Computer audio in a car .... Set me straight

[Buckapound]

Thanks, guys, that's helpful Wonder why it takes so much longer to navigate in this mode. Not sure it would be worth it--the WDTV is kind of slow as it is, IMO. But on a 4.3" screen it's very hard to read. Hmmm.

I'll check out mp3car.com. However, definitely trying to work with a standalone mini media player rather than a whole computer. Wish there were a unit built more with customizers in mind.

--Buckapound

 

[JZatopa]

I've done the same thing in the past with an iRiver iHP-140 (running RockBox); but at least I had the ability to use an external DAC and control it via a remote with a backlit display. An external volume control is also a must; be it digital (like PGA2320) or just a simple potentiometer.

You can do this with ipod/ipad. Rip the music to apple lossless and use an adapter to get optical audio out and send it to a bit one. It's already been done, watch this series.

YouTube - iPad in Car, Pt. 1, First Ever, SoundMan Car Audio

 

[theAnonymous1]

You can do this with ipod/ipad. Rip the music to apple lossless and use an adapter to get optical audio out and send it to a bit one. It's already been done, watch this series.

YouTube - iPad in Car, Pt. 1, First Ever, SoundMan Car Audio

My Droid X is my new "CarPC". Does everything I could ever want it to. I can even play FLAC files with PowerAMP. The 4.3" screen is just big enough to make it comfortable to use.

I just bought my daughter an iPod Touch for her 9th birthday. I played with it a few days before I gave it to her. After having my Droid X for a couple months now, iOS seems extremely lacking, even with it's homogeneous interface. I would never even consider switching from Android to iOS. It seems like a good fit for a 9 year old though.

 

[JZatopa]

Well tablet and OS are completely up to personal preference. Feel free to substitute any source that has the ability to output audio, preferably in a digital format. The point is that it is completely doable without having to build a whole car PC. If you want to flush a Samsung galaxy into your Dash instead of a iPad go for it.

I personally feel that a 4.3" screen in dash, without a custom GUI dedicated to in car use it to small to be suitable. Even with a custom GUI, selecting music and other features is rather difficult unless you hold the device in your hand which defeats the whole purpose of a carputer/ indash tablet. The smallest I have found to be worth while is a 6" screen.

BTW Sony was showing an Android compatible head unit at CES, I expect it to be a huge seller considering nobody else has even started designing something for this market.