Thinking About Replacing The Stereo Head Unit With An Android Tablet

Chythar · Jun 12, 2012

I rarely listen to the radio or play CD's in the car, it's always mp3's from my mp3 player. The player is plugged into a headphone-to-RCA adapter that plugs into the AUX-IN jack in the back of my Pioneer. I'd rather replace the Pioneer with an Android tablet of some sort, which will hold all my mp3's and provide GPS, etc as needed. I've seen several threads for 2005+ Mustangs doing this, but none for SN95's. Anyone else hear of any other SN95's doing this swap?

88stang88 · Jun 13, 2012

No I have not but I think this would be pretty neat to see someone do. I don't know how much fab work you would have to do tho to create a holster for the tablet and some type of charging setup for it as well. Could end up being a pita and more of a mess than what your wanting. I say give it a shot if you have the time to be creative and take alot of pictures! Make sure you do alot of research prior and give it hell!!!

By the way how have you been Matt? How is Cali treating you?

ProKiller · Jun 13, 2012

as long as it can fit in a double din it shouldn't be that hard. make some kind of mount and then it's just wiring it up. good luck!

Chythar · Jun 13, 2012

88stang88 said:
No I have not but I think this would be pretty neat to see someone do. I don't know how much fab work you would have to do tho to create a holster for the tablet and some type of charging setup for it as well. Could end up being a pita and more of a mess than what your wanting. I say give it a shot if you have the time to be creative and take alot of pictures! Make sure you do alot of research prior and give it hell!!!

By the way how have you been Matt? How is Cali treating you?

I'm leaning towards switching the center bezel with an 01-04 unit which has a double-din slot rather than our two offset single-din. I may just put a mount to place the tablet in front of the bezel, so I can remove the tablet easily. We'll see.

Been doing well, not much with the Mustangs other than maintenance. Work's been pretty nice, tho the girlfriend front always needs work. I've always liked SoCal ever since I moved here, I'd have a hard time leaving. It's too bad you moved, though you seem to be doing well out there.

88stang88 · Jun 13, 2012

I have been doing well the stang on the other hand...has seen much better days, took a extremely rough road in the past year. I do miss the atmosphere back there but I do not miss the PRICES of anything.

Chythar · Jun 17, 2012

Some progress. Found the 01-04 double-din bezel on eBay:

The double-din opening is 7 9/16" x 4 1/8". Even if I cover the switches I only get 6 1/2", so I'm going to have to get a 7" tablet as opposed to the 10" ones I've been looking at. The current parts list is:

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7" tablet
Clarion EQS746 1/2 DIN Graphic Equalizer
Hardwire to USB connector
USB charging cable for tablet
Headphone jack to RCA adapter (already have this)

The Clarion will take the place of the radio. Tablets don't put out enough volume so I need an amplifier to boost the headphone signal enough. This is all my Pioneer head unit is doing right now, and the audio quality is excellent. The Clarion has RCA jacks in the back to hook up the RCA adapter I'm already using. I'm going to install the tablet outside the bezel so I can remove it and take it with me. This means I'll have to cut some notches in the bezel for the headphone plug and charging cable.

I'll post again when I decide on a tablet.

Pops Fun · Jun 17, 2012

Following closely... looks like something I would like.. I would make sure your tablet has GPS... That might be a seller for me!!

BlownFiveLiter · Jun 17, 2012

koach did an iPad install in his 2006 a couple years ago. Might give ya some ideas, to get started?

BlackVert · Jun 17, 2012

that will be really cool! go for it!

JordanB21 · Jun 18, 2012

is the double-din a direct fit? I think I've said this before, but I love when people get creative and custom with their interiors.

88stang88 · Jun 18, 2012

How much did you snag the double din for if you don't mind me asking. I have been looking myself lately and prices seem a little high around here.

Chythar · Jun 18, 2012

Pops Fun said:
Following closely... looks like something I would like.. I would make sure your tablet has GPS... That might be a seller for me!!

Yup, GPS is a must for me. You can buy GPS software and maps, or you'll need a cellular signal to get current Google Maps updates. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 has wifi only, but I can use that to link with my cell phone and get Google Maps that way.

Chythar · Jun 18, 2012

JordanB21 said:
is the double-din a direct fit? I think I've said this before, but I love when people get creative and custom with their interiors.

The double-din is a direct fit, but the color of the plastic isn't quite right. I'll be painting it once I've modded the bezel to take the tablet.

Chythar · Jun 18, 2012

88stang88 said:
How much did you snag the double din for if you don't mind me asking. I have been looking myself lately and prices seem a little high around here.

I got it for about $100 of of eBay. LateModelRestoration has the bezel for sale, but it was more expensive AND doesn't have the levers to control how much air blows through the vents. The bezel from eBay came with two switches as well, so if I want to wire them up I can.

88stang88 · Jul 1, 2012

Any progress on this Matt?

Chythar · Jul 3, 2012

Nope, nothing new. I was waiting on the new Google Nexus 7 table to debut last week to see if it would fit - no such luck. I'll be going with a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, just waiting for my next paycheck to buy it and most of the parts I need.

revhead347 · Jul 3, 2012

Not sure if this is any help but I had a friend who put a whole computer into an LT1 camaro. It had everything under the dash and a touch screen double din. The big advantage being that he could run LT1 edit since it used a regular windows operating system.

Kurt

castine917 · Jul 14, 2012

Only other thread anywhere I know of off top of my head of someone trying it.
http://www.moddedmustangs.com/forums/projects/229106-project-tablet.html

Chythar · Jul 27, 2012

Okay, time for an update. Or past time, considering the work was done last weekend. I needed to fill in the double-din slot in the bezel with black plastic, so there wouldn't be a big hole in my dash when the tablet was removed. Time to ask a favor from my friend Steve, who generously helped me back on my Cobra clone project. Photo time!

First photo is in Steve's workshop. One bezel, tablet and some of the plastic already cut. The sheets of metal are from a set of armor Steve is building for an upcoming SCA event.

Next is my friend Steve, cutting plastic on his band saw.

Needed to cut a relief in the side of the bezel for the headphone jack; that's how the tunes will get from the tablet to the amp in the dash.

The plastic sheet has been glued to the back of the bezel, but there's still a final piece to add.

And...complete. One polished black plastic cover. The three holes are for the small magnets I bought to hold the tablet to the dash. They're designed to hold cell phones to the dash of a car, so they shouldn't interfere with the tablet.

The magnets hold on to metal discs you stick to the back of whatever you want to hold in place. I used these, they're a LOT smaller than the Amazon photo implied:

Tetrax Universal Magnets at Amazon

I'm hoping to have time this weekend for the install, but we'll see. I still need to compare the color of the bezel to what I already have installed in my Cobra clone - it looks to be the same color, but might be off anyway.

Chythar · Aug 2, 2012

More progress. The tablet is now attached to the bezel, and I'm on target to install this in my Cobra clone on Saturday. First pic is the bezel with the neodymium magnets installed. Neodymium magnets have a strong yet small magnetic field - they'll hold a metal disc really well, but the magnet won't affect the electronics.

This is the back of the tablet. The discs in the upper corners and bottom middle are what the neodymium magnets hold on to. The "disc" in the lower left is the camera lens.

The tablet is mounted in the bezel in this next pic, sitting at the Android hone screen. The one icon in the lower-left is for the music player. Had to mess with this and the next image in Photoshop; camera flash wiped out the tablet screen, but no flash was too dark. So I brightened everything but the tablet screen.

Last, the media player running and showing an album cover for the mp3 it's playing.

The last step I want to do is replace the rotted foam inside the vents.

Thinking About Replacing The Stereo Head Unit With An Android Tablet

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