volume knob

chris350 · 11-12-2008, 08:10 PM

is there a way to use the stock volume knob to control audio on a car pc?
I already know of the steering wheel control via a fusion brain....
but what about the stock radio knob?

insaneramman · 11-12-2008, 09:12 PM

My setup goes through a sony unit via aux in. I kept the HU for short trips (radio or CD). I use mitches UAS to level the input and my volume can be set with the comp or the HU. Does this answer your question?

chris350 · 11-12-2008, 10:01 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by insaneramman

My setup goes through a sony unit via aux in. I kept the HU for short trips (radio or CD). I use mitches UAS to level the input and my volume can be set with the comp or the HU. Does this answer your question?

no. Think you misunderstood the question. I'm talking about a stock head unit. most newer aftermarket head units come with an AUX IN of some sort, that I know. But I'm talking about the stock unit that come with the car from factory.
In my car, the volume knob alone with other components of the stock radio will still be there. I wanted to know if there was a way i can use that volume knob to control..well the volume of the car pc.

YESindeed · 11-13-2008, 03:26 AM

if you wanted to literally control the volume of the pc with the knob, it would be so much work it wouldnt be worth it. if you found a module for your factory radio to make a aux input you could run the audio through your stereo and control the volume that way. what is make/model/year is your car

t3sn4f2 · 11-13-2008, 06:01 AM

Disassemble a Griffin Powermate and see if the mechanical part of the guts can be adapted onto the back of the existing OEM encoder. Then have it send volume up/down hotkeys to the frontend.

bes51659 · 11-13-2008, 07:54 AM

Depends on what car you've got. In my car there is a bus called IBus where all button events can be found. One wire and an interface and all buttons are available to the PC.

Check out http://www.car2pc.com/

durwood · 11-13-2008, 10:53 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by t3sn4f2

Disassemble a Griffin Powermate and see if the mechanical part of the guts can be adapted onto the back of the existing OEM encoder. Then have it send volume up/down hotkeys to the frontend.

Almost how I did it. It's cheaper to use a mouse with a mechanical wheel encoder as opposed to the optical encoder type. Autoit or autohotkey script can then be used for software integration. I took their example for volume control and adapted for my own needs.

I think I documented part of this in my worklog but it has been a while. With a DMM meter, I measured resistance to find out which connections were made while rotating the knob. Then I did the same for the mouse wheel. Matched the wires up between the two and I was done on the electronics side.

I imagine your volume knob is a rotary encoder, if it is not then my suggestion is no good.

chris350 · 11-13-2008, 08:39 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by durwood

Almost how I did it. It's cheaper to use a mouse with a mechanical wheel encoder as opposed to the optical encoder type. Autoit or autohotkey script can then be used for software integration. I took their example for volume control and adapted for my own needs.

I think I documented part of this in my worklog but it has been a while. With a DMM meter, I measured resistance to find out which connections were made while rotating the knob. Then I did the same for the mouse wheel. Matched the wires up between the two and I was done on the electronics side.

I imagine your volume knob is a rotary encoder, if it is not then my suggestion is no good.

yep, most likey it is....nissan 2006 maxima. volume knob type that rotates with out a stop.
I was thinking about the mouse trick. just remove the guts behind the knob and replace with guts from a mouse/volume guts...and waalaa....
i think that might work..
what do u think?

t3sn4f2 · 11-13-2008, 10:22 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by chris350

yep, most likey it is....nissan 2006 maxima. volume knob type that rotates with out a stop.
I was thinking about the mouse trick. just remove the guts behind the knob and replace with guts from a mouse/volume guts...and waalaa....
i think that might work..
what do u think?

If it's that kind of knob, then I'm pretty sure it functions like a scroll wheel mouse circuit (3 pins = 1,2, and 3). When turning, the signals are either 1,2 1,3 1,2 1,3 for one direction or 1,3 1,2 1,3 1,2 for the opposite.

mdawg · 11-13-2008, 11:22 PM

Concerning the past couple post I think Ive made something of what your are talking about with the mouse. http://www.instructables.com/id/Desk...olume_Control/

They also include software needed to make the scroll wheel change the volume/assign it to do whatever you want.

bes51659 · 11-14-2008, 06:46 AM

I thought you wanted a solution without having to mess with car hardware. Was I wrong? Why not use car2PC? Is it not available for your car model?

t3sn4f2 · 11-14-2008, 10:18 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by bes51659

I thought you wanted a solution without having to mess with car hardware. Was I wrong? Why not use car2PC? Is it not available for your car model?

From what I understand, Car2pc adapters only work with the preset buttons, the track up/down button, and other buttons of that type. It doesn't take stock rotary encoder signals or signals from very function specific buttons does it?

bes51659 · 11-15-2008, 05:52 AM

Aha, I see! But if there is an adapter that can interpret carstereo buttons any button should be available. Is your car model supported by car2pc? Maybe if you search for "your car" and "bus" you will find a way to build an interface to a com line and detect any events. In my car I detect all sorts of things. Turning/pushing knobs, unlock with remote key, stearingwheel buttons, speed(!).

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