AntoineBridge

Hey,

I was just seeing if anyone on this forum has replaced their stock crappy pop up GPS with a Tablet?

I checked out YouTube and there are a lot of videos on it but most just show the finished product which is cool. But I was wondering if anyone on here has actually done it and could provide some tips or instructions on the setup.

Thanks

In case you where curious I want to install my Nexus 7 (2013) Android Tablet.

zendrums

iTrader: (2)

I was in the middle of doing this before I blew my engine. Now I'm focused on my engine swap. Are you putting in a navi hood where there wasn't one before? That's what I was doing, and it's a little more difficult because you have run the screen motor yourself. If I'm not mistaken, I've got a PIC4550 running mine with custom firmware (holding the open button to fine tune position, for example). I used the original motor for the unit and just stripped everything else out. I also knocked out the IR filter so that I could actually use the camera on my Nexus. It lines up, but you can't see anything unless you shave down the face of the hood a little bit and remove that gloss black looking filter.


If you already have the navi system, you obviously don't need to do any of that crap.. but it might be nice to wire up the existing navi controls to work with your tablet.

To get a nice fit for your tablet, you'll either need to build some sort of brace to hold it towards the front of the screen or do something like wrap your tablet in plastic wrap, spray expanding foam in there (custom fit), and then glue the foam to the hood. I didn't get this far either. I'm not sure where you could put bracing in, hence my thoughts on spray foam. Might also want to include a way to press the buttons on your tablet, though this shouldn't be a daily concern, so being able to take it out probably mitigates this requirement.

One thing that I hadn't yet tackled (besides the install, heh) was how to remove the tablet. My plan was to cut the face off of the front of the hood and use some latch system, possibly sliding latches in place of where those rubber pads are.

You'll need to consider how you're going to manage. You don't want to charge it all the time or you'll kill your battery. You also don't want the tablet to run 24x7. My solution was to root my tablet and set it to boot on power and shut off after 5 minutes without power. I was also going to use the ignition wire to turn the system on, thereby not having to worry about constant power.

Another concern is the heat. You don't want to run the tablet if it's too hot...

Good luck

BigCajun

iTrader: (1)

There are quite a few threads on it, many members have done it.
Just Google "RX8 Club tablet in nav hood install." or something to that effect, you'll find plenty.

AntoineBridge

My version of thr RX8 came with the pop up GPS already installed, so what i will be doing is removing the screen thats already in there and putting in the tablet..

If you got photos or instructions on what steps you took that would be awesome if you can pass them along.

Thanks


Posted From RX8Club.com Android App

bigfella8

Hey Antoine....

I am not far from you in Hamilton and I myself will be undertaking this project as well, I as well have the stock nav present so I will just be replacing the screen with a tablet too, haven't decided on which tablet yet as I am looking at all connectivity possibilities....

I have seen every video and read almost every page on "carputers" and tablets....

I have a pretty solid idea of how I plan to install it....

Maybe we can undertake this mission together?? let me know!
Cheers

bigfella8

For The Record....

I plan on using the "grom" audio kit as a DAC "digital audio converter" which will then allow the tablet to play on the stereo as well, movies, music, Bluetooth for handsfree calling, and I will run a wire from the glovebox where the DAC will be located, to the centre console for phone charging.

The phone can also be a source of music and the steering wheel will control music and handsfree calling....a Bluetooth or wifi OBD dongle can be used to communicate with the tablet to display sensor information and diagnostic trouble codes while a phone can be a source of wifi via a "hot spot" for internet on the go.

Your nexus will have GPS which is handy because you essentially keep that feature while adding others as well like music, dash command, movies, etc....In my case, I don't have the nav disc to make it work anyways and im not spending the money on the disc when I can add many more features by installing a tablet

I plan on installing a switch to power the tablet on when I want to so I don't have to worry about killing the battery...the switch will be by the dimmer switch for the dash guage cluster on the left side by the change tray where there are 2 unused "potential" buttons....

I plan on finding a tablet that uses an alternate connection other than USB to power the device as I will need the USB port to connect to grom audio DAC which then sends it to the radio...but I do believe a tablet with Bluetooth will be able to communicate with the Bluetooth grom audio kit......

There a few things I still need to figure out, which is the nav housing as I have yet to take the radio out and get at the screen....but we do have all power and cables already there to work with....haven't quite thought about tablet removal, some people haven't had any problems with overheating and some have...ill have to figure that one out, lol and fitment is another ussie, haven't gotten there yet either....


Ultimately I know I still have some homework to do, but again I have a pretty solid idea of how I plan to do this, but it would be nice to have/give a helping hand on this project...as well as meet a fellow rx-8 club member in the process!

There are quite a few extensive threads on the tablet in the 8......

ZOOM ZOOM!!
Cheers