Best product to connect a car pc to BMW iDrive screen ?

Hi,

I have an e90 facelift BMW 3-series with iDrive Professional (the new CIC iDrive).

I am researching the best way to connect a car pc to the iDrive screen (the screen is high quality 10.2" with 1280x480 resolution). After hours of research, I could not come up with a "best product". In fact, I could not come up with much at all.

Does anyone know what are some proven products to offer additional video input to iDrive (especially the new version from September 2009 on) ?

I also noticed that most iDrive video intercepton modules have composite video in, whereas most carpc systems have VGA output. Is a VGA-to-composite cable a solution for this ?

Here is what I found until now:

http://www.xcarlink.co.uk/product.ph...7&cat=0&page=1
http://www.tvandnav2go.com/bmw-tv-navigation.html
http://www.tv-in-motion.co.uk/bmw_video_input.html

Thanks !

the new infotainment system used in the latest bmw's (navi professional and idrive) is a cooperation of harman/becker, called Harman Infotainment.

i am also looking for a possibility to "open up" the system in order to play videos/movies (avi, wmv, mpg etc.) directly from an attached usb storage (flash or drive) - even avoiding a separate carputer because the idrive is so highly integrated. the hardware seems powerful enough because it can play digital tv broadcasts (don't know about high-definition though).

any open source project trying to do this?

update: i am owning an Archos 5 Android tablet. in combination with the Mini-Dock it gives you the capabilty to play any video format from the Archos 500 GB drive to a TV (S-Video).

instead of connecting to an TV i could connect to one of your proposed BMW interfaces. only problem is that there is no integration with idrive control. you have to change videos on Archos touchscreen which is not ideal but not so bad because watching/changing videos during driving is not really needed.

if it is your kids in the fond, they can control the videos via Archos touchscreen. i would then rip all kid DVDs (i own them) onto the 500 GB Archos as MPG or DIVX). i guess that those multimedia interfaces have long enough cables to wire into the fond, so kids can easily connect Archos.

Did you guys find a solution? I am researching and have not found much.

I would more worry about controlling the computer than displaying the information!

Try http://navtv.com/ Here is my installation: www.realcarpc.com