Adam Matthew Silver

just wandered if any one has done an in-dash tablet install ? looking at doing one with my nexus 7 over the next couple of weeks. seen some pretty sweet installs on various other forums.

probably going to do it linked up to a cheap head unit set back from the standard position ( saves me hacking the wiring and using an amp )


currently just got it on a vent mount for gauges etc :


should look pretty good i hope. and means i can run my OBD adaptor straight to that as well as having unlimited music streaming and other various aps ( satnav etc )

CharlySkunkWeed

iTrader: (7)

I actuall had a tinker today, ordered a cheap holder and had it clipped to under the stereo. Sat out a bit too far and bounced about too much. My Samsung Tab is nearly the exact size of a double din , but I woud prefer to be able to take tab in and out easily , rather than fixed behind the dash.

Have a look at mounting in where the dash clock sits. You could get a spare one and modify it to hold tab on top of dash (like some modern car displays) and it means the stereo area stays untouched. Could make almost like a gauge pod and it would allow audio wiring down to back of stereo.

Adam Matthew Silver

yeh thought about doing a fiberglass/carbon mod for that but it stands out a bit toooo much and may result in a smashed window and missing tablet

if i sink it in behind the stereo it will look a bit more standard and less likely to attract attention ( i hope ) it fits almost exactly, just needs a teeny bit of DIY . going to find a cheap stereo this week ( ideally with a remote so i can adjust master volume if required ) then go from there. want it so no visible areas of dash are changed so i can always revert to the original setup if i like

CharlySkunkWeed

iTrader: (7)

Do you just leave it powered up all the time if its behind dash ? My power button is on side. Also , do u chop a charger up and hard wire it to the stereo supply ?

Adam Matthew Silver

mine is on the side too.. what most people do is Root their tablet, means you get various other options and settings such as one that allows the tablet to auto screen on/off when power goes on and off. or having it totally shut down when/restart with power on/off etc etc. can also set it to never screen sleep. ( except when power off )

and yes pretty much. well. best thing to do is that you can also use USB sticks when rooted. so you get an adapter ( usb to micro hd ) and then get another adapter so you can run a power lead into the usb and still plug another usb in ( still with me ? haha )

then you can have a lead run to glove box or similar to plug a usb stick for more music/video storage etc. as well as it being permanently powered

you can also enable fast charge via rooting

then just run a jack either to a stereo or small amp connected to speakers and you pretty much sorted... the main issue is getting the tablet mounted neatly

neil-h

A mate of mine has a nexus 7 installed in the centre console of his navara (type navara nexus 7 into google and you'll find pictures). He's got a charger hard wired into the lighter socket and a ROM which monitors the supply voltage and switches the nexus off/on when the supply goes off/on.

CharlySkunkWeed

iTrader: (7)

**** all that ! Lol !

Adam Matthew Silver

its a lot less effort than it sounds :P hopefully i will have this up and running withing a week or 2. just need to find a head unit i want and spend a day installing the tablet

Deej

iTrader: (3)

I've thought about doing this in the past so I'm interested to see how you get on.

Will you leave the OBD2 adaptor plugged in all the time?

Adam Matthew Silver

i have left it in since i got it a few days ago now and had no issues, no battery problems so far so im guessing it is ok

had another play around today and did some DIY in preparation for installation, removed the flat plastic cross member that sits just above the stereo and also cut and heated/bent the top of the fascia into shape .. needed an extra cm at the top of the tablet. now that is done the tablet site in perfectly. nothing even required to hold it in place. fits beautifully. ive rooted and installed a custom ROM on the tablet so it can run a fixed installation setup, means it'll turn on/off with power from the car. also allows fast charge and USB host. as well as a few other nifty features ( got a link to the root/rom kit if any one wants it ?!)

going to fill the cuts i made in the fascia and re-spray it ... this could have been avoided if i had taken a bit more care and time. the fascia would have bent with just heat rather than the cuts. and the pain only got burnt as i was a bit over zealous with the blow torch haha

pretty much all i need now is either a little amp or head unit. think im going to go with a cheap head unit... means i don't have to hack any wires or splice anything so the car is kept standard for when i sell. really easy installation to be fair. only costs will be :

head unit £20-40 second hand
jack lead - £2
usb charger lead ( 5amp ) £5
tablet - already had it

heres a few pics... i need to get an anti glare screen protector which should stop any glare. but all sits really nicely i think

Adam Matthew Silver

Also, before i forget. Dont chop a charger too much,. The plug itself usually has a resisitor or something in there and you will fry the tablet... Dis this with a satnav once. You are better off buying a cigarette adaptor (cigarette plug with bare wires on the end to hardwire too. Or just run some wire and solder /wrap it to the plug connections.

:-)

neil-h

Ah yes, the nexus charges at 5V (USB) and the car battery is 12-14V.

As for the audio side, how much money do you wanna spend? The best option is to use a headphone/line level converter through a processor (Audison bit10 or similar) into one or more amplifiers. If you want to save a bit of cash then you don't need the processor but a bit10 will give you easier volume control.

Using a cheap headunit should work but tbh it's far from the best solution.

Adam Matthew Silver

Seen a few neat 200w 12v mini amplifiers for not much in amazon. Going to try one with a remote. Should be easy enough, jack-phono for audio from the tablet to the amp then speaker wires spliced to amp.... Only thing is im not v keen on cutting wires... But it will work.

neil-h

Just use a harness adaptor for an after market headunit, then splice into that rather than splicing into the cars wiring loom.

Adam Matthew Silver

only audison bit10 i can find is $500 .. dont want to spend that. tbh dont want to spend much at all. just playing about and if it doesnt work ill put the old stereo back in. so going for cheap and cheerfull for now. the speakers are standard so wont take much of an amp to power them.

eventually i will replace all the speakers and want to put an under seat sub in. but for now just playing around more than anything .

SAM-UK300

iTrader: (8)

nice idea, hope it works out

neil-h

You get what you pay for at the end of the day.

Adam Matthew Silver

Indeed you do. Thats a 3rd of thr value of the car though haha. And will be about the same as a double din Android head unit.

Deej

iTrader: (3)

That looks really tidy, I'm tempted to have another look at doing this now. I think for the convenience of it putting a basic head unit in is a good idea.

Is there space to fit the head unit further back than standard? As the tablet is obviously in the way now.

Also about the charger, there will be a linear voltage regulator in the 'plug' end which basically acts like a variable resistor to drop the voltage from 12V to 5V. So as you say if that gets chopped off you will fry the tablet.

CharlySkunkWeed

iTrader: (7)

I'm going to get a spare dash trim (where the clock is) and try to cut a slot in in for the tab to slide in , just enough to hold tight. If I ***** that up I might make it into a pod. Im not interested in charging it or loosing my stereo , just want it to sit somewhere neatly that it can be removed easily.

Adam Matthew Silver

should have this going in tomorrow. ordered a 12v mini amplifier (200w) which should power the standard speakers fine. got all the wiring sorted out already.

will keep you all posted

Adam Matthew Silver

ok well i got it all in and semi wired up today. all i need is the amp tomorrow and the wires are all there and ready. made a little video and 2 pics, need to finish the fascia at some point but other than that im really happy got a DAB USB antenna attached and can plug USB sticks straight in too

edit: oh yeh, also ordered an anti glare screen protector

CharlySkunkWeed

iTrader: (7)

Nice job

riiidaa

iTrader: (2)

Adam Matthew Silver

LOVE mighty car mods..shame its an ipad :P evil apple ! haha

Deej

iTrader: (3)

That looks great, I'm very tempted to give it a go as well.

riiidaa

iTrader: (2)

I'm tempted, but I think I'd use an amp, rather than relocating a headunit

Adam Matthew Silver

That's what i did in the end. Got a mini 12v (200w) amp. Cost £8.50. Does the job. And fits in glove box. Just wired to a car charger plug. Will get a pic later

riiidaa

iTrader: (2)

i guess i'd miss AM/FM radio that way though, hmmmmmm

so yours is a nexus7?

a colleague and friend has an android tablet (galaxy tab 3) but it only allows volume swipe on screen if you if you initially press the side mounted hardware rocker switch, I guess the Nexus 7 is different in that respect?

neil-h

Iirc you can get a ROM that removes that. Though as I said earlier, if you make a proper job of it and use a signal processor then you can have volume control through a remote control ****.