Tablet PC as Carputer?

mclaren, how did you get your vents to be that short? I took out my nav bezel and the vents are at least 3" longer. I can remove the vents from the bezel, but then it looks like where the usb and audio cables need to go is right where the vent flaps are.

Maybe the non-nav bezel is different? My vents do separate from the bezel as well, but they also separate in half. So the vents are actually 2 pieces per side.

 

I only had one piece of the vent on each side when I took that photo. When I installed it in my car, all the pieces were put back on and fit snug.

Hmm maybe I'll have to switch to the cubby bezel, which I have laying around at home somewhere. Did you have to modify the vent flaps at all to get your cables in?

Maybe the non-nav bezel is different? My vents do separate from the bezel as well, but they also separate in half. So the vents are actually 2 pieces per side.

 

I only had one piece of the vent on each side when I took that photo. When I installed it in my car, all the pieces were put back on and fit snug.

 

Well I broke out both bezels and your suspicions have been confirmed

 

 

In the first picture the nav bezel is on the right, and it's vents break in 2,but in different spots than the non-nav bezel. In the 2nd picture you can see I removed the vent from the nav bezel

It's still possible, but just makes it a bit more difficult to do. I drilled a hole into the vent to accommodate the power and audio cable. One unintentional side effect was that it also helped secure the tablet in place.

I thought about that at work yesterday and also came to the same conclusion, but I'm also going to do something like Crazy Goat did and make a bracket behind the tablet to keep it in place. I just ordered my Nexus yesterday, so I'm hoping it gets here before my Christmas break is over

Dremmeled the vent pieces last night - had to take about half an inch or so out of each side to allow the tablet room. The interior vent-fins used to control air are untouched and unaffected by this modification. (Maybe a little bit of air leakage - but it shouldn't cause harm unless the air is particularly humid or hot. I may seal the ends with electrical tape just for that reason.)

 

Right now it's being held in place by the tape/resting on the lip of the navigation controls - and held in by the vent pieces. I'm still thinking of how best to mount it internally. I think I'll find some kind of metal bracket piece to affix to the back of the nexus and drill it into the sides of the vents with screws.

 

Unfortunately there's not enough vertical space to show both the status bar and the home/back/app tray on the Nexus 7. (You can still see the home/back/app buttons but there's not enough clearance to push on them with your finger because the navigation's control panel gets in the way.)

 

I have three solutions. The first of which is to use an app to emulate the home/back/app buttons with gestures. Jellybean has these gestures built in with a feature called 'Explore By Touch' - I can go to the homescreen by swiping up and to the left, etc. The problem is that this feature requires another feature to be enabled (called TalkBack) which makes the OS friendlier to blind people, but speaks out selections, forces double clicking, creates two finger gesture problems, and all sorts of nonsense. So I'm still looking for an alternative or find a way to only enable the explore by touch feature.

 

The second option is to physically modify the hardware on the navigation buttons to be more flush with the bezel - allowing me more clearance to hit the buttons on the home tray.

 

The third option is to just hide the status bar behind the bezel - it doesn't really serve a meaningful purpose in a carputer, so it's an acceptable loss. But at least I'd have plenty of clearance for the home/back/app tray.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Drc4J.jpg

 

SCHM1AN - Be sure to look at where I made my cuts in the back piece, try to avoid the wifi antenna in the top corner near the power and volume buttons. I didn't actually take that into consideration when I was making my cuts - but I managed to miss them for the most part. I have no plans of wiring additional/better antennas unless absolutely necessary.

 

http://guide-images.ifixit.net/igi/UViY1ZeTrC1JPYso.huge

Edited December 19, 2012 by Crazy Goat

(Making this a separate post for those who already read the previous one)

 

Found an app which does exactly what I need - which is to create gestures to replace the home/back/app tray buttons.

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.goodmooddroid.gesturecontrol

 

It's a little on the expensive side ($5.00) - but then I can do some relatively simple gestures to control the tablet.

 

 

Also - I think I'm going to buy another Nav Bezel since I demelled out the front lip. Since I can emulate all of the button features without needing to see it - an unmodified oem bezel is a perfect match for the screen while hiding the home/back/app tray.

 

Edit - the app works perfectly (requires root) and I have multitouch gestures for home, back, recent apps, and even hiding the system tray and status bar! When you hide the tray and status bar you get the full screen real estate. Because of this, it doesn't look as tacky to have dremelled out the lower lip of the bezel. If I was forced to look at that system tray (but not be able to hit the buttons) it'd drive me mad.

 

These are the gestures I have now:

 

Four finger swipe up hides the status bar and system tray

Four finger pinch takes you to the home screen.

Three finger double tap opens recent apps

Three finger swipe down triggers 'back'

Edited December 20, 2012 by Crazy Goat

New video is up.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpoX2GU3PRA&sns=em]HOW TO: Nexus 7 Carputer Update - Multitouch Navigation - YouTube[/ame]

^ nice job. The next 'expensive' app (also 5 bucks) you should get is the Torque app to monitor, read, and clear CEL codes. Two years later, I still love this app! and I bet on the Nexus 7, it'll look great.

^ nice job. The next 'expensive' app (also 5 bucks) you should get is the Torque app to monitor, read, and clear CEL codes. Two years later, I still love this app! and I bet on the Nexus 7, it'll look great.

 

I do indeed have it! I haven't detailed it in a view because I haven't installed it on my latest reimaging of the tablet. I've got the OBDII bluetooth dongle rolling around my glove box.

 

Last night I fabricated the mounting system and put it all together. It's currently installed in my car and behaving as expected. The wiring is unfinished - and is running out my passenger vent to the aux jack and charger. I'll run the cabling on the interior once I get the chance. I need a new multimeter (and think my wife got me one for Christmas) so I can verify the output on my charger is up to snuff.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/bAN4ql.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/U3xe5l.jpg

 

 

Final video showing the installation of the brackets - drilling holes, and copious amounts of hot glue.

 

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZY4DfLs94s]HOW TO: Nexus 7 Carputer Complete - Mounting and Installation - YouTube[/ame]

That looks beautiful! I'll check this out when I get home from work and can actually watch videos- Thanks for all the documentation, Crazy Goat!

That looks beautiful! I'll check this out when I get home from work and can actually watch videos- Thanks for all the documentation, Crazy Goat!

 

+1. Very nice indeed.

Are you guys only using the tablet for navi/torque/app purpose?

 

What about radio/music and etc?

 

I'm thinking about replacing the HU that's in the cubby right now with this

I'm planning on using mine as a dual purpose music/nav device. I currently have a ScanGaugeII, so I don't need the Torque app right now

Yea, I use mine as a music player as well. Sync's with my music and I play that all the time. I could use the many radio apps, but I prefer my own music. The only thing I use the stock HU for is the HVAC controls. Everything else is better on the tablet.

Thanks for the reply. Only thing I see is missing compare to my HU is that BT capability to receive calls. Or is there a way for this to happen as well?

No, you're right about that. I had to use a stand-alone BT headset. Same with a backup camera, there's no way to do it that I know.

Guess I'll go back to looking for more gauge pods... :-/

The only thing I dislike with a touch screen device is that you have to stare at the screen if you want to change a track or play/pause, increase volume,etc..

Thanks for the reply. Only thing I see is missing compare to my HU is that BT capability to receive calls. Or is there a way for this to happen as well?

 

Look at the app 'Tablet Talk' - doesn't actually route audio yet, but shows caller ID and allows you to answer the call on behalf of the phone. Since it works over wifi - you can still have the phone paired with a Bluetooth speakerphone or receiver.

 

The only thing I dislike with a touch screen device is that you have to stare at the screen if you want to change a track or play/pause, increase volume,etc..

 

Nuh-uh!!!

 

You can buy a multitude of Bluetooth remote controls (some even steering wheel mounted) which pair with android. Here's just one example! (There are plenty of reviews from android owners)

 

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Satechi-MediaRemote-Bluetooth-Multi-Media-Control/dp/B00824948U/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1356287446&sr=1-1&keywords=Bluetooth+remote+control]Amazon.com: Satechi BT MediaRemote Bluetooth Multi-Media Remote Control for iPhone, iPad & iMac, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, MacBook, and Mac Mini: Electronics[/ame]

Edited December 23, 2012 by Crazy Goat

Oops - hit the wrong button!

Nice remote control

hmm...this could possibly work!

 

my HU does come with a microphone which I've routed in the car already, and it uses the standard 3.5mm head...

Finished the last of the wiring through the center stack. Made sure to zip tie and secure the cords to prevent noise and rattling. Ran it to the center console for power and audio. (I've got a new power supply from my dad I need to configure, he helps design the power supplies for the device displays in big-box retailers). The new power supply will ensure that the tablet gets a full 2.1A with filtered power output as well. Power fluctuations in a car are inevitable, but this will eliminate any issue. But since it's a universal/configurable power supply, I need to do install the proper resistor to force the right voltage.

 

Anywho - here's two shots of the final product.

 

http://i.imgur.com/mzo80h.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/kJ8iRh.jpg