b3tts32

As the title says.. is it possible to get steering wheel controls from car2pc without a headunit? I have a 2001 Volkswagen GTI that I just need the steering wheel controls to control my pc. (mainly volume and prev/next) I I saw that the car2pc has an adapter for the cd changer hookup in the hatch. I wasn't sure if any communication would be needed up front with a head unit. Sorry if this is a newb question but I wanted to get some info before I spent the dough on it. Thanks in advance..

lastdon6585

I have reason to believe that the car2pc adapter is for use with a carpc that still has the stereo head unit. (Maybe your monitor is mounted elsewhere and you kept your stereo?) The adapter takes the place of the CD Changer, which communicates with the stereo head unit, which sends audio to your amp and speakers. The steering wheel controls also communicate with your stereo head unit, so that would make the head unit mandatory.
What I'm wondering is if someone is going to come up with an adapter/harness for the car's wires that would be connecting to the stereo, but now connect to the pc. I assume it would be something like the wiring harness you buy when you buy a new stereo? Only it would integrate the sound and possibly the steering wheel controls into your front end interface... (That actually sounds pretty complicated... Haha) Correct me if I'm wrong on any of this, which I may be.

b3tts32

Yeah I completely bypassed the head unit. I'm going from speakers > 5 channel amp > crossover > dac > computer. It's a handful I know but everything is going smooth.

The only reason I'm looking to get the car2pc would just be for the steering wheel controls.. that's the only bad part about removing your head unit is losing the knob. So it sounds like I might be out of luck.. I was hoping that communication would be possible but I didn't have my hopes up too high.

lastdon6585

Ya I was pretty disappointed myself.... Haha But who knows, maybe sometime in the near future... I won't hole my breathe though...

lastdon6585

Ya I was pretty disappointed myself.... Haha But who knows, maybe sometime in the near future... I won't hold my breathe though...

Chairboy

I wonder if you could use something like this to break out to an I-PAC or fusionbrain?

http://www.autotoys.com/x/product.php?productid=6746

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lastdon6585

That looks to be about 1/3 way there... It lets you use your steering wheel on NOT your stock radio, but the problem is still how to translate that to a pc type interface..

nasa

I actually used the SWIX to integrate steering wheel control -- you can see more details at my worklog
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/work...e-worklog.html

b3tts32

It looks like the SWIX uses a headunit still.. I just need an interface between my steering wheel controls and the PC..

lastdon6585

This "SWIX" lets you use your steering wheel controls on your carpc even w/o a stereo headunit?

lastdon6585

oh I see

nasa

B3tts32:

Look closer....

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/1205349-post14.html

b3tts32

Oh ok sorry I must've misread that then. So I could use at least the prev/next controls from the cd changer port but no volume controls. I believe they have another adapter for what plugged into the back of the stock head unit so I think I could use that to get full access to my steering wheel controls. I guess I would just need to run a usb cable from front to the back where my pc is. If the cd changer controller had volume that'd make life a lot easier..