Kenwood Unit for sound and monitor to a carpc or LCD + Amplifier?

**tzitzos** · 10-29-2011, 06:39 PM

Hello Guys,

I am reading the forum for more than one year and i have to say that many times have help me to solve some problems that i had with my audio car set up.
Now i have some questions and i really cannot find some answer and clear the ideas to proceed with an upgrade that i want to make.

So for the moment i have a excellent Kenwood unit model 7280BT (Europe unit because i am from Italy) into a mercedes SLK car with focal speakers and one ampl. subwoofer always from focal (SUB 25)
The unit is same as the 9980HD that is proceed only to US.

Now i want to put a carpc to my car because i want to have internet , obd and stuff like that.
I have already the project ready ( it's a zotac nano pc with carnetix p2140 psu and obdlink)

My questions that i want to make to you guys (of course you are much more expert that me) are.

1)About the monitor and the sound in general.
I know that is i put out definitely the kenwood unit i have to buy an excellent lcd (i think lilliput 669 or the samsung one) and an external amplifier right?

It's better to buy a lilliput and external amplifier or to keep the kenwood unit that i already have and use it for lcd and amplifier?
The monitor of the kenwood is excellent (maybe also superior of a lilliput or samsung because also to the sun light i see very very good) and also the sound is brilliant.

i am 70% of keeping the kenwood unit because like this i have many things positive like that i can play music more rapidly if i want to drive for a shortly time , then the lcd comes out from the unit and i can take it with me , i have a very very good lcd monitor and sound and also a very good bt included , garmin gps ecc.Also that i don't have to buy a new LCD and amplifier and also that i don't have trying to sell the unit.
The only negative is that if i keep the kenwood unit and i connect the carpc to the aux av input (video and audio) i cannot control from the monitor of the unit the pc so i cannot have touch screen to control the pc (is there any solution to that?)

If you were in mine position what you have done?

Thx you and if someone want to help i really appreciated

George

Ps:My English is not so good ( Italy guy

) so i hope that you can understand what i have write

**wayneox** · 10-30-2011, 07:15 PM

now, im not sure how many guys are going to agree with me here, but this is how i would approach it...

you already have the kenny unit.. so hook it up... and test it out...

bear in mind that the resolution of AUX is not very great (about 480x320 or something like that - if i remember correctly...) it can work, but not very good...

you may be happy with the bluryness... i think i have a video on my youtube (way17e) for my first carpc kit from my astra, its put as something like "bootup" i used it with a 7" headrest monitor... was ok for movies etc, but for fine detail, no chance... (since you want internet, i think your gonna hate it - unless you ZOOM)

now, i dont deny the kenny display will be brilliant, a digital screen etc, but thats only on the internal workings... im not familiar with the input connections on the unit, but the actual aux input will be no help for you for detail (text etc)...

but like i say, you got the kit, test it out, it wont cost you anything except a bit of wasted time... (and if you like it you save money)

next: the input without a touch screen...

i used a bluetooth keyboard (was the same size as my mobile phone) i later found an application to use my phones keyboard (nokia5800) as an input device, lord knows what it was now, but something may help)

you can also set up you car pc to be a wireless access point and control it via a webpage (i tried this approach too... along with various others) using home brew software...

there are many possible ways... but the most common is : KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS....

lots of car pcs have no touch screen... some have no monitor... (mine didnt originally - pure voice commands etc)

now ive stowed away from car pc, though, as my mobile does everything, fantastically... and if i need a larger screen, i can use my tablet pc....

my 5800 has tv out function. fantastic for movie playback etc...

but all i can say... spending money is a wise choice for quality, but if you want to have quick music, maybe a spliced in AUX port direct to your amp for your mp3 player on your mobile??? that way short jorneys use your mobile, without the car pc...

- i only had an amp and my mobile in one of my first cars, after my stereo knackered... - it was alot better than CD's etc

lol

HTH

**soundman98** · 10-30-2011, 08:44 PM

^ i agree. if you want most of the features of the kenwood unit, then it would be worthwhile to try to use it instead of pulling it out for a different solution.

just remember that you will need a separate way to control the pc, because there is no easy way to use a touch screen on the kenwood unit.

**tzitzos** · 10-31-2011, 04:16 AM

thx you very much guys.

so you think that the aux in for the video connection it will not have the same resolution as the monitor (800x480)?

also onether think that has come out yerstaday is that the nano zotac pc that i want to use has only HDMI out.
the kenwood unit only aux in in RCA format (yellow cable) .
so i think that i have to use and buy a hdmi to rca converter to work and make the connection.
i found to ebay also some low cost cables hdmi to rca (yellow,red,white) but i can't understand if they are converter and i think they will not work.

ouff many problems.

i have to try out.
if the resolution of the aux in for the video it's not good and it's not the same 800x480 like the kenwood unit support , then i cannot have touch screen for the car pc but onlu mouse and keyboard i think i will sell it for a good amplifier and lilliput

**soundman98** · 10-31-2011, 09:24 PM

the reason you cannot get 800x480 is because the yellow plug doesn't allow for it-- that particular input type is too low of a resolution to allow for taking full advantage of the screen resolution.

those 'hdmi-to-rca' cables don't work because they don't convert anything-- you need a 'active' style convertor that will process the signal.

**tzitzos** · 11-01-2011, 04:29 AM

Originally Posted by soundman98

the reason you cannot get 800x480 is because the yellow plug doesn't allow for it-- that particular input type is too low of a resolution to allow for taking full advantage of the screen resolution.

those 'hdmi-to-rca' cables don't work because they don't convert anything-- you need a 'active' style convertor that will process the signal.

thx you soundman98