I installed a carpc into my 2006 Acura TL with OEM Navigation.
Bear with me, this post is long. I am taking most of the stuff from the acurazine.com forum where this was posted originally.
Here are the direct links:
http://tl.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151216
http://tl.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146789
Here was my writeup for the USB touchscreen integration (from the Acurazine.com forum):
Basically I dissected the stock navi screen, created a custom module, and now I can use the stock touchscreen to input coordinates via usb!!
Here's a short video showing how it works.
First I'm using the stock functionality, then I switch over to PC mode (by applying power to my 4PDT relay with a 9V). You can see the mouse cursor moving on the laptop screen. Then I switch back to the stock function.
Obviously, I won't be using it this way. I will input the PC video display on the navigation lcd once my scan converter arrives in the mail.
Enjoy the video for now.
WATCH VIDEO
edit: video is just over 5mb
It was a decent amount of work. First I had to build a small module that would allow me to switch between the stock function and the usb controller. This required some guesswork as to the right size connectors and cables to order from digikey.
The touchscreen uses a 4-wire resistive panel that goes into the touchscreen display board (board behind the lcd screen). This goes out on a flat flexible cable (FFC). My module takes in that signal in through a FFC conector, and passes it through the NC contacts of a 4PDT relay, and then back out to the stock display board. The NO contacts of the board are fed into a USB touchscreen controller. When the relay is de-energized, the screen acts like it does from the factory. When the relay is energized, the touchscreen coordinates are only sent to the USB controller.
The only physical modification that I made to the stock hardware, was some cutting of the metal cover on the back of the display unit. This allowed the FFC from the touchscreen to reach my module. I can remove this module and return everything to stock, of course minus the cutting. It would be possible to do this without cutting, but you'd need to extend the flat cable to reach the module (I didn't have the ability to do this at the time and I didn't mind cutting)
This shows where I cut.
I am going to got video on the screen using a scan converter that will convert VGA to RGBs at the 15kHz frequency required by the navi lcd. I will be doing this using a piece of hardware made by Communications Specialists (I think that's their name). It's the "Scan DO 800"
This conversion should give me the best possible display on the stock screen.
Here are all the pictures I took. Looking back, I should have taken more.
TVI Electronics (
LINK) is where I bought the usb controller. It's simple, 4 wires from touchscreen in one side, and usb out the other side. No need for external power, it's provided via usb port.
Here was my parts list for the touchscreen integration
Parts list to use stock TL navigation system as a human-interface device (via USB) on your PC. All prices are before shipping & handling
Definitions:
FFC – flat flexible connector
4PDT – 4 pole, double throw
LIF – low insertion force (life: about 10 insertions/removals)
ZIF – zero insertion force (life: about 30 insertions/removals)
* 4-wire resistive touchscreen usb controller. Part SLT-TP05-USB
Available at
www.tvielectronics.com. Comes with all necessary cables.
Price: $30.50
For the FFC jumper, I was unable to find a 4pin 1mm pitch jumper, so I bought a 6pin and used a razor to cut 2 pins off at each end. You won’t need 2 of each connector type, only 1, but they are delicate so it’s best to have an extra. You probably don’t need 1 of each type, but it worked out best that ordered some of each because of how the connector is oriented. On one, the pins to face up, while the other one they face down. The FFC jumpers are pretty stiff and it wouldn’t have worked out with only one type.
The number of insertions/removals is limited for the connectors. They are meant to be connected and left that way. Not continuous in/out. The ZIF type has a locking mechanism that supposedly has a higher number of insertions/removals over LIF.
You’ll also need a PC board to mount the components on. This can be found at radioshack for a few dollars. Also, a soldering iron, solder, jumper wires, wire strippers, electrical tape, etc are necessary.
The PC is a 1.5 Ghz mini-itx form motherboard, 80GB laptop HD, 512 mb ram, cd-r/dvd-r burner, 802.11b wireless card. I also have internet via my verizon phone over DUN.
The PC is running a customized and slimmed down Windows XP Pro, using a Road Runner, and open source front end (the user interface).
The video is fed from the VGA video card into a Scan DO 800 scan converter. This unit outputs an RBG sync signal, which is the signal that our Acura LCD screen takes as an input.
A switch installed near the front cupholders switches the video and touchscreen inputs. They are operated by a set of 4 pole relays.
I think this is the absolute best way to install a carpc into the TL. It keeps all of the OEM equipment 100% functional. The resolution of our LCD isn't as high as a VGA monitor, but the quality is still GREAT. This was one of my biggest concerns at the beginning of the project, that the video quality would be sub-par. Fortunately I was wrong.
I am using Iguidance 3.0 as my navi software.
The second set of map software is Google Earth.
Here is a short video showing it in action
VIDEO HERE
It's about 10mb.
Please let me know if you have any questions whatsoever. If anyone is interested in doing this themself, please let me know if I can help.
Enjoy!
2006 Acura TL CarPC w/ OEM Navi Touchscreen Integration
As I mentioned on acurazine, I hope to do a similar install this summer when I get some free time and money 
Linear Mode
