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GraphiteDak
GenIII
 
1/28/2005
15:08:01
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 Subject: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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I don't remember if I ever posted this mod in here (I usually post in the members area).
I've been working on my PC based mp3 player for sa few months now slowly. Has been up and running for over a month but been fixing it up as I go.
Used a mini ATX motherboard. 512Meg DDR mem, 120Gig Hard Drive, and to bring it all together I just use a wireless remote and a 7" touchscreen monitor where my old car stereo was.
It's been bad a$$ having all 4000 mp3's at my fingertips.
Here's a crappy pic of the monitor and how I browse through my music using Windows XP.
Now using WinAmp instead of WMP but need to take some screen shots of that later.
Have to use an amp for sub woofer and also an extra amp to run the 4 door speakers and tweeters which is simply plugged right into the sound card. Sound card supports the onscreen 10 band EQ and other goodies.
This system blows away my $300+ Sony mp3-cd player I had for 3 years.
Also using "Microsoft streets and trips" with the GPS when we leave town. Shows directions, resteraurnts, present speed and direction. It's pretty cool.
I've got to add two more monitors for the back seat so the kids can watch DVD's back there.
Also use wireless network card for getting my files from my home PC's and also can find sh*t loads of unsecure internet connections all over town when needed.
You can find my install pics and progress by clicking on my mods banner below.
It's actually pretty cheap to build one of these yourself.
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
1/29/2005
01:16:22
| RE: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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Here's a copy of a post i added in the general forum. It will help here too:
ok. I attemted to make a video of the basic operations. I had to sit the digital video camera on the center console so it didn't take a straight on image of the LCS monitor so you know how well that works. the video doesn't clearly show the mp3 visualizations correctly. But good enough. The bass, even with the volume very low, distorts the camera audio input slightly. It seems to turn it's input level up automatically no matter how low I turn the stereo volume.
Anyway. Here's three short videos I made real quick.
mp3 player (win-amp)demo
When you see the mp3 demo I open a folder. As I scroll through those folders, each one is a artist. Under each folder is whatever albums I have from them. There must be between 100 and 200 artists on the system!
You COULD store DVD rips the same way onto the hard drive to have instant access to your favorite movies.
Short demo of DVD part
Just a short clip of the DVD player. the touch screen is a 16 : 1 widescreen. But hard to tell here.
BTW, this is a direct DVD copy I made.
GPS-navigation demo
I just open the program long enough to bring up my sisters house on a street map then zoom out. No way to show the GPS without driving. I rarely use the GPS.
Anyone wanting to build one I can give some heads up if you want. It's easier to build than it looks.
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Philip
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/06/2005
21:02:19
|  RE: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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Very nice! I would like to do something similar in my Dakota.
I am at the beginning stages, though, and due to finances, I must install very slowly.
My plans for a setup are these:
LCD sits on a swivel stand that can be removed. When not used, the LCD can fold down over the large cupholder to be nearly flush with the center console. I did not want to have it visible at all times. When open, it can rotate for the driver or passenger. Setup has been completed for the lcd monitor. I have gotten it setup where I did not have to put a single hole in the dakota. I wanted to make it so that if I decide to trade in the Dakota for a newer model at some time, there will not be any evidence of customization.
I have several plans for the LCD. The LCD is a 7.2 inch, dual input with remote. I got it cheap through eBay. (It is a bit too cheap, though. The quality is crap, so I might have to replace it at some time.) Because of replacement, that is another reason why I wanted a stand to hold it because this can change with any LCD monitor. The most immediate plans are for a camera attached to the back bumper, to help with parking (and watching people while driving). I would also like to setup a laptop or computer similar to what you have...for mp3s and GPS. Computer – input 1, Camera – input 2.
As I have said, I am in the beginning stages. I have gotten everything setup for the LCD. It takes about 5 minutes to install it in my Dakota from start to finish, so I don't have to have it installed at all times. I have a waterproof camera ready, but I have not installed it yet (although it has been tested). I still have not done anything for the computer, yet.
I have a 2 door, extended CAB, 2003 Dakota SXT. At the moment, I don't have a computer to use, but even if I did, I am having a hard time figuring where to put the computer. There is very little space in the back seat. I am going to have to have something sticking out, such as a box, unfortunately. I think I will have to make a custom case, but I really don't want to do that. Obviously, I don't want it to take up a lot of room.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, if anyone has any ideas of customization, please share them. When I get everything setup like I want it, then I will post pictures. Unfortunately, setup for a computer will take a long time due to finances.
(One thing I have in mind is setting up the monitor to receive tv signals from an antenna.) I do not know if this is possible, but I might look into it.
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
2/09/2005
00:04:01
| RE: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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Mine came with a stand/mount but didn't use it. I mounted mine in the dash where i can easily see it. But it's also visable but I'll fix that later.
As for room for the PC, I would assume the CC would be similar to the QC in where under the rear seats there could be a few inches worth of foam that could be removed and a small computer board in a home made case would fit.
My monitor has one VGA input (computer) and two video/audio inputs. I DO know that a TV tuner IS possible because the Nvidia capture card in THIS computer has SVideo input, Composite, AND a tuner built in. I never use the tuner though.
Here's something very cool I did tonight using my system.
the digital camera takes sh*tty pics of the monitor. that's usually a tough thing to try to take a pic of.
Anyway my sister had a DVD movie I wanted. i threw it in my truck's DVD RW and ripped it down to my hard drive. Drove home, opened NERO and BURNED it on a blank DVD in no time all using the system in the Dak!.
The copies are perfect and play with Dolby Digital just like the original. Usually I can't tell the difference watching these copies on my wide screen at home.
The other day I also ripped some DVD movies down onto my hard drive to have for quick access when away from home. Those movies I leave out the menus and extra features.
So the system is working nicely. I still need to make a more permanent computer case for it and to re mount it behind the rear seat a little better than it is. But so far it's pretty nice and being able to copy family and friends CD's and DVD's in a hurry is kind of cool as well.
I'm definitely liking the WinAmp player in the Dak better than the WMP. When I start the PC back up and open WinAmp it comes back on with the last play list (usually over 100 songs in que) and plays where it left off.
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Philip
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/11/2005
16:03:14
| RE: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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Do you have to start the computer yourself (press the power button), or does the computer start up when you start your truck?
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sbailly
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/11/2005
16:47:42
| RE: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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Excellent idea, I've considered doing this myself for my truck, but I wouldn't be able to stand the windows boot time, even if it were optimized.
Actually as I was writing this, I thought it would be possible to set windows to hibernate when it looses acc power (it would take a small program running in the tray monitoring a pin on a serial port). And just have it wake on serial activity when you start the truck. Only problem would be if you leave your truck off for too long (number of weeks at least) it would slowly deplete your battery; but I doubt you spend too much time outside of your truck :).
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
2/13/2005
17:35:57
| RE: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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Yeah for now I turn it on manually. that is pushing a button mounted up front which is the same thing as on the front computer case.
And actually, it starts FASTER than my Sony mp3-CD player did!
This last weekend I actually loaded a entire folder of music into WinAmp (Rock folder) which was 1600+ mp3's!
When I shut it down and start it back up. It opens with the last playlist at the song i left off. WMP doesn't do that so that's why i switched to WinAmp.
Today we drove a few hours each direction and while I used the GPS navigation, I played music.
With the music playing about 2 hours each direction and even skipping songs I didn't like, it was still on "B's" as far as the play list goes!!!
I'd have to drive for DAYS or even WEEKS for the music to repeat the same thing again.
As I progress I'll make some more automatic power controls. an additional battery is in order especially when I run the amps, so that's no diff than when using the old head unit and amp. When I put it in hibernate it just trickles the power. I'm still using a inverter to power the computer for now. I've left that on overnight with the PC off and the battery was fine.
Now that I'm buying and learning to use programmable MicroControllers expect to see a home brewed power supply sometime soon.
Something that would start the PC when I start the truck and would shut it down if the key is off for over 30 minutes or so.
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rhino_rkw
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/14/2005
18:42:57
| RE: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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All i have to say is that is very nice. You are much more technically inclined then i. I have my laptop pumped throught my system. Wired into a 300 wat power invertor and pluge into the the aux mount of my kenwood deck and thought that was a good idea until now. Well done like it allot
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
2/14/2005
21:07:43
| RE: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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yeah. Laptops work ok. But I wanted this built in.
Some of my sh*t is still a little hacked as far as the install goes :P
But I can keep improving and because I'm using a computer upgrading HOW my system works is always easy! am really liking using WinAmp for my music player. just drove to the video store and after skipping songs a lot here and there I'm I the 200's or so out of the 1600+ mp3's I loaded into this particular play list!
When I used WMP I always had an empty playlist on start up and had to ad new songs or open a saved playlist.
WinAmp retains where I was last. And putting a few thousand songs in the playlist is very easy to manage to my surprise. better than surfing through folders.
Now I ned to figure out how to make some cool short cuts using my remote control. I'm not happy with the remote I have though. It's weak. I may try to buy a smaller one, cannabalize it, and put the butons on the steering wheel or something.
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sbailly
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/15/2005
11:51:15
| RE: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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I concur, winamp whips the lama's ass :).
Graphite, I was noticing that your navigation software tracks speed and direction. I'm quite curious how you are getting the speed from the vehicle, are you going through the diagnostic port? Is there a software SDK you used to get the pins and codes necessary?
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
2/15/2005
21:00:55
| RE: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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No, nothing like that. The program "Microsoft Streets and Trips" supports GPS.
I simply plug in my Garmin GPS and it sends the data to the computer's serial port.
The program now supports USB power stand alone GPS receivers which I will buy later. They are about the size of silver dollar in diameter and you can mount it in the dash and it powers by the computer. My friend has that one. i rarely need my GPS unless I drive somewhere on a trip. It's nice to see where you are, exits coming up, speed, direction, altitude, and of course find any restaraunt or hotel in the U.S.
Heck, I use the program daily in my company vehicle to find customer's addresses for directions. I can locate regular fast food joints like mcDonalds and SubWay with the program. I recomend Streets and Trips. It's better than the others.
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sbailly
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/16/2005
10:54:55
| RE: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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sounds very nice indeed. if i drove my truck more than 5 miles to and from work, in the city, every day i might have a use for that myself :)
heh, a little more than a year old and less than 10k miles on it.
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
2/16/2005
19:46:08
| RE: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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I have a company vehicle myself that I get to drive home. I drive the Dak after work sometimes and on weekends. It sees 300 mile trips every month or so sometimes towing.
Somehow I've got about 26K onit in under 2 years.
the unlimited music is great on trips.
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Philip
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/16/2005
21:31:08
| RE: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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I wish I drove my truck that little. I have owned my truck for 3 months, and I've driven it 7000 miles.
I hope to have GPS & rear camera setup within a month, both shown through an LCD. For the moment, the GPS software will be through my laptop. I can't afford to stick in a permanent computer in the dakota.
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
2/17/2005
21:21:22
| RE: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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Permanent computer is CHEAP if you buy it and put it together yourself.
Last night I got my propane tank refilled for my BBQ. Waiting for the guy to come out I was flipping through songs and messing with the player.
The guy noticed it and asked if it was a computer or something and I said "yes". He asked if I could say how much it cost to get and when I said only $200 for the computer and $300 for the touch screen he was surprised.
People spend more than that for in dash players all the time!
The motherboard, CPU, 120Gig Hard Drive, and 256meg DDR Ram only costed $200 at Fry's Electronics.
just look for "boxed sets" for motherboard and CPU sales. Usually less than $100 and then you only need the memory and hard drive to get started.
The amps, remote control stuff and other add ons start adding up a little bit after a while but everything can slowly be added and improved.
I bet people who pay $50K+ for Hummers pay several thousands on these set ups by having someone build them for them. If you can do it yourself, it doesn't cost much at all.
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DakotaB02
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
2/20/2005
01:29:18
| RE: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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Hey-
I have a question for you how did you hook up your amps.. The one main question is about the hookup of the Remote wire?
Thanks.
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GraphiteDak
GenIII
2/21/2005
21:45:30
| RE: PC Based mp3-DVD-Navigation in my Dak
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The amps remote wire simply goes to one of the yellow "12VDC" wires on the computers power supply.
The output of the soundcard (built in to the motherboard) goes into the subwoofer amp and it has a set of RCA outputs to go to the door speakers amp so I didn't even need a crossover!
Supposedly my motherboards sound supports 4 channel output. Maybe some day I'll check into it more for the hook ups and change my two channel door speakers amp for a 4 channel to do the front and rear seperate. The only reason would be for DVD movies to perform surround similar to 5.1 minus the center and dedicated subwoofer out. But You wouldn't notice the difference.
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