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.

Dock Pinout

Hi.
Does anyone know or can find out exactly what the three pins are used for? +5v, GND and control(and how to us it)?

Glithramir said:
Hi.
Does anyone know or can find out exactly what the three pins are used for? +5v, GND and control(and how to us it)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ummmm..... seriously?

Yes, If I ever want to build a custom dock or whatever.
I have searched and found no documentation about the small docking pins so far.

I second this.
I'd like to know which is +5v, gnd and what resistance (to ground) is expected on the control point to mimic the desktop dock

My results
I plan on making a charging-only dock as well. Here's what I measured on the Google dock pins (my numbering).
1 - 5V
2 - CTL
(mic port)
3 - GND
There's about 5.2V (no load) at the dock between pins 1 and 3. The dock also measures 10kohm between pins 2 and 3. It seems pretty straight forward, and there don't seem to be any other interesting or unexpected voltage or resistance values between other pin combinations.
The phone does start charging fine when applying an external 5V on pins 1 and 3, but I have been unable to force it into the dock mode. I have connected an external 10k resistor between pins 2 and 3 both with and without power applied to the charging pins with no luck. Any ideas? I just played with it for a few minutes, but I'll post if I figure anything out when I get back to it.

When you manually put the charge on, does that affect the bluetooth settings?
I'm thinking maybe when it has a charge through the pins it activates bluetooth so it can pair with the docks bluetooth, and that activates the dock mode?

nexus dock
is pretty damn cool...
when i get a chance this weekend, i'm going to hook up a meter to the pin-outs and see what it's doing with the 3rd pin to force clock mode

that would be awesome

Ok so after reading some dock threads, I decided to contribute something useful to the discussion by taking my dock apart. Unfortunately, what I've found is bad news for a simple DIY dock. The middle pin looks to be a bit pattern toggled by the dock upon insertion of the phone.
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The bottom trace is the full signal toggling. The top trace is zoomed in on the left side of the bottom trace.

Thank you very much!! Too bad tho...

dhendrix11 said:
Unfortunately, what I've found is bad news for a simple DIY dock. The middle pin looks to be a bit pattern toggled by the dock upon insertion of the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I interpreted the binary pattern, its saying "F*ck Apple"

grumble grumble..
beat me to it.. working too many hours for hobbies..

Awesome, thanks for the info. I haven't been able to get back to additional testing or taking mine apart yet.
1. How hard was the dock to take apart? Did it just require peeling off the rubber bottom and removing screws, or something more destructive?
2. I was wondering if you could post or email a higher resolution image of your annotated board layout - I couldn't quite make out some of the text in the upper left.
3. Does that bit pattern ever change, and is it bi-directional? That delay in the middle makes it look to me like a challenge-response. My random guess is that the phone sends that first pattern when it gets power on the dock pins, and then the dock (if connected) responds with some kind of identifier (home/car/etc). It should be pretty easy to replicate such a static pattern/response with a simple microcontroller...
Thanks,
James

DayBlur said:
Awesome, thanks for the info. I haven't been able to get back to additional testing or taking mine apart yet.
1. How hard was the dock to take apart? Did it just require peeling off the rubber bottom and removing screws, or something more destructive?
2. I was wondering if you could post or email a higher resolution image of your annotated board layout - I couldn't quite make out some of the text in the upper left.
3. Does that bit pattern ever change, and is it bi-directional? That delay in the middle makes it look to me like a challenge-response. My random guess is that the phone sends that first pattern when it gets power on the dock pins, and then the dock (if connected) responds with some kind of identifier (home/car/etc). It should be pretty easy to replicate such a static pattern/response with a simple microcontroller...
Thanks,
James
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. It was very easy to take the dock apart. Remove 4 screws under the rubber bottom and you get to the PCB. Remove 1 screw to take the pcb out. You can disconnect the wire harness that connects the PCB to the 3 dock pins very easily.
2. Original high res photo is in the attached zip file.
3. I hooked 5V between the pwr and gnd pins on the phone without the dock, and a 10k resistor from the middle pin to GND. Upon connecting the 5V, the phone outputs 9 pulses @ 25Hz. However, that doesn't really jive with the timing from my previous scope captures, so maybe I wasn't looking at the whole picture connected through the dock. I don't feel like taking my dock apart again tonight, but I'll see about some further investigation this weekend.

Anyone have a logic analyzer? The transferred data could be captured and decoded. It probably wouldn't be too tough to code up a microcontroller to interact with it for a DIY dock if we knew what it was saying.
If anyone wants to send me a dock, I could hook it up to mine and try to get a binary dump.

The previous image of the waveform looks like it could be a "tone burst", or being square wave, its just 10101010101010101010.
It could be used to prevent bounce using a simple circuit on the recieving side like this:
Code:
________
in out ____| |_______
>------||--+----/\/\/\/\------>
|
+---||----+
+ |
|
GND

Here are some better scope captures. The 25Hz pulse train output from the phone only occurs if it's not connected to a dock. If there's a dock present, you get the bit patterns from my original post.
Next I have to figure out if this is bi-directional.

N1 is prolly sending the bursts every few secs, so that when it is placed into a dock, the dock detects presence of N1.
This is where it could get interesting. Since N1 communicates to the dock via BT, it might need to know the dock's BT Device ID (MAC-address-like) - so that it doesn't end up pairing with a different dock that your coworker has in an adjacent cube . So may be what the dock sends back after detecting the N1 is in fact its BT ID ?

rashid11 said:
This is where it could get interesting. Since N1 communicates to the dock via BT, it might need to know the dock's BT Device ID (MAC-address-like) - so that it doesn't end up pairing with a different dock that your coworker has in an adjacent cube . So may be what the dock sends back after detecting the N1 is in fact its BT ID ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://android.git.kernel.org/?p=ke...334736426c8b33;hb=android-msm-2.6.29-nexusone
Could this source explain whats going on?

brotbuexe said:
http://android.git.kernel.org/?p=ke...334736426c8b33;hb=android-msm-2.6.29-nexusone
Could this source explain whats going on?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It sure looks like it. It looks like the signal is a 1 wire interface, using MFM encoding to send a small set of commands and results back and forth between the dock and the phone.

Nook install in a Jeep Wrangler

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!
Click to expand...
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!
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
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
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.

Nexus 7 Car Install

Hey all, here is another car install in my '99 Acura TL that I thought I'd share. I think I've seen a ton of other projects on xda, and they all helped so I'm hoping this will help some others as this is such an easy and cheap project to do that I think I've convinced a couple of friends to let me help them go this route instead of spending 500+ on an indash system.
My original setup was with a rooted CM 10.1 Nook Color. I thought I'd go cheap with it, and after too many headaches and the want to be able to do more things, I gave up on it. Here is a photo of my original setup, which was very unclean.
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The Nexus 7 seemed like my best option for features, my only problem was the lack of storage. However, with OTG, that problem was easily solved. My requirements were:
Enough storage for music and a couple hundred music videos
Bluetooth audio to eliminate need for AUX input
Bluetooth connectivity to phone via Tablet Talk
Bluetooth OBD-II (no real reason other than the adapters are dirt cheap anyway, why not?)
Easily removeable if I have to leave my car somewhere
GPS built in
Cleaner look
Parts List:
Nexus 7 16GB
iKross Car Dashboard Mount Holder
Sima 225-Watt Dual Outlet Power Inverter
Nexus 7 wall charger + cable
HHI ReElegant Crystal Shield Hard Case
Down Angled Micro B USB Cable
Micro USB Host OTG Cable
Belkin USB 4-Port Hub
IOGEAR SD Card Reader
Yongtek ELM Bluetooth OBD-II
Blackberry Remote Stereo Bluetooth Gateway
HON/AUX DMX V.1 Acura AUX Input
Apps List:
SmoothROM 5.0
Timur's kernel
Poweramp
Audio Glow
Volume+
MX Player (Music videos)
Tablet Talk
Automateit Pro
CoPilot Live USA
BT Auto Connect
Torque
The mount that I used put it off center, which was fine for me but if anyone was in the passengers seat, it was kind of annoying.
So I decided to mount it in the middle and remove the cd tray that was above the cd player. I knew I'd have to remove the tray because the mount that I bought is huge. But it's solid and I really like it, and wouldn't have any use for the tray anyway with it being covered up. Plus, removing it gives me room to store all of the OTG stuff. I didn't want an indash setup because replacing my stock system is a pain to retain the stock Bose speakers, amp, and subwoofer. Moving the stock stereo was more than I wanted to deal with, and I wanted to be able take it out to troubleshoot, update, take on trips, etc. But I still wanted to get as close as I could to an indash setup.
However, because the shape is meant to curve over dashboards, it created a bit of an issue and stuck out quite a bit.
Doesn't look like much, but I could easily touch it while my hand was on the wheel. That needed to change. So, I hacked off literally as much as I could with a dremel and glued it back together. I was afraid this glue wouldn't hold, but it feels pretty solid. I may have to use a stronger epoxy in the future, but this works for now. Not great looking, but you can't see it anyway.
This same day, all of my OTG parts came in. Loaded up the card with all of the music videos I own, and it worked on the first try. Thanks Timur!
Had to get the OBD-II reader in, but it's in a really awkward spot in my car. There is supposed to be a change tray here, but the reader sticks out so far and would leave a huge hole that things could fall in. Until I can get some plastic to mold in there, this is the best I've got for now. Honestly, I may not even use it 99% of the time. Don't need to monitor much, but cool to have.
And everything is ready. Decided to cover up more of the stock radio since I don't really need it. I have steering wheel controls that I use, and only use one FM and one AM sports talk stations, so it's unnecessary for me to have to see the screen. Would rather have less of the air controls covered.
As you can see, the gap is much smaller and hugs the radio closer.
As an added bonus, I can remove the tablet from the case instead of using the suction cup on the tablet itself. These cups on this mount are very strong, but I don't really want to remove it from that every time. The case isn't terribly easy to remove from either, but it gives me that option. I have 5% tint on my car, so I need a sun shade and I should be pretty theft deterrent. My car is rarely left in bad places, and if so, I can lock it in my glove box or take it with me. Heat and cold are the only other elements that might affect it, but a shade should help that in combination with my tint.
Future plans:
More OTG stuff - Not sure what else that entails yet
Backup camera - I wish there was a Bluetooth option because I don't care to wire through this car
USB Audio - It's not really necessary at this point with the BB Gateway, but it's easy to do
Thanks for checking this out, feel free to ask any questions or leave any comments. The photos really don't do any justice to the setup, but it gives you the general idea. I never really felt like I had what I wanted with the Nook, the Nexus is exactly what I was looking for the whole time!

Two pairs of sunglasses.....
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium

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!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks.
~wolverine~ said:
You made me LOL when I saw the Hanes. :good:
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Click to collapse
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!
Click to expand...
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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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?