Mitsubishi Delica Owners Club UK™

park_monkey2000 · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 9:02 Post subject: PC based ice?

Hello all.
I have just bought an L400 and it came with this funky little computery thing plonked between the front seats-http://www.shuttle.eu/_archive/older/en/sn45g.htm
I am pretty clueless with things like this but a work mate had a look and said its basically a mini PC. It is windows based and was being used as a sat nav, DVD player etc running through a screen in the dash. Now it needs some sort of update to be used and if I keep it it needs installing properly as the wired are just trailed everywhere.
I would like to have some sort of system installed that has sat-nav, DVD, cd, digital radio, i tunes, TV, reversing camera and I'd like some decent speakers that i could split front to rear so I could have DVD in rear and sat nav in front with music on.
I will be doing a lot of research as I've never been particularly interested in ice until now but will this shuttle thing I have be any good or shall I get rid and go another route? It may be interesting to use the PC as it could be used for gaming and have some sort of diagnostics program on it if available, I could also install iTunes on it and use it to play music. I was also thinking I could fit a dongle on it and use my iPhone as a wireless hotspot to connect it to the internet.
Has anyone got any experience, advice, suggestion what to do with this? Am I expecting too much?
I'm off to do some reading.
Thanks in advance.

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theFleured · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 9:59 Post subject:

These used to be quite popular but it's easier to use a tablet now. Everything you want will be on it when you get it.

This is mine

It was a ballache to fit but that was because I wanted it to charge and transmit the music through the pogo pins (few tablets come with pogo pins now).
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park_monkey2000 · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 11:24 Post subject:

That all looks very impressive, can you explain what you have done there? Just trying to get my head around all this.
I have an i pad, will that do the job or would I be better off with a windows based tablet? What are pogo pins?
I think it's going to be more trouble than its worth, it's a big thing to try and build an enclosure for and other things will do the job better.

theFleured · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 11:36 Post subject:

You can ignore most of the bits in the picture, the bits you need for the tablet setup are the tablet and something to deal with the sound, in this picture its the thing under the gauges that takes the low level output from the tablet and sends it to the amplifier. You could use a graphic equaliser a crossover or a dsp. In my case that same unit also accepts an input from an audio jack so I can plug my phone in (or anyone else's device) for audio. It also has a high level input that I'm using for the cb and accepts sd cards and usb sticks. The output feed goes to a 4 channel amplifier before being routed to the speakers.

If you look around your tablet and see a collection of small metal discs, those are pogo pin connectors they are there for connection to a docking/charging station. If it doesn't have them or if you want to avoid a lot of messing about then just use your normal cable (you'll need a spare because you'll have to cut it up).

I had trouble getting the charging levels right for the tablet, it would discharge (when running sat nav) quicker than it recharged, you have to match the input that it would have got from a wall charger normally about 2.1amps (around 1600mAh although this is device specific). I just used cigarette socket chargers but a lot of them don't deliver the power they advertise.
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park_monkey2000 · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 12:48 Post subject:

Do you do this kind of thing professionally or is it a hobby? It's going to take me a while to get to grips with this. Thanks for the info so far.

theFleured · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 16:01 Post subject:

Just a hobby, it was a bit of a pain in the arse in the end.

That said I'm very happy with the result.
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park_monkey2000 · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 4:18 Post subject:

Well it looks great, very professional.
I think I'll get rid of the thing it's got in there at the moment, will be more trouble than its worth and takes up to much room.
Are there any good, idiots guide type books you could suggest that will help me understand all this?
I'm thinking about putting my playstation in the back with a decent size TV on some kind of folding bracket, we have a wall mount bracket in the house my wife wants to get rid of I could probably modify. The playstation can be used to play DVDs too and the kids can wear headphones in the back so we can listen to music. I'd like a screen in the front with sat nav, reversing camera, DVD player and free view. I'd also like the capability to connect to iPhone and iPad for music and hands free calls.

Lewis · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 9:49 Post subject:

theFleured · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 9:50 Post subject:

I think the thing you've got in there is probably overkill nowadays so it's better to reclaim the space.

There are idiots guides out there but I've never used them, I learnt how to do this sort of thing by trial and error in my teens (even before the internet Shocked

). Try looking for the acronym "ICE"

There are affordable double din units on ebay that do almost everything you need, that would make the install easier. My main reason for using the tablet was I didn't want to buy 2 devices that essentially do the same thing.

If you find the ideal head unit but it doesn't support enough aux inputs then get yourself a stereo audio selector this will allow you to select individual input sources before passing them into the headunit. I have a three way one in that picture (big black box with 3 chunky buttons on it towards the bottom left).

You can use this for the playstation TV setup so it can be routed through the stereo (and therefore car speakers) when you want it or just to headphones. The audi selectors are manual so in theory should work both ways, many inputs to on output or many outputs from one input. I would aim to keep the switches within you reach though, it would be a pain in the arse climbing into the back to flick switches that the kids had been messing with Smile

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Waggas · Joined: 17 Mar 2014 Posts: 46 Location: Redhill Surrey

Just been reading this,

Have you thought of mounting one of those small LED HD projecters you can get now ?? They almost fit in the palm of your hand and they go pretty bright now.

Would take up much less space and the install wouldn't have to be as robust.

then again, might be a crap idea.

Wayne

theFleured · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 12:23 Post subject:

Just a warning about these cheap "HD" projectors

When they say they support HD they mean they will play hd content but what you want to see is a high "Native resolution" for full hd the native resolution should be at least 1920X1080.

In reality they are usually around 400 pixels square which is rubbish.
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Lewis · Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 15:56 Post subject:

park_monkey2000 · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 1:18 Post subject:

If I fit a regular 22" TV with my play station in the back could I connect it to an ipad mounted in the dash so I can play what's on the rear screen on the ipad or what's on the ipad on the screen?
I'd like to fit a digital head unit in the front with upgraded speakers and an amp and use my ipad for sat nav, movies, iTunes etc, could I use the ipad as a screen for a reversing camera or would I need i separate screen anyway?
It would be good to be able to charge the ipad while I'm using it, and I'd also like to be able to split the audio so I could have music in front and headphones in the rear.
I don't have a fortune to spend on this and I already have the ipad, ps, and a TV i can use. There is a screen already in it that this PC is connected to that I could use if a had to but would rather just the ipad.

stevei · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 8:11 Post subject:

Hi.

Just throwing in my input for what its worth :-) i have a single din dvd head unit with usb in etc, this plays to a screen mounted on the flat part of dash in front of passenger seat, another screen is mounted in the rear hanging from the roof, these play together or one off other on etc ( also have a 12v freeview box but thats on the Deli's things to do list :D ) for all other needs ie internet while out and about, sat nav, watching films etc etc i have a samsung galaxy tab 10.1 with wifi (free if you park outside many places these days :D) and 3g connection.

Other thing I've seen done to entertain kids in the back is to have up front a dvd, sat nav audio unit for the grown ups and in back one or two or however many cheap tablets hanging from the head rests of the seats in front of the kids, this way each child can watch or listen to what they like on headphones ! i guess its all down to expense as with modern equipment just about any set up youd like is possible.

Steve.
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theFleured · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 16:02 Post subject:

Lewis · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 17:47 Post subject:

Powering the iPsd, whilst connecting to a large monitor is not a problem.

You can buy iPad holders, with a gooseneck on suction cups to the windscreen from Amazon. They usually come with a ciggy socket power adapter. Though I prefer to use a USB adapter in mine with an extended cable.

Then you just plug that into a standard HDMI iPad adapter, which also allows using the power cable:-

However I have not gone down the route of trying to link a rear view camera to the iPad. Partly as I already have a wireless rearview camera, but mostly as if I'm using the iPad for mapping I don't wanting it switching out of the App into reverse camera mode then having to restart the mapping app again. Sad

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theFleured · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 20:18 Post subject:

Lewis · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 20:33 Post subject:

Thats not what I said. Rolling Eyes

The mapping App still continues to run in the background on the iPad.

A double tap on the button and all running apps ate brought up, then you scroll them across the screen and select the one you wan't.

But as it doesn't automatically switch back to the App, when the reverse camera switches off, l don't wan't to be distracted from my driving to do it. Wink

In the same vein I don't have the Mobile data or Wiifi turned on to allow e-mails to be received. Or my phone come to that. :D

Having Google street map running when off-road is quite useful though, so I switch Mobile data on for that. :D
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theFleured · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 21:17 Post subject:

I'm using the ordnance survey app when I'm off road, the plus is that it shows the byways, the negative is that a 10mile square section costs 69p. I've also found that the update rate is a bit too slow for you to use it in real time.
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Lewis · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 21:27 Post subject:

I also have the Ordnance Survey Memory Map App on the iPad (and my laptop), thought once you go outside the UK you are limited with detailed map availability.

Surprisingly the Old Microsoft Auto-route program shows off-road tracks that are not on more modern offerings. :?
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