I-BUS interface

[UCrewX5]

Originally Posted by adrian.b

Just out of interest, how do you connect the Ibus interface to the cars electrical system? I presume you have to splice by the looks of it or is there a nice lead you can use?

Also, I understand sort of what this does and you need a mini PC etc but whats the REAL advantage of all this, for all the work involved, what would you use it for the most. Mine already has nav so dont want that, already have 6 disk cd so not too bothered about loads of mp3 although it would be nice, already have TV so dont need that, so not sure what else I can do with a computer in the car.

Connection wise, you would need to tap into the power, ground and i-bus leads. There are several places where you can do this in the vehicle, but the CD changer connection is one of the easiest to access and splice into.

As for what you would use it for, for me the primary attraction was having my music collection available on a hard drive based system that would allow me to scan artists, albums, and songs via the nav screen. I already have the TVonNav system and a DVD player that can display movies on the nav screen, so that wasn't a need of mine. And once the IceLink product came out it satisfied the vast majority of my music needs, so I have all but abandoned my "carputer" project.

Others may have different needs that may drive them to want this.

[adrian.b]

Right, that`s just about what I thought. One thing I was thinking of doing which is similar is to install a computer (small car one) running Windows Media Center (I have two machines in my house already with it), then use the remote control reciever (which has a LONG LONG lead) to control it in the front. I would just feed the composite output from the PC (most new motherboards have a composite out now) and get it in to the system via the AV input of the BMW tuner.

Immediately you`ve got FM radio, TV (twin tuners if you like, or even one HD and two normal in the US), media player, mp3 player, photo display etc and anything else you want to do with a computer. Get a wifi link and you can syncronise it with the home system when youre at home. At home I have all my DVD`s on my server (compressed with DIVX) so I could have all of this in the car too...

Anyway not sure I`d go that far at the moment but I think that`s the way I`d go.

[SuaveX5]

Originally Posted by adrian.b

Just out of interest, how do you connect the Ibus interface to the cars electrical system? I presume you have to splice by the looks of it or is there a nice lead you can use?

Also, I understand sort of what this does and you need a mini PC etc but whats the REAL advantage of all this, for all the work involved, what would you use it for the most. Mine already has nav so dont want that, already have 6 disk cd so not too bothered about loads of mp3 although it would be nice, already have TV so dont need that, so not sure what else I can do with a computer in the car.

Like Jeff said Connection wise, you would need to tap into the power, ground and I-bus leads. There are several places where you can do this in the vehicle, but the CD changer connection is one of the easiest to access, with the interface I have there is not splicing to do.

I was going to use the same setup (TVonNav system and a DVD player that can display movies on the nav screen, IceLink) but it came out to be a bit expensive.

other things you can use it for.

Internet by cell phone and WiFi, so as long as you have signal on your cell you will have internet.

I would like to have a camera on the from and one on the back that you can record

The entire collection of music and movies at a high bit rate so that I can have excellent out put quality.

Another thing is to analyze the I-bus system to be able to write a few codes to modify a few things.

Adding a TV tuner is optional.

I have Nav, but if you didn’t it is a way to add nav.

To me having a computer while on the road is a plus for the type of work I do (keep in mind that this computer does not have to be a mini pc it can be a laptop)

XM radio

In some country you can have software with a hack to see the Speed cameras that they have on the intersections

The you can add a you can add a sensor so that when it detect motion around the car your cameras can start to record and send pics to your home computer or cell phone..


There are lots of things you can do, but I really want it more for Music, videos, movies, the cameras and control it by the bottoms on the nav unit and the steering wheel. And to keep the baby happy with all he cartons in the back sit.

And have it handy for when I need it for a job related function.