hoffa

for the "media car" program, what do i need to make it play Mp3's other than the new version of the Navigation.?

Japan8

Try the "search" button at the top of the screen.

Here's another one... try http://www.mp3car.com

One more point. THe stock nav unit can ONLY use STOCK NAV SOFTWARE (and said upgrades). Period. MediaCar, MediaEngine, etc, etc. are Windows 2000/XP programs. What do you need to use Windows 2000 and/or XP? Certainly not a nav system...

hoffa

i already read and did a search but i really didn't understand too much information..

Japan8

Then forget about MediaCar. It may sound rude, but I'm just being very frank. Meidacar, etc. will require lots of custom computer work, and if you haven't been able to follow any of the info on this site and Mp3car.com, I don't recommend you bothering with it... it's not for computer newbies.

wokuku

Has anyone put a computer with touch screen on their 8? I would like to do something similar to the guy in this thread:

http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=174233

The only thing that is holding me from doing this project is that I haven't found a good location to place the LCD monitor.

AWillsea

Do a search! I have already done the entire setup 7" Lilliput touchscreen with a P4 computer running WinXP along with MediaEngine and Autoenginuity's SpeedTracer and Scan Tool

glxyjones

yeah the placement of a 7" (non-motorized) is the biggest problem people trying to put a carputer into the 8. AWillsea has a nice setup that I plan to emulate as soon as financial funding allows me to do so. If you do a search you'll find some other setups from members but most of them are motorized (which IMO looks to non-factory for me). Keep us posted if you come up with any other idea's.

-Greg

devoid

You could follow my lead and replace the radio with a permanently mounted screen. I'm using an Alpine IVA-D300. I'm going to take it apart so the screen is seperated from the main unit, and mount the screen with in the dash with the DIN unit below the screen. This eliminated the motorization, and really adds to the perception of a factory look.

Japan8

This is something I had originally suggest many months ago when the issue of a carputer first came up on the forum. The only problem is... what do you do about the PCB... needed for climate controls and it'd be nice if the LED display still worked.

rendyr

How about this (and I did not see this by searching, so hopefully this is a new request for information):

How about getting a replacement front center dash piece, that would normally hold the NAV screen, but in this case, would come empty. Mount the screen in the place where the NAV screen would have gone, then wire up to your carputer like normal...

would this work? anyone know how much such a piece would be?

Japan8

THis has been discussed before (but maybe lost by the forum upgrade)... you can't buy the "stock" nav dash without a screen. The stock motorized nav dash costs about $1,500.

rot8ryx

Hey devoid,

I was also looking into the alpine touchscreen.... have you already installed the unit... if so could i see pictures... also where are you going to get the job of mounting the unit??? thanks a lot .. D:D

oh yea... one simple question about the D300.... there is a navigation program in there also right????

devoid

OK....so that's a few questions....Let me see if I can get them all straight.
First the layout of the D300 touchscreen. I think first I must explain that the D300 installed in my vehicle is dissassembled. We took the screen and DIN apart because I did not want a motorized screen, instead, I wanted a permanent mounted screen. Thus, as you can see from the picture below, the DIN portion of the D300 sits directly below the flush mounted screen. To do this, the face of the original radio was removed, cut, and fiberglassed to fit the pieces.

Technically, the unit is not installed yet. There's still a long way to go on the car. Right now its at the bodyshop getting the body work done. That will take till the end of the month. In the meantime though, the picture I provided is the best I can do for you about what the screen looks like.

Also, it must be kept in mind that we do need to keep a portion of the radio as the climate control module works in conjuction with the radio to display settings on the upper RED screen. Thus, the minimal portion of the radio we needed to keep will sit well behind the D300.

The work is being done in Cleveland, Ohio.

Finally, there is no native navigation system in the D300, or for that matter, any of Alpine's units. Alpine has a seperate navigation unit that will connect with any of their screened units, however. The only other drawback, however, is that even the touchscreens, like the D300, do not work in touch mode with the NAV. Touch capability was obviously not foreseen by Alpine when they made the NAV unit.

Just a further note, you can check out more info at my website, devoid.mine.nu There are more pictures available in the photos section, or you can go directly to the pictures at devoid.mine.nu/pictures

8inVegas

Devoid, you are one crazy ************. that **** is crazy dude. your car will have everything anybody could ever need in an 8. i think it's gonna be the best i.c.e. 8 ever! Big ups to you

devoid

Thank you for the props! :D I've definitaly put a lot of time and effort into the design. Lots of research and vision. The most unfortunate cost has been time, however. It is WAY behind schedule. I joked with the installer this past weekend that he may as well put a bow on it when he's done, and make a nice christmas present for me. He agreed and said sure, we'll even make the bow out of your sales reciept. I have a feeling that could make a VERY large bow.

rot8ryx

wow devoid... i just saw your pictures and i gotta say.... your 8 will come out nice!!!! You must have dropped a lot of money.... anyways, keep us updated.... i really want to see how the alpine D300 will come out in front.... i think i will buy my D300 unit this weekend.... :D

Oh yea.... im a little confused to how you will be able to control the climate if its going to be located behind the Alpine screen??? Please explain because ill run into the same prob when i install mine

8inVegas

how much will the all this come out and what exactly are all the mods???if you don't mind us askin

truemagellen

I think he mentioned that he sold his first born to have this stuff done...now thats a devoted RX fan

8inVegas

have they already installed the poppers inside the rx-8? do they work and how well? my vision is coming out in your car. b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l ! ! !

devoid

OK....there's a few questions here, let's see if I can get them right:

1. Climate Controls
If you take a look at the attached image, you can see the controls, the PCB and Radio, and the attaching wiring. The PCB and radio will sit hidden, well behind the Alpine, inside the dash. The controls will be relocated to the aproximate position of the ashtray. The wiring obviously needed to be extended, so this was done by using CAT5 wire. We also needed to extend the wiring of the Hazard flasher, as can also be seen in the photo. Thus, the controls aren't hidden, just relocated, but the PCB or control BOARD is being pushed deep into the dash.

2. What are the mods?
Check out my website: devoid.mine.nu There is a cars section, with a sub section for the RX-8. There are pages for an FAQ and what's going into the car. (There is just WAY to much to try and keep relisting, so I'm doing my best to keep that up-to-date).

3. Cost?
Truemagellen is pretty close. Thank goodness I don't have a kid, or I just may have. The other bonus is not having a woman - man that saves a ton right there! (Though I am taking applications/resumes with attached photos for future prospects!) As for the genuine price, as I've said before, I don't know, and don't wanna know! I just pay the bills as they come, if I added them up, I'd probably not complete this project.

4. Poppers?
As of yesterday, the body shop had shaved the doors. Man, they look absolutely amazing. (Check out the photos in the photos section, yesterday's date) There is absolutely no way you could tell there was a door handle on the door. As for the poppers, yes, those were installed, though they still need a bit of work to be perfect. Check out the video here

5. Misc...
Please check out my site for progress/questions. Under the cars/RX-8 section I do have the list of what's in the car as well as FAQs. Under the pictures section, I currently have a photo diary of progress on the car, as well as some videos.

Thanks All!

(PS - for applications, photo must be attached. A listing of "strengths" and "preferances" is also helpful! )

8inVegas

nice, do u have a new clip with shaved door handles. man, i tell you, i don't have a kid, but i have a girlfriend, and she likes the good stuff. it was either a new exhaust or a new louis vuitton. decisions decisions, i tell you man. haha

devoid

First...the shaved doors: check out the website devoid.mine.nu Under the photos section, look at the last date ending in RX-8. That has the shaved doors. I'll put up more with the nose and trunk shaved tonight.

As for the GF vs. RX-8 I figure:
- As long as I take care of the 8, she'll always look good
- I'll never have to answer the question, "Would you still love me if I got fat?" (The answer would always be - "Nah, I'd replace you with a new 20yr old!"
- Young girls are the biological equivalent of "New Car smell" - so I'm just cutting to the chase
- The 8 doesn't have mood swings with a 3 letter excuse
- There's no issue about fluids leaking once a month
- It doesn't talk back
- It never asks for anything
- It'll never moan that I don't tell it "I love you" or "you're beautiful" often enough!
- It won't guilt trip me
- It'll never question my commitment
- It won't moan when I bring "the boys" along
- It'll never get me lost, force me to stop at a gas station to ask directions, and yet still blame me
- It'll never complain that I'm smothering it and ask for "space"
- I don't mind it's family package (siblings - 3 & 6 or parents - gen 1-3 7's)
- It's always ready in a pintch (I don't need to wait 2 hrs for it to "get beautiful")

That's all I can think of for now...feel free to add to it....
PS - BTW, to all the females on the board, I am only teasing. Man, I'd live one hell of a lonely life if I was really like this. :D

8inVegas

Love

robertdot

DSC?

8inVegas

pms hehe