# Who is using a tablet in dash?



## -Kyle- (Feb 5, 2009)

Starting to plan out a future build (aren't we all) and thinking I want to glass a tablet into the dash. What kind of software is everyone using? I've seen jailbroken iOS devices using Carbridge, and lots of Android devices with custom ROMs and such as well. Wondering who has experience with these or other solutions?

Thanks


----------



## mattkim1337 (Jan 31, 2018)

Most tablets surpass double din radios in terms of functionality even with their stock features. Navigation, music apps, internet, video, voice command (Siri/Google) all run smoother on tablets than on radios. There are some issues with most tablets as well (some can manage to get around these with mods): Difficult to integrate a reverse triggered backup camera display, auto on/off with the key.


----------



## Silvercoat (Dec 5, 2013)

This becomes a very heavy PRO/CON situation also greatly dependent on which platform you want to run (iOS / Android most common)

Things this does well:

Much faster and much more capable app choices

Much nicer screens for the price (ie. to get a 720p "HD" screen on a car stereo you have to pay ~$900). Even more so tablets you can get from 7" + (some newer stereos have a 9-10" gimmick)

Greater capacity for sound quality over a digital output.

Fully removable\

Can be use stand alone of phone, esp if it has LTE data


Things they don't do so well....

Not going to get HD Radio. Very few tablets have FM tuners

All mounting is custom

Wiring is custom to some extent (you can easily wire in a CIGSOCK charger to the factor stereo wiring however) Will need some form of power management

Leaving tablet in car can be dangerous (lipo battery in heat) and open potential for higher theft (everyone knows what an IPAD looks like)

Backup camera integration requires some work, more so with iOS (wifi camera + app) than with Android (USB camera, Wifi camera, or USB video input with app)

Steering wheel controls CAN be done but are not as fluid as with an aftermarket radio (iOS can be controlled with a bluetooth remote, Android can use USB HID inputs with some effort)

You dont get easy integration features like steering wheel controls, idatalink etc

Bluetooth calling sort of works (iOS can use continuity, Android has to use a VOIP app or something like Verizon Messages+)


----------



## naiku (May 28, 2008)

Been running a 2012 Nexus 7 in my car since sometime around 2012 or 2013. Getting everything working reliably was definitely a bit of trial and error, that included different power supplies, USB hubs and mounting solutions. Once that was all sorted though, mine has been rock solid and I almost never take it out of the car, it has been through high heat as well as freezing temperatures. I have a powered USB hub in the glovebox, into that a 128GB flash drive, USB-DAC, Steering wheel control interface and an FM dongle. Mine comes on with the ignition and goes to sleep when I take the key out of the ignition. Battery charges nicely while driving, navigation works etc. 

I will say though that mine has started to run into issues, sometimes when I turn on the ignition it does not recognize any of the devices plugged into the hub, or even the hub. Usually I just unplug it and plug it back in again and it works. But, again, it has been in the car for 6+ years, something I imagine Google never designed it for, so taking that into account it has been amazing.

I have an LG GPad 8.0 that I am going to test as a replacement for the Nexus, I know it should work, but it may not fit in my dash (8" vs 7" screen) without more modification than I am comfortable with. I had looked to use a Samsung Galaxy Tab, but as with many Android tablets it will not allow both charging the tablet and being a USB host at the same time. Not a big deal if you want to take the tablet out and charge it inside everytime, but I don't want to run the risk of being on a longer drive and have the battery go flat. When the Nexus 7 finally gets too unreliable to keep it, I am not sure if I will stick with the tablet or switch to a typical double din.




Silvercoat said:


> Very few tablets have FM tuners


You can fairly easily add FM radio if you wish, USB dongles exist and for the most part work fairly well. 



Silvercoat said:


> Steering wheel controls CAN be done but are not as fluid as with an aftermarket radio (iOS can be controlled with a bluetooth remote, Android can use USB HID inputs with some effort)


Steering wheel controls are actually fairly simple to set up, at least in my experience using Android. The hardest piece was figuring out which wires to use from the head unit harness to connect to the steering wheel interface. Which, does go back to your custom wiring that you mentioned.


----------



## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

What are you trying to achieve here ?

I have done from Car PC, to Ipad, to Samsung andriod tablet,


----------



## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

there is so many options for Android tablet, software and other cools stuff to make it look like a head unit... 

Me personally i prefer Android over IOS


----------



## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

I have Samung Galaxy tab S2, it has LTE on it, its connected in to to Lava computer which it does charging, and USB on the go, it gets connected by usb to dac, than it goes to helix dsp. 
I have a controller to control volume of my tablet, it does everything and beyond more than i want..


----------



## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

Here is a little link of my system

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WPvxVSyKA7TG9T2v9


----------



## Silvercoat (Dec 5, 2013)

naiku said:


> Been running a 2012 Nexus 7 in my car since sometime around 2012 or 2013. Getting everything working reliably was definitely a bit of trial and error, that included different power supplies, USB hubs and mounting solutions. Once that was all sorted though, mine has been rock solid and I almost never take it out of the car, it has been through high heat as well as freezing temperatures. I have a powered USB hub in the glovebox, into that a 128GB flash drive, USB-DAC, Steering wheel control interface and an FM dongle. Mine comes on with the ignition and goes to sleep when I take the key out of the ignition. Battery charges nicely while driving, navigation works etc.
> 
> I will say though that mine has started to run into issues, sometimes when I turn on the ignition it does not recognize any of the devices plugged into the hub, or even the hub. Usually I just unplug it and plug it back in again and it works. But, again, it has been in the car for 6+ years, something I imagine Google never designed it for, so taking that into account it has been amazing.
> 
> ...




USB FM dongles do work, but my understanding is that the software is crap. Also if you have a parts suggestion for what you use, please post as I am curious  I am looking for info myself and that would rock.


As for the steering wheel controls, what route with hardware / software did you take? I have a RC JOYCON controller that I have not installed yet.
I know some folks have used Arduino / USB HID so I am curious to see what you used.

As for your power setup, I assume you are using a Timur kernal or something similar? Curious to know what other good options are out there. I have been curious about Lineage OS myself especially if it can get bluetooth calling sink to work from Android to Android.


----------



## Theslaking (Oct 8, 2013)

There's a few good threads on here. Tells nearly all. Google with diyma in the search.


----------



## naiku (May 28, 2008)

Silvercoat said:


> USB FM dongles do work, but my understanding is that the software is crap. Also if you have a parts suggestion for what you use, please post as I am curious ? I am looking for info myself and that would rock.


Ah you are right, the software is terrible. I almost never use it (no good stations anywhere near me that make me want to deal with the amount of commercials). I just have it in case of emergency / traffic issues type of thing. I did email the developer of the app a whole back asking if he could make a simple car friendly interface, but heard nothing more. Without looking I can't even remember what hardware I'm using, it's an FM dongle, if I remember correctly with an RTL2832 chip, I then used an aftermarket interface to use my vehicles FM antenna. But, yeah, the software is awful.



Silvercoat said:


> As for the steering wheel controls, what route with hardware / software did you take? I have a RC JOYCON controller that I have not installed yet.
> I know some folks have used Arduino / USB HID so I am curious to see what you used.


Joycon, I had to buy a harness as if I were using an aftermarket head unit in my car, that converted the CAN-BUS into resistive values, the Joycon software was then able to read those values that I could map in the Joycon software to do what I needed. There are 2 buttons on my steering wheel that don't work, but I have basic functionality (play, pause, mute, track fwd/back and volume up/down) so was not too concerned with the last buttons. Ideally I'd program them to trigger the tablet microphone to use voice commands, but that's something I may never get around to.



Silvercoat said:


> As for your power setup, I assume you are using a Timur kernal or something similar?


Using Timurs kernel, it works very well so I see no real need to try much else. I've also not really looked for anything else, since it works so well. Power supply I'm using a DCDC-USB that I got from mp3car, it was $60 but gives me dual programmable outputs and has proven more dependable than any of the cheaper options I initially tried.


----------



## Silvercoat (Dec 5, 2013)

quickaudi07 said:


> I have Samung Galaxy tab S2, it has LTE on it, its connected in to to Lava computer which it does charging, and USB on the go, it gets connected by usb to dac, than it goes to helix dsp.
> I have a controller to control volume of my tablet, it does everything and beyond more than i want..


Maybe you can answer a question for me.

I have a V EIGHT DSP with the HECUSB module,

Can you control the volume of the system from the tablet as opposed to using the director?

I know optical has that limitation but I have heard USB volume control works on Android but have not been able to test it as of yet.


----------



## Silvercoat (Dec 5, 2013)

Theslaking said:


> There's a few good threads on here. Tells nearly all. Google with diyma in the search.



Its painful sometimes, I have been looking at this for a while if you can tell by my purchased equipment:

Helix VEIGHT + HEC USB
Fusion USB Volume knob (got it while MP3car was still around)
RC JOYCON EXR

Still want to chose the following:
Single board computer (Looking at XU4 + Lineage OS)
Power Supply (Mini-box DC-USB supplies)
Screen (either a chalk elec. or a Lilliput FA1014-NP/C/T)
ODBII - ODB Fusion + USB SX module



Always get the answer to one thing and only brings up a question on the other. Its like very few people do a 100% build log, most only do a 75% build log and keep the magic to themselves


----------



## Theslaking (Oct 8, 2013)

Rasberry pi touch screen will likely be my next hu. I already own most the stuff. Pi can even run can-bus decoders so you could potentially run every function of your car from the touch screen.


----------



## naiku (May 28, 2008)

Silvercoat said:


> Maybe you can answer a question for me.
> 
> I have a V EIGHT DSP with the HECUSB module,
> 
> ...


Not sure how the HEC-USB module works, but I previously had a Helix DSP and volume control from the tablet worked perfectly. I did not want a Director (felt like I would almost never use it) and did not want the little Helix volume sitting somewhere in the console, but wanted to use the tablet/steering wheel controls. 



Theslaking said:


> Rasberry pi touch screen will likely be my next hu. I already own most the stuff.


I need to talk to you about this in NC next month, have been debating using a Pi as well, but don't have a whole lot of knowledge with them.


----------



## Silvercoat (Dec 5, 2013)

naiku said:


> Not sure how the HEC-USB module works, but I previously had a Helix DSP and volume control from the tablet worked perfectly. I did not want a Director (felt like I would almost never use it) and did not want the little Helix volume sitting somewhere in the console, but wanted to use the tablet/steering wheel controls.
> 
> 
> 
> I need to talk to you about this in NC next month, have been debating using a Pi as well, but don't have a whole lot of knowledge with them.



Pi can work. In my research biggest downfalls on the PI are power.

Also you have to work through RaspianOS and what apps are on there. Android is a bit better in this regard.

If you want to do a PI, look into Crankshaft or OpenAuto (Pro). Nice thing is if you having coding / scripting prowess, you can do some fun things.


----------



## naiku (May 28, 2008)

Silvercoat said:


> Also you have to work through RaspianOS and what apps are on there. Android is a bit better in this regard.


This might be why I only _very _briefly looked at using a Pi in the past, IIRC you can get Android to run on the Pi hardware, but it is severely limited. The biggest appeal of the tablet running Android for me is the combination of how simple it is to use, along with being able to run pretty much any app I can think of.


----------



## Theslaking (Oct 8, 2013)

Pi can do mirror link so you could use your phone for apps and the Pi for everything else seamlessly.


----------



## thref23 (Oct 19, 2016)

I keep a tablet mounted in dash (although it's a cheap, tacky set up and I usually take the tablet out to charge at home). I use an old Samsung tablet, it's resources are limited but the sound quality is fine and my favorite EQ apps work system wide.

The two coolest things about playing off a rooted Android tablet: a.) getting to choose your favorite music player (I roll with an old version of EDJing Pro), and b.) Viper.

Viper can be installed on most rooted Android devices and gives you lots of cool EQ/processing capabilities - i.e. configurable bass boost, reverberation, tube amp simulator, "dynamic sound" filters and more. 

XDA is a good spot to learn more.


----------



## AVIDEDTR (Sep 11, 2008)

I currently have a surface 3 in my dash with a Sony GS9. It was gret at first, but the novelty wore off quick. In the Summer time, I couldt keep the surface in the car. Overheats, even if it's just sitting in the dash in the shade turned off. I'm not a fruit fan so I didn't want another apple in dash setup. I wanted to be unique and by going this route it's not all that I thought it could be.

The fact that I have to use my phone to do input selections sucks(the tablet is in front of the radio). Bluetooth is one device only at a time and it's not wife friendly.

I decided to go back to a standard Kenwood Radio and use its interface to keep things simple.


----------

