Nexus 7 in car project
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Caporegime
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Done more than enough in car audio to know what's worth doing and what's not.
Soldato
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from what i've seen, no one has managed to get the usb host mode working at the same time as charging...yet
there is talk of a dock "coming soon" which will be able to do it, but sooner or later someone on xda is bound to manage it!
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I'm happy for criticism, I'm giving it a shot. If it doesn't work out like I want, so be it. Lost very little but my time. I just fancied something different and a bit of a project to do in the evenings. The comments of "it's not worth doing" etc. are completely subjective. To you it might not be.
And I do agree about the fingerprints on the screen but it really doesn't look like that in the day or night without the flash on, and also I'm going to try screen protectors etc just to stop marks. I have one on order.
Sole, I'm going to have to keep my eye on it and the dock as that was my initial idea. We'll see
And I do agree about the fingerprints on the screen but it really doesn't look like that in the day or night without the flash on, and also I'm going to try screen protectors etc just to stop marks. I have one on order.
Sole, I'm going to have to keep my eye on it and the dock as that was my initial idea. We'll see
Soldato
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if you are going for a permanent in car install, there is someone that has removed the battery and hardwired the connections for that into the car - seems like a bit much to take a brand new machine to bits!
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
You'r not happy for criticism at all - you've snapped at everyone who hasn't told you its a fantastic idea and assumed everyone who thinks it isnt a fantastic idea is obviously clueless.
Some of us have spent a lot of time and effort considering the best options for incar infotainment systems and discounted tablets not because we know no better but because we felt they are not quite as a good an idea as people initially think.
Will your completed install:
a) Seamlessly power on with the ignition with no user input whatsoever
b) Auto load the previous music source and begin playing within 3-4 seconds of ignition on, with no user input
c) Be ready for Satnav at the touch of a single button and without needing to first connect a mobile phone
etc etc.
This is all important useability stuff that matters in a device thats primarily a car audio system but which is often overlooked by people going for the Tablet option in favour of 'Oooh, I can play Angrybirds and install apps!'
The novelty of Angrybirds and apps fades but the requirement for no hassle, no faff seamless audio and quality nav doesn't because its this, and not gimmicky apps, thats the core important featureset in a car nav system.
Now thats this thread for? If its a 'My idea is so awesome' thread then feel free to post some more insults. If its a genuine discussion about your plans then why not try addressing my points?
Soldato
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you can power on using tasker to recognise when ignition is turned, and you can set it up to resume media playback too,
not sure about the sat nav, but can't think of the last time I went out without my mobile phone and its easy to set up a wifi tether which will start automatically,
but obviously you will have done your research fox because we know it's not possible for you to be incorrect
also there are more useful apps than angry birds availible on android
not sure about the sat nav, but can't think of the last time I went out without my mobile phone and its easy to set up a wifi tether which will start automatically,
but obviously you will have done your research fox because we know it's not possible for you to be incorrect
also there are more useful apps than angry birds availible on android
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Fox he has already mentioned apps that sort your A - C list of problems...
I also get where your coming from and feel a tablet is wasted in a car . Or at least it would be for you or I .
I guess the question we must ask is Can he get something better for the same cost or will it 'nearly' be perfect for much cheaper
I also get where your coming from and feel a tablet is wasted in a car . Or at least it would be for you or I .
I guess the question we must ask is Can he get something better for the same cost or will it 'nearly' be perfect for much cheaper
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Caporegime
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[TW]Fox;22854638 said:
It's almost impossible to try and put across the huge advantage of a fully integrated nav system, not having to mess around with turning things on etc every trip is worth it's weight in gold.
Why do you have to turn things on? The tablet uses hardly anything on standby and will last a couple of weeks without charge.
You do not need internet for navigation solutions. The same way a normal car navigation system works.
Android OS is much better than anything a car manufacturer would come up with. The specifications of the tablet would also be far superior unless, car manufacturers have started using cutting edge mobile chips. RNS-E is also expensive.
The application itself looks very dated though.
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Caporegime
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A dedicated in car solution will resume nav and audio playback seamlessly regardless of how long I've left my car, it must be reliable and function without fault, something which is hard to guarantee with an android tablet.
It must have traffic data without an internet connection, excellent maps and cellphone integration, it also must have excellent audio capabilities and the ability to connect an iPod.
Latest chips or fancy graphics are pointless, for the purpose of using the device in a car it's nothing more than a pointless gimmick.
But hey what do I know, I've only been using various inbuilt nav solutions for the past 10 years.
I really don't understand why people do this. Probably seems like a great idea at first, but after a couple of weeks of fiddly operation you soon realise the lack of tight integration into the car is massively annoying.
I wish you luck with it but I think it's a rubbish idea that isn't executed all that well.
I wish you luck with it but I think it's a rubbish idea that isn't executed all that well.
And I suppose that putting the key in the ignition will turn the tablet on? Resume my journey if all I've done is stop for a refuel? Continue playing my last media source, whilst also remembering how far into that audiobook I was in the CD changer should I feel the need to swap sources? I can control it through my wheel controls? I can get the vital display info (track name, street name, next junction information, etc) on my "in clock" screen? Why does the standby time have anything to do with it?
So instead, you need a decent app that has local maps and routing data? There's another chunk of cash on top of the tablet then, add the fascia, the cabling, any other apps you need to make it even remotely usable in a car, and it's not looking so cheap anymore!
Better for what? I don't need to be a twit whilst driving, or book someones face, or play a game, or browse the internet, watch a video, or spend hours fannying about with a touchscreen trying to find the music I want to listen to. I want quick, minimalistic controls that can be accessed from the wheel, or at worst, from buttons (physical ones) that I can feel my way around without needing to look away from the road. Touchscreens are utter garbage for this. Even the voice control of android is nowhere near as good as the SDS system in the car.
Why does it need "cutting edge" mobile chips? My MMI system never gets any form of lag.
Decent inbuilt wins over anything add-in, hands down.
Now, I'm not saying that add-in systems can't be "ok", but when the alternative was an already inbuilt system that had to be ripped out to fit a low-end (low rent) tablet, that looks half finished (as do 90% of all carputer or similar installs), and with a low quality, home-built appearance? Come on.
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I've never been into the idea of an in car pc before but I must admit I do like the idea of a small Android tablet incorporated into the car.
My nav of choice now my Tom Tom is completely out of date is Sygic anyway. This has offline maps and is <20 euro for UK or < 40 euro for western Europe so quite cheap. Torque pro is fantastic and a great addition to the car too IMHO as you can set it to display a number of different sensors or gauges.
I can see why some people wouldn't touch one with a barge pole but it is an interesting idea and one I'd like the OP to continue posting about.
Tablets are cheap enough now and if I had my own car with a suitable place to house it and enough skill to house it well I'd be tempted to give it a go. At the moment I have none of those things
My nav of choice now my Tom Tom is completely out of date is Sygic anyway. This has offline maps and is <20 euro for UK or < 40 euro for western Europe so quite cheap. Torque pro is fantastic and a great addition to the car too IMHO as you can set it to display a number of different sensors or gauges.
I can see why some people wouldn't touch one with a barge pole but it is an interesting idea and one I'd like the OP to continue posting about.
Tablets are cheap enough now and if I had my own car with a suitable place to house it and enough skill to house it well I'd be tempted to give it a go. At the moment I have none of those things
Soldato
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tbh it is entirely down to the way you want to use it, if you require a nav system on every journey, multiple input sources and want to put different information on different output monitors you definitely need a dedicated car specific system - but if you know what you want out of a system and a tablet meets them, then why not?!
not everyone wants to ***** serious money on oem equipment
not everyone wants to ***** serious money on oem equipment
I agree with the above. However, it doesn't look THAT bad at all, and i think people have been unduly harsh. I think it's pretty cool that the OP has actually gone away and tried to do something like this, recognising and solving problems on the way. If nobody ever innovated or tried anything different or new, we'd be in a very different world right now.
I mean, what's the worse that can happen? You take it out and put the old system back in after a few months? Big deal.
Good on you for trying something new and having the ability to attempt something like this.