Astra AH - Displaying trip computer info on android tablet. Possible?

[astra088]

Hi everyone,

I am thinking about getting an android tablet to fit in my astra where the engine info/fuel consumption screen is right now... and I am wondering if there is any way to get that info via a USB port onto the tablet? i have the android sdk so i could write a small app to display the info, but i just need to know if that's possible... or am i crazy?

[guy 27]

Think the app torque has what your after.

You will a Bluetooth obd2 port which is about $15 off eBay.

[astra088]

Think the app torque has what your after.

You will a Bluetooth obd2 port which is about $15 off eBay.

Hey, thanks for the quick reply!

That looks awesome... and wireless too, which is a big bonus!
I was kinda hoping that I could still keep the music info screen as well... if it can't be done, doesn't matter. Can all the range/fuel consumption/outside temp/trip km etc. stuff be sent through the obd2 port?

[nick_sixx]

Pretty much all diagnostics can be displayed using the torque app. I've used it for boost/vacuum, engine temp (although I don't think it was accurate at all), RPM, speed, and I think you can even set it up to display how much HP and Torque you are currently using, as well as fuel consumption etc

[astra088]

Pretty much all diagnostics can be displayed using the torque app. I've used it for boost/vacuum, engine temp (although I don't think it was accurate at all), RPM, speed, and I think you can even set it up to display how much HP and Torque you are currently using, as well as fuel consumption etc

and where do you connect this obd2 bluetooth dongle thing?

[sooty]

and where do you connect this obd2 bluetooth dongle thing?
under the handbrake in the OBD2 port

[astra088]

under the handbrake in the OBD2 port

Cool. So just to confirm... this will have the ability to display EVERYTHING the oem system info screen shows in the astra? So exciting! Thinking about a asus 10" tablet... not sure how i'll go with fitting it in the astra's dash though. I'll have to cut some around the current screen, i know that much... hopefully it will all be worth it! GPS, music, trip computer... hopefully 3G too :)

[nick_sixx]

Sounds like a good plan mate. However, the obd dongle constantly draws power. So unless you have a huge battery or drive every couple of hours, you will have to unplug it every time you turn the car off. Also, I don't know about the g, but in an h it sticks out and you can't put the plastic trim back on. If you are handy with electronics and have the patience, you could splice a second obd port into the existing wiring complete with a switch (if it has like 10 terminals). I personally couldn't be bothered though.

[astra088]

hmmm.. that could pose a problem. what connection actually connects the screen to the car's computer? could I make some sort of adapter to connect it to a usb port?

[nick_sixx]

There would just be a series of cables that relay info from the obd to the screen. I highly doubt there is any way to convert that to a format readable by a tablet of any OS.

[Wraith]

You can buy certain sat navs that'll do that as well...

I have one in my vert that displays all of the above cpu info via blue tooth transmitter running off the OBD II port ;)

[astra088]

You can buy certain sat navs that'll do that as well...

I have one in my vert that displays all of the above cpu info via blue tooth transmitter running off the OBD II port ;)

but I hear that the bluetooth transmitter constantly drains the battery, even when the car is off?

[Dahlia]

I was kinda hoping that I could still keep the music info screen as well... if it can't be done, doesn't matter. Can all the range/fuel consumption/outside temp/trip km etc. stuff be sent through the obd2 port?
This is where a carpc comes into play.

[astra088]

This is where a carpc comes into play.

ok... seems that might be the way to go then. can you still install android as the main os on a carpc, and operate it via the car's touch screen?

[Dahlia]

ok... seems that might be the way to go then. can you still install android as the main os on a carpc, and operate it via the car's touch screen?
To run android (afaik), you would need to get a tablet and fabricate it into your dash.
I personally would fabricate a new touchscreen into your dash and run windows on a pc. With windows you can run a front-end (centrafuse, ride runner) and have your music, opd (gauges n stuff) all on the one screen... AND always upgradable with different peripherals (like handsfree bluetooth etc).

[poita]

OR if you really want to splash out get a windows tablet ;)

The 11" Samsung slate PC would be ideal!

[Dahlia]

OR if you really want to splash out get a windows tablet ;)

The 11" Samsung slate PC would be ideal!
Thats an idea, what windows runs on it? Windows CE?

[poita]

pfffff no way

11" mutlitouch, i5, 4gb, 64gb solid state, w7 home premium, wifi, bluetooth, card reader, usb ports

they are $1600 rrp, thats why i should "if you really want to splash out"

check it out here -> http://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/pc-peripherals/notebook-pc/thin-light/XE700T1A-A01AU/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail

[astra088]

pfffff no way

11" mutlitouch, i5, 4gb, 64gb solid state, w7 home premium, wifi, bluetooth, card reader, usb ports

they are $1600 rrp, thats why i should "if you really want to splash out"

check it out here -> http://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/pc-peripherals/notebook-pc/thin-light/XE700T1A-A01AU/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail

thanks for the awesome ideas guys... but i think that I might be leaning towards the carpc option.
there are these guys in europe who make OCIDVi-Ah - a system which allows you to connect multiple devices, such as a carpc, to your holden cid screen. Best bit is the video input switcher, which allows you to go from the carpc display to holden's system info screen - exactly what i wanted. They even give you a glass overlay for the screen to enable touch input.
Whatcha think??

[poita]

wow never seen those kits, very nice!

for those too lazy to look it up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvXtaXNDdlA&feature=related

and available form here -> http://forum.4tuning.ro/556-dvd-tv-auto-navigatii/198237-opel-and-vauxhall-cid-video-interface-kit.html

180 euro + shipping

[astra088]

wow never seen those kits, very nice!

for those too lazy to look it up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvXtaXNDdlA&feature=related

and available form here -> http://forum.4tuning.ro/556-dvd-tv-auto-navigatii/198237-opel-and-vauxhall-cid-video-interface-kit.html

180 euro + shipping

That youtube clip isnt really relevant... this one is better
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZRTZyTaw8A&feature=related
but yeah, that other one's the info page. Nice, eh?

[Dahlia]

Thats very cool! I wish I could do the same kind of thing with my MFD in my G.

[astra088]

Thats very cool! I wish I could do the same kind of thing with my MFD in my G.

That'd be cool! Can I ask which carpc you used for your G?

[Dahlia]

That'd be cool! Can I ask which carpc you used for your G?
I built the pc myself in my glovebox.
I used a Mini-ATX motherboard as they are small and a M2-ATX power supply as it turns the computer off/on when I start/turn off the car.
More info about my hardware in my car thread.

[Wraith]

but I hear that the bluetooth transmitter constantly drains the battery, even when the car is off?

I don't have that problem because whenever my vert is not used (which is commonly the case with this particular car of mine) it's plugged into a battery maintenance/monitoring pack which keeps it in healthy condition, so if the bluetooth is draining current it won't hurt the battery :)

I suppose in other cases where blue tooth is in use on the OBDII port, it might be a good idea to extend the OBDII port to an easily accessable location and just unplug it when you need to :)

[Dahlia]

If you get a carpc, you wont need a bluetooth OBD thing, you could get a USB one, so it would only be used when the computers on, and that would generally only be when the cars running anyway.

[nick_sixx]

Also, a carpc will allow you to play need for speed before drag races

[03srit]

Also, a carpc will allow you to play need for speed before drag races

Lol

[poita]

Also, a carpc will allow you to play need for speed before drag races

Too much F&F for you. :lol:

[astra088]

If you get a carpc, you wont need a bluetooth OBD thing, you could get a USB one, so it would only be used when the computers on, and that would generally only be when the cars running anyway.

if i get this ocidvi-ah thing, i won't need an obd dongle at all, as I'll be able to switch back to the OEM system screen with fuel, k's etc.
what do you reckon my chances are of installing android 4.0 onto a car pc? it would be a sweet system with a touch panel in the dash.

[poita]

you would have to build a pc that uses a tegra, arm or soc setup

if you dont know what they are, then i would look at other options ;)

[Dahlia]

if i get this ocidvi-ah thing, i won't need an obd dongle at all, as I'll be able to switch back to the OEM system screen with fuel, k's etc.
what do you reckon my chances are of installing android 4.0 onto a car pc? it would be a sweet system with a touch panel in the dash.
If you really really want android, check this out: http://www.android-x86.org/ But honestly windows is the way to go, there is 100's more apps for windows for a car than android. Check out www.mp3car.com for heaps of info.

[astra088]

If you really really want android, check this out: http://www.android-x86.org/ But honestly windows is the way to go, there is 100's more apps for windows for a car than android. Check out www.mp3car.com (http://www.mp3car.com) for heaps of info.

yeah... but i just want ease of use. Android is meant to be installed on computers with 7" screens, and I would only ever use the GPS navigation, and to play music. I'm starting to think that maybe instead of a full carpc, i might just buy an android tablet, and have it in the glovebox... then export the video to the ocidvi-ah (most tablets have HDMI out these days), which goes to the CID screen. That means when the car's not on, the tablet is still asleep on its battery, and when the car turns back on, it starts charging it again, eliminating boot wait. it will already have an inbuilt gps chip, and i might even splurge and get one with 3g network. The touch panel will hopefully be able to connect directly to the tablet's usb port (waiting for the guy to email me with drivers for android).

[Dahlia]

yeah... but i just want ease of use. Android is meant to be installed on computers with 7" screens, and I would only ever use the GPS navigation, and to play music. I'm starting to think that maybe instead of a full carpc, i might just buy an android tablet, and have it in the glovebox... then export the video to the ocidvi-ah (most tablets have HDMI out these days), which goes to the CID screen. That means when the car's not on, the tablet is still asleep on its battery, and when the car turns back on, it starts charging it again, eliminating boot wait. it will already have an inbuilt gps chip, and i might even splurge and get one with 3g network. The touch panel will hopefully be able to connect directly to the tablet's usb port (waiting for the guy to email me with drivers for android).
yeah that should def work.
I've read that a lot of people on mp3car.com use laptops as their carpc, using the battery in the same way you want to use android tablet.
Car pc front ends are simple enough as well, you don't need to be using windows to navigate to the things you want.

This is what centrafuse looks like:
https://autoappmart.com/images/1275408428_Clean_MainMenu.jpg

This is what ride runner looks like (with a skin):
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/8720/menu2lu2.jpg

I know you have your heart set on android, but I just wanted to show you that carpc software is simple. :)

Anywho, good luck with the project.