Please comment on this proposed system

cnordholm · 01-05-2007, 11:30 AM

I am interested in installing the following in my 2006 Mazda 3. Any comments would be much appreciated.

Hardware:
- AUX in custom card for stock head unit
(http://www.sylfex.com/products/AuxMod/)
- Ground Loop Isolator
(http://www.crutchfield.com/S-E7lUd16...sp?i=127SNI135)
- Apple 867 MHz PowerBook G4 strapped to roof of glove box
- WiFi and Bluetooth already installed
- Power: 12 V DC to powerbook converter, wired behind dash
- GPS: USB unit mounted on dash
- Mini VGA converter for video out
- External WiFi antenna?
- Lilliput 7" VGA Touchscreen 619GL-70NP

Software:
-AMP
- Mostly for music playback but wardriving, utilities are useful
- Amazing program, by the way
- Roadnav - cheap and dirty but free and works

I plan on retaining everything factory, for warranty resale sake. The PowerBook would be velcroed into the glove box with some foam cushioning and the audio, video, USB and power cables would be run behind the dash. The ONLY likely modifications required to the car itself would be soldering on a a female cigarette jack onto the back of the dash lighter jack in which to plug the PowerBook's power adapter and the adhesive on the dash to mount the lilliput display.

The biggest advantage (or potential pitfall) of this setup is the PB's battery. It alleviates the need to worry about shutting the car down and losing power to the system - the equivalent of a UPS system for a mini. But perhaps there are other issues with using laptops in cars people have found, which is partly why I am making this post.

Depending on how the display works, my hope is that getting the system warm ready would go as follows:

- Engine started
- Tap USB touchscreen, powering on PB from sleep?
- Also have a PowerMate, could be used to wake from sleep
- System on and ready.

Vice-versa:

- Engine shut off, PB goes to battery mode
- Select "sleep" from AMP menu
- Sleep and settings retained with battery juice

Comments, please! Thank you.

Bugbyte · 01-05-2007, 11:59 AM

If you use a powered USB hub, would this wake the PB when you start the car?

For sleep/shutdown, you could just set your power options to sleep after a certain period of time, like an hour. Then, when the car turns off and you get out, it would idle for an hour on battery and then sleep.

It might sleep if you were on a long car trip and you didn't control the computer over a one hour period, but you could wake it right back up by tapping the Powermate or by periodically touching the screen.

cnordholm · 01-05-2007, 12:25 PM

The idea of using a powered hub is interesting. I think I'd prefer to just give it a tap to turn it on in case I'm just running for 2 minutes. Something I definitely overlooked is power for the lilliput, though. I suppose I could just use a block to split out the 12V lighter jack, no?

Does anyone know if the Lillput will work this way, to unsleep a computer by tapping the screen since it's USB? I've seen this behavior with noted PowerMate and most other USB devices including mice and keyboards.

Not having it in front of me, you might be on to something as far as the timed shutoff goes. I don't remember if you can change the power profile settings to include an automatic sleep - so battery sleep after 15 minutes versus no sleep for DC power.

Also: Just found this badass external antenna (http://www.radiolabs.com/products/an....4-mobile5.php) and a hack for PowerBooks (http://www.instructables.com/id/EHDH...68FX/?ALLSTEPS)

Also: This one (http://www.hyperlinktech.com/web/hg2403mgu.php)

Bugbyte · 01-05-2007, 04:09 PM

You can wire the Lilliput as you described, although some will advise you that you should wire it through a regulator. It DOES come with a cigarette lighter, so it is intended to be used that way, but a regulator would add a level of safety.

The Liiliput should function as you describe as long as the screen loses power (that is, as long as your cigarette lighter) loses power when the car is off. That causes the USB to bump offline. When the screen powers up, it reconnects the USB to the computer.

Depending on how long that takes, it may automatically wake your computer. The main problem I have with my Mini is keeping it asleep. All kinds of activity on the USB bus will wake it up.