AstraMac Frontend Progress Update

**iKenndac** · 05-14-2005, 06:25 AM

Well, I've paused development temporarily due to University exams and Vauxhall refusing to fix an electronics fault (airbags) with my car until I took *everything* to do with my carputer out.

At the minute my car is pretty much back to stock.

Anyway, exams will be over at the end of May - expect progress after that.

**Dan1el** · 06-09-2005, 01:01 PM

Aaaahhh, another Astra H Mini Mac planner

I started recently to plan to add a computer to my new car, the conclusion came to mini mac (cheap, great OS and only one button mice for touch screen purpose)

I've been surfing the net for a while now, and finally I found another astra H guy

I planned on buying the frame for the "CID" display (since it's 6.5" a 7" touchscreen would be adaptable) to replace the "GID" display that we have in our astras.
Mini mac fitted in the fuse room in the trunk (have you noticed the amount of space in there :-o)
Camera in the trunk"door" inside top, to switch on during reversing.
GPS could be anywhere and line out of mini mac to the excisting CD30 MP3 sttereo/amp from Opel/Vauxhall.
The plastic interiuer of the astra allows easy installation of wiring for all the computer "crap"
Plans of getting an online engine data via ODBC2.
I really looking forawrd to seeing more from your project and hear about your installation (plans)

I expect to start late-summer 2005 and be done spring 2006, hopefully found a good GPS software by then....

**iKenndac** · 06-11-2005, 06:35 PM

I planned on buying the frame for the "CID" display (since it's 6.5" a 7" touchscreen would be adaptable) to replace the "GID" display that we have in our astras.

I have one of these frames I don't need any more, do you want it? You could easily build your own for a 7" screen based on it.

Mini mac fitted in the fuse room in the trunk (have you noticed the amount of space in there :-o)

Yeah, I have my amp mounted just below this - a bit of wood on the inside and it screws on nicely! I removed my CD 30 and put the mini in there with the Vx 1din stereo adapter - fit perfectly.

GPS could be anywhere and line out of mini mac to the excisting CD30 MP3 sttereo/amp from Opel/Vauxhall.

Aha. Regarding the CD 30... there's absolutely of getting audio into the CD 30, apart from using the phone thing, which is only mono. I actually cut the speaker wires on the loom down the sides and spliced my amp's outputs to them.

The plastic interiuer of the astra allows easy installation of wiring for all the computer "crap"

Yup. The long thin panels down the side past the doors just snap in. Get a big flat-headed screwdriver in between the metal door sill and the plastic panel and it pops right off.

Plans of getting an online engine data via ODBC2.

The Astra uses CAN. Not tried that yet. The radio uses it to determine whether the key is on, so there's no 'ignition on' wire. Vauxhall sell an adapter, but mine didn't work. Ended up using a switch to power on the Mac instead.

One cool thing I did though... you know the ashtray in the back of the centre thing with the handbrake, etc in it? Well, I got a floppy drive bay USB thing and put it in there. The USB ports just fit through the hole. You have to hack the ashtray apart though... I'll get a pic for you tomorrow, if you like.

I really looking forawrd to seeing more from your project and hear about your installation (plans)

Unfortunately, my plans have come to a halt, for two reasons.

1) The Astra H is a pain in the backside, what with no ignition wire and all that. When you remove the Astra's screen, you also take out part of the computer, which mean Vauxhall (well, my dealer) refuse to service it. You could easily locate it to the empty panel where the sunroof controls would be, though (assuming you don't have a sunroof!). However, all these can be overcome. I had the Mac mini working in there for about a month, and I managed not to take a picture of it... Here's a picture of the screen in place, though:

Oh, and here's what your car looks like with no dash. You have to do this to get the screen in there:

2) I've ordered a new car. I love the Astra... and the Astra VXR is something not to be missed! I'll have September time... I've ordered the CD 70 Navi though, and I'm not taking that out to put a Mac mini in there!

**Dan1el** · 06-12-2005, 06:44 AM

I have one of these frames I don't need any more, do you want it? You could easily build your own for a 7" screen based on it.

Why aren't you gonna use it yourself ? if not sure, I'll PM you about that.

Aha. Regarding the CD 30... there's absolutely of getting audio into the CD 30, apart from using the phone thing, which is only mono. I actually cut the speaker wires on the loom down the sides and spliced my amp's outputs to them.

...damn... I'd like to keep the CD30 (so that you can't really see that I've added more stuff into the car) but mono ? well that certainly gives me some more to think about.

The Astra uses CAN. Not tried that yet. The radio uses it to determine whether the key is on, so there's no 'ignition on' wire. Vauxhall sell an adapter, but mine didn't work. Ended up using a switch to power on the Mac instead.

CAN ? I read about that, I thought Opel were old-fashioned enough not to change yet.
Where is the connector plug situated ?
I thought of making my own front end with the "online" information (I saw your front end suggestion, and others they don't seem to be looking into this still)

Thanks for the pictures, they can become handy (there isn't many forums out on the net covering astra H yet)

Astra VXR ? is that the one opel calls GTS ? with the "panorama view" ? Congrats

And vauxhall don't want to service the car if you installed a carputer ?? how silly.

At first I thought of using the empty space in the ceiling aswell, but would it fit ? I thought it would be too narrow (keeping in mind I want an install that is not visible from the outside)

Today I've gotten this far: Ordered the Apple, my first hardware for the astra.
and I've taken out several things from the astra, just to have a better look at space for installation.
so I would guess it's around 1% done :-D

**iKenndac** · 06-12-2005, 01:30 PM

[QUOTE=Dan1el]Why aren't you gonna use it yourself ? if not sure, I'll PM you about that.[/Dan1el]
'Cause I've essentially abandoned the idea of this for now. It'd be über cool, but I don't have the time to do it properly. I got a good way along with it though, it's very doable.

Originally Posted by Dan1el

CAN ? I read about that, I thought Opel were old-fashioned enough not to change yet.
Where is the connector plug situated ?

There's one on that rear fuse box, and 2 of the CD30 pins connect to the CAN too. Might be others, but I'm not sure.

Originally Posted by Dan1el

Thanks for the pictures, they can become handy (there isn't many forums out on the net covering astra H yet)

No problem, and I know! I've a few more pictures of the Astra in bits, I can put them up if you like.

Originally Posted by Dan1el

Astra VXR ? is that the one opel calls GTS ? with the "panorama view" ? Congrats

Thank you! But no, it's a 'special' version designed to be rather powerful (240 bhp), and you can't have panorama view on it

. Pic:

Originally Posted by Dan1el

At first I thought of using the empty space in the ceiling aswell, but would it fit ? I thought it would be too narrow (keeping in mind I want an install that is not visible from the outside)

If you take that surround from the screen, it just about fits. You'd have to extend the custom plug they have for it up to there, though.

**jdkarr01** · 06-25-2005, 08:54 PM

Maybe I missed this in the thread but I thought I read them all. Is there a place where we can play with your front end or try it out. The install looks great.

**Dark** · 07-25-2005, 03:35 PM

I also have a astra h, And i'm trying to built a carpc.
Can you post more details about your's?
The stock radio still works?
And the BC display, were did you put it?

**zvjer** · 08-18-2005, 10:11 AM

me to!
I started collecting facts a week ago about the CAN and OBD-II. that;s my priority - to get that working on a laptop first. in the emantime - looking for the solution for the graphical display that I should remove from his position. I have small non color graphical display.

I'm interested in exchanging expiriences with this project and I would like to hear from you.

also I have recently ran an opel-club in croatia, and if anyone from other clubs is reading this - let me know! www.opelclub-croatia.net

P.S. there's a free gps software here: http://www.tomtom.com/page.php?Page=gpl

**fat-boy** · 08-22-2005, 03:50 PM

One more from Croatia very intrested, please post more details about your install

Pozdrav Zvijeri

Bye

**Evets** · 02-01-2006, 08:28 PM

Hi,

I have a completely unrelated question, but this is my last point of call. I have an Astra (Holden Astra in Australia), with the CD 30 cd player in there. i can't find any information on any outputs on the back of the unit. What i want is the Blaupunkt Ipod adapter which fits on any Blaupunkt head units that are compatible with the CDC-A03, CDC-A08 or IDC-A09 CD changers. Nobody can tell me if the CD30 is though.

Alternatively, i want to know if there is any way i can connect an Ipod to the thing with any other auxcillary outputs. I was hoping you guys that have pulled these apart might know whats on there.

Thanks,
Steve