I see a lot of screens have a built in speaker, how does this work?

Choser · 02-03-2004, 12:19 PM

For my planned carputer, I will have gps navigation as well as some pretty good audio.

I've seen that a number of monitors have built in speakers, and can't understand how these hook up. I assume they have a mini-din input which hooks into the computers sound card.

But I plan on hooking my carputers audio output to amps and then to the cars audio system, as I see many people do. So my question is, whats the purpose of that little in dash speaker? Can it be set so that navigation directions come through there, while mp3 and dvd audio gets sent out to the amps?

That would be ideal, as I don't really want 1000watts blaring "turn left 100 meters" and the like.

Maxis24 · 02-03-2004, 01:16 PM

I recently bought a 7" Xenarc screen from a mp3car.com member and noticed my screen has the built-in speaker. I have heard some people use this speaker as a "center channel" for their 5.1 system.

I however, have no intention of using the speaker due to its position behind the screen (it will be glassed in on my car; you won't hear it). The speaker has a single Mono connector and I don't think it is possibly a quality speaker.

You can't really redirect certain parts of audio to certain speakers (I am unable to do so on my Creative 5.1 Audigy card), so the only bit of advice I'd give is to manipulate the volume that the GPS program puts out. I can selectively lower how loud certain apps are using the built in Windows/Creative sound icon in the system tray.

Choser · 02-03-2004, 01:35 PM

Thanks maxis - very helpful.

I think that when I do my setup I'll just be getting a screen without a speaker of any sort. I can redirect the navigation audoi through the amps and just modulate the volume so it is comfortable.

I will have a center channel but I'm aiming for a quality unit.