# RK3288 android in a box perfect for a carputer!



## eviling

This device has huge implications and limitless platforms. Android in the simplest purest form on a powerful platform that can mold into many medias. 

This is not where this is huge for us in car audio. It is a simple board with 16 or 8gb flash 2gb ddr3 ram and a 1.6ghz quad core CPU with high power output usb's 4, each pair rated for 2 amps. A simple 12v DC input. Has HDMI 1080p out. Runs kitkat 4.4 pure. Or anything really. Ones own software could thearedicly be done. Umbutu (spelling?)can be sent on the board from some engendering company's. Theirs even multiple formats. An ultra small footprint layout thats 4x4" or something like 9x6. You get the idea. This beauty ces with optical out. Or heres the beautiful part. These company's selling these boards will even put ports at request. 

Personly I think optic keeps it simple but not all processors take optic. So its a bit of a bottleneck. This board is littlerly plug and play. Mount it in your dash. Add a screen some outs and bam. Run a CD drive off USB and 12v DC or lower depending on what you find. 

Just wanted to share this with you guys as it came to me while laying in bed dreaming of my next build. 


For more info I direct you. 
(smaller format)

rk3288 - ARMdevices.net Search

below is an image of a setop box designed layout









heres another layout on a simpler cheaper board with a serial port(not quite sure what one could do with this, perhaps test and develope their own software.)
















Sorry forget how to work youtube videos. Anyways another perk I also wanted to mention as well as a WiFi card that comes standard a 4g lte receiver can be added. I was thinking the mini DSP would be a great pair with this in a setup. I'm personlay contamplating a setup like that.  if this doesn't get your nerd juices going than you simply aren't a nerd friend.

this board + a capactive 7" touchscreen, and a mini dsp 2x8 , the baords can be had for between 45-150$ the RK3288, 300$ for a screen (over priced under supplied market = high mark ups) and 350$ for processoing. under 1000$ for a carputer is beautiful. i built something far more complex if some of you remember awhile back.


----------



## ChrisB

What about the old RaspberryFi project? The only downside is it needs an external DAC.


----------



## eviling

yeah, and im looking that site their talking about Raspberry Pi, its a smiler board to the rk3288. its cheaper, but like you said, you still need dacs, the 3288 has optic and run in dandom with the mini dsp, i think it'd make a great combo. 

im actually seeing alotta android stereos on ebay, idk anyting about them but their in the 200-350$ range but probobly resistive touch screens.

both boards have expansion ports, theareticly a dac board could easily be engneeered by a DIY'er, that'd be cool.


edit - awwh the wonders of the internet 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HiFiBerry-D...US_Motherboard_CPU_Combos&hash=item3a97d28c50


----------



## Ultimateherts

The problem I see is will it have enough processing power? In recording studios they need processing power because of all the VSTs they have to run. For our application down the road Android is the future, but for now we have to use VSTs. You think you need a VST for each step we tune ie one for T/a another for EQ another for a subwoofer etc. Also don't forget all the other usuals like Bluetooth calling, web surfing, GPS etc.


----------



## eviling

These processors are getting very impressive. We have xbox first gen gaming power in this platform here believe it or not. 1.6 quad core. I'm Stoll fuzzy myself on other specs and even if I knew them I'd have no reference mentally to compare. But words have bbeeb spoken comprible to the Xbox or PlayStation. Maybe more a dream cast  you get the idea. Its awsome. I think this platform has emence potential I'm curiouse if mini DSP ever made an android app. If they did it'd be an all in one.


----------



## Kriszilla

I'm using the RK3188 to feed my AppRadio3, using AppRadio Unchained Reloaded. It's awesome. I keep it constantly powered and it has a 1 TB WD Passport harddrive attached with all of my FLAC files on it.


----------



## fcarpio

Pretty much the same as this, but much cheaper at 88 bucks:

http://www.amazon.com/G-Box-Midnigh...8&qid=1411904462&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=gbox

I already use this at home to run XBMC, and it works pretty good. More basic but it does what I need it to do.


----------



## eviling

fcarpio said:


> Pretty much the same as this, but much cheaper at 88 bucks:
> 
> Amazon.com: G-Box Midnight MX2 Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Dual Core XBMC Streaming Mini HTPC TV Box Player: Electronics
> 
> I already use this at home to run XBMC, and it works pretty good. More basic but it does what I need it to do.


these are development companys. so 88$ and you find out if their softwares ****ed up, they give you updates and you do their beta. but yes, that is what is so ****ing beautiful about this, that is EXACTLY what that board is. in fact you could order these, put them in a box and sell them as that. or put them in a tablet. the 3288 is already in a dozen tablets and a dozen boxes at least. but it could be mounted behind a screen in a dash, powered 12v off battery, and bam instant boot. and power consumption so low. 

the comparable "intel" cpu would be the atom to something like the A7 and such. atom is intels celeron which yes we all might remember the massive fail that line was, but the atoms are much better. I ran an atom in a few micro builds ive done for people and they run beautifully. very spunky, responsive. not laggy like celerons. 

this cpu is only maybe 20% less performance than an atom, with less than half the power consumption.


----------



## porscheman

eviling said:


> yeah, and im looking that site their talking about Raspberry Pi, its a smiler board to the rk3288. its cheaper, but like you said, you still need dacs, the 3288 has optic and run in dandom with the mini dsp, i think it'd make a great combo.
> 
> im actually seeing alotta android stereos on ebay, idk anyting about them but their in the 200-350$ range but probobly resistive touch screens.
> 
> both boards have expansion ports, theareticly a dac board could easily be engneeered by a DIY'er, that'd be cool.
> 
> 
> edit - awwh the wonders of the internet
> 
> Hifiberry Digi 3 0 DAC for Raspberry Pi | eBay


ive got that exact board. working great so far on my desk, just waiting to get the z far enough along to install it.


----------



## eviling

porscheman said:


> ive got that exact board. working great so far on my desk, just waiting to get the z far enough along to install it.


Could you video rasbery pie? I wanna see the interface. What touch screen did you use? I'm deciding on my direction. I'm leaning towards the 3288 because it has optic I can rub it into a deq8 or something. Was looking at that one last night. Not really knowlegable on it yet.


----------



## porscheman

im using a lcd kit from Adafruit RGB Negative 16x2 LCD+Keypad Kit for Raspberry Pi for my display. im running Volumio - Audiophile Music Player as the front end for it. i have a small wifi router that i can access the pi with mpdroid to adjust play lists or start a specific song. my plan is to go optical out from my HiFiBerry Digi to a 4to6 with a pot in my console for volume control. the only thing i haven't played with for the pi is my Car Ignition Switch With Power Supply | Mausberry Circuits just cause ive been lazy.

i have had to do a fair amount of adjusting and just plain beating the **** out of it to get it to all play nice together. if you go this way make backups of your sd card every time you get something new working, it will save you loads of irritation not having to start all over again because the "fix" your trying makes it unbootable.


----------



## Lycancatt

how would you interface a knob for volume in the digital signal? or would you be doing analog in to the 4 to 6 dsp


----------



## Lycancatt

also, do you guys know if something like googles talkback could be implemented on this? I am a blind user of android and my phone uses it well for most aps I'd use in a car. I'd have both a touch screen and standard qwerty keyboard just like my galaxy s relay phone has. Vlc media player beta on android is cool because it will continue to play music even if I'm texting or using email, unlike the stock android player.


----------



## porscheman

the 4to6 can be set up with diy pot for volume and sub and i think a switch for presets. so id be going to is with the toslink


----------



## eviling

porscheman said:


> the 4to6 can be set up with diy pot for volume and sub and i think a switch for presets. so id be going to is with the toslink


Yeah that's a good way I think. 


Lycancatt said:


> also, do you guys know if something like googles talkback could be implemented on this? I am a blind user of android and my phone uses it well for most aps I'd use in a car. I'd have both a touch screen and standard qwerty keyboard just like my galaxy s relay phone has. Vlc media player beta on android is cool because it will continue to play music even if I'm texting or using email, unlike the stock android player.


Should. That's part of the Google frame work its in every version of android.


----------



## -=Jeff=-

Kriszilla said:


> I'm using the RK3188 to feed my AppRadio3, using AppRadio Unchained Reloaded. It's awesome. I keep it constantly powered and it has a 1 TB WD Passport harddrive attached with all of my FLAC files on it.


how much current does the Android stick draw keeping it constantly powered?

I am working my way back the the app radio /Stick solution. I think powering on/off is no problem or issue for me, but curious of battery draw with the car off


----------



## eviling

can't imagine its much, idk if android goes into a sleep mode, if it does even less.


----------

