BMW E39 carpc questions (Europe)

WaterLift · 02-19-2006, 11:19 PM

Hi everybody,

I'm going to build me a carpc too

but have some questions...

Have a BMW 523i E39 early 1999 version with standard radio/tape+cd changer with DSP.

I see a lot of nice hardware gizmo's but when trying to find out if it'd work

I get confused coz of the multitude of answers and frontends. Some guys say it works perfectly and others are ******ing that it's worth *****

or that it's not supported, etc...

What would I want to have in my Carpc all in 1 nice frontend:
- radio RDS/TP (FM) maybe even DAB
- mp3

- Navigation GPS for EU with TMC and Radar information (+ max speed indicator)
- Phone integration (Nokia 9500, already have BT carkit from nokia)
- Ibus or whatever it is called to check the car diagnostics and fiddle with the controls
- maintain the steering wheel controls
- rearview camera (later on front view as well)
- Video+TV (mpeg, divx, etc...) DVB would be nice
- GPRS+WiFi browsing

- VGA Touchscreen (8" if it would fit)
- Access control (password or something)
- Voice interaction
- NES emulator for me (and maybe the kids

)
- Outlook calendar
- Speedometer/rpm
- rain/light/temp sensors
- Additional gelpack battery (don't wanna drain my main battery)
- iDrive kinda button to scroll thru menu's
- SOS function (automatically dials emergency service nr with current position and identification of vehicle)
- .... (I'm open to suggestions

)

Now the big question is what would work on 1 frontend and what do I need hardware wise.

I have bought this little gizmo "Car2PC-BMW" http://www.indashpc.org/new/adapters/usbbmw.html so to have a clear audio signal without the need to buy a new amp/crossover/etc...

Currently I have an ATX pc
- P4 2.6
- Asus P4P800-E Deluxe mobo
- 1 Gig of memory (2x512MB)
- 3.5" HD 80GB
- USB BT dongle v1
- PCI WiFi Belkin G
- 2 x 5.25" CD/DVD drives
- VGA Asus N6200 AGP

Can I use anything of this pc or do I just sell it and buy an ITX/Pico carpc like the VoomPC (black edition) case with Epia mobo?

The TFT I have in mind is an 8" widescreen but I'm not sure if I can fit it coz it is so close to the max height, I know there is someone who makes one hell of a nice bezel for the 7" liliput screens but it seems so empty with all that unused space

The specs are here: http://www.cartft.com/catalog/il/550
Can anyone verify if it would fit?

Thanks & dudes your projects look awesome!

WaterLift

Here is my quote: '

Cris · 02-20-2006, 12:37 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by WaterLift

I see a lot of nice hardware gizmo's but when trying to find out if it'd work

I get confused coz of the multitude of answers and frontends. Some guys say it works perfectly and others are ******ing that it's worth *****

or that it's not supported, etc...

The truth is none of them really do work 100% perfectly, especially if you stuff them with all the aditional software you have in mind...

Quote: Originally Posted by WaterLift

What would I want to have in my Carpc all in 1 nice frontend:
- radio RDS/TP (FM) maybe even DAB
- mp3

- Navigation GPS for EU with TMC and Radar information (+ max speed indicator)
- Phone integration (Nokia 9500, already have BT carkit from nokia)
- Ibus or whatever it is called to check the car diagnostics and fiddle with the controls
- maintain the steering wheel controls
- rearview camera (later on front view as well)
- Video+TV (mpeg, divx, etc...) DVB would be nice
- GPRS+WiFi browsing

- VGA Touchscreen (8" if it would fit)
- Access control (password or something)
- Voice interaction
- NES emulator for me (and maybe the kids

)
- Outlook calendar
- Speedometer/rpm
- rain/light/temp sensors
- Additional gelpack battery (don't wanna drain my main battery)
- iDrive kinda button to scroll thru menu's
- SOS function (automatically dials emergency service nr with current position and identification of vehicle)
- .... (I'm open to suggestions

)

- rds and TA you can have only with a PCI FM card
- well, that's obvious...
- there are quite a few navigation programs that cam be succefully embeded into a front end, like Destinatot, IG, et. Depends on where you're from and what nav software you are going to use. Same thing for Radar feature.
- I think all front ends support Phoco. Check for your phone's compatibility.
- iBus is not for car diagnostics. For that you must have a OBD II scanner&software. iBus is for controlling stuff already in the car. Almost every BMW install has that.
- Steering wheel control, you can have them though iBus
- an AV camera is usually used for a rear view camera. So this is not something to be supported from a front end. However you can have an USB rear view cam, but it's not by far the idea solution.
- video - obviuosly. TV - with a TV card. DVB, you can buy a separate kit, that pluggs into the AV from the monitor. It's a stand alone kit.
- all front ends support browser. It depends on the skin though...
- TS. 8" will not fit in that dash for sure.
- access control. There's a little program by Stevieg that's made for Centrafuse.
- Most front ends have voice interaction. But, if you want voince control that's a different matter...only in RR, this actually works.
- most front ends have game emulators
- not outlook, but you can have calendar in most front ends. Nut, since the net browser is already supported, you could use that.
- Spedometer, depends on the skin. It reads it from the GPS.
- RR has a section for sensors...
- that has nothing to do with a fron end...
- that's almost doable. It won't be the same...
- I can't say I've heard about that...

Quote: Originally Posted by WaterLift

Now the big question is what would work on 1 frontend and what do I need hardware wise.

There's no front end that will satisfy all your demands by itself.

Quote: Originally Posted by WaterLift

Currently I have an ATX pc
- P4 2.6
- Asus P4P800-E Deluxe mobo
- 1 Gig of memory (2x512MB)
- 3.5" HD 80GB
- USB BT dongle v1
- PCI WiFi Belkin G
- 2 x 5.25" CD/DVD drives
- VGA Asus N6200 AGP

Can I use anything of this pc or do I just sell it and buy an ITX/Pico carpc like the VoomPC (black edition) case with Epia mobo?

You could use the RAM, HDD, WiFi, USB stuff...the rest they're a little too much for any PSU to take on. Not to mention all the stuff you want to add...

Quote: Originally Posted by WaterLift

The TFT I have in mind is an 8" widescreen but I'm not sure if I can fit it coz it is so close to the max height, I know there is someone who makes one hell of a nice bezel for the 7" liliput screens but it seems so empty with all that unused space

The specs are here: http://www.cartft.com/catalog/il/550
Can anyone verify if it would fit?

As I said, as far as I know, an 8" will not fit in there.
You can always add the buttons, but I'm sure it won't look as good as it does made by them.

To sum it all up, I never told anyone to search, but I will tell you, because you clearly need to.

DarquePervert · 02-20-2006, 06:41 AM

You could use the PC itself, although I'd ditch the high-end 3D card. There's no need for that in a car at all and it will just suck up precious power.

The only reason you wouldn't want to use that setup is simply size and power requirements. The power requirements can easily be handled by using an inverter (not recomended, at least by myself) or reading this FAQ and choosing an appropriate DC-DC PSU.

Enforcer · 02-20-2006, 06:54 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Cris

- access control. There's a little program by Stevieg that's made for Centrafuse.

It will work with any frontend.

Actually doesn't even need a frontend.

Cris · 02-20-2006, 08:14 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Enforcer

It will work with any frontend.

Actually doesn't even need a frontend.

Really? I was it skinned specifically for CF...If it works, add it to your skin E.

Enforcer · 02-20-2006, 08:45 AM

It goes before your frontend.

I currently use it.

and hopefully will be adding to the features of it.

in fact a patch has been released with the audio off facility.

Cris · 02-20-2006, 09:34 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Enforcer

It goes before your frontend.

I currently use it.

and hopefully will be adding to the features of it.

in fact a patch has been released with the audio off facility.

Sweet. When do you reckon you'll be done with it?

Enforcer · 02-20-2006, 10:19 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Cris

Sweet. When do you reckon you'll be done with it?

What do you mean 'done with it', these things are nevr 'done' they are always being tweaked and added to.

anyway what do you want to see in it.

Go answer that question in the correct thread, stop hijacking this one

.

Cris · 02-20-2006, 11:39 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Enforcer

What do you mean 'done with it', these things are nevr 'done' they are always being tweaked and added to.

anyway what do you want to see in it.

Go answer that question in the correct thread, stop hijacking this one

.

You're telling me? You're a hijacking thread specialist...

I meant when will StevieG's access control be a part of your skin...

JC-S60 · 02-20-2006, 12:03 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Cris

The truth is none of them really do work 100% perfectly, especially if you stuff them with all the aditional software you have in mind...

- rds and TA you can have only with a PCI FM card

for now... but soon: http://www.xtronic.be/index.php?id=91&lang=2

Enforcer · 02-20-2006, 01:06 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Cris

I meant when will StevieG's access control be a part of your skin...

It won't.

The Access control is supposed to run first and then start up your frontend when access is granted.

You can skin it (I have used the OSK that was in the orginal iDrive by BTBE) to look similar to the skin for a front end if you want. I use the iDrive empty with the OSK.

WaterLift · 02-20-2006, 07:31 PM

First of all, thanks everybody for the quick replies.

Quote: Originally Posted by Cris

The truth is none of them really do work 100% perfectly, especially if you stuff them with all the aditional software you have in mind...

Hmm pity, is there a general consensus on what the most versatile frontend is?

Quote: Originally Posted by Cris

- there are quite a few navigation programs that cam be succefully embeded into a front end, like Destinatot, IG, et. Depends on where you're from and what nav software you are going to use. Same thing for Radar feature.
- I think all front ends support Phoco. Check for your phone's compatibility.
- iBus is not for car diagnostics. For that you must have a OBD II scanner&software. iBus is for controlling stuff already in the car. Almost every BMW install has that.
- an AV camera is usually used for a rear view camera. So this is not something to be supported from a front end. However you can have an USB rear view cam, but it's not by far the idea solution.
- video - obviuosly. TV - with a TV card. DVB, you can buy a separate kit, that pluggs into the AV from the monitor. It's a stand alone kit.
- TS. 8" will not fit in that dash for sure.
- access control. There's a little program by Stevieg that's made for Centrafuse.
- that's almost doable. It won't be the same...

-Is anyone using the radar and/or TMC feature in Belgium?
-Checked phoco, doesn't support it yet but maybe soon

-Thanks for clearing that up with OBD/iBus difference
-I'll just wire the cam to switch on when I go into reverse, you're right no need for frontend here
-Dumped the idea for an 8" TS, went and checked with the local stereoshop and missed 4mm in height

-Access control looks ok, hope I can reskin it into a bmw style panel
- Maybe the dealer has a dummy iDrive set that I can use to create that kind of button.

Quote: Originally Posted by Cris

There's no front end that will satisfy all your demands by itself.

OK fair enough it's a bit demanding

, got any suggestions on what could come close?

Quote: Originally Posted by Cris

You could use the RAM, HDD, WiFi, USB stuff...the rest they're a little too much for any PSU to take on. Not to mention all the stuff you want to add...

Maybe it's best that I sell the pc and just start clean xcept for the usb stuff, with that kinda amp draw my battery wouldn't last too long when I'm not driving.

Quote: Originally Posted by Cris

As I said, as far as I know, an 8" will not fit in there.
You can always add the buttons, but I'm sure it won't look as good as it does made by them.

True again ;-) Went to my local car hifi centre and tried a WS 8" and no joy

missed only a few mm of space dang

Again thanks m8

WaterLift · 02-20-2006, 07:34 PM

Hi Darque,

I decided to ditch the ATX pc and go for a new ITX setup, you're right it's simply too big to be "integrated" and the power draw is murderous

Thanks 4 the reply

Quote: Originally Posted by DarquePervert

You could use the PC itself, although I'd ditch the high-end 3D card. There's no need for that in a car at all and it will just suck up precious power.

The only reason you wouldn't want to use that setup is simply size and power requirements. The power requirements can easily be handled by using an inverter (not recomended, at least by myself) or reading this FAQ and choosing an appropriate DC-DC PSU.

WaterLift · 02-20-2006, 07:36 PM

Ah sweet just saw it *drooling*

Is the "climate" button for the airco or the weather.com thing?

Quote: Originally Posted by Enforcer

It won't.

The Access control is supposed to run first and then start up your frontend when access is granted.

You can skin it (I have used the OSK that was in the orginal iDrive by BTBE) to look similar to the skin for a front end if you want. I use the iDrive empty with the OSK.

Enforcer · 02-21-2006, 04:47 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by WaterLift

Ah sweet just saw it *drooling*

Is the "climate" button for the airco or the weather.com thing?

The climate at the moment just has the option of the weather screen. But as soon as some comes up with a way of interfacing to the climate controls, then we can look at skinning it in.