CobaltFun

I recently thought about installing a new deck in my car. Right now its a in-dash 5 disc.... sony.. not a bad deck but theres tons better.. My plan right now is to actually go out and buy a Mac mini and install that somewhere under the dash , but in the center console area. I know i would have to get a converter/inverter whichever one it is to power the mac-mini. My question that i have right now is, Which head unit/deck would the Mac Mini be able to plug into. I plan on using it for vids and music. I have no preference on brand, or if its a flip or double-din. Hopefully someone has a link or something i can follow around.. and please.. no google.. i gave up on that a while ago.

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

the mini mac computer? best thing is to get a computer monitor http://store.mp3car.com/category_s/27.htm

and get a HU with a rear aux in so u can run audio thru the headphoen jack

If your just using it for vids and music then a HU with dvix and a USB input or 2 might be a better option. look at the kenwood DDX-812

CobaltFun

Ill have to look into those. But i need to further explain what im planning on doing.. I want to install a touch screen in where the headunit goes.. i was trying to figure out if there is a headunit that would display what was running on the computer and have the ability to select what i wanted to play/watch.

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

HU no but one of those screens on the link yes (as long as u get the touch screen)

Spun

iTrader: (1)

You cant have it both ways, it can't be a Cd player and a Computer monitor at the same time. In any case if your runing a Mac then use it as your CD player or better yet just store music and movies on the HD. What you need is a in dash monitor with a VGA input

It is possible, did you look at the link he gave?
I found this at the site Emp gave I think it will do what you want
http://store.mp3car.com/ProductDetai...Code=MON%2D017

CobaltFun

alright then for the screen part. checked out a few from that link and well, looks like i would have to mod the case of the screen for most of them to fit in my dash. Also since I would have the head unit i would have to buy a 4 channel amp as well.. Since there is the stock sub that came with my car it looks like ill have to be a amp for that as well.. this project is turning out to be bigger then i thought it would be.. guess ill have to look into it further to see if this will be worth it.

that monitor would be perfect, I think. And I wasnt trying to get a cd player and a monitor at the same time, but i couldve sworn that i saw someones car that had a monitor in the dash that also had the capabilities of playing cds.. Majorly the only reason why i would be putting the computer in the car would be to store songs and vids on that to play. Not doing that would be silly...

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

im telling you it will be a million times easier my way.

Kenwood DDX812, 2 60gb usb portable hardrives and your done vs

Mac, flipout or flat monitor screen, and HU

Spun

iTrader: (1)

I agree
Thats Why I have a7" JVC touchscreen with USB hookup and a dozen 2 Gig jump drives floating around in my glovebox.

He just seems headstrong on hook up that Mac

Does the Kenwood play video files from the USB input, I have yet to try it with mine but i know it won't play video from the SD card slot, yet i can play music and pictures from the SD

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

yes. main selling point is the "dvix" meaning it will play all of your videos in avi format on dvd discs... unfortunately it will not play dvix video off the usb port but it will play them off of an ipod classic. It does support music files via usb thou

CobaltFun

Yea, I am pretty much stuck on installing that Mac mini in my car.. Im a Mac person, I have a Mac laptop and the iphone and all that crap.. Just figured id have another one in my car . I checked into the DDX812. Looks nice, is pretty much a better idea. The price is about what i expected and probablly a little bit out of my price range for right now.. Guess ill just need to save the cash for it. But thats a far better way. Wont need so many extra things in the car. Only thing im wondering is if itll hook up with the factory steering wheel controls. More then likely not, so where would i get the adapter, or the module, to be able to hook those up? That is if there is one currently available.

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

check out pac audio for steering wheel interfaces

Cougarguy

Don't listen to they're techno hater crap!


MP3car.com FTMFW! just not the stores customer service!

CobaltFun

I looked at a few different radios and this is what i came up with. Im not shooting down the Kenwood but I wanted an opinion on these as well.


http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Pione...tured+Item+Mod

or...

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/XO-Vi...oductDetail.do

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

x o vision is mexican crap. what ever you do stay away from it with a 10ft pole. even if its free

the pioneer is a nice unit but remember ~60gb is the largest HDD you can do on a single USB without rigging an external power source thing-a-magig (hard to esplain) I assumed since you wanted a computer you would want space for videos and stuff. but if you doing music only 60gb is more then enough. Just to give you an idea i have ~560 music videos and 8 stand up comedy vids and its just under 40gb.

for the price the pioneer 4000dvd is probably the best bang for the buck unit that's still good quality but it lacks alot of the "features" usually found in a high end deck. the kenwood is the biggest baddest you can find on the market today. I just mentioned it because i drool over it in my dreams and its the only unit i know that has dual USB inputs. Im sure theres more just do your research. Oh and if your buying them from circiut city i probably can get you a bit of a discount on most units but i cant beat or come close to ebay prices

CobaltFun

I went to the nearest store/dealer that sells almost all Kenwood products, and I can say that I wasnt surprised when he told me the price of the DDX812... $1000.00. I kinda figured it would be around that price range. I cant really justify spending that much on a HU. So I'm going to have to take it a few steps down and go with something a little bit cheaper. Only thing is that most of their other HU's really dont have that many options/features. He also talked me out of getting practically anything else besides a Kenwood unit, go figure, right? lol.. anyways, does anyone have any other suggestions for a really good head unit but not one that is over and close to $1000.00 any
suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

nikebaseballx00

yea dude just get some portable hard drives and hook them up thru the headunit usb port

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

that makes no sense... right now at least

look at kenwood eclipse alpine and pioneer anything else is no bueno

britt

i wanna see pictures when this is done!

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

lol my pics arent good enough?

CobaltFun

It won't be anything spectacular, since I won't be installing the mac mini. I was really stuck on doing that but have since been swayed from that objective. Im now at a standstill in this project. I have researched more and have come up with possibly doing an entire different setup.

Right now I'm debating on getting the Kenwood DDX812 or going another route. The other options im considering is to get the KOS-V1000 and use the KOS-L702 as my monitor. It would be slightly cheaper that way then buying the Kenwood DDX812. Any opinions out there from you sound GURU'S would be appreciated.

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

i can get you a kenwood 812 for cheaper then 1k

CobaltFun

PM me the details if you dont want to list them here but:

How much cheaper? Is that including shipping? Would it have a warranty on it? Only reason i ask about the warranty is that most vid screens tend to go rather quick. Well not really most but ive heard stories and seen it happen. The shop i went to said they would.. not kenwood but the store it self would warranty the radio for 3 years.. Anyways i never got a response on the V1000 and L702, care to offer your opinion?

I went back to the store/dealer that ive been talking to and he gave me some new numbers.. It always pays to talk to the people for a while and not rush into buying something. The price for the V1000 and the L702 combo would be $875.00 out the door, down from about $950. The price for the DDX812 out the door $960, down from close to $1100.00. I think he did a little better that time, might have actually made me put a definite on what i want to buy.

EmperorJJ1

iTrader: (5)

yes including shipping. Price depends on how you would pay. Paypal would be an extra 3% to cover those fees. The warranty would be the kenwood manufact. I personally wouldn't get the V1k and all that because it sounds like a bunch of bullshit and not much cheaper. If you do want to go that method i do have an alpine touch screen i bought for myself for sale in the parts section that's alot cheaper then 500. (it would interface with alpine stuff thou)

Either way of your interested hit me up with a pm and ill let you know.

CobaltFun

I'm going to wait a few more days, while a friend of mine checks on some prices at other places where he can get discounts. So by Saturday ill either have an answer on what I plan to do, or Ill be installing the new system.

CobaltFun

Quoting myself because I had said I'd have it by Saturday but my friend couldn't get any discounts and the other places i had gone to, were either priced way to high or didn't carry them. I ended up going to the original place today. I bought the KOS-V500 since h didn't have the V-1000 and that would have been a few hundred more for it. Not all that better then the 500 besides being a bit more fancy. I also purchased the KOS-L702. Ill be installing them both Sunday as I have to wait for the dash kit to come in (he didn't charge me for that since he didn't have the one i needed in stock ). Sunday night I should have pics of the install and I plan on taking the usual before and after pics, as well as pics during the install and any problems that will arise, as there always are those. I know this isn't a big project, but any improvement I make to my car is to me .