Stealthy install for 2010 Mazda3?

**Chester_Lampwic** · 08-29-2009, 06:23 PM

Hi all,
I'd like some advice on a stealthy carputer setup for a 2010 Mazda3. My interior is much the same as the one in this picture.

I'd like to hide a netbook in the very large glove box, or a mini-ITX in the trunk under the parcel shelf. I don't want a touchscreen in the dash, and I want to keep the factory headunit. I would like to mount a 4 line LCD on that flappy door behind the gear shift. Something to show MP3 tags like artist, album, and track titles, elapsed and remaining time. Similar to these:

Then I'd use something like a wireless presenter or USB numeric keypad for rudimentary controls. I've searched but haven't found any projects like this.

Thanks,
Roger

**soundman98** · 08-31-2009, 09:45 AM

becasue you really need to be able to see what is going on in the windows screen-- that is a nice secondary display, but you really are asking(maybe begging?) for trouble by just installing a 4 line lcd. i have been researching a small screen like that for on top of my dash, but, after using my 7 touch screen for the last month, i could never go to just a small display like that-- there are too many features in the front end and windows that i need to see(audio routing program, gps logger, wireless connection, and making sure that rr starts up, and loads the correct playlist)-- and a small screen like that would never let me see all those things

**CMOS1138** · 08-31-2009, 10:03 AM

This is a very retro project by carputer standards. Out of curiosity, since you are only going to be able to use the computer to play mp3's, why not simply use an ipod?

**highfive** · 08-31-2009, 10:29 AM

For what you want, just find an old machine. The first computer i had in my car was only for mp3s and it was a 266mhz board. The music played well without skipping. I bought a satik game pad and used it with winamp. It opened a default playlist for winamp upon startup. It used 2 plugins.
mindtwist - joystick control of winamp
??? - creates playlists based on folders forget the name but can find out probably.

it didnt have a screen so you had to listen to the music and keep selecting random bands until you found one near the band you wanted (folders seperated by band) and then select next/prev band to find a band you wanted to listen to. it worked out well and a 4 line lcd would have made it much better.

an advantage to going this route is there is little investment keeping you from upgrading later on.

parts:
satik gamepad - $10
motherboard + power supply - free
power converter - free
headphone jack to rca - $10?

**Chester_Lampwic** · 08-31-2009, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by CMOS1138

This is a very retro project by carputer standards. Out of curiosity, since you are only going to be able to use the computer to play mp3's, why not simply use an ipod?

Quite simple really. An iPod interface for my car is $300. Then I'd need $200 to buy an iPod touch. Then it'd only be 8GB. Even though it'd have wi-fi, it still doesn't download podcasts without a computer, so I couldn't leave it in my armrest compartment and have new podcasts for my morning commute.

If I stash a netbook in my glovebox, I could theoretically have all this. I don't know if I could control this with the AVRCP and stream with A2DP from/to my deck though. I could also whip the computer out of the glovebox for rare occasion when I need a GPS unit.

Maybe there's an Archos that fits the bill... still $500 any way you slice it.

I don't want to needlessly complicate the car. I wan't it to seem stock for my wife, and would be thieves.

**sbb_f1234** · 09-08-2009, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by CMOS1138

This is a very retro project by carputer standards. Out of curiosity, since you are only going to be able to use the computer to play mp3's, why not simply use an ipod?

Yes, an ipod is a good idea, you can put lots of nice music in it. I like ipod!!

**Machinehead** · 09-08-2009, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by Chester_Lampwic

I don't want to needlessly complicate the car. I wan't it to seem stock for my wife, and would be thieves.

Seems like you want to have your cake and eat it too. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing.

**trinybwoy** · 09-08-2009, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Machinehead

Seems like you want to have your cake and eat it too. Not that that's necessarily a bad that.

thats what i am trying to achieve.
i live in a really bad neighbourhood.
plus it doesnt help that the tints that came with my car are super dark (i dont wan to take them off)

**dejanifer** · 09-23-2009, 05:48 PM

doesnt every model of the 2010 Mazda3 come with an auxiliary input for mp3 players? if thats the case, stick with player. the full PC route is kinda over board

**sergatiuk** · 09-23-2009, 06:06 PM

very outdated project, though its easy to make, your gonna waste alot of time on it and as a result u will be able to play mp3s...thats all.
if you want to go this route and make it really cheap, grab an old pentium 2 PC, install DOS OS and a dos mp3 player, check oout this thread for reference;
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/soft...os-player.html

however, i woulld recommend you to save yourself this hassle and get yourself a simple MP3 player, ipod or anything else.