Factory looking faceplate

**Jiels_liken** · 08-09-2009, 11:11 PM

so I am building a head unit to go into my dash to have some basic features without always have to open the screen all the time. I want it to look close to a standard stereo, But I don't have and fabrication experience. but this is my Idea PLEASE comment and let me know the best way to get this done!!

I plan on starting with the factory faceplate because it already clips onto the rest of the head unit

here the factory face plate:

I plan on cutting out everything but the DVD Slot and the screen so it looks similar to this:

the screen it not a certainty I was planning on mounting a LCD that tells you about your computer temp adn HDD activity

but then I found this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811996005
and if I could integrate that into my fact play it would surely look OEM

I also want a couple USB ports and a volume control

the volume control might be the simplest with something like this:

so that my Idea I just dont know how to get it out of my head and into my car

**2k1Toaster** · 08-10-2009, 05:37 AM

Why go through all that trouble to get a 2 line character display? That's ludicrous. If you are putting in a CarPC, do it right!

**Jiels_liken** · 08-10-2009, 01:22 PM

I am doing this because its Custom and fun, but how do I "do it right" by your definition?

**thekl0wn** · 08-10-2009, 03:44 PM

Full size 95-99 Chevy/GMC pickup/SUV? If so, you've got tons of room to add on/add to the center console in the future, with a screen. I am curious as to how you're going to utilize the OEM LCD.

**Jiels_liken** · 08-10-2009, 03:53 PM

the deck is not stock for my car (84 Chevy Camaro)

the cool thing is the screen on the face plate is just a window so I was planing on putting another LCD behind it like this or similar:
LCD CPU monitor

**2k1Toaster** · 08-10-2009, 03:55 PM

Well the part that you interact with the most is the screen. Putting in a VGA touchscreen allows you to fully utilize the CarPC, and can look OEM. GPS is near impossible with just a character display. Frontend navigation would be a bear. Just so much nicer to have a real screen.

**Jiels_liken** · 08-10-2009, 03:57 PM

lol I do plan on putting in a full sccreen monitor in the dash also, lol this is just for other stuff

**soundman98** · 08-10-2009, 05:07 PM

you were trying to do this without a fusion brain right? i really think that you should look elsewhere for a volume knob, mostly because the griffin is going to be Huge, and will take up alot of room, if you refuse to use the fusion brain, you could look at modifying a mouse wheel to control the volume.

**Jiels_liken** · 08-10-2009, 05:19 PM

why would I need the fusion brain for a volume control? the "head unit will house a CD-DVD player, a multimedia card reader, a couple USB ports, a couple other luxuries and a hard on/off-reset button for the computer the computer is a sony vaio and will be in the back of the car. above the head unit will be an in dash 7 inch monitor with touchscreen

that will me my setup

now whats the best way to setup the FRONT of my head unit so it looks OEM

**trader007** · 08-10-2009, 05:48 PM

you might save yourself a heart-attack by just putting in a real normal headunit, that way you have simple controls without the carpc.... but if this is what you want i absolutely love the idea. it will be a challenge, and unique.

i cant really help on the VFD display part, but it would be cool to get that to display track and artist tiles of songs that playing.... and maybe have a button you could push next to it, that would cycle through temp, time, and maybe even rss feeds. like you said, there is a lot of info you can get from that display without even turning your whole monitor on.

dynatron 660 , high heat paint , and the loss of your sanity will get you an OEM looking bezel for your "headunit". it wont be a fun ride, but if you dont do it right the whole project will be highly unattractive and overall annoying to the point you don't want it anymore- no matter how well you finally get everything to work.