Thread: Samsung Galaxy 10.1 custom Civic install, Actual Build Started on Page 18

Ok guys I have a new thought here. Remember just above in the last post I said something about being able to somehow get the Kindle Fires to basically turn into monitors. Well I actually have a new thought. I was thinking today, cause my girls have had about a week with these things and I'm finding some habits with them that are changing the way I think about this. Let's go through them and see where we get.

So as I said I've been monitoring my girls with these tablets. I got them the Kindle Fires after a week or so with the Pantech Digital P.O.S. tablets that my parents got them for Christmas. No dig on my parents, but those were just crap tablets to deal with. I won't go into the specifics. So last week I got the new Kindle Fire's in and set them up and put music on them, which I couldn't do with the Pantech's, put Netflix on, which I couldn't do with the Pantech's, as well as put a couple of apps on them that we'd downloaded on our phones that they play with, which we couldn't do with the Pantech. Getting the jist of why we switched!?

So what I've come up with, is that my girls are developing very different tastes. They no longer watch the same movies, or listen to the same music, and things like that. I've recently, to my pleasure, discovered an app that allows me to use my wifi on my phone as a hotspot. I've tried it now with my Galaxy tablet, as well as these Fire's and they all work! I'm very pleased about that.

My original plan with the tablet install was to get dual video screens for the headrests to use with the HDMI set up I'm using with the tablet. That way I have the ability to use my tablet to play movies, and they can watch them in the back. Now I'm thinking this:

Option 1:
* Instead of dual headrest monitors, go to a single 7" monitor behind the center console, centering between both girls, for video direct from the Galaxy (main tablet).
* Do a custom headrest mount for the Kindle Fire Tablets that would slide into the mini usb adapter which would be fixed into the mount. This would allow for charging while in the car.
* Use a 3.5mm extension that leads to a port in the rear seat center console for headphones. They won't be able to listen to anything without headphones due to not watching the same thing. They already fight over it now. Turn it down, etc.
* The 3.5mm would have to plug in manually as the tablet is slid into the mount due to the 3.5mm jack and the usb port being on opposite sides (what genius decided this crap I don't know but they should be fired, no pun intended).

Here's my issues with Option 1 and what I need to do research on:
1 - I don't like that they have to manually input the 3.5 mm jack. I want it to be as easy as can be with the set up. Meaning I'd rather them be able to just slide it in and it works. Obviously they have to select what they want to watch, or do, and obviously when it's in the mount they can't really play games. That's besides the point.
2 - I don't know if I can get sound through the usb port as well as charging at the same time. I have to check that out. If anyone has any info that they can pass on as far as suggestions, experience etc, I'm welcome to any of it!
3 - I would like the ability to control volume on the headphones without having to do it through the Fire's. The Kindle Fire does not have an external volume control. You have to tap the screen, then you have to adjust the volume on it, and it's already very difficult and notchy for them to work. The ability to operate volume on the headphones externally would be great.

That's pretty much it on issues for option 1.

Option 2:
* Keep the dual head rest monitor idea.
* Make the custom mounts for the tablets which will also house the monitors in the background so that when the tablets are out, you can see the monitors. When the tablets are put in the mounts, the monitors are behind them.
* Use a 3.5mm extension that leads to a port in the rear seat center console for headphones. They won't be able to listen to anything without headphones due to not watching the same thing. They already fight over it now. Turn it down, etc.
* The 3.5mm would have to plug in manually as the tablet is slid into the mount due to the 3.5mm jack and the usb port being on opposite sides (what genius decided this crap I don't know but they should be fired, no pun intended).

This will do the same thing as Option 1 in general, but this will have the monitors at eye level for them vs looking down to the center console. I'm thinking "ergonomically" better than looking down.

My issues with Option 2 are these:
1 - If their tablets need charging for some reason, they won't be able to charge them in the mounts while watching movies on the monitors, cause it would then cover the monitor and not allow for watching.
2 - If they need to remove the kindle's to watch the monitors, it needs to be easy enough to be able to do so. Again, I need this to be easy and very simplistic for them to operate on their own. I can't do it for them, cause I'll be driving.

The only other thing I can think of that would make this even better, would be the ability to have the HDMI outs that would go to the monitors, go to a USB and the Fires act as monitors. I'm not sure there's even a possible way to do that. But I'm going to research it all and see what I can come up with.

What do you guys think, what are your suggestions, what else you got?

Ok I've found this which I think would work well for what I need. I need two obviously, two tablets, two headphones, two amps.

FIIO-E9 Headphone Amplifier

Manual

Now then here's my dilemma! I need to find out, if I can get the sound through the usb port. If I can then I have another issue I need to find out. If I can get the sound through usb port, then I can simply run the usb cable to this amp and it'll do direct sound through there, if I'm understanding correctly. However, if i do that, I have charging issues cause I only have one port out on the tablet.

So what I'm wondering is, since the headphone amplifier has to be ran with power, it has it's own power supply, then would that power transfer through the usb cable and be able to charge the tablet? Or not? If not, can I use a powered usb hub, to charge the tablet and also pass the cable through to the usb port in on the headphone jack?

What do you guys think?

I may start a new thread on this, so that it will get more out there and i can get more feedback on it. If this works, I may save some money and not do headrest monitors and just go with option 1. They're going to use these tablets more than they would watch the monitors and frankly it'll be better for me cause I can still listen to music too while they do what they want on their tablets.

Ok I made a mistake! I just went out and checked the tablets, and the power button, USB port, and the 3.5mm jack are all on the same end. The speakers are on the other end. So now that makes life way easier!

Now I just need to figure out how to power the two tablet chargers, the two E9 amplifiers, the Octava splitter, and the Samsung tablet from one unit, if possible.

I'll post up how i'm going to do all this when I get a chance to do some MS Paint drawings!

Following.

So first let me say, i'm getting a little frustrated only cause I have so much to do with this thing, and I want so badly to get it done but every time I try to get stuff done, or go work, something comes up. It's life, it's what I have to do, but frustrating none the less. Life will go on and so will this build!

I did manage to bench test my tablet set up this weekend and I have to say I'm very happy with those results. it works flawlessly, well almost flawlessly. There's a little issue with the base rise, but I'll explain that when I get there. I do have videos of the bench test and everything working, but I'm not going to be able to get those up until tonight most likely. I'm hoping and praying that it worked cause I used my old video camera to do it with instead of my regular camera, and I have to find the software to put it on the computer. So I do have a video, but I'll have to figure out how to get it on the computer, then onto either photobucket or youtube.

Let me get to that first. As I said I took pictures and got a video, so at this point I'll get the pictures posted and explain in decent detail what's all going on and how it's all working. The one thing I don't have on here is the Power Supply for the items that need it (tablet charger, hdmi converter, etc). When I get that I'll post up on how it works! Let's get this party started!

So to start off here's all the components ready to be set up.


Stinger SPP1200 Battery (this will be changed out, I'm going to be using an XS Power D3100 in the set up now)


Audison BIt One for processing, Hertz HDP5 (in the picture representing amps)


Samsung Galaxy 10.1, the new custom mount,


Hertz Components (for the bench test only, these are going to be sold, no longer using rear fill)


Finally, a Samsung HDMI capable monitor, Octava 1x2 HDMI Distribution Amplifier, KnuKonceptz HDMI cable, KnuKonceptz Optical Cable.


Here's my stockpile of wire!


Next I got it all hooked up and ready to go.

First up I connected a distribution block with the battery. I used this cause of the different sizes of wire and cable, and I had it on hand. Ran the power and ground to the barrier strip to distribute the power (yellow), ground (black), and create an ignition source (green) as well as sent an 8ga cable from the battery to the amp. Got the processor hooked up as well. In the fore ground you can see my "ignition source" or switch. The power constant was ran into the switch, then out of the switch creating an ignition source. Pretty simple.


Turn on the ignition or in this case flip of the switch (lit up blue), and everything powers on. Audison Logo is lit blue, Hertz Logo on the amp is lit up orange.


Now that we know those work, we'll go to the next step. We need to hook up all the signals. Let's go through that. This is kind of running backwards from the destination to the main source, but you'll get the gist of it.

Starting at the Processor:

We have the input from the main source, in this case the main source is the tablet, however we are getting the signal distributed and analyzed by the converter (HDMI distribution amplifier). So I have the RCA's for this going into the channel 1 & 2 input on the processor. This will be my "main" source input. The secondary input will be the Optical input. I did not have the processor set up for the optical input previously and I didn't have time to get it set up for that now, so I left that out. However, you can see on the right hand side in this picture, the optical cable will plug into the port second from the end where it says "optical" and is light grey in color.


Here you see the power, ground, and ignition source for the bit one. On the right of that is where the USB cable plugs in for the computer to run your set up.


Then here we have the outputs from the processor. I chose to use channels 3 and 4 for this application because from the previous set up, those were my mid range channels and for this it was the best application. These RCA's go out to the amplifiers. On the left side you see the phone cord looking wire, that is for the Bit One DRC or Digital Remote Control. That is what controls volume etc from the front of the car.




As stated before I ran power from the battery straight to the amp, then you also see the green remote wire. Also, pretty self explanatory, you see the speaker wires.




Here you see the RCA's from the outputs of the processor into the amplifier.


Now that we've covered that side of things, lets take a look at the other half of life in this set up!

Here you see the RCA's that are running from the Distribution Amp to the processor. This is the Analog signal from the Distribution Amplifier which will be converted from the HDMI signal from the tablet.


Getting it all hooked up, this is how the Distribution Amplifier works, or looks. Getting the signal from the tablet, it goes into the D.A. via the HDMI output, which is the second HDMI cable from the left (black). It then takes that signal, and distributes it (hence the name) into several different signals, analog audio, digital audio, and video. This was the major kink in this whole set up was getting the best signal out of the tablet and into the system. The HDMI figured in to be the best for my application simply because it was the only way I could get a video signal from the tablet.

So for the Audio portion, it goes out via the RCA's into the processor, as well as optical. They are both active all the time. You'll see that in a few minutes.

For Video there are two ports. I was originally going to install two head rest monitors in the car, but since that time my daughters got their own tablets and no longer seem to need the dual monitors back there. I have different "custom" plans for that, but I won't go into those now. Anyway, so I decided to only use one monitor for back there so that I can still have the ability for them to have video from the main source in back. This is in fact a mirrored monitor source as you will see later. So the HDMI Cable to the left (blue) is the video out and the open port is the second video out, should I decide to go with dual monitors anyway.

The cable out on the far left is the power source. This is what will eventually have the 12v source which is converted down to 5v via my regulator which is being finalized now.


Here you can see the whole set up pretty much ready to go. The tablet in front, the monitor is leaning against the box, and those simply get plugged into the HDMI ports, or the tablet into the dock.

So now we'll turn it all on, and i'll show you the monitors etc. It all works!

Ignition on,


Processor on, here's the lit up DRC


Slide the tablet into the dock




The distribution amplifier is auto on. The black button on the right hand side is the power button, however it senses power and turns on automatically. If you want to turn it off, you'd have to press that button to turn it off, or turn off the car/ignition/power source. To turn back on, you can either press the button, or turn the car/ignition/power source back on. Simple. Also has a pretty blue light! LOL So that's on


Turning the monitor on.


Here's where you see the mirrored image on the monitor. I have to adjust color etc, but you can plainly see it works!


Here's a video I played off of Netflix, I think it was a Jeff Dunnam video. But the point is you can see it working on both screens. I don't have any videos downloaded onto the actual media center on the tablet, so I don't know if this will work the same way or not, but I like this alot better, being able to see up front on the tablet as well as on the monitor. I'll be downloading a video soon to see if it will work that way.


I decided to see what it does with the volume by testing it with the DD1. I downloaded the DD1 cd onto the tablet for this reason alone. It all works great. So I got it all set up and as you'll see, it's at max volume and no clipping! SICK!!

DD1 powered on and hooked up ready to go.


Track 1 - according to the DD1 instructions for headunit testing.

Volume all the way Maxed out!


NO CLIPPING!!


Here's a little pandora radio for you, coming from the tablet as well as the monitor.


And finally, a picture of the lit up optical cable!


So now all that's left with this is to get some music and videos downloaded onto the media hub of the tablet and test that way and see how that works with the tablet being on or turning the screen off on only getting the video out of the rear monitor.

Also I have to get the power source finalized and built so I know what I'm working with on size etc. But aside of that, everything is done and works.

I previously mentioned that I had an issue with the dock. The problem is, and you'll hear me talk about this in the video when I get it up, but the dock is sitting about 1/16 - 1/8" too low and the connection is almost not touching and I had an issue with that in the video, where the signal doesn't go through. But that's an easy fix at the moment since I'm still getting the dock and the dash worked on. Aside of that it's working flawlessly and I could not be happier with the set up!

I also was going to do a separate write up on the other cheaper module, or distribution amp, and I tried it and got the same results where the signal was not coming through, not even just audio. SO, I scrapped that one. I'm sure you can try others but I'm not going to take the time or money at this point to do so.

So there's the tablet bench test version 2, a successful one!

I'd be happy to hear any comments or suggestions if you have any. Otherwise, thanks for tuning in and happy building!

Wow, very cool. I am preparing to head down a similar road and it's great to see how it's being done before hand.