Homebrew motorized screen lift

**Lebult** · 02-08-2007, 11:13 PM

I've been searching around, but havn't been able to find anything useful, so maybe someone here has tried this.

I want to make a system that will 'lift' my iPod into view in my car from inside the tape deck (sounds wierd, but it'll look good once it's done)
The best thing I can think of to describe it is like the motorized screens on in-dash, single DIN DVD players.

Does anyone know what 'kind' of system this is, what it's called, or where I could find parts like this??

**2k1Toaster** · 02-08-2007, 11:17 PM

There is nothing like this in existance. You will have to make it your self. Because of the size of a cassette slot, you are severely limiting your hardware options. Look at some of the motorized LCD threads to get an idea of the hardware needed. Some use actuators, some servo motors. For the track, cabinet tracking is common but way too big for the cassette player. You are in for one hell of a custom job for an iPod...

Why not just get a CarPC?

**GoHybrid** · 02-08-2007, 11:58 PM

true, it's going to be a hell of a job, but really if it's an iPod nano or mini, it might fit through the cassette slot just fine. What you should do is check out sdp-si.com. They have an amazing catalog of very inexpensive nylon gears and racks, worm drive components etc... All you need to do is figure out the math of the movement you're after and that site ought to have most of what you're looking for. I'd advise shopping for motors elsewhere though... most of those seemed exorbitant. Then again, you can salvage the motor from the cassette deck itself and probably make that work. What say you?

**2k1Toaster** · 02-09-2007, 12:05 AM

Even with a nano, it will be close. And if it is a nano with that really itty bitty screen, what would the point be. I could see a video going in there because of the nice screen and everything.

**GoHybrid** · 02-09-2007, 01:28 AM

wouldn't be much point to that in my book, but then, maybe he's got a larger screen elsewhere and the iPod is merely serving as a sort of "hideaway control panel" for whatever it's displaying on the screen. I could see it being cool and working out.

**Lebult** · 02-09-2007, 08:14 AM

I need to be able to see the screen to change playlists and albums. The slot is itself is much bigger than a tape deck (about 4 inches wide and 1.5 inches tall), that's just where I'm putting it.
Like I said, it sounds odd, but it'll work. I don't have the time or money to build a CarPC right now, and I already have the iPod.

The idea is to remove the cassette player, and replace it with a custom fabbed tray. I'm going to rip apart an old CD drive for some parts to get it to pull in and out, like a CD. That's the easy part.

The hard part is getting the iPod inself to lift up as the tray opens.

**GoHybrid** · 02-09-2007, 09:17 AM

out of curiosity, which generation/model iPod do you have?

**Lebult** · 02-09-2007, 05:55 PM

2nd gen Nano 8gb

**GoHybrid** · 02-09-2007, 07:02 PM

sounds like it'll work out fine! Are you getting the audio/(video?) through a dock interface or from the headphone jack?

**Lebult** · 02-10-2007, 12:04 PM

Dock interface directly through the factory headunit. That way I maintain all my steering wheel controls, and keep it out of sight.

I really like the factory look in my car (was a major selling point) and if/when I build a CarPC for it, I'll do everything to maintain the factory 'look' (if not the factory hardware)