Clownzer

Hey Guys,

I am looking for a small touch screen that will fit in my center console of my 08 Jettta 4"-7". This will primarily be used as a controller for the Mac Mini and the two monitors in the headrests will be for the kids viewing pleasure.

Thanks for your input and suggestions

Clownzer

Clownzer

Ok,

After hitting the pavement some I have come to the conclusion that there is NOT a monitor that will fit in my center console and be used the way I want it to be. So what I have come up with is first a choice I have to make (with your help) between the two following monitors:

Xenarc 700TSV or Lilliput 629GL-70NP

With those choices let me explain how I plan on using one of them in my environment. The touchscreen will simply have wires (Power and RGB) running to through the glove box to the screen and from there the screen will be more of a hand held device rather then a mounted solution. This will be a "controller" for the Mac Mini which is also split off to two headrest screens.

So knowing this what do you all think is the best solution the Lilliput or Xenarc?

2k1Toaster

Well the screen needs power, a VGA input, and a USB output for the touch to work.

And you have 7" x 4" to work with? That is plenty of room for a 7" monitor.

I think having a screen just lying around looks sort of stupid. And with kids, you know there will be some nice tug of wars going on with your fancy pants expensive screen.

As for the lilliput vs. xenarc, there are whole threads devoted to that.

In recent times though, they are exactly the same. They used to use used panels (wow that is alot of "used") but now they are new hitachi panels. Insides look just like the xenarc. Screen quality is the same. Build quality is the same. Now if you go for a 3 yr old comparison, then xenarc wins, but I dont think that is the case anymore.

The real question today is "transflective or not?".

__________________

Clownzer

@2k1Toaster

Well the touchscreen would stay up front (handheld) for passenger viewing and controlling the Mac Mini. The kids in the back would just be watching the monitors mounted in the headrests of the front seats.

You do bring up a good point that for a hand held the touchscreen would be dragging around alot of baggage with it making it cumbersome to move around. That leave the only issue of where to mount the touch screen.... Here is what I hae to work with:


Thanks again!

Clownzer

ASCI_Blue

A fellow Dubber, you on GolfMKV? Got a Jetta forum there too. Anyway I've got a MKV GTI and ran into the same issue you did. The idea I've got is to fab some kind of mount that will be attached on the passenger side to the floor or the hump under the center console. I'm debating between a simple up/down locking mechanism or something that folds and extends out.

If you're really hell bent on mounting it on the dash, there's nothing important under the grill on the top you can't live without. But it will take quite a bit of fabrication (probably fiberglass) to get it working.

Clownzer

@ASCI

Cool didnt know about those forums, thanks for that. Yeah I thought about the floor mount or even mounting it to the side of the center console on an arm. The issue I have is that I love the stock look of my car and don't really want a metal arm but at the same time dont mind mods like LCD head rests and a mac mini stuck somewhere.

I ended up ordering a Lilliput 629GL-70NP, so once it gets here and I get a full grasp on the size of the screen I will see where it will fit.

ASCI_Blue

I totally hear where you're coming from. Rather than use metal how about ABS? It's black and can be fabbed to do what you need it to. Likewise if you go for a dash mount what happens if you choose to sell the car? You now have to undo all the work you've done where an external mount can just be unscrewed/unattached and removed.

Clownzer

@ASCI

Yeah I hear that, I really do not like the look of a dash mount at all. The only thing I am going to be using the touch screen for is for passenger viewing and controlling the Mac Mini for the kids in the back (video split to two headrest monitors). Knowing that the a glove box mount may be good, or... shoot I dunno. The downfall of a glove box mount is that I wont be able to easliy reach it.

The touchscreen should be in today so ill pop her open and see where it looks decent. Would be cool if it would fit at the bottom of the console in that opening but I think that opening is way to small.

As far as selling the car. I wouldn't mind leaving all the stuff in it when it comes time ( I may rethink that of course) like when I traded in my 03 Passat for this Jetta I left my Pioneer Avic-D3 in it with all the modules (BT, Sirius, ec).

ASCI_Blue

wow. I wouldn't leave a car pc in my GTI if the time comes but the FM modulator and the RF output converter for the sub can stay. That stuff is cheap.

I also agree that the screen will be too big to fit under the console. My original plan was to have some kind of flip out from the center area in the dash. Make it so the grill would come up easily and the screen would flip out and down on multiple rails. After thinking about it and talking with an MECP certified friend of mine we decided on the passenger footwell mount.

Clownzer

@ ASCI

Do you have the picture of the mount yet? I would like to see how you plan on mounting it and what you are going to be screwing into.

Yeah this PC I wont leave in the car but the AVIC D3 was such a pain to get in there the original stereo was well... not in good shape anymore.

ASCI_Blue

I do not currently have a set design as I'm still researching screens.

However I can provide ideas. One is a simple locking pole similar to a tent or on kids toys. Have two shafts, one with a nipple on it the other with a hole so when it's in use it'll stand a little higher than the console. The bad part about this is how long a reach it is.

My second idea is similar to a TV wall mount swivel arm. I'm leaning more toward this idea cause it'll allow me to put the screen closer to me while I'm driving or the like.

Clownzer

For the two rear monitors (non touch screen) that will be for the kids, will I need to look for any special kind of specs for them?

The video will be supplied from a DVI to Composite RCA cable plugged straight into the monitor from the Mac Mini.

Thanks

ASCI_Blue

for the headrests you can use pretty much whatever you want to as long as it has the composite ins and possibly audio ins if you want the screen to provide sound.