8 Series Car Computer - Where To Fit - Gathering Ideas

    Great to see someone else has done this. Have you had any issues regarding the car PC performance on bumpy roads ? What processor are you using and does it cope with the applications running ok ?


    I have my LinITX 8" screen on order, along with the new fascia for centre console. Once I have these fused together and looking OEM smart then I'll move onto the next stage. I also plan to make a housing that fits neatly into the Ashtray compartment, with a 'jog wheel' aka i-Drive (I will gladly make duplicates if my efforts are deemed worthy). It may turn out that this device removes the need for steering wheel buttons, but that wont stop me wanting a MultiFunction Wheel.


    Also at my disposal from a previous ICE install in my works Van are:
    250W Kenwood Amp
    2x 8" Kenwood Subs
    2x 5" Kenwood Speakers
    500W Power Inverter


    I'll leave the DVD/TV Tuner/ Sunvisor LCDs in the van, and maybe the 5" Speakers too.


    That leaves the purchase of the CarPC + software, connectivity peripherals (wifi/BT/GPS), cabling and ultimately the steering wheel. I will need help on the HVAC and Steering wheel interfacing, but I'll do my level best to contribute in other areas of this project.


    I checked the previous Forum Post of: Alpina B12 No 52
    A member called 'Martin' from Germany has retro fitted an E46 Multifunction wheel on his CSI. It does look better that the M5 ones mentioned earlier, but does need modification of the slip-ring to make it fit. I think some research in the German Wing of clube31 is required for this. He has developed an interface for Cruise Control for completeness. As I dont have this extra that is not an issue, plus it frees up a few buttons for other uses.

    Zitat von TallTony

    I checked the previous Forum Post of: Alpina B12 No 52
    A member called 'Martin' from Germany has retro fitted an E46 Multifunction wheel on his CSI. It does look better that the M5 ones mentioned earlier, but does need modification of the slip-ring to make it fit. I think some research in the German Wing of clube31 is required for this. He has developed an interface for Cruise Control for completeness. As I dont have this extra that is not an issue, plus it frees up a few buttons for other uses.


    That would be really cool if it could be done for a reasonable price. Interestingly the E46 steering wheels tend to be cheaper to buy as there are a lot more of them around.

    Zitat von TallTony

    Also at my disposal from a previous ICE install in my works Van are:
    250W Kenwood Amp
    2x 8" Kenwood Subs
    2x 5" Kenwood Speakers
    500W Power Inverter


    I would be cautious of using an inverter in a car for anything long term, unless the inverter is of exceedingly good quality, or you don't care much about what the inverter is driving. The occasional laptop/phone/camera charge is what I use it for. There are loads of articles on mp3car about the subject.


    Zitat von TallTony

    That leaves the purchase of the CarPC + software, connectivity peripherals (wifi/BT/GPS), cabling and ultimately the steering wheel. I will need help on the HVAC and Steering wheel interfacing, but I'll do my level best to contribute in other areas of this project.


    I'm sure I can help lots with all the HVAC and interfacing, but I'll need lots of help in the mechanics of fitting a new wheel.


    Like Paul said, it's good to know that the wheel from the E46 fits.

    Zitat von TallTony

    A member called 'Martin' from Germany has retro fitted an E46 Multifunction wheel on his CSI. It does look better that the M5 ones mentioned earlier, but does need modification of the slip-ring to make it fit. I think some research in the German Wing of clube31 is required for this. He has developed an interface for Cruise Control for completeness. As I dont have this extra that is not an issue, plus it frees up a few buttons for other uses.


    That's me :lol:
    Look here for a Car-PC Installation (study) in my M70 (1991)
    The document is in german language. :wink:


    http://www.teranet.ch/bmwe31/CarPC.pdf


    and here the steering wheel from an E39



    then the cruise control Interface




    and then the E46 wheel in my 09/1996 CSi



    You have to modify the steering wheel not the slip ring. Her a picture of the mechanical mod (E46 wheel). The Airbag is the original from the CSi.




    The next mod is this one .... 8)
    Oiltemp Oilpressure and Voltage in the MID




    You can start or stop the measure by pressing the button "CHECK" twice.


    Video


    http://www.teranet.ch/bmwe31/Technik/IMGP7378.AVI


    many greetings
    Martin

    Thank you Martin for posting this throughly interesting article. I will have fun translating it, but fortunately in 2007 we have http://www.babelfish :D


    My install is going to be more like the Version 1 stated, and with the screen occupying the top 2 Din Slots. The MID/OBC is to be moved to the lower slot, whilst HVAC will be repostioned elsewhere. The radio is to be sacrificed !


    Thankyou again for the details regarding the e46 steering wheel. This has cleared a few things up regarding fitment.


    I will be documenting and photographing the various stages of this project, and I have a few extras I wish to intergrate into the setup as well - such as an iDrive (clone) input device.


    Best regards


    Tony


    This is very interesting, I purchased a steering wheel like that above to fit to my 840, but gave up because I didn't have the means to make it fit. I knew about the airbag issue, and like you I was going to use my original airbag as my car has the non multifunction version of that steering wheel fitted at the moment.


    How exactly did you perform the modifications to the steering wheel, and how did you connect the multifunction wires which aren't present in the original slip ring?



    This looks like a great mod :) how did you do it, I presume there is some modification required to the computer itself, maybe some reprogramming of the firmware? And the installation of some new sensors?


    Thanks and regards
    Paul.

    Zitat von Martin


    Look here for a Car-PC Installation (study) in my M70 (1991)
    The document is in german language. :wink:


    http://www.teranet.ch/bmwe31/CarPC.pdf


    Just looking through this document, that's an amazing project you have done :shock: 8). I'd very much like to read it but unfortunately I can't understand much German, the pictures tell much of the story though! If anyone ever does an English translation let me know -- I realise it's a fair amount of work for a document of this size so I'm not expecting it to happen any time soon, if at all.


    Regards
    Paul.

    Zitat von Paul_M

    Just looking through this document, that's an amazing project you have done :shock: 8). I'd very much like to read it but unfortunately I can't understand much German, the pictures tell much of the story though!


    I have started translating it one paragraph at a time using http://www.babelfish.com which whilst it has it's limitations makes it just about readable. Some of the technical terms catch it out, but you can get the idea for most of it.


    As for my project. First stage underway in that I have the screen and the new centre console moulding. (an unbelieveably good price of 28 quid from Stealers)


    The moulding is currently set up on the milling machine at work and ready to be modified. Then I will secure the screen up against the rear of the top two DIN slots, removing the seperator and a host of other protrusions from the rear of the moulding.


    The key for me is to make it absolutely OEM, but looking at the it from many angles I really think this can be done. Particularly with the 8" LinITX screen I've bought which seems perfect for this space.


    The more I read up about the car PC thing the more detailed and involved it gets, which is becoming part of the fun already :D

    It will be interesting to watch your progress Tony, as I stated before I thought about this many times but was always scared of botching the job of integrating it into the dash leaving it looking horrible. Glad that others with the knowledge and expertise can now show the rest of us how to do it :).


    Those with the know-how and equipment may wish to consider offering a service to other members, I expect it's the kind of thing that is quite cheap to replicate once the initial costs have been incurred. It would be a good way to spread the cost of the initial design and/or tooling, making it cheaper for everyone. Just something to consider if there is enough interest once it's known what is involved.

    This is why to date I have only bought the new Console moulding, a screen and a genuine 5 series iDrive wheel... to see what kind of a job I can do before moving on to the other necessary bits.


    My car will stay unmolested until I have perfected the fit of the screen, and devised a suitable replacement for the ashtray compartment (:shock: see the sacrifices I'm making here!). As the ashtray simply unscrews from underneath, I see no reason why I can't machine a new fitment (from a solid piece) housing a rotary controller, onto which I will fit the iDrive wheel for added BMWishness.


    If my efforts are deemed to be good enough then I would gladly replicate the work done, perhaps trading in the effort for help with the steering wheel/HVAC issues, or just just out of the goodness of my heart !!


    When the centre console and ashtray/iDrive piece are completed I'll only then consider uprooting things and fitting a suitable PC


    I still think that this one is good enough to run the type of applications I want for my car. Yes it won't be as fast as my desktop, but it will handle mp3, DivX films, Tom Tom, email and phone apps with no problem. As I doubt I'll ever try to do all these things at the same time then I'll be ok :D


    Just it's a pain that I have a busy few days at work ahead, otherwise this project would move a lot faster (all my fettlings occur between 9 & 5 weekdays :lol:)

    I will be documenting my work along the way for sure. it's what it's all about!


    of course one minor detail remains, which is to get an E31! (here's a failed attempt)


    Tony, can you see how the wheel mod has been done from that document?

    As usual Tony - you're ahead of the pack - good work and I'll be following your efforts very closely :)
    Just a thought and again you've beaten me to it - I am also thinking about getting a genuine iDrive wheel, losing the ashtray in my car and making an OEM look instalaltion in place of the ashtray. (I smoke but never in the car). How much was the genuine part from the Stealers?


    :)

    Too bad about the CSi :( Maybe it could have been fixed for reasonable money, but surely the seller would have thought about that first before advertising it. Stupid timewasters. You did right to walk.


    About the steering wheel. I'd need to see an unmodified wheel first before I could tell what's work is required, but as long as it's a case of 'metal off' then I have the facilities to do it here.


    Jason, the iDrive wheel I have is only the metal knob. I still need a rotary controller to fit under it. I have one of the Immersion PR 1000 Haptic controllers one it's way to me from US, but it still needs configuring to a FE application. There are other ones out there like SpaceNavigator and PowerMate, and if I can't get the Haptic one going I'll opt for the one of the others. I want to house the controller in a new case, with just the iDrive wheel on display. Should look good then. As for price.... £5.00 off ebay last week :D I believe the stealers only sell the complete unit (with electronics) for megabucks.

    There's a thread on mp3car where a driver for the Space Navigator was written to work with the Road Runner front end.


    The only thing with the space navigator is that it's spring loaded, and doesn't actually spin freely. It just increases in resistance as you drive it further until it reaches it's limit.


    The driver developed however can already do a lot of things, and it's currently being made to be context sensitive. So that on the radio screen it will have a different function set to the GPS screen say.


    The haptic controller seems superior though. cherrybomb (the guy writing the code for the space navigator) has expressed in the the thread that he's made the code fairly generic. I would imagine it's possible to port the haptic controller to use his code, with a little effort.


    I also think that using Girder, which allows you to detect usb events and map them to functions like key or button presses, it may be possible to get some function quickly from the haptic.

    I have seen that thread over the weekend whilst trawling for more info (my oh my have I have read a lot this week!). I feel 'committed' to having some form of rotary controller, and having read about potential for the haptic I am happy to wait and see what you can come up with for it. I really does seem like a killer piece of hardware, when it tamed and made to behave.


    I am still weeks away from getting to that point of installation, so hopefully in the meantime there will be some movement on the coding.


    In principle Girder seems like a good program (also on my reading list) and I hope to trial that when situation permits.

    I've just got me a CSi!!


    Consider me officially on the wagon now. My screen is out of the E39 and I'm about to order the part you did Tony. I'm not going to do the double hill effect... not for now anyway.

    Zitat von BMPuter

    I've just got me a CSi!!


    Consider me officially on the wagon now. My screen is out of the E39 and I'm about to order the part you did Tony. I'm not going to do the double hill effect... not for now anyway.


    Good Man. Now..... pictures please :D


    Btw, what is a Double Hill efect ? Is it 2 screens ? If so are you going to use the top two DIN slots instead? I am on my way to finishing the first stage of the fascia mods and will post pics in a 'work-log' thread soon, maybe even today if all goes smoothly.

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