2008 350z GT Replacing Stock Cubby with Nissan Navigation Console

**-zip-** · 02-23-2011, 12:57 PM

I wanted to make some headway before I posted a weblog. Wanted to make sure I was going to go through with it first. Now there is no turning back, about 75% of the parts have now arrived. I expect the project to be finished end of April. Taking a week off to do the complete install. Now its prep work... and a lot of it.

Its cold up here in Canada and this time of year cabin fever madness begins to set in. To stop from running around the snowbanks naked and yelling spring will never come all my energy is focused on my project.

The goal: To make a hybrid system taking the best of what I have stock in the car such as bluetooth phone, XM Radio, FM Radio and steering wheel controls. Frankly, Car PCs suck at phone integration and steering wheel controls and just cant compete with the reliability accuracy and speed.

Using Stock H/U - HOWEVER everything is upgraded beyond that point as far as bluetooth, control of sound but leave FM and XM with the stock H/U. Bluetooth, the visual would be controlled by carputer, but sound and mic would be from Stock H/U and factory bluetooth mic. A powerful DSP in the new Rockford Fosgate 3Sixty.3.which will take the SPDIF from the Xonar Sound Card, it will be able to be controlled from the carputer or Iphone will be using a PAC AOEM NIS2 System Interface Kit to add an Amplifier . Rounding off with HAT Components, Kenwood 5 ch amp, JL 10 3v3 sub and custom box from Wicked CAS. so my ear drums bleed.

1. A complete stealth install. You look in the window and the car looks completely stock, including the factory nav unit but its not really just the factory nav.
2. All Nissan Factory parts to convert standard cubby hole to custom carputer.
3. The lastest ION2 Intel Atom dual core proccessor low power mobo with Nvida graphics and HDMI. Opus 250 Power supply 4GB Memory
4. Xenarc screen - took a while to decide but after having a Lilliput for 5 yrs on an earlier install I wanted to try Xenarc and wanted the auto switching AV2 for a reverse Cam
5. Oh yeah the reverse cam which is a Boyo 425
6. A 5HZ GPS receiver AND iGuidance 2011
7. Asus Xonar DX sound card running SPDIF
8. Wifi ( I pulled the Genius USB Wifi from my old install) for War Driving, wireless connection to house auto download new content
9. Bluetooth - same as above running custom interface to show caller ID, incoming calls, dial out Phone lists
10. Logitech Mini diNovo keyboard and Iphone Mouse
11. ODBII not going to use my old install want auto shut off, custom interface
12. ergonomic touch pad - this thing is awsome
13. Integration of Iphone -This will be my internet Gateway using MiWi it becomes a router for access, and Moble Mouse the Iphone can control the carputer. errr and yeah a phone. However this will plugged into another device a PAC which will charge it and give it integration into the stock radio, its not needed for the carputer directly.
14. Ordered an extra Heated seat switch from Nissan to turn the computer on and off, will go where the blank is located on console with the other heated seats switch. Will anyone notice 3 seat switches and only 2 seats?
15. Fusion Brain
16. Custom programming Using RoadRunner as base, plug ins from other programmers and my own.
17. Will add stuff as I remember.
18. RCJoyCon - Controls the Nav buttons via the PC, very cool. Took several years to implement is now installed, pics will be posted soon.

Whats in progress?

1. A customized interface/skins for the 350z running RideRunner made 3 so far 100% This will never be 100% constantly changing/adding.
2. Hacking the Xenarc screen - IR Sensor, Photo Sensor, Power off/on light and all buttons to be re-located - 100% done its apart and sensors are hacked off. A big thank you to Xenarc on the tech support so far on this part and my back if I need extra parts.
3. Figuring out how to transfer the Xenarc buttons to underneath the 350z Nav buttons to have functionality to the buttons, or some other method to get use of the Nav buttons. This is a big goal of mine. This piece cost $300 + and is completely useless right now all it will do is light up and cover up a hole. I know I can make it better than that. 100%
4. Carputer hardware is 100% done all hooked up and running stress tests. Less the 250W Opus which needs to be connected and attached.
5. Carputer Software 100% done ODBII Skyline skin and new Digital Dash skin needs to be done. All customer work done, sweet bluetooth interface on RideRunner done, stock interface to communicate via Nissan bluetooth, but visually interact with carputer.
6. Need to figure out wiring for that seat heater switch 100% Works flawlessly controls the carputer emergency shut down as well as reverse cam on all the time feature to stare at cars not just used to reverse the car.
7. Waiting forever for the boys from Fusion Brain to explain how to hook up an accelerometer 0% Decided to abandon, these guys have no support switching over to phidgets next year.
8. Need to order B-Quiet sound deadener - bulk direct 100% All installed

Install:100%
100% working .....everything is complete perhaps will add on in the future but I am done......for now

**-zip-** · 02-23-2011, 07:01 PM

UPDATED: Custom RideRunner Skin for 350z here are a couple of screens, im not going to post them all. The round instrument cluster and the colors Black, Silver and Orange make it look like it belongs. I created the screens from the Xenarc so the fonts are large, legible and in proportion. It may look off on these screen shots. The Nissan Logo brings you to Menu 2 and the little Z bottom right is the exit button. I learned with my first install, most skins look great on a large monitor, then you transfer it to a small 7 inch and everything is way to small. By building the skin with the 7inch Xenarc it came out very easy to read from a distance. The OBDII screen shot is from Dash Command which is integrated.

**-zip-** · 02-23-2011, 07:35 PM

Carputer

**soundman98** · 02-23-2011, 07:42 PM

nice work!

**-zip-** · 02-23-2011, 11:18 PM

Sensors removed from Xenarc

**-zip-** · 02-27-2011, 09:38 AM

Sensor wiring now complete. I used Cat 5 Cable which was perfect because I needed 8 wires.

The next step is to decide on if I should transfer the menu buttons on the Xenarc and place them below the Nav Button console, or look into a more interactive system to control parts of the carputer. The Xenarc buttons are not really necessary because I can control everything on the screen via the remote control now so its sort of redundant.

**-zip-** · 02-27-2011, 09:54 AM

Looked at the 350z electrical diagram to wire up this switch.
Purchased a Relay, I think I need 2 one open and one closed. This switch is pretty cool top and bottom are high and low setting for seat heaters, Ill use top setting to turn off the carputer in case of an emergency ie: over heating etc hard shut down. I will normally be using accessory to power the CPU. The bottom setting to turn on the rear cam if I am driving. I will have the auto on reverse light thing, but thought it would be fun to be able to have my wife watch who is behind us in car rally's this summer.

**soundman98** · 02-27-2011, 12:06 PM

could you post a wiring diagram for what you want to do? i belive you do need 2 relay, but in some cases, a single spdt version will work

**-zip-** · 02-27-2011, 03:13 PM

Here is what I was thinking..

**-zip-** · 03-04-2011, 10:49 PM

Ordered a 12 volt 6 port hub - was not happy with Opus or other solutions around pluging in a hub to existing power supply. In the past I just used a bus powered hub, but was never confident in it when issues arose. I always thought it was the hub not having enough power for devices. So this time I wanted that possibility out of the picture.

Contacted Scantool to ask if I should purchase the new SX or reg ODBLink, they informed me to go with the standard due to the shape of the SX in that is sticks out too much. So I have one on order now.

Getting closer to finishing off the LCD Panel. Frame is now dremeled to fit perfectly, I maintained the frame integrity. Decided to put power light, photo sensor and IR Sensor sort of hidden from direct view.

Watching SKiTLz thread about hooking up the Nav Unit, we both have Z's and he is attempting the same functionality, he is more electronically inclined than I.

Ordered a RCJoyCon as well to see if its friendlier to install than SKiTLz route with a Fusion Brain. SKiTlz will give me more details of his success and I will give him mine when my RCJoyCon comes in.

Thank you Old Spark for helping me with the back up cam and the basic lessons of what a diode, resistor, relay etc is. YOU SHOULD BE MAYOR!!

My Goal is to finish LCD Panel by this weekend and add the new Game plug in from Sonicxtacy02.

Need to order:
diodes & resistors,
Custom Wicked CAS Sub Box with JL 10 3v3,
a bulk order of Sound Deadener
Kenwood 5 Channel Amp still on B/O will consider Alpine or JL if not filled by 3-4 weeks
40/50 amp battery fuse, 4 gauge, 8 gauge wire, distro block
decide to run off batt negative or use car body

Decided that the week of April 19th will be the install date.. lots to do until then.