FAQ / Summary of best bets for Input (In this Thread)

**CA 3000GT** · 01-25-2003, 07:35 PM

Overview:
EB mini usb (see note 1) is prolly the best.. that and maybe a small programable usb keypad, that and a few voice commands

Other Options:

********Large Interior********
1) Mount a keypad between the drivers and passenger seat
Datalux (cop-car comp co.) made good keyboards and mounts

2) Dauphin keypads are cheap, and about 9" by 5"

3) Joystick or numeric keypad with mapped keys.

********All Interiors********

1) Touchscreen, Sits right on your LCD. takes up no extra space, can be used for text entry (w/ little on-screen keyboard), and for mouse like dragging & clicking.. but... as compact as these are.. the screen *will* get smears.. if you use a stylus, it will get wear marks.

1) A dauphin keyboard, as well as other small keyboards can in some cars be put in the sun visor.

2) Many people use numeric keypads, sometimes programmable numeric keypads which are mapped to control the program one has running.

********Current Investigations********
Right now we are looking for advice in the following areas:

2) What kind of Voice Recognition products are there, how do they work?

Note 1: The EB mini usb keyboard
Found by: LLCoolWas
Buy it at: was hard to get before... but now its for sale here in the mp3car store!
Thread

**bgoodman** · 01-25-2003, 07:58 PM

hmmm, as common as this as going to get i'll stick this thread

**Skraggy_uk** · 03-18-2003, 09:23 AM

OK. Seeing as people like the griffin Powermate idea.

And people have suggested the BMW iDrive.

Has anyone thought about hacking up a Sidewinder Pro joystick.

You have ordinary movement to replace a mouse. you have left/right twist for menu selection or scrolling. And all the buttons could be moved/removed to allow it to replicate the iDrive/Powermate push (mount a button under a disc that sits ontop of a heavily shortened stick?

I'm guessing that a lot of the Sidewinders base is ballast to keep it steady while gaming, but surely what electronics inside could be relocated? You wouldn't need force feedback, and I'm sure Girder could be of use to interface with it?

**jol** · 03-18-2003, 09:30 AM

The creative remote?
Comctrl:ing the steering wheel buttons?

**thenominous** · 03-18-2003, 09:37 AM

As it happens, Ive got a busted one of these lying around, I'll hack it apart and take a look...
Anybody work for or near a BMW dealer, and could find out the cost of one of these navi-knobs?

Dave

**Skraggy_uk** · 03-19-2003, 06:29 AM

Originally posted by thenominous
As it happens, Ive got a busted one of these lying around, I'll hack it apart and take a look...
Anybody work for or near a BMW dealer, and could find out the cost of one of these navi-knobs?

Dave

If it is like anything else BMW, probably half as much as a decent spec 3 series, seing as it is fitted to the 7 series, and the new Rolls Royce Phantom

**MikeHunt79** · 03-19-2003, 01:53 PM

CPC sells keypads for £10

**albrandwood** · 04-20-2003, 09:52 AM

Personally, I found the following to be a usefull replacement for a mouse ...

Mouse

**zardoz** · 04-25-2003, 11:32 AM

Well today I've learned that I need to know more. I need to know more about this aspect of computers. I'm an A+ certified tech...but no electronics tech. Latest project was to build an HTPC using a laptop screen linked to a PC then projected via OHP...viola 10 foot by 8 foot DVD's, surfing, TV etc...

A couple of days ago I started to get serious about a "carputer". I have an ultra slim line P166 coming in the next couple of days, and now I'm looking for some of the rest of the gear I'll be needing. I found this unit today and wonder if someone with more experience than I could tell me if can make use of this as an input device. At least until I can afford another LCD purchase

Anyhow...here's the link http://www.earthlcd.com/serial_lcd_terminal.htm

zardoz...come visit us at diyaudio.com