OEM Nav, making me feel like a sell out.

neon_eddy · 10-01-2005, 01:42 PM

maybe the title didn't explain it all, but here is how I'm feeling.

I've been dreaming of putting a PC based audio system in a car since I got one ( a car). I thought it was a novel idea, which it is, or was. I'm suffering from, "I used to feel like i had something special, but now anyone with some money and buying a new car can have".

True maybe not a ful blown PC, but I used to be excited about it to tell friends and family, "Yeah, I'm putting a PC with a nav system in my Explorer!". But now all the new autos have at least the option.

I'm an early adopter, someone to ride the new wave before it comes, and honestly my intrest is waining, I like my carPC, actually I love it, but at one time it was a bit of a rush, that is gone now.

why should I be inspired anymore?

Gobby · 10-01-2005, 01:46 PM

I think we're all feeling a little like that. I know I am ... I have no motivation at all these days.

numbers · 10-01-2005, 01:51 PM

It's kinda like spending 4,000 on a used import and forced induction which can run circles around your rich uncle's brand new 70,000 bmw. You have to remind everyone (yourself included) that we spend a fraction of what oem navigations sytems cost, and they can do but a fraction of what we can do. We have computers - they aren't just for navigation. Internet access, half-life 2, music, videos, wardriving, homework, mobile wireless access point, wireless phone integration via bluetooth, instant messaging, email, obd2... our computers do it all. The list could go on forever. Folks who pay big bucks for oem crap get nothing more than the oem gives. (no offense to anyone/anything - I'm just making a point)

edrex · 10-01-2005, 01:55 PM

Go back to a single disc CD player headunit for a while. Then see how you feel about your carPC.
I don't see this as having something better then everyone else. I just see it as having something that suits my needs perfectly because I built it to my own specs for what I wanted it to do.

neon_eddy · 10-01-2005, 02:48 PM

actually.. I do only have a cd player HU right now.. I'm working on a better case for my carPC... and I Miss it.. but when I see these car ads and they all have the Navi-systems now I just feel like "am I special anymore?" .. of course mom says I still am..

Escalade182 · 10-01-2005, 03:00 PM

The other day at school. Some guy drove up and the bass was up loud so it got everyones attention. Then I heard someone say "dude, hes got an awesome navigation system." I started to get curious but acted like I didnt care because I was talking to this really hot girl...Then a crowd of people circled around the car and I glanced over and saw the 'awesome navigation system.' Turned out to be a faded green 1993 dodge neon with a ripped up dash with one of those "stick on" systems with the 2.5" touch screen that you can buy on QVC.

Soon enough carPC's will be in the same isle as laptop's and manufactuars will offer standard dash peices for every car and the average kid working at Weis can afford it.

-zip- · 10-01-2005, 03:51 PM

I am looking at buying a car right now, the car I am looking at has the option to buy with Nav. I will not buy one if it is installed in the car. Nav is great no question, but we already have it and then some.

Like others have said Car PC's can do so much more. I get bored about 3-4 months with the same set up. Change different front ends, different skins, Nav software, wireless configs and software, install more movies, MP3's, music videos, pictures of trips etc. A factory Nav you will be seeing the same thing for years. Yawn

The thing that really blew me away was when I got Sirius Sat Radio. I was disapointed that little information was available on my H/U and what information there was you could barely read.

Got a serial adapter for the Carputer, now Sirius pipes into my Car PC ALL information is available tons of options on a 7 inch screen full color and its all done optically so it sounds amazing.

Try that with a factory Nav unit.

84RegalRider · 10-02-2005, 01:28 AM

You are special if you if feel special.
Plus too many theives to go around being 13 years old.
And those oem navis are watchin where you go...

If you really are that bored, there is always more great things you can do that is "ahead" of oem stuff.

really just be creative and get into hardware hacking.
thats where the fun is.

neon_eddy · 10-02-2005, 01:59 AM

I know.. my wife always is amazed at how I can find things to do.. mostly crazy things.

this being one of them. Ahh I'll keep pluggin away and try not to let the man get me down.

thanks guys/gals

wariow · 10-07-2005, 07:12 AM

alll the posts ^ couldn't have said it better, my friend got this dinky magellan roadmate for 1000 dollars. I paid half for my carputer and the screen is so much bigger and has so many more features and costs so much less. People are amazed at how much I tell them how much it cost. Also, if you don't like your navi software, you can just plain change it. OEM navi's don't have that option.

Hark · 10-07-2005, 07:55 AM

Yes the carpc can "do" all these things, but how well does it do it? I love having all my mp3's in the car, but not having a good fm radio solutions sucks, not having a touchscreen-friendly navigation solution sucks (I am talking about iGuidance), and not having a bluetooth phone integration (my Treo650 isn't compatible with Phoco) sucks - and not having all of these things integrate well with each other (music muting when nav instructions are given or phone calls incoming) also sucks. If there was a decent all-in-one unit that did all of these things for a reasonable price (~$2000), then I'd do it - but there isn't, so I keep messing with my carpc and my not-as-bright-as-it-should-be touchscreen until I can afford the Acura RL, which with an iPod will probably be able to do all of these things built-in.

Seriously, anyone who hasn't played with the RL's nav system - don't do it, because your system will never be adequate again.

tejesh83 · 10-07-2005, 07:08 PM

I had a carpc in my last car (03 Infiniti Qx4 project page). It had the usual features with a touchscreen, copilot nav, steering wheel controls, wireless internet, etc.

A couple months ago, I bought a 2005 Acura TL. I was debating about getting the factory nav option or doing a new carpc, but I went with the factory nav (at least for now).

Its a very impressive unit, and essentially an OEM version of a carPC (runs winCE on SH4 cpu). It's fully interfaced with the car. For example, it communicates with the radio (incl. XM), HVAC system, HandsFreeLink (bluetooth phones), and hosts the NAVI software. It has touchscreen, voice activation, and some steering wheel mounted controls. The voice control works very well, and you can change radio stations, increase volume, set the AC temperature or fan speeds, and even find the nearest chinese resteraunt. When you get an incoming call, it displays the phone number in the gauge cluster's display as well as the navi screen. You can pick up the call using the steering wheel control or touchscreen, and the radio is automatically muted/unmuted with the call.

Honda/Acura uses similar systems in the rest of their lineup. The Acura RL even gets realtime traffic on the navi. The units also appear to interface with the car's ECU, since some models show mpg (instant/avg), speed, trip data, etc. The NAVI gui in the TL doesn't use this feature (since alot of this info is moved to a display in the gauge cluster), but its possible to get to some of this data on a hidden diagnostic screen.

There have even been some attempts to start hacking the navi software. Someone figured out how to create custom background images and change the disclaimer text. Others have loaded the navi software from other models to get access to the different features between the models.

Its not nearly as flexible or customizable as a custom carpc. But it works right out of the box, and offers a lot of nice features and high level of integration with the rest of the car.

Right now I'm still enjoying the manual transmission (my first), so I haven't even thought about a carpc mod yet. But I'm pretty satisfied with what the factory system offers already. The only thing this particular system lacks that I miss from my carpc is mp3 support (for now I just burn my own dvd-audio discs with 99 tracks per disc that works well with the 6 disc in dash changer). But Acura recently announced an iPod integration kit is in the works to be released by December. I hope they go all out on the integration like the rest of the car (voice control, playlist support, add ui screens to navi just for the ipod, etc). If so, I don't think I'll ever look back to a carpc.

hd54321 · 10-08-2005, 02:41 PM

I just finished installing a Pioneer AVIC-88DVD unit in my car. Until people on this board switch to one of these in-car units - you will not realize the difference. The Pioneer navi is INCREDIBLE. 12 million POI's, True touchscreen use - AKA - the whole interface is based around my touchscreen. Anyways, it's going to take years until software manufacturers begin making software meant for in-car use.

-zip- · 10-09-2005, 09:47 PM

If you are only looking for a Nav solution great! Go with other solutions. I look at my carputer as an "entertainment and information system"

1.Wifi to check email read the MP3car boards,
2.DVD movies while waiting for my kid to finish a hockey practice
3.Type a word document for work,
4.Watch some music vids,
5.Check the weather and update it for my 5 day forecast in RR,
6.Chat with some gamer buds on MSN,
8. OBDC II
7. GPS
8. Cameras review/front/passenger and to record
9. Sirius running optical on a 7 inch screen which allows 20 channels to be viewed at once, what is playing, stock info, station art etc etc.

Here is another one, I have purchased an LCD screen for the rear passengers that will run independanly from the front screen using Nview. Cost 63 bucks for the screen hooked up to the carputer.

My dad has dedicated Nav so does my boss (BMW 740i and RX-8) they both would love to trade for my solution.

Nav is only ONE part of the puzzle.

-zip- · 10-09-2005, 09:55 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Hark

Yes the carpc can "do" all these things, but how well does it do it? I love having all my mp3's in the car, but not having a good fm radio solutions sucks, not having a touchscreen-friendly navigation solution sucks (I am talking about iGuidance), and not having a bluetooth phone integration (my Treo650 isn't compatible with Phoco) sucks - and not having all of these things integrate well with each other (music muting when nav instructions are given or phone calls incoming) also sucks. If there was a decent all-in-one unit that did all of these things for a reasonable price (~$2000), then I'd do it - but there isn't, so I keep messing with my carpc and my not-as-bright-as-it-should-be touchscreen until I can afford the Acura RL, which with an iPod will probably be able to do all of these things built-in.

Seriously, anyone who hasn't played with the RL's nav system - don't do it, because your system will never be adequate again.

Why not get a H/U? or XM Sirius? iGudance is touchscreen friendly if you configure it correctly with third party apps. Buy a 50 dollar T610 for your car for Phoco. Screen briteness, H/U's briteness is no better and the writing is tiny, I have both in my car and the screen is much easier to read. Don't know what kind of screen you have though.