External Touchscreen in a Car

[AZ Underground]

I want to start off by saying I'm loving my G1 and want to get the most out of it.

I've been searching around for a flip out, touchscreen head unit for my car that is compatible for my G1. Ideally I would be able to use the touchscreen on the head unit to control my phone for music, gps, etc., but I'm not sure how I could hook it up.

I'm thinking I could use the HTC 3-in-1 USB Adapter and use the 3.5 headphone jack as an audio input and maybe the usb as a video input.

Any ideas or suggestions?

[felixHcat]

uhh.. what ur talking about is a major hack.

[jackiesinthesun]

buy a mercedes.

[pancit175]

Being that the G1 shows up as a mass storage when hooked up to a computer via a USB connection, it would be conceivable that the G1 would be compatiable with a headunit that has a USB connection. The saying goes that so long as the device did not require any additional software when connected via a USB then it should work.
Much like hooking up an ipod or flash drive to such capable headunits would do. Although I cannot confirm this since I have not yet received my G1.
The downside may be that it may or may not organize your media on the headunit as you have on the device. Such that it will list your media in standard alphabetical order, and not by how you have organized it in folders.

So in recap, as long as your headunit, flip-out, has the capability to have a usb connection then it should work. Most brand name mobile video headunits either have the capability to do what was suggested out of the box or may require additional hardware to make it possible. Some sugged brands would be Alpine, Pioneer, Kenwood as some of their products do well with the integrated USB connection.
*as a side note, the USB will provied a small charge to your G1, but it may be considered a trickle charge

[AZ Underground]

It should recognize the media files that I have on it, but I am looking for a more interactive interphase with the monitor. I want to control my phone via the touchscreen.

I have also seen a vga cable for htc phones. Does anyone know if it is compatable with touchscreens?

As a last resort I could use av jacks as an input, but I don't think I would be able to send data back to the G1 and I'm not sure if there is a way to convert a usb to av.

[flowidc]

i recommend installing a carpc. check out mp3car.com. i have a bmw 325 with a laptop in the trunk and a 8 inch touchscreen in the front. i keep all my music and movies in there along with gps, internet access, and much more. it was a really big project but totally worth it. as far as using your phone as the main unit in the car, im not really sure that would be very good with the battery life being so short.

[NetCom]

i recommend installing a carpc. check out mp3car.com. i have a bmw 325 with a laptop in the trunk and a 8 inch touchscreen in the front. i keep all my music and movies in there along with gps, internet access, and much more. it was a really big project but totally worth it. as far as using your phone as the main unit in the car, im not really sure that would be very good with the battery life being so short.

I would love to see something like OS mod app to make all buttons bigger and finger-friendly ... that would probably make me get carpc

[jdwme]

port android to a carpc, that would be cool

[AZ Underground]

I've been thinking about getting a car pc way before I ever heard of android, but I'm a little hesitaint on spending so much on it. Mp3car.com is a great site and I was looking at their flip out monitor in their store, but it is just a monitor with no stereo.
A car pc is sounding pretty good especially if I would be able to tether it to my g1.

[pancit175]

I've had a CarPC in my vehicle for over 3 years, and I will tell you that I will not go back to a normal car audio setup. Having a 150GB drive in your car beats out any media device out there.