Need advice on 7" indash before purchase.

**masch** · 10-17-2006, 05:48 PM

The reception pretty much sucks for TV and I didn't even hook up the antennea for it once I mounted in the car.

Could it be that the reason the reception sucks is because the antenna is not connected?

**pepsibobby** · 10-17-2006, 06:17 PM

sounds like a very valid point. lol

**walstib** · 10-18-2006, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by masch

Could it be that the reason the reception sucks is because the antenna is not connected?

I hooked it up to a set of rabbit ears before installation in the car, when I was bench testing. The reception sucked so I didn't bother with hooking it up in the car.

**Gavitron** · 10-18-2006, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by walstib

Mine has built in TV, no FM. The reception pretty much sucks for TV and I didn't even hook up the antennea for it once I mounted in the car. BTW, it's a PAL antennea and you will need an adapter you can get at radio shack(I think it is part# 278-261). There is a thread on that somewhere...
I have constant power to the batt and acc to the acc line, both with inline fuses. Seems to do OK for me. Your milage may vary.

Hi. I have little or no experience here, bu am looking to learn fast - My head-unit is dying, and I plan to replace it with a carputer. Still in the "Thinking" phase of the project though, (Saves money if this comes before the "Buying Phase"

So what I was wondering about this screen, is whether there is some sort of "firmware OS" (for lack of a better term,) that comes up before the PC comes on... I've seen a fair number of these in-dash screens, where there is a whole "Host OS" on it, designed to switch between inputs, and act almost like a head-unit. I think I would rather just have a "Passive" monitor, and let the PC do all the work of selecting inputs... Am I wrong in this thinking? Do I have to get a non-flip unit like the lilliput 7" for that sort of control, or is it available in a "dumb" motorized head unit?

Thanks,
-G

**walstib** · 10-19-2006, 01:02 PM

I'm pretty sure there are motorized liliputs (or other) that are nothing but a touchscreen monitor. Look in the MP3Car Store, I think the Xenarc will do, also the MTSVO-SC.

You would then need a TV tuner card, USB radio, rearview camera, and everything else running on/into the PC and it would handle all the switching. Ideally, I think that would be the way to go. I only use the VGA input and touchscreen on mine, so the rest is really a waste, to me.

**Gavitron** · 10-19-2006, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by walstib

You would then need a TV tuner card, USB radio, rearview camera, and everything else running on/into the PC and it would handle all the switching. Ideally, I think that would be the way to go.

You guys run TV Tuners? What kind of reception do you get with an antenna?
I'm up in Vancouver Canada, and I think there are like 2 channels "on the air"up here. I always thought it was cable or satellite. Don't tell me that some of you guys have one of these:

on your roofs?!?