My new CarPC Project - Honeycomb Here I Come
 

Over the past couple years I've been running a Windows 7 micro itx setup. With it I've had full HU / steering integration using a Grom Car2PC adapter and some custom code I developed for media management.

I've been following the Android tablet market for some time and have finally landed on a replacement.

I'll be using a Dell Streak 7" 3G/4G as a replacement for my entire setup. The end result should be pretty impressive as I'll be replacing about 30' of cabling, the lilliput LCD, and my trunk stored mini-itx PC with nothing more than the tablet (mounted via cradle in my jdm retractable nav tray), a pdmi cable, a hidden multimedia dock (supplies power, 3.5mm audio, and usb), and the FTDI maintained Android serial drivers to control my grom car2pc adapter with some new custom code developed on my part.

Anyway, I'll keep this thread updated as I progress. I'll be tackling the project in multiple steps, initially taking a step back and loosing some integration -- namely HU control, but have no doubt I'll be back to where I am today upon conclusion -- likely 3-6 months out.

Various resources collected throughout the project:

Mazda JDM Retractable Navigation Box
http://japanparts.com/db/partslist.p...EY=091-030-004

Carnetix P2140 Intelligent Power Supply
http://www.carnetix.com/P2140/CNXP2140.htm

My own Communications & Control Library for the P2140
http://www.carnetix.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1963

Kensington K39224US PowerBolt Micro Car Charger


Dell Streak Product Page
http://www.dell.com/us/p/mobile-stre...025,901pdb6671

Dell Streak 7 Kernel Sources
http://opensource.dell.com/releases/streak7

SlipGrip RAM-HOL Streak 7 Mount
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=...ount&_osacat=0

Dell PDMI Dock
http://accessories.dell.com/sna/Popu...onfig#Overview
http://www.streaksmart.com/2010/12/s...ll-streak.html

Grom Mazda Car2PC Adapter
http://www.indashpc.org/new/adapters/car2pc-maz.html

Grom Mazda AUX Bluetooth Adapter
http://www.gromaudio.com/store/aux_a...e_adapter.html

USB A Female to USB A Female Adapter (should assist with OTG)
http://ntcdistributing.com/products/usb-connectors.htm

FTDI Android Homepage
http://www.ftdichip.com/Android.htm

FTDI Kernel & Kernel Module Build Guide
http://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Docu...to_Android.pdf

Blue Bluetooth OBD2 Adapter (this is the one I have)
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/elm327-...r-dongle-16921

libVoyager (open source Android OBD2 communications library)
https://github.com/gtosoft/libvoyager

OBD2 Wikipedia Page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OBD-II_PIDs

reserved for even more future build updates

reserved just in case I need it

I tore down my center console today and pulled the lilliput screen and retractable tray. After a little bit of drilling into the existing center stand I got the $44 car mount I bought off ebay installed with no issues.

I'll put it back into the car tomorrow running a temporary 3.5mm audio plug to my car2pc adapter and a 12v lead (going to hijack the existing one I wired for the Lilliput) for the pdmi plug on the Streak.

The Streak 7s dimensions (width & height) exactly match the Lilliput 7". The depth is a little less than the Lilliput.. Basically a perfect fit for the tray.

Here are some pictures of the tray mounted:


And the mount itself (stole the marketing image from ebay):

That is badass man. I can't wait to see the finished product.

thanks, 9k!

I'll have some more pictures up tomorrow once I've got the tray reinstalled into the console. Should provide a really good visual for the final setup.

looks awesome!
can't wait to see how this ends up as I've been giving more thought to simply using a tablet device for a carPC.

Got everything mounted temporarily as I await the 12V pdmi power converter. Initial impressions are OMFG this rocks!

Audio integration is complete. My one big TODO is getting the FTDI Serial enumerator kernel module built and incorporated. Once that is done I can do full on HU integration. Currently all I've got is volume control (although all I existing HU functions still work as was the case with my prior Win7 setup).

Here's a nice shot of JDM nab tray coming together prior to install into the car:

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1322427818

All the front console "guts":

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1322427818

First test:

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1322427818

All buttoned up (head on view):

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1322427887

Drivers Eye View:

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1322427818

That's money. I want.

Google Navigation:

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1322428208

Android Camera:

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1322428171

All stealth like when not in use:

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1322428171

And my final shot for the day, Parmer DashCommand for Android connecting via my cheapo Bluetooth ELM adapter:

https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...1&d=1322428171

Sub'd! I've wanted to do this when I first saw a thread on someone else thinking about it back in the summer. Where did you get the nav tray from? Also are you gonna post up your code to get the HU stuff up and running when completed?

best place to get the nav tray is from japanparts.com It is a Mazda (JDM) accessory. Any code and/or kernel modules I develop / modify will certainly be open sourced and available in binary and source forms once I get to that point.

Found it! For those in the future trying to find it, Mazda Retractable Navigation Box

I'll be sure to add it to the top posts once I take some time to clean up the thread.

looks great except those side connector, but overall clean install and nice job :)

I'll be building a pdmi male to pdmi female cable at some point in the near future to allow for a connection to a docking station. This will allow me to move the audio connection down to the dock (likely stored in my center console, behind the HU, or in the glove box) as well as get access to Honeycomb's USB device enumerations (which also requires some kernel tuning and custom code) for HU/steering control integration.

good to hear, waiting for the update :)

Looks good man. keep up the good work!

This has got to be THE coolest car PC project.

Honestly, I contemplated building a car PC for a good while and put it away for various reasons... but if this gets done, I might become just a copycat and do the same thing.

Way to go, man. Thanks for sharing. Will look out for your future development news.

Holy smokes. :Eyecrazy:
That's friggin' EXPENSIVE! :(

subbed, cant wait to see more on this

Very cool. Subbed as well.

Looking into doing something like this sometime in the near future..Nicely done!!! Subscribed :)

Having failed to source, and not looking foward to "nano level" soldering, a pdmi to pdmi extension cable for integrated power, audio, and USB host mode, I have deviated a smidge plan wise.

I bought a GROM Bluetooth adapter (http://indashpc.org/new/aux_adapters/grom-aux-maz.html) and assuming all goes well I'll be discontinuing use of the car2pc adapter completely.

I'll be building some "hardening" code on Android to ensure the bluetooth link stays up... should simplify things considerably.

It's a little sad that I'm giving up on the car2pc interface. It was a treat to work with under Windows.