Thread: Range Rover OEM Grade CarPC Install

Ney Matt, if this is an on going project, it should be posted under "Worklog" . The link is at the top of this forum. It's kind of difficult to notice that it is even up there.
This section is for completed projects.
I look forward to reading your progress!

Thread moved to Worklogs. Welcome, Matt. Sounds like a great project, but...you said you wanted an OEM quality PC. Why would you downgrade? :-P

Seriously, you'll find everything you need to figure this stuff out right here. Check out Enforcer's install, I *think* he has some experience with the iBUS interface.

Originally Posted by Bugbyte

Thread moved to Worklogs. Welcome, Matt. Sounds like a great project, but...you said you wanted an OEM quality PC. Why would you downgrade? :-P

Seriously, you'll find everything you need to figure this stuff out right here. Check out Enforcer's install, I *think* he has some experience with the iBUS interface.

Thanks for moving the thread into the correct place, by OEM grade, i meant to say OEM install look lol

Matt

Just watched your vid Matt. Nice job! I am honestly very impressed with the attention to detail.

Couple of questions:
- As you've now integrated volume buttons into the screen (and are going away from the BM 54), what are you going to do with the volume knob? I'd originally assumed you'd do something like replacing the controller in the late model screen surround with one from an earlier screen and continue to control the radio via ibus.
- Are you planning on using the Ultimate DAB radio?
- Are you using the itunes player plug in?
- Are you thinking about 'pioneering' the effort to interface to the oem nav/BT module or have you read (or seen) this done already? (very interested...)

I had more questions that I'veforgotten while writing these...

Hi mate

In answer to your questions:

1: I am not going away from the BM54 radio module, in fact i am using the AUX IN option to feed the audio from the carpc into the stock sound system. My plan is to replace the non touch screen that is currently in the car with one of the touch screens from the later range rovers, i will be removing the touch panel from the screen and replacing it with a TFT touch screen for the carpc, i will be then integrating the newer style volume/menu buttons into the carpc with a USB HID controller, but using this controller these new buttons will still control the original factory equipment using the IBUS interface that is connected to the carpc for volume etc...

2: Yes i am looking into the ultimate DAB USB radio as an option. Have you ever used one of these? if so what the quality like and would i need a special antenna etc...

3: Not sure what you mean about the iTunes player plugin? i am using winamp at the moment, on my video the iPod integration was done with winamp.

4: With regards to the OEM nav/BT i dont have the OEM BT in my car, instead i have an aftermarket parrot BT system at the moment so i want to continue to use this but try and integrate this into the carpc somehow. When i first purchased the range rover i did the BMW MK4 sat nav upgrade and i think it is really much better than the MK3 version that came with the car from the factory. My plan is to maybe use a USB video capture card to connect the video output of the OEM nav to the carpc, then using some type of overlay to directly use the touch screen to control the options on the nav system along with the rotary button on the screen just as i would now. I really like the TMC option with the OEM nav and love the fact that when i am using the sat nav if i am approaching a traffic jam it will find me an alternative route etc....

Just as an update i am currently working on integrating the OEM CD multi changer (not that i ever use it, but i don't want to lose this feature either) into the carpc so i can control it from the touch screen etc...

Cheers

Matt

Originally Posted by SteveM

Just watched your vid Matt. Nice job! I am honestly very impressed with the attention to detail.

Couple of questions:
- As you've now integrated volume buttons into the screen (and are going away from the BM 54), what are you going to do with the volume knob? I'd originally assumed you'd do something like replacing the controller in the late model screen surround with one from an earlier screen and continue to control the radio via ibus.
- Are you planning on using the Ultimate DAB radio?
- Are you using the itunes player plug in?
- Are you thinking about 'pioneering' the effort to interface to the oem nav/BT module or have you read (or seen) this done already? (very interested...)

I had more questions that I'veforgotten while writing these...

And an answer back (was out of town the last couple of days):

1. Oh OK. I assumed that as the Ultimate DAB does FM as well, you'd be replacing the BM54 and going to a simple amp.

2. I haven't, sorry. I'll be waiting to hear what you say

3. iTunes Player Plugin The reason I asked is because I would like to use my iPhone with FW 4.X and, as far as I'm aware, the ml_ipod plug in doesn't support this (haven't checked recently, tho).

EDIT: just read a little further in the thread and itunes is not being used to access music playlists. So there is still no solution for this....

4. OK, I thought you had OEM BT. Theoretically, integrating this shouldn't be so terribly difficult either - especially since you are retaining the BM54. This makes the integration of the OEM nav somewhat easier - please do report on your solution for the nav's RGsB signal to VGA.


Actually, as I mentioned in the post at FFRR, we both went through very similar thought processes. I opted to retain a bit more of the oem nav to try to follow the KISS principle as I've got an entire garage full of car/motorcycle/boat projects that haven't been completed in the last years. Your project is a bit more ambitious. Very, very neat. I may just scrap some of my original ideas and follow your lead...

Hi Matt,

I'm looking to do something very similar to you in my next L322 that I'm looking to get soon, really like to OEM style you have managed to produce.

I don't suppose that you detail what parts you have used and where you got them from? Also would it be possible to get hold of a copy of your skin? The only part that I wouldn't need is the skyTV plug-in, but I'm assuming that it can be disabled so that it doesn't show up in the interface.

I've just watched your latest video and was wondering if you have considered using a satnav unit from say Alpine? I know that at least with the alpine model it is possible to get the display out using RGB through a normal phono video connection, I think that it could be controlled via an infrared controller but would have to check. They are also though screen compatible so that might be another option if one can get into the touchscreen protocols of alpine, this would then allow one to use one of their screens which are very good quality in my experience, only down side is the cost of their touch screen models.

Regards,

Mariner82

Hi mate, The current version of the range rover skin is in it's very early stages at the moment, everything in the current version of the skin is fixed and cannot be easily removed without re-drawing the skin image files. I am currently working on the surround camera system for the software. I will hopefully be able to release a beta development version of the skin and software in the next few months. Thanks for your interest in the skin

Matt