Wired Media control? - Page 2

Caelric · 09-20-2007, 03:28 PM

And where did you get that touchpad?

Kimota · 09-20-2007, 03:33 PM

Sorry didn't link it in previous post got it at newegg

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16826152003

RedGTiVR6 · 09-20-2007, 05:13 PM

Thanks for all of the feedback guys. If it were just me in the car using it, I would go with a touch pad in a heart beat...however, this is strictly for judging purposes and as such, I need to make it as simple and fool proof as possible...thus the reason I am looking for buttons.

Unfortunately, when I only have a few seconds to show the judge how to use the car I need to make it quick and simple.

Though the ideas posted are all really cool and well executed!

scott_fx · 09-20-2007, 10:52 PM

how about qprox? that is on my list of eventual mods and could be implimented into a panel that would be quick and easy to understand/use. depends on how flashy you want to get though.

durwood · 09-21-2007, 08:55 AM

I think the easiet way to fabricate som buttons without re-inventing the wheel is to hack something up from something else and just mold it in. For example, an old home deck CD player.

1) Find a cd player (home or car) that has buttons that look like your desired size and look.
2) Take the circuit board out, wire directly to the buttons with either a USB gamepad controller or a keyboard controller like I listed.
3) program your desired functions/keystrokes with the software
4) Fabricate/mold the buttons into your dash/center console.

Thanks to you listing the fusion brain, I think that will work for me for wiring directly to my stock controls and still keep it in tact without destroying anything.

juve021 · 09-21-2007, 09:29 AM

I went the route using the previously suggested remote control hack.

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/1000338-post22.html

Hooked it up to an iPac usb button controller and it works awesome and looks pretty good too.

P.S.
Since the pic from the above post, I've "cleaned up" the area around the navigational buttons.

thanatos106 · 09-21-2007, 10:04 AM

I'm no going to read the whole thread but if you all you want is wire media access why no just a $5 dollars game controller? and for software you can use CDR, steveg or joy2mouse3 (there is something similar that GOC created long time ago that it works with a the joistick port if you MOBO have one (and before you ask, the app is very picky with the joistick to USB adapter so it will be hard to find the right one, believe me I tryied

)

This is a cople of shot of one that I made before going IR, it share one ground and you can have up to 15 buttons:

Thanatos.

BassBinDevil · 10-01-2007, 04:25 PM

There's various game controllers, like the Belkin Nostromo Speedpad, or the "The Claw" that have a bunch of buttons, and are recognized automagically by Windoze. With "Girder" you should be able to assign any function to those various buttons. Just buy or salvage some cool switches and wire them up instead of the stock buttons. I suppose a generic USB gamepad would work just as well. Apart from the function buttons, the Speedpad has one analog pot, (volume control?) plus directional (gamepad) buttons. The "The Claw" just has buttons.

The Sony joystick style wired remotes make a lot of sense, and they can be hooked up to a regular joystick port. Search the sticky'd thread and you'll find more info. I keep hoping to find one of those at a thrift store or yard sale... most of the ones on eBay seem to be in England for some reason.

RedGTiVR6 · 10-02-2007, 09:04 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by RedGTiVR6

This device needs to be just buttons and nothing big like a keyboard button. One of those gamer keypads or number pads won't work for this application as they are too big and bulky and have too many keys/buttons on them for my needs.

Besides that, it looks like I'm just going to use the Fusion Brain, it does what I need and will allow for expansion for the other aspects of the install I've been wanting to do as well.

dhantiflag · 10-02-2007, 09:17 AM

the only problem that i have with the fusion brain is getting the type of buttons that i like, im trying to find some nice VOL Up Down and scroll up down and play and such, but i just cant find the buttons, if anyone could help find some nice buttons for these im sure it would be much easier to work with.

RedGTiVR6 · 10-02-2007, 10:11 AM

Then maybe we should start a button thread in the Fusion Brain forum.

inh · 10-02-2007, 10:18 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by RedGTiVR6

Thanks for all of the feedback guys. If it were just me in the car using it, I would go with a touch pad in a heart beat...however, this is strictly for judging purposes and as such, I need to make it as simple and fool proof as possible...thus the reason I am looking for buttons.

Unfortunately, when I only have a few seconds to show the judge how to use the car I need to make it quick and simple.

Though the ideas posted are all really cool and well executed!

I dont know if you have room or not, but since you wont be driving with it , i think the space navigator is the way to go, if it will look good in your car..

When setup correctly, as I have it, it makes perfect sense and is a no brainer to use. You twist it left or right for volume, tilt it to the right to skip foreward a track, left to go back a track. Press it down for play/pause.

Then, you're still left with pulling it up, tilting it up and down, two buttons on the side (great for making it go full screen visualization, or putting it in to mouse mode) as well as being able to 'slide' it left/right and up/down. Of course, fromthe sounds of it, you just need those simple things i listed above..

Just my suggestion.. Oh and it has a blue led that you can turn on/off if you want..