Installing computer w/ 2000 GM factory stereo-how to connect

**SpkTheD** · 05-07-2005, 02:50 PM

I've done a lot of searching, and very few posts on the web have much technical knowledge, and I've never messed around with this before..

I really like the factory setup on my car, a 2000 Grand Prix GT, and putting in an aftermarket CD player is not going to be an option, but I am planning upon putting in a modified XBOX running a version of Linux, a DC-DC power converter in place of the power supply (by the way, is the M1-ATX pretty recommended?)
I plan upon using the CD changer controls to control the whole thing, it would be really neat to use the wheel controls still, but there's the problem, it's pretty easy to figure out how to control the xbox via their usb inputs, but I'm very unsure about how to connect the two, can anyone give me any input?

I might put a small amp with a decent 10" sub, but nothing too big, or difficult, do most factory stereos come with RCA outs, or would I have to figure out a delay and just run that out from the XBOX, too. I might put in a touch screen, but again, I like to leave the actual car footprint low, so it would be something non-permanant, that I could take with me. Or I might just use a laptop to actually do anything more complex, and put in a wireless network adapter...

Another question, I'm unsure about just putting in a factory hard drive, I like WD's quite a bit, but I'm pretty concerned about road shock, is a laptop HD necessary?

I really would appreciate any help that I could get in this matter, to sum it up- how can I hook my xbox up to my factory CD player, does that have RCA outputs, and will using a desktop HD cause it to fail quickly.

**xdjxklusivex** · 05-07-2005, 03:29 PM

by the way, is the M1-ATX pretty recommended?)

not sure but i think so :-D

how to control the xbox via their usb inputs

dont got an xbox so i cant help you on that but i dont think its possible

do most factory stereos come with RCA outs,

naw u gota get a IN LINE CONVERTER its about 25 bucks basicly u tap into ur left and right rear speakers and connect it to the converter then it has rca outputs and a gain control

Another question, I'm unsure about just putting in a factory hard drive, I like WD's quite a bit, but I'm pretty concerned about road shock, is a laptop HD necessary?

naww u can use any one ive got a WD 40gig normal desktop hd in my car and it works fine and i jump curbs and dont slow down for speed bumps so yeah :-D

**EsKALad** · 05-07-2005, 03:37 PM

take a picture of the back of your radio. i might have an interface that will allow you to connect 2 aux inputs with a switch..so lets see a pic of the behind of the radio

**SpkTheD** · 05-07-2005, 03:55 PM

Sorry for the confusion, I worded my question about controlling the xbox wrong, what ideally I want to do is to have the buttons on my HU and the steering wheel controll the songs, and that's pretty easy, just get like a keyboard controller, and wire it so that when you press the next button, it makes the xbox think you have a keyboard pressing the next button on it, pretty easy to do, but what I have no idea of how to do is to hook up the cd player so that it can send the controls to the xbox.

As far as the inline controller, is that basically turning the speaker wire into RCA's? And wouldn't that introduce quite a bit of loss into the system? Another issue is that my car has a factory EQ, so it would mess things up quite a bit if I were to try to run subs with that, wouldn't it?

A lot of uncertaintly :P

As far as taking a picture of the back of the HU, I could definately do that, but I'm trying to get a feel for everything that I need to do before I actually take the console apart. I want to make everything look absolutely factory.

(except the trunk

)

Really hard to tell because forum messages don't list the actual CD player model, and a google search has 100,000 results of new cd players they're trying to sell me.

**thanatos106** · 05-07-2005, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by xdjxklusivex

not sure but i think so :-D

dont got an xbox so i cant help you on that but i dont think its possible

naw u gota get a IN LINE CONVERTER its about 25 bucks basicly u tap into ur left and right rear speakers and connect it to the converter then it has rca outputs and a gain control

naww u can use any one ive got a WD 40gig normal desktop hd in my car and it works fine and i jump curbs and dont slow down for speed bumps so yeah :-D

Is the in line converter able to work with the factory amp?

**Auxon** · 05-07-2005, 05:10 PM

Edit: Re-reading your post, this probably wouldn't help you in what you really want, but, eh, maybe it'll help someone.

Do you have a Slave Device (I.E. a CD player, cassette tape deck that is not physically part of the Head unit, but controlled by it)? If so, you can use one of These guys, or similar. Not sure which model you'd need, but i have one in my car and it works fantastically.

**SpkTheD** · 05-07-2005, 05:18 PM

The factory CD player that comes with my year of Grand Prix is *supposed* to be compatable with an external trunk CD changer, but there is none hooked up, and none came with it. Do you actually have to have something else connected, or does that matter. That was what I suspected that I might need, but I wasn't sure. I've seen lots of different kinds, is there any difference?

Allright, if I can get this figured out, I know how to run the wires from the trunk and all, does anyone have any suggestions upon which kind of RCA cords I should use? I've heard that lots of them are good, but no sense in getting the ultra platinum gold silver plated $34 a foot cords if they're not necessary...

Thanks a TON for all the help here, you guys rock.