FAQ / Summary of best bets for Input (In this Thread)

[CA 3000GT]

Overview:
EB mini usb (see note 1) is prolly the best.. that and maybe a small programable usb keypad, that and a few voice commands

Other Options:

********Large Interior********
1) Mount a keypad between the drivers and passenger seat
Datalux (cop-car comp co.) made good keyboards and mounts

2) Dauphin keypads are cheap, and about 9" by 5"

3) Joystick or numeric keypad with mapped keys.


********All Interiors********

1) Touchscreen, Sits right on your LCD. takes up no extra space, can be used for text entry (w/ little on-screen keyboard), and for mouse like dragging & clicking.. but... as compact as these are.. the screen *will* get smears.. if you use a stylus, it will get wear marks.

1) A dauphin keyboard, as well as other small keyboards can in some cars be put in the sun visor.

2) Many people use numeric keypads, sometimes programmable numeric keypads which are mapped to control the program one has running.


********Current Investigations********
Right now we are looking for advice in the following areas:

2) What kind of Voice Recognition products are there, how do they work?


Note 1: The EB mini usb keyboard
Found by: LLCoolWas
Buy it at: was hard to get before... but now its for sale here in the mp3car store!
Thread

[bgoodman]

hmmm, as common as this as going to get i'll stick this thread

[Skraggy_uk]

OK. Seeing as people like the griffin Powermate idea.

And people have suggested the BMW iDrive.

Has anyone thought about hacking up a Sidewinder Pro joystick.

You have ordinary movement to replace a mouse. you have left/right twist for menu selection or scrolling. And all the buttons could be moved/removed to allow it to replicate the iDrive/Powermate push (mount a button under a disc that sits ontop of a heavily shortened stick?

I'm guessing that a lot of the Sidewinders base is ballast to keep it steady while gaming, but surely what electronics inside could be relocated? You wouldn't need force feedback, and I'm sure Girder could be of use to interface with it?

[jol]

The creative remote?
Comctrl:ing the steering wheel buttons?

[thenominous]

As it happens, Ive got a busted one of these lying around, I'll hack it apart and take a look...
Anybody work for or near a BMW dealer, and could find out the cost of one of these navi-knobs?

Dave

[Skraggy_uk]

Quote:

Originally posted by thenominous
As it happens, Ive got a busted one of these lying around, I'll hack it apart and take a look...
Anybody work for or near a BMW dealer, and could find out the cost of one of these navi-knobs?

Dave

If it is like anything else BMW, probably half as much as a decent spec 3 series, seing as it is fitted to the 7 series, and the new Rolls Royce Phantom

[MikeHunt79]

CPC sells keypads for £10

[albrandwood]

Personally, I found the following to be a usefull replacement for a mouse ...

Mouse

[zardoz]

Well today I've learned that I need to know more. I need to know more about this aspect of computers. I'm an A+ certified tech...but no electronics tech. Latest project was to build an HTPC using a laptop screen linked to a PC then projected via OHP...viola 10 foot by 8 foot DVD's, surfing, TV etc...

A couple of days ago I started to get serious about a "carputer". I have an ultra slim line P166 coming in the next couple of days, and now I'm looking for some of the rest of the gear I'll be needing. I found this unit today and wonder if someone with more experience than I could tell me if can make use of this as an input device. At least until I can afford another LCD purchase

Anyhow...here's the link http://www.earthlcd.com/serial_lcd_terminal.htm

zardoz...come visit us at diyaudio.com

[mag2]

USB digital to analog PLL FM transmitter available: http://www.mobileblackbox.com

This device transmits up to 150 feet.

[boris_tubak]

i use my cars stock headunit to control a computer, using one of these:

http://www.k9spud.com/vwcdpic/

it will only work on late model VWs but it's very slick.

[ELEmental59437]

I found this keyboard in my local computer store for 14.99. It was cheaper than my mouse and looks really nice. Works well in the car with its small size.

[Machs_FueL]

i've used a joypad and it sucked, maybe it was just the plug-in but the buttons seemed to stick

i've also used comctrl to wire the buttons on my LCD and it was pretty, but i understand that is could be done with girder too.

[psuter]

when i had troubles with my touchscreen i used a 20 CHF (about $15) wireless gamepad from a electronics supermarket called media markt . it attaches to the usb port and has a range of about 10m around my car. it's got 12buttons which can be easily programmed with all different kinds of joystick-2-mouse software. great thing.
very ergonomic, uses 2 regular AAA battaries thtat last forever (i used it almost daily and never had to change them for the last 6 months.. i now got my touchscreen to work again and don't need it at the moment, but the battaries are still ok...

Brand: X-Tensions
Model: XG-210

only downside: the joystick is only digital, but it's still got 8 directions.



what i am looking at right now (but have not gotten or tested it):
palm V keyboard to ps2 adaptor to use palm V keyboards on your pc (especially nice in combination with the tiny targus keyboard. (never got a reply from the producer of the adapter to my question if it also works with other keyboards than the one shown on the picture, but i'd guess so)


last hint:
the sony remote control for car radios RM-X4S and RM-X2S actually works similar to a joystick. every button pressed represents a certain x-coordinate of your joystick: right now a friend of mine is trying to write a program to convert these positions into keystrokes to windws applications, so i can use it on my computer. very good for blind-control your unit (change volume while still having your eyes on the road)

find the wiring for the adaptor here

here's a XMMS plugin for this device (never tested it, just found it on google)

will post my friends software as soon as it works on the board here.. (if he allowes me to :-) )

cheers
pascal

[MP3DUB]

It seems that the only thing that's been overlooked are touchpad's (Cirque/Fellows make a few good ones).