My In-Dash Nexus 7 Project

[Monkey]

I used one of these for mine:
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=PS2016

mmm, but I don't need to access it ever, so might as well just use an in-line one? http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DC-12V-to-5V ... 9c3&_uhb=1

This 3A dual USB out may actually be 2A + 1A (as per all the dual USB 3A cig to USB adapters I've come across) .... may be wise to ask the seller before purchasing.

What dash cam are you using?

[jakey]

This 3A dual USB out may actually be 2A + 1A (as per all the dual USB 3A cig to USB adapters I've come across) .... may be wise to ask the seller before purchasing.

What dash cam are you using?

uh-oh already purchased.
Edit: However looking at the pictures and the way it's wired, I'd say it's 3A max total. (e.g 1.5A each or however you split it) How many amps would a dash cam use?

Dash Cam is this: http://www.innovv.com/#!specification/ccn9
Cringeworthy 'chingrish' brand, very promising hardware and price point. Frequent GUI updates. Fingers are crossed

[Monkey]

This 3A dual USB out may actually be 2A + 1A (as per all the dual USB 3A cig to USB adapters I've come across) .... may be wise to ask the seller before purchasing.

What dash cam are you using?

uh-oh already purchased.
Edit: However looking at the pictures and the way it's wired, I'd say it's 3A max total. (e.g 1.5A each or however you split it) How many amps would a dash cam use?

Dash Cam is this: http://www.innovv.com/#!specification/ccn9
Cringeworthy 'chingrish' brand, very promising hardware and price point. Frequent GUI updates. Fingers are crossed

No idea how many amps it would require. May depend on whether it has an in-built battery (and is therefore charging when powered)?
I'd guess 2A would do it.

What is the purpose of this - driving videos and perhaps security when parked? ie. cheap GoPro alternative?

There's a couple of things I'd query before purchasing:
1. Seems odd that it's advertised as 1080p, but only 640x480 VGA when hooked up as a PC camera. is the plan to link this to a Nexus? If so, I wonder if resolution will be downgraded?
2. Max SD card size / speed device will read - compatibility could be an issue. Also, recording at 1080P takes up a huge amount of space, and can take a little while to process a short video on my Canon 60D SLR with a 16GB 25MB ps Sandisk SD card, so I'd be concerned about this crashing frequently after a decent drive and a 2GB+ video. Wonder whether file size is limited / time to process?


EDIT: Check out the movies at the bottom of the specs page - took about 3 mins to load on my 100MB/s [very fast!] connection at work, and there is heaps of barrel distortion in the image which is dizzying to watch. Unless there's a feature I've overlooked, I'd save for a GoPro.

[jakey]

What is the purpose of this - driving videos and perhaps security when parked? ie. cheap GoPro alternative?
it's completely a dash cam to capture stupid pricks on the road. Huge uptake overseas on these for insurance purposes. For $70 odd - why not.
I also have a quadcopter that I'd like to try it out on

There's a couple of things I'd query before purchasing:
1. Seems odd that it's advertised as 1080p, but only 640x480 VGA when hooked up as a PC camera. is the plan to link this to a Nexus? If so, I wonder if resolution will be downgraded?
Their translations and descriptions are very bad - I don't need to hook it up as a PC camera, but it has analogue video out should it need to- probably at a lower res (again I don't need to though)
2. Max SD card size / speed device will read - compatibility could be an issue. Also, recording at 1080P takes up a huge amount of space, and can take a little while to process a short video on my Canon 60D SLR with a 16GB 25MB ps Sandisk SD card, so I'd be concerned about this crashing frequently after a decent drive and a 2GB+ video. Wonder whether file size is limited / time to process?
This is actually designed as a dash cam (as opposed to your 60D) and has no troubles looping video records by all accounts on the web.

EDIT: Check out the movies at the bottom of the specs page - took about 3 mins to load on my 100MB/s [very fast!] connection at work
That was a ~150MB video I imagine that is not a bad speed to cross multiple continents.
, and there is heaps of barrel distortion in the image which is dizzying to watch. Unless there's a feature I've overlooked, I'd save for a GoPro.
yea, this is the trade you get for having such a wide angle lens (110 / 120 deg)

I have no hope now but to defend my purchase

[ysKn]

uh-oh already purchased.
Edit: However looking at the pictures and the way it's wired, I'd say it's 3A max total. (e.g 1.5A each or however you split it) How many amps would a dash cam use?

Dash Cam is this: http://www.innovv.com/#!specification/ccn9
Cringeworthy 'chingrish' brand, very promising hardware and price point. Frequent GUI updates. Fingers are crossed

I remember reading a thread on http://dashcamtalk.com/ where they listed quite a few dash cam and their power draw during different stages of operation and none went over 1.5A.

[seanmau5]

If it is indeed wired up as 1.5A for each and you require more than 1.5A just make up a 2xmale to 1x female adapter to draw the required amps from the adapter..

I did that for the required amperage to mount my HDD to the Nexus and it worked a treat!

[jakey]

from the look of the pic


I don't think there is enough room for two sets of wire in the section between the dc-dc and the Y split.

[Monkey]

Ok I tested the set up in my car, with pretty good results

Played music for about 1hr - battery drain with the UCA202 appears to be just over 10% per hour on my Nexus 7 2nd gen (2013) with no charge, which I think is reasonable.

Sound quality is waaaaay better - especially with the bass frequencies which saw a 100% increase (previously I set bass +3 for radio/CD/aux 3.5mm jack, and +4 or +5 for bluetooth - now 0 has ample bass) - it actually sounds like there's a sub in the car now with the stock McIntosh system and sub! I was thinking of doing the amp gain mod but now no need

volume levels have increased about 20% - 30vol is now pretty loud (previously, I'd set to low-mid 30s on radio/CD/aux 3.5mm jack for loud music, and up to 40vol [max] for Bluetooth)

And Timbo, in answer to your questiojn, music will play via the USB out and navigation, etc sounds work via the internal speaker simultaneously. Of course, you wouldn't be able to hear it if the music vol was over 15-20.

Obviously the USB audio out only works in the USB Audio Player PRO app - so not Tunein, Spotify, etc - but this is still a huge advancement for Android car sound to my mind.

Will update to advise whether the Nexus will charge with an OTG y-cable when I receive in about a week. And then the next step is to buy a cheap wireless charging pad to test in the centre console compartment, although I'm not very confident about the signal transferring through the plastic compartment lid and Nexus cover.

I received the OTG y-cable today and are pleased to announce good results.

Using my 12V cig lighter --> 3.1A USB adapter, I was able to simultaneously play music via USB using the UCA202 and charge the Nexus via the 2.1A USB port around 5% in 10 mins.
I then turned on wifi, bluetooth and GPS and activated Torque for real time information, whilst still playing music - it continued to charge! (albeit likely at a slower rate)

IMG_20140121_184926.jpg (56.67 KiB) Viewed 7092 times

So my removable Nexus install is as follows:

Nexus 7 2nd gen (2013) 32GB wifi [$279 @ JB Hifi - price match]
Steelie magnetic car mount [$39 @ JB Hifi]: http://www.niteize.com/product/Steelie- ... nt-Kit.asp
USB Audio Player PRO [$10.73 @ Google Play] - https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... rpro&hl=en
Torque Pro [$4.85 @ Google Play]: https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... rque&hl=en
12V cig lighter to 5V 3.1A (2.1A + 1A) dual USB adaptor [$4.99 on Ebay]: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/5V-3A-Dual-U ... 53f6522e3b
OTG Y-cable [$4.61 on Ebay]: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/390731483630 ... 1439.l2648
Behringer UCA202 USB external Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) - $45 [bought 5+ years ago]
RCA - 3.5mm stereo plug [$5 - had around the house]

Total cost = ~$395

Obviously this isn't as neat as a dash install, and it doesn't have the full USB audio functionality of a Nexus 1st gen with Timur's ROM (eg. USB audio only works via the USB Audio Player app, not via TuneIn, etc), but it's a lot cheaper, the Nexus 7 2013 speed and resolution is far superior to the 2012 version, the tablet is removable, I get to maintain my cubby for storage, and no rooting or other technical procedures are required. So all in all a good compromise.

Once USB audio out is native in a future firmware release (hopefully Android 4.5), and I can figure out how to reliably activate a wireless hotspot on my phone using Tasker etc for playing TuneIn, I will be a very happy chappy!

[dr20t]

Awesome development guys. Well done to all who have taken this installation to a new level

I didnt end up going down the path I previously planned like statts' original post - but I have a newb question in relation to android (again I'm an amateur with no idea about this stuff)

Can I reflash / root a Asus Memo pad HD7 with timur's rom? My research shows the memo pad hd7 uses same OS as nexus 7 1st gen, but with Asus' own interface over the android OS.

Tried googling to see if this rom could be hacked in the same way as the nexus 7 but no luck

Failing this, I may just have to go down the path monkeyboy has and do away with the USB dac

Thanks in advance guys

Mick

[jakey]

Maybe not timur's but it appears as if there's a wag to get USB OTG and rooting to work, not sure what that achieves though.

[youtube1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsRSlXJ2ZUo[/youtube1]

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthr ... ?t=2344950

[brainy]

FYI, thought i would share my mounting method as i wasn't too keen on having a cable sticking through the vent.

The fascia came with a metal bracket. So i used that. Clipped it into my other sat nav bracket and it gave me a nice position for the tablet to sit on.



I found online that the nexus was pretty easy to take apart, so i pulled the back off and cut a piece out of the back case so the ribbon for the usb port could poke out the back.



The fascia holds the tablet in place and sits nicely. I may end up looking at options to fill the slightest of gaps on the side, but i'll see how i go, but the tablet does not move or rattle in any way.



Thanks again Statts for your help in answering any dumb questions i had.

[HyRax]

Very nice! For the gaps, probably consider some rubber/foam strip tape that is sticky only one side?

...figure out how to reliably activate a wireless hotspot on my phone using Tasker etc for playing TuneIn, I will be a very happy chappy!

Stick an RFID tag on your mobile phone holder. Your phone's NFC sensor picks it up, triggering Tasker to enable the hotspot. When the phone is removed, losing contact with the RFID tag, Tasker disables the hotspot.

[Statts]

FYI, thought i would share my mounting method as i wasn't too keen on having a cable sticking through the vent.

The fascia came with a metal bracket. So i used that. Clipped it into my other sat nav bracket and it gave me a nice position for the tablet to sit on.



I found online that the nexus was pretty easy to take apart, so i pulled the back off and cut a piece out of the back case so the ribbon for the usb port could poke out the back.



The fascia holds the tablet in place and sits nicely. I may end up looking at options to fill the slightest of gaps on the side, but i'll see how i go, but the tablet does not move or rattle in any way.



Thanks again Statts for your help in answering any dumb questions i had.

Looks great. No problems, glad I could help somehow. I ended up modding mine also,ran the ribbon cable over the top of the battery and out through the loudspeaker grille.

Love the bracket idea, I didn't even think of that, I just turfed it from the kit thinking it was too specific to the satnav.

[bigBADbenny]

I was wondering about the Nexus ribbon USB bit and found the info here: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=24309

[Monkey]

I just had a potentially great idea.....

What if hinges and a release catch were added to the dash trim to enable the Nexus to be removed in 2 secs?
Could this be done? the main problem I think would be the air vent plumbing, but no reason why some flexible extender couldn't be added like a concertina hose which folds into itself.

Thoughts?

Cubby.jpg (97.78 KiB) Viewed 6981 times

Alternately, if there wasn't enough room to pivot downwards, perhaps it could be spring-loaded onto tracks to slide out like a drawer?