questions about rotary navigator and front end software

jash7 · 02-10-2008, 08:42 PM

okay so i just bought a new head unit (alpine w200). it has a beautiful touchscreen on it, and a/v inputs on the back. now i know using these reduces the quality of the pc, but is it really that bad? anyway, since this will obviously rule out the touchscreen on the unit, i would need some kind of rotary navigator and some good front end software that works well with it. also, this front end software would need to have functionality to view engine diagnostics (OBD II) because this is the reason i would be getting a car pc in the first place.

soooooooo heres my questions:

--is the resolution that bad?

--is there some kind of software i can use to adjust the screen position? (since thats usually done through the monitor, i won't have that function)

--what good front end software and rotary navigator that work well together? (must have engine diagnostic functionality, and of coarse, look good

)

any ideas or experience or anything?

Bugbyte · 02-11-2008, 12:54 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by jash7

soooooooo heres my questions:

--is the resolution that bad?

Yes, its that bad. 640X480 bad. You can tune it up with skins and such to compensate. Here's what it looks like.

Get a laptop with an S-video out, and a S-video to composite converter (if necessary) and plug it directly into the alpine unit. That's what it will look like.

Quote: Originally Posted by jash7

any ideas or experience or anything?

You may be able to control the PC from your Alpine screen: [url=http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/user-innovations/114438-alpine-screen-interface.html[/url]

jash7 · 02-11-2008, 01:49 PM

it doesn't look all that bad, specially since i'm gunna be using front end software. for the s video out, i can just use a pci card with that feature. anyway i had read up on that url before, and pmed the guy, but it dosn't look like he's gunna be making a monitor adapter for the w200. i appreciate all your help ibug, you helped me out in some other threads as well. any help with a good front end software like i was talking about in my previous post?

jash7 · 02-11-2008, 09:00 PM

oh and in that other link you gave me, a post by you, you said "With exactly the right skin and colors, you can make it work, but just recognize that it is a compromise."

soo do you know what those might be? lol

jash7 · 02-12-2008, 02:25 PM

anyone?

Bugbyte · 02-12-2008, 04:54 PM

Dunno. I use a VGA screen. Suggest you check out some sites that list how to do 'TV Safe' graphics. Because NTSC is interlaced, you can get flicker, although I think LCDs don't do that.

Beyond that, there are certain colors that are 'safe' and minimum type font size and styles (no serifs and so forth) that will display much better in video than VGA.

jash7 · 02-12-2008, 05:46 PM

thats very interesting stuff, i'll look into it. in the mean time, do you know any good front ends or skins that incorporate the use of a radial transmitter well?

Bugbyte · 02-12-2008, 09:00 PM

I have no idea what that is. Some kind of RF transmission device?

jash7 · 02-12-2008, 09:21 PM

i meant rotary encoder, haha i don't know why i typed that

Bugbyte · 02-13-2008, 08:25 AM

I'm sure there must be some on the Windows side, but on the Mac, QCar is built specifically for either a Griffin powermate or a Space Navigator.

Any FE that allows keyboard shortcuts can be used with a Powermate or Space Navigator. Take a look at Centrafuse or Road Runner or Streetdeck.

jash7 · 02-14-2008, 01:44 PM

yeah i know qcar. it would be cool if there was something like that for windows.