This is my 06 M35 Sport, stock.





So after setting up my home network with one media server and two HTPCs, I asked myself: why not bringing up the media to the car? I was tired of burning MP3 cds and losing track of what was in which. My growing music library was the biggest incentive.
I have circa 155 GB of music on my HD, mostly MP3 (usually @256 Kbps and up) and some FLAC (lossless compressed music files). I had to bring this library to the car!

Of course that soon afterwards I discovered that I wanted everything in it but the kitchen sink, I think one can’t help it really! Fortunately, I don’t need the apparently uber-buggy Bluetooth phone support, since the car already comes with it stock. But now I need navigation, HD radio, XM turner (mostly for news, since the sound quality is horrible), Video/Movies, OBD-II, in car CAM, baby cam, etc. I already have the new XM Mini turner cartridge with a Home Dock kit in my Home Theater Receiver, so I will wait until someone develops a cable for that. XM can wait; it’s not top priority for me.

I already tested the computer basic functions (MP3 player/GPS functions), but there is still a lot to do. I discovered that it is very hard to configure many things inside the car, so I am bench testing again (with my second XP install) at my office. Back to the beginning!

I’m going to use a mATX board with a shuttle style case, but even though that is the smallest mATX you can find (that can accept full height PCI cards); it is still a tad big. My next step will be to build a custom case for the computer.

Search words: work log how to Infiniti M35 Sport carputer LCD aftermarket touch screen carpc

This is what I'm using now:

This is what I’m using in detail:

Motherboard Gigabyte GA-MA69GM-S2H (AMD 690G Chipset) mATX

Integrated ATI Radeon X1250 graphic with DVI/HDMI HDCP support
Integrated ALC 889A 108 dB signal to noise 8 Channel audio (supports Blue Ray playback)
VGA/S-Video/Composite (YPbPr) interface
SPDIF in/out
1 Serial port only.
10 USB 2.0/2 Firewire support

AMD Athlon X2 4600 EE (65W) 2.4 GHz Max temp 72C (55C) step F2

2Gb Memory: 2x 512MB Corsair CM2X512-5400 C4 DDR2 4-4-4-12 675MHz XMS2-5402 v7.2 & 2x512MB Patriot PS2D21G667K PC2-5300 CL5

320 GB Western Digital Caviar 7200 rpm 16 MB cache SATA 3GB/s
WD Caviar SE 16 5VDC 0.65A 12VDC=0.9A WD3200KS – 00PFB0 LBA 625142448 26 jul 2006

Airlink AWLH3028 802.11g Cheap Wi-Fi PCI card

Xenarc 7” 700 TSV

Provisionally, I’m using the LG 5 ¼ DVD-RW drive (SWA 4446b), but this is temporary, it’s just for installing apps and making HD clones. I won’t need a DVD writer in the trunk, I guess.

DSATX 230W DC-DC PSU with serial controller

Case: Antec Aria NSK-1300

Accessories:
Garmin GPS 18 (I bought years ago, was unused since my other car has stock nav and I used an aftermarket Mio 380 (for sale) on this M.)

Space Navigator with these drivers.


Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Roadie 5.1 USB soundcard (optional, don’t know if I should use it)

OBDPRos OBD II Scan tool USB w/ right angle connector


I nlited an XP Professional SP3 (nLite 1.4.1), not so much to keep it small as I have plenty of space and memory to deal with XP, but to try to make it boot and run faster. I changed the boot screen to this one and I’ll later start my front end as a shell and will try to use minLogon to speed up boot times.

At first I tried to hack the connections between the AV Unit (Nav Unit with those with Navigation) and the stock 7” LCD screen. I have already installed the 4PDT relay in place to allow me to remotely switch between the stock data and my computer display. The problem is of course to emulate the RGB+sync signals the car display is expecting to get.

There are some products in the market that use Composite inputs as source (TV and nav to go, PAC, Gnet, AvElectronic), but although these might be good enough for DVD playing, it is far from good enough for a computer display. The stock 7” widescreen LCD has 16 bit depth color and (as I can see in my FX35 with nav) can display the small font on the navigation maps reasonably good.
We have to find a way to convert the computer’s 30KHz VGA (RGB with separate Horizontal and Vertical Sync) output into Arcade/CGA style 15KHz RGB+combined sync inputs required by the stock screen. I have tried the Australian made Converters.tv VGA to CGA Converter, with not much success. I also tried the ArcadeVGA from the Ultimarc, from Britain. It also failed to deliver.

It seems that indeed my car is unique in that the display does require a rage of .4 to -.4Volts for the video signal. This also goes for the 2008 G37s, and the 2007 G35: it also requires this unique negative signal level. Idem for the 2006 G35. […] The 2005 G35, though, wants RGB signal level between 0 and .8. I also checked the 2007 FX35 service manual and, although externally the screen looks about the same, the signal levels are much more standard, 0 to 1 Volt. So the 2005 Gs and the FXs all share the same screen, but for some reason Infiniti "upgraded" the others.

[Edit by Ohmster] Updated broken links.

First as I said above, I tried to use the stock screen to display. Since I wanted convert the VGA interface to the car's native RGBs, to no avail:

These were the best I could do with the ConverterTV thingy:



And with the ArcadeVGA:



It was lots of fun dismantling the dash, reading the service manual, and playing with the wires:



But in the end the work didn't payed off.

At first I thought about alternative places to put an aftermarket screen. The overhead sunglass holder is one alternative, but it is kind of small, and probably lots of fabrication would be involved. And it would block the rear view mirror to boot.

I thought also on top of the stock screen, maybe with some lifting mechanism when in use:






My plan was then to put a stock Xenarc 7" screen in place of the OEM screen and relocate the stock one someplace else. But where?

What about where the stock cupholders were?










And more, no fabrication, bondo, plastic soldering (I have no talent for these things) were necessary. I didn't have to try different primer/sanding techniques, nor did I have to look for color matching paint, etc. I simply dissassembled the cupholders, and using the same mouting points, I fixed the stock OEM screen there:



Since it is not touchscreen, and it is a very high quality screen, you can indeed see the display in broad daylight (It's a Hitachi panel). The problem is, of course, that you have to take your eyes off of the road to actually see it. But it is not terribly worse than many lower level screens I've seen before and, although the stock head unit radio/mp3 changer still works, the display will be used mostly to monitor the car status, like the air conditioning, tire pressure, fuel economy, etc. All these things I can do easily at the traffic lights.

I also put high density foam tape around the edges of the screen (like the ones used for insulating windows, bought at HomeDepot), so that if somebody spill liquids over the screen it does not pour into the electronics below it.

So in the end I think it was a good compromise. Of course I also lost two cup holders, and I'm still looking for aftermarket solutions. I know BMW's and European cars in general have similar problems (their in dash cup holders are often flimsy, and very expensive to repair, so I know there is a market for that), so I'm open for suggestions.

Now I had an opening for an aftermarket screen, right where the OEM screen was. That's when I ordered the Xenarc 700 TSV.

I also added a few buttons to control the computer from the cabin. They are located right below the space nav, hidden from view, on the hole besides the controls for the heated/cooled seats. They are different for tactile feedback. The light on the LCD power on/off are supposed to be on only with the monitor off. The buttons are:

1. To bypass the ACC wire to the DSATX, useful for valet parking, or to leave the computer for service, etc.

2. To turn off the monitor only, this one is disconnected right no, I'm scared of introducing noise into the image with this switch. The idea is to leave the computer running for some reason, with nobody in the car, so that I can not only save some battery but also hide the computer workings (say I'm recording with the CAM, etc).

3. Reset button.



THIS is an example of what cannot be undone easily. I could fill the 3/8" & 1/2" holes with bondo, and then cover with velvet to match the OEM look there, but I could also either a. leave the buttons there and maybe nobody would notice it or b. buy the OEM piece, which is cheap in this case.

[Edit by Ohmster] Updated broken link.

Case
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I bought a Antec NKS 1300 very cheap at Fry's ($65 minus $40 mail-in rebate). I figured, why not? Well, it's the smallest mATX case you can buy, but it is still too tall.

I run a 4 gauge Moster cable from the battery to the trunk.



Inside view:



Before:

After:


Reaching the backseat:


Then the trunk, at the top:



This is the solution I found, suspended under the rear deck. I removed the stock AC power supply, put the DC-DC DSATX there, and also mounted a 120mm 3 speed Antec fan.







The advantage is that I can carry my water bottles in there, since I live in earthquake domain, California, so I always have to be prepared.

It is rock stable as it is, and it leaves plenty of room for a stroller and a golf club bag. It also leaves room for the spare and for a future subwoofer.

All in all, it works. It's not perfect, but I'm happy, my first boot was good, it works!!!

[Edited by Ohmster] Updated broken links.

Trendnet 7dBi omnidirectional wi-fi antenna

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This is the Trendnet 7dBi gain Wi-Fi antenna, to catch all the wireless network signal out there, stronger, and faster than my stock antenna. It has to stay on the vertical, and it's fairly big, shouldn't be around metal ideally, although it works inside the trunk.

As I said before, everytime I park the car in the garage, I can hit SYNC and it synchronizes the media folder contents from my home network. But I have 10min for that, before the computer shuts itself off. So the faster the connection the better. I can also use "remote desktop" feature from my office, and I avoid to work on the car as soon as possible. If I leave the ignition on, I can keep the computer on for hours...the DSATX PSU I use will turn off the computer as soon as it reaches 10volts (8 volts is enough to start the car).

The problem with this is that is too much convenient: yesterday, when the computer turned off, I forgot to go back to the garage and turn the ignition off, so this afternoon the battery was dead!  Stupid me.

Anyway, here is the Trendnet antenna. It got good reviews, if you know what to expect from an Omnidirectional antenna, which is what you need in a car environment. It not pretty though, and it's velcroed in there. Easy to remove if I want to. But it did improve reception, and that is what matter for now.







Yes, the blue is maybe silly, but it works inside the trunk on the road.  It is only faster when up in the passenger compartment, specially in my garage.

[Edited by Ohmster] Updated broken links.

Monitor install: I just bent some metal brackets from the OEM unit to make some room for the Xenarc, which is actually smaller than the stock OEM.



Nice fit, great!  In the picture below you can see the OBDpros unit, to gather information from the ECU about the car state, etc.  Also it can clear the "engine light" thingy, if needed (I needed already, when I plugged the battery back without the radio/a/c unit connected...The OBDPros unit is the black box with the blue sticker below the monitor.



This is the view from below, at the top, again the black box is the OBDpros unit, and the black box with the WHITE sticker is the PAC Audio unit, to get the signals from the computer and send it to the Headunit.  Here is the pic:



I used double side tape to fix those to the metal brackets that were already there.

[Edited by Ohmster] Updated broken links.

I used the 2MP Logitech Quick CAM pro 9000, with Carl Zeis 2.0/3.7 aperture, and rightlight technology, great for dark/night scenes.  Also HD video to boot (960x720).  The microphone is great, i did some recording with the open windows at 40mph, I could hear everything clearly later...

As it turned out, though, this camera ended up working better in the back seat, but this I save for another post, since the one who will replace this will have similar functionality, only better outdoors.  The fast Carl Zeis lens worked much better in the high contrast back seat, to work as a baby cam (since I have a newborn, who rides facing backwards).  Really, this "rightlight" tech is not hype, it did work better in high contrast situations (say, sunny outside, dark interiors).  Anyway, here is my first attempt.

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/webcam_communications/webcams/devices/3056&cl=us,en


Camera facing the passengers:



Rotating towards the front, standard view.  First, rotate the rearview mirror slightly towards the driver's door.  You can see the button for instant snapshots below:





Rearview mirror back in place, camera fully tucked behind.



Outside view:




The circular led on the camera faceplate looks extremely cool when lit (it is optional, you can disable that with the software).   Can't wait to record my first conversation with the authorities, and I'm sure I'll post many cool real world situations wherever I met them: this camera will work non-stop from the moment I turn on the car, recording the last 30 minutes of everything it captures continuously, archieving it whenever I hit the appropriate button.

[Edited by Ohmster] Updated broken links.

Forgive me if this is covered in the post... i mostly skimmed, but you're actually USING the computer for functions other than a media player?  with a wireless card or something? 

Very extensive work you've done and its extremely technical!  I'll definitely read the thread in its entirety at home!

And an HDTV receiver?