Thread: Mobile video in California

Why not just tell him that it doesn't do video at all. Hide disguise links/icons for your media player.

Originally Posted by aleromaster

Hey this is simple. Has someone or can someone design a software where if a switch is tripped via a relay off teh e brake it will "lock" a software untill the e brake is removed that way you can prove that the unit can not play video's while vehicle is in motion. I know where I just moved from originally the officer would make you prove to him the e brake switch was hooked up in order to avoid the ticket

I'm no programmer, but could this be as easy as a little app that temporarily renames or moves your video codecs? When the media player tried to use them, it wouldn't work. When you put it in park, they get renamed back to original.

Originally Posted by aleromaster

Hey this is simple. Has someone or can someone design a software where if a switch is tripped via a relay off teh e brake it will "lock" a software untill the e brake is removed that way you can prove that the unit can not play video's while vehicle is in motion. I know where I just moved from originally the officer would make you prove to him the e brake switch was hooked up in order to avoid the ticket

Way ahead of you here.. I've been thinking about this since last night..

Just hook up a relay which gets it's input from the wire on your ebrake (used to light the dash icon that your brake is on) and then have that relay turn on/off your LCD depending on when the ebrake is on or not...

.... THEN (here comes the illegal part)

then you wire up a switch between the ebrake and the relay which is a SPDT (single-pole, double-throw), so that way you have two inputs which share an output. One input is from the ebrake wire and the other is from your ignition or carputer. This way you can override the ebrake if needed and flip it back when you get pulled over to "prove" to the officer that it will only work with the ebrake on -- if you get asked about it, of course.

I'm planning to do just this. Seems simple enough.

Originally Posted by sq_geek

Way ahead of you here.. I've been thinking about this since last night..

Just hook up a relay which gets it's input from the wire on your ebrake (used to light the dash icon that your brake is on) and then have that relay turn on/off your LCD depending on when the ebrake is on or not...

.... THEN (here comes the illegal part)

then you wire up a switch between the ebrake and the relay which is a SPDT (single-pole, double-throw), so that way you have two inputs which share an output. One input is from the ebrake wire and the other is from your ignition or carputer. This way you can override the ebrake if needed and flip it back when you get pulled over to "prove" to the officer that it will only work with the ebrake on -- if you get asked about it, of course.

I'm planning to do just this. Seems simple enough.

Yeah it does seem simple. I originally thought of that but you are alowed to have it for music and the such just not video. What I was thinking was maybe something that interaces through the parallel port or serial port that would send out a comant to "lock" win dvd and divx

What about GPS?

I still want to use my monitor when I'm driving, just no video.

Now that I think about it. Girder can do this just fine. At least I think it can, I'm just getting started with that little gem of a program.

Originally Posted by eCar™

What about GPS?

I still want to use my monitor when I'm driving, just no video.

GPS is O.K. , so is having video from a rearview or side view camera system (like on RVs). Actually I think the California law says the ability to play video or business apllications is o.k. as long as there is some kind of lockout to prevent the use of such applications (or display of such I quess) when the vehicle is in motion. Alot of aftermarket installers are installing lockouts which require you to press the brake pedal and activate parking brake before the system will even turn on. But they are also showing customers how to overide the lockout and some customers are bypassing the lockout themselves. I beleive it was pointed out in the media that law enforcement is aware that even though you have a lockout system, it can be defeated so a cop may ask you to demonstrate that the lockout works. Anyway, a Visual Basic application for Windows that used the serial or printer port to sense the condition of the brakes or whether the transmission is in park should be quite simple to design.
I'm sure it could be done in Linux also.

Yeah I got that GPS is legal. I was asking sq_geek how you'd use GPS if your monitor was off whenever you were in motion.

Originally Posted by eCar™

Yeah I got that GPS is legal. I was asking sq_geek how you'd use GPS if your monitor was off whenever you were in motion.

This is just a failsafe if you get pulled over.. that is all. As soon as the po-po walks away, flip the switch and your LCD is back on regardless of your ebrake.