Switching between two carputers?

**UnderTheRadar** · 08-18-2005, 01:16 PM

I've been lurking in these forums for a while now and started building a carputer for my Jetta and was just about to put it all in when my Jetta died on me and I had to trade it in.

I traded it in on a 2005 Honda Accord EX with the Navigation System. I've got the GPS and XM radio built into the dash, which is pretty cool, but my bluetooth phone (Palm Treo 650) will not integrate with it. Johnson Controls developed a Honda/Accura integration but it only comes standard with the Accura TL and there doesn't appear to be a way to incorporate that into the Accord.

The other thing that's missing is the MP3 player. So, I thought I'd maybe have two touch screens, the OEM that's already built into the dash and my 8" Xenarc hooked up to my carputer, and somehow be able to "switch" between the two.

Anyone else try this? Sorry for my newbiness, I've searched all over and can't find a good answer.

Thanks in advance!

**Jahntassa** · 08-18-2005, 03:51 PM

What do you mean 'switch' between the two? Like have one screen hidden behind another or something?

**MatrixPC** · 08-18-2005, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by UnderTheRadar

I've been lurking in these forums for a while now and started building a carputer for my Jetta and was just about to put it all in when my Jetta died on me and I had to trade it in.

I traded it in on a 2005 Honda Accord EX with the Navigation System. I've got the GPS and XM radio built into the dash, which is pretty cool, but my bluetooth phone (Palm Treo 650) will not integrate with it. Johnson Controls developed a Honda/Accura integration but it only comes standard with the Accura TL and there doesn't appear to be a way to incorporate that into the Accord.

The other thing that's missing is the MP3 player. So, I thought I'd maybe have two touch screens, the OEM that's already built into the dash and my 8" Xenarc hooked up to my carputer, and somehow be able to "switch" between the two.

Anyone else try this? Sorry for my newbiness, I've searched all over and can't find a good answer.

Thanks in advance!

Your search didn't find any answer because no one ever done it on this site or else where.
- Why any one want 2 setup that do very much the same (except some functions)?

People with factory GPS, will try to hack the factory screen for carPC so they can switch back/forth between the 2. Or they just took it out and sell it to have carPC only. Jahntassa did that

You shouldn't get that 2 grand GPS option if you want carPC. I didn't when I bought my Matrix.

**UnderTheRadar** · 08-18-2005, 04:34 PM

There are some good things about the factory GPS option that I liked, the voice recognition that I can control my ac/radio/xm, the trip computer, etc. There's also another display on the dash that it integrates with and the controls on the steering wheel, blah blah blah. Plus, you can't get much closer to an OEM look than the real deal. I know I could probably hack all of this and make it tie in, but that would be a huge undertaking and would compromise my warranty.

The second carputer would provide MP3, Bluetooth phone integration, wifi/edge internet access, email, Word, Excel to shoot off quick status/expense reports, etc. I was thinking of mounting the second screen somewhere else.

Thanks for the input. I know it sounds a little crazy, just wondering if anyone else has tried it. Worst case, I just have to break out the laptop. No big deal, but now I'm stuck with a brand new carputer and no car to put it in so before I sell it, I just want to see if it's still usable.

**John_Duh** · 08-18-2005, 05:19 PM

why not go at it the other way round ?
Do you know what input the factory screen gets ? Maybe, just speculating here, you could swap that screen for a decent touch screen and use the secondary input for standard GPS (non VGA) and your VGA input for your carputer.
The only thing you might have some trouble with is the touch-part. Worst case you just use both overlays on top of eachother and sacrifice some brightness

That's at least what i would be thinking off if i were in your shoes.

Good luck

**turbocad6** · 08-18-2005, 05:39 PM

there is nothing wrong with having more than one screen if you can fit them physically AND asteticaly.... there is also nothing wrong with having the pc as just another aux source..... there is nothing wrong with using the factory navigation although you already have a pc.... there is nothing wrong with having a pc added to a car that already has xm run from the head.

there is no reason that the pc has to replace everything else that the car already came with, it can still make a wonderfull addition........one of the main benifits are when the pc acts up( notice I said when, not if) you still will have all mission critical funtions up... as good as a car pc is it isn't always as convienient or instant as dedicated equiptment.....

I have long been the guy to say that a hybrid system is the best of both worlds.... & is superior to just a pc in alot of ways...... I installed a pc in my car, but I also run an alpine touchscreen multimedia setup piggy backed to it, my pc is just another source..... if my pc is down for any reason I still have music, navigation, xm, & everything else.... sure it is redundant... but who says that's a bad thing.... sure my pc can do navigation too, so it's a back-up.... I prefure the alpine nav for every day use...

the biggest issue I see for you is fitting the extra screen to look stock, in addition to the existing screen... if you can pull that off then awsome.... the more screens the better to me