Replacement Headunit idea (iPhone/Zune)

[the_m-pire]

JohnnyNumber5 previously said:

Found this thread in a search...

Currently being shipped to me is a 32gb iPod Touch. I am very interested in using this Rev program and/or DashCommand. Using the mount idea from this thread, it would be absolutely sick.

Is it easy to install the Kiwi Wifi device? Forgive my ignorance. Is ANYone on this forum using these apps?

Any and all input welcome

John

John, I stumbled over that Kiwi Wifi thing when reading stuff on the forum.
Here's the thread: WIFI ODBII Gauge for the ITouch/IPhone or this one: Cool Gadget - DashDAQ

Remember: the search-function can be your friend

You'll find FJers there using that stuff.

I decided to go another route. As I have a Car-PC in my dash, I use this to check / log OBD-II data. Got me a cheapy Bluetooth OBD-II interface that works like a charm...

[Bang Bang]

Briman42487 previously said:

Good luck not blowing stuff. I use an iPod through my alpine head unit. It's not a direct connection, but it filters out the crap that is being fed to my amps. It's a cool idea, but you have no way of playing a cd, listening to good ole am/fm and you have a useless hunk of crap in the dash. Seems very impractical considering you can do the same with an adapter cable and high/low converter
from the factory head unit.

Briman42487 previously said:

Ok mr electrical engineer. Go for it, the distortion that zune will put out through it's crossed over mini Jack is unreal. But go for it. You lost my respect and knowledge from doing such things. Take your electrical engineering degree and shove it, because it means Jack **** acoustically.

WOW!! Once an a$$hole....ALWAYS an a$$hole!!

His problem with this is:

1. He didn't think of it first. (Although he will probably chime in that he did but did not post it because of the aforementioned distortion.)

2. He apparently owns / manages a car stereo shop. If you give out this kind of info freely, you are taking money away from him.....but I can't figure out why anyone would want to buy from him. Most of the time, when he pipes in here, he acts like a know-it-all a$$hole!

Al, I am impressed with where you are going with this. Keep us posted and don't forget to post a heavily picture laden install thread!

[the_m-pire]

Bang Bang previously said:

[...] He apparently owns / manages a car stereo shop. [...]

Sir, with all respect, I doubt your guess.

Please take a second and check out his install thread of his car stereo.
If I had a car stereo shop, I'ld have an ultra clean install with ultra-premium components. This isn't the fact or it's a poor car stereo shop...

Al and his ideas rock!

[Bang Bang]

I may stand corrected....but I am not too proud to say so.

[momeara]

There is a rumor that the iPhone and iTouch does indeed have an internal FM radio receiver, and there will be an app out soon to unlock the functionality. It seems like apple was waiting for programming to allowed users to select the song that is being played on the radio and download it from iTunes.
Apple Developing FM Radio Application for iPhone and iPod Touch? - Mac Rumors
Rumor Has It: Apple Developing Radio App for iPhone and iPod touch

[wesayso]

Briman42487 previously said:

Ok mr electrical engineer. Go for it, the distortion that zune will put out through it's crossed over mini Jack is unreal. But go for it. You lost my respect and knowledge from doing such things. Take your electrical engineering degree and shove it, because it means Jack **** acoustically.

Jeez dude, lighten up. WTH, if you don't like the idea, just say so, you don't have to get all 'Jimmy Connors' on him.

Al, I like the idea and would be interested in pursuing this.

[SwiCago]

Wow...lots of posts since the last time I put thought into this...
Yes, I have heard the rumor of FM in the iTouch. I know the hardware has been there for a long time, just apple was to lazy to enable it or maybe they didn't, due to accessory contracts with third party vendors.

I have been doing comparison research to help make a decision.
I will list the plus and minus points I have with both the Zune and iTouch

Zune
+HD radio
+Superior audio quality
+Can synchronize wirelessly (very important)
+OLED (Rich blacks and vivid colors)
+HDMI output for 720P HD monitor in back seats
+Cheap dock would be easy to modify
-App store is as good as non-existent yet (but is supposed to change soon)
-No bluetooth (no odbII possibility or GPS, etc)
-Cannot stream web radio (must be saved as podcasts)
-0.2" smaller screen
-No knowledge of serial protocols for communication (no steering wheel controls)
-Pinout layout not well known yet (but can be easily traced via dock)

iTouch
+Bigger screen
+App store
+Can stream wireless webradio (with app)
+Bluetooth (GPS app, ODBII app, etc)
+Pin outs well documented
+Serial protocol well documented (steering wheel control)
-Cannot wirelessly sync to iTunes (I'd like to synchronize while parked in garage overnight)
-No FM yet, just rumor that apple may finally enable it
-Hardware has wireless-N, but also not enabled
-Cheap docks have stupid angle and most require breakout cables
-Unknown if iTouch can display video to an outside source (can someone chime in)
-Old school style LCD (LCDs start to get halos around the edges with age)

These are plus and minus points I could think of for the general public.
For me, I could easily live w/o bluetooth, but I really would like to be able to stream web radio when at work or outside mowing my lawn.

For now, I am still more biased to the zune, but that could easily change if someone with an iTouch or iPhone could answer me these questions.
1) Can the iTouch/iPhone play video to an external monitor, but still display menu controls on its screen?
2) Can the iTouch/iPhone be wireless synchronized if jail broken?
3) Is there a dock out there that does not have that extreme angle when the iTouch is docked?

Until I know all answers for sure, I am not going one way or another. From what I hear, both apple and ms are going to do major updates in Nov., just before x-mas season.

Just for kicks also, how many of you would like a iPhone/iTouch head unit system and how many would prefer the Zune? Just wondering if I could at some point build a low cost kit.

[the_m-pire]

SwiCago previously said:

+Bluetooth (GPS app, ODBII app, etc)

Serious 'bout that? The iPhone's BT ist restricted solely to headset use!!! No data transfer, no com-port, no f****cking nothin' Rev' app is listing only wifi options for OBDII data retrieval

1) Can the iTouch/iPhone play video to an external monitor, but still display menu controls on its screen?

There's an A/V-connector available and an infrared eye so that you can control your iPhone/Touch with an Apple remote. Here's a link to a whitepaper by Apple concerning connectivity options iPod and iPhone: TV out support

2) Can the iTouch/iPhone be wireless synchronized if jail broken?

Definitively yes. My 1st Gen iPhone was jailbroken and I synced it daily via the cradle on my desk...

3) Is there a dock out there that does not have that extreme angle when the iTouch is docked?

How about iClooly and the cable?

Just for kicks also, how many of you would like a iPhone/iTouch head unit system and how many would prefer the Zune?

Needless to say, you know me, right?
iPhone!!

[SwiCago]

the_m-pire previously said:

Serious 'bout that? The iPhone's BT ist restricted solely to headset use!!! No data transfer, no com-port, no f****cking nothin' Rev' app is listing only wifi options for OBDII data retrieval

Ok, well that kind of blows

the_m-pire previously said:

There's an A/V-connector available and an infrared eye so that you can control your iPhone/Touch with an Apple remote. Here's a link to a whitepaper by Apple concerning connectivity options iPod and iPhone: TV out support

The problem is not being able to display content on an external screen and being able to control it with a remote. The problem is that the iTouch screen must stay active with the external source plugged in!
Ex: iTouch head unit, but external Monitor for kids in back seats. I would need to be able to see what I am doing, if TV out mode is enabled. I cannot see it if the iTouch displays a stupid message across it or goes to a black screen!

the_m-pire previously said:

Definitively yes. My 1st Gen iPhone was jailbroken and I synced it daily via the cradle on my desk...

Sweet...

the_m-pire previously said:

How about iClooly and the cable?

Looks nice, but won't work. This dock requires to unclip from the back. If the iphone is the head unit, it will be difficult to get your fat fingers in behind it to unclip and also you'd have to manually connect and disconnect the cable each time.
I need a dock that will allow to slide the iTouch into it, but not have such an extreme angle, so that it will be almost parallel to the area where the old head unit is. Also, it will need to have either a full on data cable set (all 30 pins) or have the outputs on it.

So, back to the important question. Can the iTouch or iPhone display video to an external source, but yet have the screen still active to navigate. Remember, the external screen is in the back (for the kids), so I cannot see it!

[the_m-pire]

SwiCago previously said:

I need a dock that will allow to slide the iTouch into it, but not have such an extreme angle, so that it will be almost parallel to the area where the old head unit is. Also, it will need to have either a full on data cable set (all 30 pins) or have the outputs on it.

There are several mounting brackets made by Brodit. One is active (dunno if all pins go thru) and another lets you clamp down the dock connector of the original cable. In case this works with the A/V cable, you'ld have what you want (besides of extreme ugly looks).

So, back to the important question. Can the iTouch or iPhone display video to an external source, but yet have the screen still active to navigate. Remember, the external screen is in the back (for the kids), so I cannot see it!

Sorry, Al, no idea. I've got a digital satellite reciever w/ harddisk recorder running a hacked linux on it. There's definitively no need of watching movies on my iPhone or on a screen connected to it