Do you think hibernate is really worth it? Mine cold boots in about 30 sec, and by the time I'm ready to pull out, I have my front end up w/ music up and running. I would imagine that is simliar for a lot of folks?
@Garmin OSK. You should totally release that as a standalone app, I can only begin to wish GMPC had one, as it is I have to pull over and get out my keyboard just so i can type in directions, its pretty ridiculous. God forbid I didn't put in the dest. before i started driving.
I definitely think hibernation is worth it. Hibernation doesn't require any standby power, so there's no battery drain to worry about. My Intel motherboard and all of the equipment I have plays nice with hibernation and I don't have any resume issues, so for me it's a no brainer.Quote:
Originally Posted by optikalefx
Here's some links to wet you lips...
http://marcin.juszkiewicz.com.pl/201...ot-is-awesome/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2VXoI3XTq4
Suspend to disk verses suspend to ram, like so many things in a Car-PC, it depends on hardware, how you want the system as a whole to perform and how you decide to power and wire it.
As I’m using a SSD, I have decided against suspend to disk for a number of reasons.
With my hardware it makes almost no difference – and I’m talking a second or two at most between loading the hibernate file and loading the operating system. This thing has a high benchmark and it shows in the disk read and seek load times. Once the Widow core is loaded and when most systems take quite some time to prepare the desktop (load user and background software/tasks) this is a 1.5 second affair. My main 4 drive raid system is left in the dust as the throughput of this drive is over twice the raid system which itself is over twice as fast as a single High quality drive in straight reads and seek.
For other owners who may be reading this - and I mean this nicely. If you disagree because your system is different, that’s fine, don’t make the mistake of assuming that mine is the same. Once bios initialisation is finished, Win 7-64 loads in 9.5 to 10 seconds flat. I mean the Frontend is running 2 seconds after that. It’s the 8 to 12 second wait before bios screen starts and then add 8 second bios load time that’s the killer.
Yes everything in the bios is optimised for the fastest boot. A dozen times over! Which is why I’m so interested in the links supplied.
Standby Power:
If you look at the vehicle wiring circuit, you will notice I have a small 14Ah (soon to be a flat profile 24Ah) sealed battery that powers the PC. I designed an automatic charge and isolate circuit for this system, also shown in the diagram. This setup will run the PC in suspend to ram for about 24 hours before it shuts it down. With this system there can “never” be a power drain issue with the Car battery, no matter what the PC does.
Resume from suspend to ram is 2 seconds, however almost a second of that is the M4-ATX IGN on sense delay. It is virtually an instant on system and you would never know that there is a PC running windows powering the system.
For me, that was one of the goals. I can be in and out of the car a dozen or more times a day and it just rocks, music is playing as I start the car and GPS is usually ready to navigate as I put it into gear (GPS ready time depends on how long I’m out of the car).
However the links and video posted really have my attention, as soon as I get a chance I intend reading up on this. So thanks again for the links.
The OSK: I had to input five different destinations today in a hurry, including way points. Now that I’m used to the key layout, it’s as easy and fast to use as my old standalone Garmin GPS, in fact it’s easier as my dedicated car GPS does not have a full page refined search lists display like Garmin MPC which is installed on the Car-PC.
Great work and excellent write up!
Normally I don’t post something new until I have a picture or two; however I just had to write about this new change.
Ok I know I’ve harped on about implementing a sort of iDrive (see BMW) but part way through coding and I cannot believe how incredibly good this idea is with a Frontend and some apps.
The system is based around controlling the Frontend or app with a Rotary encoder that has a built in momentary switch which is activated when the Encoder knob is pressed. Associated with this are six or so buttons surrounding the encoder with the lot placed in the centre console next too and slightly ahead of the driver/passenger with no reaching or looking required to use it.
Like Frontends, if you try to do too much with a good simple idea you turn it into a complicated mess. I know my Frontend looks simplistic and plain compared to others on here, however the purpose of a Menu system is to simplify not confuse. 99.9% of the time my Frontend is used solely when driving.
I designed it with big buttons and only a few on screen at any time. I don’t have to be careful when pressing a button as you can’t miss them and almost no text so nothing to read. – Safety when driving and minimum distractions, did I mention safety.
The way I will implement my "complete" system is with six buttons around the encoder which will select the main components used whilst driving - Climate Control, GPS, Radio, Audio Player, Mute and Menu.
These functions are already selectable from the steering wheel buttons so it’s already simple to use however once I started coding my version of an iDrive and saw what I could actually do with it I was hooked.
The part of the system I'm talking about is the “Push-button Rotary encoder”. It's the heart of the system and a push of the encoder knob can either:
1. Bring up an on screen iDrive “context sensitive” menu with a graphical encoder knob in the centre of the menu. This graphic rotates to match and track the encoder knob and is used to either set the operation mode of the encoder within the current menu or application (which is remembered) or to select a quick action that’s relevant to the current menu navigation screen and position.
2. Execute a menu or application item pointed to by either a graphical rotating encoder knob (which NOW replaces the Vehicle Graphic in the centre of the current menu screen if that option was set above in 1) or a highlighted menu or application item (like scrolling forward or back through a song list as the encoder knob is rotated and selecting a song by pushing the encoder knob.
It’s a bit hard to describe but the power and ease of use is just awesome. If it’s coded correctly and kept simple, instead of making the system complex it actually simplifies it in an elegant and intuitive manner.
The complete FE system can be (if desired) completely controlled with just one knob – the Encoder with its integrated button.
Now these functions are common; I and many others have them but usually hard coded into the apps or FE or selectable from a setup screen. It’s the way it’s implemented and the way the Encoder and intergrated Encoder-button are programmed as a changing integrated object into the system that makes it so nice to use.
A small screen capture movie to come when I have created a few more graphics for my iDrive.
It sounds promising, Mike. I hope to integrate that into my carPC as well (with your assistance and permission, of course)
I'm really liking OpenMobile. I haven't gotten my touchscreen yet so it's just bench testing, but I like the FE and the direction it's going in.
-Ryven
via iPhone
Hi, OM has a lot of followers around here and seems to be a very good choice :hand:Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryven
The problem is if the FE is not coded to take a “Rotary-Encode with shaft Push Button” then you can’t integrate it correctly. You CAN get some functionally but it’s not the same as an FE designed around this control system – especially if it’s an iDrive type interface, and it needs to be to get the full simplicity and control that this system can offer.
It means someone deciding on a Standardised Hardware interface with Encoder control and having that as an option in the FE. If the FE is coded correctly then everything will function as it always did if or when the iDrive device is unplugged. However to work as a variation of an iDrive system the code has to be wrapped and interwoven with it from the start.
Hope the project you have started goes well – it seems to take forever sometimes :playball:
I haven't looked over the full list of what the devs have planned for OM, but I expect since so many of them are very accessible here on mp3car, that it can be done as an option. I'd only need to design a custom skin around that idea (a plan I *LOVE*) I'll check the suggestions thread now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mickz
Haha, yeah, the 'to-do' list just keeps growing, the more I think about it. Right now I want to finish getting the important bits and get the thing in my car before I start the heavy integration. Things like, needing an amplifier, since the radio is gone. Wiring said amplifier to the carputer and car. All kinds of silliness.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mickz
I now have the basic system working and coded into the FE. I’ve called mine FEiDrive.
The quick video shows the system being controlled via the Encoder and shaft push button only.
The final system will incorporate a layout like FIG1 which allows instant access to the most commonly used components while driving. These systems are already selectable from the Steering wheel controls; this layout brings everything to one central control position for passenger and driver and existing steering control is retained.
http://www.brisdance.com/Honda/files...s/FEiDrive.jpg
The Encoder in the video currently works like this:
When any menu is switched, the Encoder starts in Volume control mode.
One push of the Encoder (if enabled for that component) brings up a “Graphic Knob” to indicate the system is no longer in Volume mode. Rotating the Encoder selects the current scroll operation for the selected component, or in the case of say the Audio player, it will highlight the button associated with the Encoder scroll operation.
Double push of the Encode button brings up the FEiDrive select menu. From here you can.
1. Access Quick shortcuts to some menus.
2. Change the current scroll control for the current component.
3. Access single push actions for the current component operations.
4. Push the Encoder button without changing the selection and revert to Volume mode.
5. Double click to close the FEiDrive menu which takes you straight to the Home menu.
http://www.brisdance.com/Honda/files...s/HomeNoiD.jpg
http://www.brisdance.com/Honda/files...inks/HomeD.jpg
http://www.brisdance.com/Honda/files...nks/HomeiD.jpg
NOTES about the video: Quicktime Video.
The mouse pointer appears part way through, got no idea why, unless I bumped it.
Any flashing on the video is not seen on screen? Don’t know or care why!
The encoder used in NOT the optical encoder used in the car, it’s a $2.50 mechanical encoder and the firmware in my control micro is not written for this type of encoder – hence the less than smooth operation.
This system is running on a test bench, the Climate control micro is not connected, hence no climate control activity when buttons are pressed.
In case you are wondering the GPS map zooming in and out and all menu selections and screen changes are being controlled by the Encoder.
http://www.brisdance.com/Honda/files...ks/FEiDrive.qt