2004 Acura TL CarPC w/ dual LCD (ver 2)

moahdib · 06-04-2007, 04:05 PM

Here is my latest carPC. Made lot of changes and upgrades from my last one so decided to put up a new thread. This "was" a non-navi TL but it has lot of parts from the navi TL which is the Bezel with buttons, the navi LCD and the navi clock display. Mainly bc I like the navi buttons and wanted to use them for my carPC. Also, there are 2 xenarc screens. The char LCD that came with the non-navi has been replaced with the navi LCD, although I'm not using it as a display, its needed to display cabin temperatures.

Sound input is via the XM audio which is not used. Stock radio functionality is untouched (including HFL bluetooth call interruption).

My goal was to have this setup looking just like a stock system.

Car Specs:
- 2004 Acura TL 2004 non-navi.
- 19" TSW Kyalami, 245/35/19 Nexen tires
- Tein H-tech (1" drop)
- Acura A-Spec body kit
- Blinking white led side marker
- Cleared front corner lights
- Tinted back lights and side marker lights
- Tinted windows 25/35
- Window rollup module
- Wide angle rear view camera.
- Replaced non-navi clock display with the navi clock / hvac display.
- Navi OEM LCD "hidden" behind lower LCD.
- Navi OEM bezel with navi buttons mapped to a hacked Dell USB keyboard.
- 10" Bazooka Subwoofer w/ 200W RMS built in amp.

PC specs:
- Dell D520 notebook: Intel Core2 duo 2ghz, 2gb ram, 160gb HD, XP SP2.
- Dell docking station and stand powered by Lind electronics Auto Power Supply.
- 2 x Xenarc 7" TSV. Upper screen is high-brightness using VGA input and AV2 for rear view camera. Lower screen is using AV1 input from laptop tv-out.

Peripherals:
- Rikaline 12ch GPS Bluetooth
- SoundBlaster X-FI XMOD USB Audio.
- Pinnacle PCTV HD PRO Stick USB.
- Netgear USB bluetooth adapter for the bluetooth GPS and DUN to my cellphone.
- Amplified car TV antenna.

Cellphone: Samsung A990 3.2mp camera phone w/ bluetooth DUN hack.

Software:
- Latest RoadRunner
- FSR Flash skin (custom made)
- WatchHDTV ( over the air HDTV reception with regular car tv antenna)
- Iguidance 3
- Flash real-time traffic info
- Flash real-time weather moving maps
- Custom program for navi buttons interface with RR. (autoit)

Total hardware cost: in denial
Labor cost: free!

pics:

Dash

Trunk w/ docking station laptop and 10" Bazooka

Rear view camera

Lower compartment xenarc 7" LCD

CAT5 wiring gallore

Navi OEM LCD (covered up in cardboard sitting behind the xenarc screen)

Soundblaster Xfi Xmod attached under armrest

youtube videos of it in action :
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dMGpudWLk6s

http://youtube.com/watch?v=q06TEthCu14

http://youtube.com/watch?v=dMGpudWLk6s

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vtA73eu65Kg

Link to the skin I'm using is below. The version of the skin I have is different bc I took out the bottom bar and I am using the OEM buttons now, and have a second screen as well. If you like that version just PM me or something.

Thanks goes to all the folks here and at acurazine.com

SLAYER6669 · 06-04-2007, 07:44 PM

I was a little confused when I saw your first post on Acurazine about having all 3 LCD's.. Now it makes more sense.. You can probably fool almost anyone into thinking that car came with the factory navi.. A few questions if you dont mind..

As far as the upper screen with the clock/hvac, how is that installed in the non navi car? Does one of the connectors that used to go to the stock non-navi char lcds just plug right in, or did you have to do some wiring?

Are you able to still see any information for the stock head unit such as Radio channels / Volume / Eq info etc, or does this stuff pop up on the stock navi LCD that is tucked away? Ive never played with the navi car before so I'm not sure where the info is displayed.

Does the stock 12v plug in the bottom console in front of the shifter provide enough power for powering an M2-ATX? If not, where did you run the power? I'm trying to avoid running another wire to the battery..

My miniITX PC will be here thursday, and I was planning to model mine after your original install, but you keep creating such great new idea's for the TL

Appreciate any info!

bambam · 06-05-2007, 07:06 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by moahdib

Here is my latest carPC......

Awesome job....Beautiful intall!

john05srt4 · 06-05-2007, 10:28 AM

More pics please.
Maybe like the front end showing and a/c showing.

ok so the lower screen is for video only? what software and antenna can you use to get HDtv?

Super_dave · 06-05-2007, 10:32 PM

Where did you get the Wide angle rear view camera?

breaker021 · 06-06-2007, 01:47 PM

Damn man, this is a sick a$$ setup. nice work!@#
- sh00k

moahdib · 06-08-2007, 06:41 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by SLAYER6669

I was a little confused when I saw your first post on Acurazine about having all 3 LCD's.. Now it makes more sense.. You can probably fool almost anyone into thinking that car came with the factory navi.. A few questions if you dont mind..

As far as the upper screen with the clock/hvac, how is that installed in the non navi car? Does one of the connectors that used to go to the stock non-navi char lcds just plug right in, or did you have to do some wiring?

Are you able to still see any information for the stock head unit such as Radio channels / Volume / Eq info etc, or does this stuff pop up on the stock navi LCD that is tucked away? Ive never played with the navi car before so I'm not sure where the info is displayed.

Does the stock 12v plug in the bottom console in front of the shifter provide enough power for powering an M2-ATX? If not, where did you run the power? I'm trying to avoid running another wire to the battery..

My miniITX PC will be here thursday, and I was planning to model mine after your original install, but you keep creating such great new idea's for the TL

Appreciate any info!

Ok the navi car lcd is used bc it controls and sends signal to the subdisplay clock. I had to do some wiring to connect them by looking at the wiring manual. On the non-navi its just a clock and only needs power and illumination signal. No data from the stock non-navi control board LCD goes to that clock.

The radio info is usually displayed in the navi LCD (radio stations, xm stations, etc), and the top display on the navi is supposed to show some radio data like how many discs and track number. But it doesn't display any of that probably because I actually need the navi dvd unit as well.

It only displays clock, a little phone icon if you use HFL, and the AC temperatures and fan speed.The clock is set to 1:00 when you plug in the power, so i had to install it right at 1:00 which was no big deal.

As far as power, I think you jsut have to try it out bc that accessory lighter has a 15A fuse if i'm not mistaken. You can try switching to a 20A but its not recommended. I have a 4G wire to the trunk because of my bazooka so i just use that to power my laptop PSU which is rated at 90W.

If you wanna do a setup like mine, you will need to get the navi display and subdisplay which is NOT cheap if you buy them. I looked for them on ebay for couple months and got the LCD+ bezel with buttons for like $240 and the subdisplay + ac vents bezel for only $30 which was a bargain.

All you're doing is replacing the stock non-navi char LCD with the navi LCD and you have to connect some 9 wires from that to the subdisplay clock, replacing the existing non-navi clock which is interchangeable and nothing to cut or hack.
Hope that helps =)

moahdib · 06-08-2007, 06:46 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by john05srt4

More pics please.
Maybe like the front end showing and a/c showing.

ok so the lower screen is for video only? what software and antenna can you use to get HDtv?

I have a double post of this in a different forum
http://tl.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160471

This one has a pic of the A/C display.

Software is called watchhdtv. Try google and you will find it.
Antenna is just a regular car tv antenna that is amplified. Anything will do really. No need for any special antenna for hdtv reception.

Quote: Originally Posted by Super_dave

Where did you get the Wide angle rear view camera?

Got it from a group buy at acurazine.com for $80 or so. Great camera! I have one spare but its the same one sold in the mp3carstore. PM me if you're interested.

SLAYER6669 · 06-08-2007, 06:15 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by moahdib

Ok the navi car lcd is used bc it controls and sends signal to the subdisplay clock. I had to do some wiring to connect them by looking at the wiring manual. On the non-navi its just a clock and only needs power and illumination signal. No data from the stock non-navi control board LCD goes to that clock.

The radio info is usually displayed in the navi LCD (radio stations, xm stations, etc), and the top display on the navi is supposed to show some radio data like how many discs and track number. But it doesn't display any of that probably because I actually need the navi dvd unit as well.

It only displays clock, a little phone icon if you use HFL, and the AC temperatures and fan speed.The clock is set to 1:00 when you plug in the power, so i had to install it right at 1:00 which was no big deal.

As far as power, I think you jsut have to try it out bc that accessory lighter has a 15A fuse if i'm not mistaken. You can try switching to a 20A but its not recommended. I have a 4G wire to the trunk because of my bazooka so i just use that to power my laptop PSU which is rated at 90W.

If you wanna do a setup like mine, you will need to get the navi display and subdisplay which is NOT cheap if you buy them. I looked for them on ebay for couple months and got the LCD+ bezel with buttons for like $240 and the subdisplay + ac vents bezel for only $30 which was a bargain.

All you're doing is replacing the stock non-navi char LCD with the navi LCD and you have to connect some 9 wires from that to the subdisplay clock, replacing the existing non-navi clock which is interchangeable and nothing to cut or hack.
Hope that helps =)

Well, I'm not sure I want to wait around to find the stock navi pieces.. I have been checking on ebay for a while, but found nothing but the stock LCD screen and it's bezel..

I may just go ahead and do what you did orginally and relocate the stock non navi screens to the bottom compartments and put a 7" or 8" in the dash and be done with it.. I'm trying to put the PC up front beacuse I really don't want it lying in the trunk again and also want to avoid running all the wires back there too, so thats why I asked about the acc plug for power. I'm not even sure that is constant power either, I guess I might be better off just running another wire to the batt to be safe.. Thanks for the info!

Octavio · 06-08-2007, 09:26 PM

nice set up, what the degres on that camera? thanks

Jdot · 06-12-2007, 01:04 PM

moahdib, set up looks nice. Your PM box is full! Been checking my email everyday for those files

.

Eson · 06-13-2007, 12:20 PM

Really nice and sleek install my man. Impressive.

Brrrett · 06-22-2007, 05:17 PM

Nice install man. I just got a Graphite 06 Acura TL w/ Navi. I love it but I need to put in my 2 subs and amp. I have always installed my own system in all my cars ,BUT I just paid over $30,000 and the interior is sweet as hell.

So, how hard is it in a 3rd gen TL to run the RCA cables to the head unit? I have always hated poppin panels off, CAUSE they never go on the same, specialy American cars.

Any suggestions are appreciated, thanks.

Jdot · 07-25-2007, 08:16 PM

you have gmail!

Thanks,
Justin