
Cons:
1. Not as aesthetically appealing as the in-dash systems (like scott_fx's)
2. A slight delay (about 3 seconds) when skipping to the next MP3 track. This is probably due to the fact the wireless adapter built into the WL-HDD is no speed demon. I do not get this delay when using the PDA on the home network.
Last edited by Dragonjo8; 06-22-2005 at 12:59 AM.
06-20-2005, 01:39 AM
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I like it a lot. Everything works great, with the exception of the delay between tracks.
Hmmm...I haven't really considered the heat issue. I don't drive for long periods of time (I work pretty close to home). Generally 15 to 30 minutes at a time, with 1 hr being the maximum I've spent at one time (so far). I know several people have complained about the heat that is generated in that region. To be honest, I haven't really experienced a temperature in that area that I would consider "potentially damaging". Maybe the previous owner of my Vette did the insulation mod. I don't know.
Since I have a black interior, I have the AC blasting all the time. Maybe this helps. I've been using the WL-HDD for close to a month now and haven't had any issues. Another thing that might be helping is the fact the case of the WL-HDD has two large vents (one on top and one underneath). The iPod does not have this plus the bottom of its case is metal (a good conductor of heat).
As I said, it's not something I've considered, but now that you've mentioned it, I'll be keeping me eye on it. Thanks for the heads up!
Hmmm...I haven't really considered the heat issue. I don't drive for long periods of time (I work pretty close to home). Generally 15 to 30 minutes at a time, with 1 hr being the maximum I've spent at one time (so far). I know several people have complained about the heat that is generated in that region. To be honest, I haven't really experienced a temperature in that area that I would consider "potentially damaging". Maybe the previous owner of my Vette did the insulation mod. I don't know.
Since I have a black interior, I have the AC blasting all the time. Maybe this helps. I've been using the WL-HDD for close to a month now and haven't had any issues. Another thing that might be helping is the fact the case of the WL-HDD has two large vents (one on top and one underneath). The iPod does not have this plus the bottom of its case is metal (a good conductor of heat).
As I said, it's not something I've considered, but now that you've mentioned it, I'll be keeping me eye on it. Thanks for the heads up!
06-20-2005, 02:01 AM
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Much Thanks!!! Coming from you that's a real compliment!! I've seen a lot of Car PC projects (not just for Vettes). Yours is without question the cleanest, OEM looking, implementation out there. Have you ever considered doing it for pay? 
If so, how much would you charge?
If so, how much would you charge?