Thread: New here...

I would check out the FM radio under development on this forum instead of the radio shark.

Originally Posted by TxMazda3

... okay ... i'm a dumb *** .... sorry guys. haha.

If Scouse calls you a newb just call him one back. Then laugh at him really really hard.

Thanks for the warm welcome guys! I'll have a look at the stuff you pointed me towards.

The aim is to make the system look as stock as it can. The dash and stereo hole in my car is a pain in the arse though, completely non-standard fitting. I've got a blank plate from Vauxhall so I can make a few mock-ups out of card to see what works. I'll post some pictures of my car's dash tomorrow, but you can see some more pics of the outside of my car here: http://www.kennettnet.co.uk/chronicl...uff/000007.php

Ok, answers to some questions...

Originally Posted by stevieg

If you are going to be writing your own software, are you going to writing a 'front end' similar to the Windows ones (i.e. easy to use via touchscreen) - There seems to be a lack of those on the Mac at the moment.

Yup, I'm writing a easy-to-use headunit type display program much like the others around. If it turns out to be any good I'll work on it so it's usable for others too (you know, customisable, etc).

Originally Posted by Mudbug

What do you mean by this? I have an iPod and it works beautifully with iTunes on my Mac. I never have seen greyed out music -what causes this?

If you have an iPod set to "Automatic" synching mode, all the music appears grey when you try and access the iPods music in iTunes. This is to prevent people changing it as iTunes does it for you, but it stops playing too. Also, iTunes wants to associate every iPod it sees with the computer it's on and wipe all the music on there (Automatic mode only) - not good if you're using a friend's iPod!

Originally Posted by brady

If Scouse calls you a newb just call him one back. Then laugh at him really really hard.

Right, Scouse is a n00b. Gotcha!

When you looking on having it in a workable state for? There's a UK car computer meet in april... And this sounds like it's going to be worth having a look at!

Originally Posted by brady

If Scouse calls you a newb just call him one back. Then laugh at him really really hard.

Right *****, get your *** back out on the streets and earn me some money!

Originally Posted by iKenndac

Right, Scouse is a n00b. Gotcha!

and here's to think i was showing my mates your software last night as he useually used ipod agent.....

Seriously though, did you see the thread on the radio (not like you can miss it - it's huuuuuuuuuuge!). Should be much better than the radio shark for car use and has RDS etc. I wish a decent, reasonably priced DAB unit would come out.

Originally Posted by Scouse Monkey

Right *****, get your *** back out on the streets and earn me some money!


and here's to think i was showing my mates your software last night as he useually used ipod agent.....

Seriously though, did you see the thread on the radio (not like you can miss it - it's huuuuuuuuuuge!). Should be much better than the radio shark for car use and has RDS etc. I wish a decent, reasonably priced DAB unit would come out.

I'm waiting for the FM/AM Radio with RDS too!

However that could be a few months off, and you would have to write your own software for it so for the moment you might be better with RadioShark to get you up and running

iKendac (and others): What are you thinking of using for GPS and turn by turn routing?

I have a few ideas for my GPS routing install:

Precompiled source
* Bochs emulator (for precompiled source that I can't get access to),
* Darwine - If the project progresses.
* Virtual PC

Compile from source linux based GPS routing applications that I can modify for Melbourne Australia.

Route 66 - if I can get some Australian maps to work with it.

Ok, here's my dash. Notice how the stereo hole isn't a standard rectangular hole, it's slightly wider at the top than at the bottom, and there's a 'crease' vertically down the middle where it sticks out a bit (the crease runs all the way down the dash). The Mac mini and it's bits will go in there.



Here's a close-up picture of the Xenarc screen sat sort of where it'll be.



Finally, this is the hole where the screen will go. I plan to take out the screen that's there and make a mount for the Xenarc in there. The viewable area of the Xenarc *just* fits in the hole, but I'll have to make a mount.



Which brings me to my falling point. I want to make custom mounts and dash plates for this, but I really don't trust myself with it all - I've been reading all the threads about building your own mounts and it just seems like something I'm not capable of doing to the level of quality I'd want. Does anyone know of somewhere in the UK that'll make my things for me if I design the mounts?

Thanks for all your input so far - I'm gonna put a radioshark in for now then look at upgrading to the RDS thing in a few months.

Originally Posted by stevieg

When you looking on having it in a workable state for? There's a UK car computer meet in april... And this sounds like it's going to be worth having a look at!

Hopefully by the end of March. That meet looks cool, and it isn't too far away from where I live!

Email chris@car-tech-uk.com if you need someone to do the fabircation- he did mine and it's good quality.