Ok.....Ive been reading Acurazine about the music link and ipod integration, ive also be reading ipod linux and how the ipod works, serial protocols, hardware etc.... After looking at both enough, i finally got a crazy idea for getting the ipod to do what everyone want. Display song/title/album art on the screen.

My idea is based off the following.....the ipod screen is a LCD. There is video going to that LCD. Our car has a LCD and there are many solutions for routing external video into that lcd. What about taking apart an ipod, and rerouting the screen output that goes to its screen and routing it to our cars lcd. If this could be worked out you could put the ipod away somplace and not see it, and have the "video" screen information show up on the screen. If implemented in conjunction with the "other music link" implemenation that allows for you to use stearing controls and see the screen, the implementation would then be near "perfect".

I know it is possible/feasible. Its just not the "easy" plug and play solution everyone is looking for. I just thought i would throw this idea out there and see if anyone else had considered/expirmented with it.

Cheers everyone, I love this forum!!!

 

It is crazy. Keep reading about serial protocols, video formats, and so on.

 

This seems feasible. How much does the cheapest ipod cost? Maybe I'll look into picking up a test subject and seeing what I can figure out...

 

I doubt the iPod's screen is driven by a video signal. It's probably just a matrix display fed by a display driver. The driver gets data from the CPU via a serial connection, or something similar. No where will you find an analog video signal in an iPod, except those that can output to a TV anyway.

 

Plus the TV output of an iPod is only for viewing photos and videos. The menus and song info does not display on the TV out. I was thinking of installing a Dom's Nav converter just for this, but decided against after I found this out.

jjh1234

 

The Video Ipod is from what i understand a standard lcd screen. I imagine you can take apart and decipher the cables to be attached in one manner or another to another screen. I know the video out wont work for this, i am actually talking about "replacing" the ipod lcd screen with the one in our car.

I will do some more digging on ipod linux to see what they have to say about this.

PS.....there are alot of video ipods with broken or cracked screens that still work for pretty cheap on ebay.....sounds like an ideal candidate!!

 

Yes, but what actually drives that standard LCD screen on the video iPod is not actually analog video, as is needed by the TL's LCD screen.

 

well couldnt we simply use a converter like all of the carputer people are doing? none of their signals are analog?

 

bump.....

 

Since the iPod remote came out, one of the most requested features is the ability to mirror the iPod menus on a TV. I would be shocked if Apple doesn't release an upgrade or a new iPod with this capability, since without it, the remote is pretty much worthless. Also, several other companies are releasing products that enable full navigation of an iPod on a tv. Combining one of these products with a video input to the nav would be a much more feasable solution than trying to decipher the inner workings of the iPod. Plus, you wouldn't have to destroy your iPod to get it to work. This solution would give you album art, track info, the works.

The downside is that navigation would still need to be done via the ipod (or a remote, since the menus would be visible on the screen). However, I haven't found any after market solution that allows me to navigate an iPod anywhere near as efficiently as just using the iPod itself, so that would be more ideal for me anyway.

I've been keeping a close watch on all of the iPod updates, and I will post back if Apple ever decides to allow mirroring of the menus.

 

I have to agree that there is going to be new products/ipods that will have this capability. Check out the ilink at this website . I think it may only show ipod video and not track/title info. I'm not sure though.

 

The signals out of the carputer probably are analog, just like traditional computer monitors have been until only recently. If you're running SVGA, or similar, that's an analog video signal. As the inputs to the TL's screen are RGB analog, you'll need a device that outputs that kind of signal. Most carputers probably do output that.

That said, the iPod probably does not have any kind of video signal driving the display. It's a matrix display with drivers (hardware) designed only to drive the iPod's built-in LCD. I would be very surprised if there is any way to tap into the signal somewhere and derive something that can drive the TL's screen. For all the effort that would require, you're better off just using a carputer anyway.

 

I think this will be a lot easier http://www.dlo.com/products/homedoc_...00542071416458

This product will show all the information on the screen, and it comes with a wireless remote which would the controlling of the ipod a easier too.

 

That's what I've been looking for, but where to put it in the car?

 

The DLO dock doesn't show album art, if that's important to you. If you wait a few months, I would bet there will be a ton of products like this to choose from.

 

The TuneCenter is another option
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/tunecenter/

 

Interesting product:
http://us.gizmodo.com/gadgets/portab...een-155291.php

 

I really hope someone comes out with a solution with a RF remote, this way we can hide the iPod in the glove box or even in the trunk. I think it would be really sweet to finally see the song information on the screen. Plus you can use it to view videos off the iPod too. Right now it seems like the best solution, considering Acura designed the head unit thats not capable of anything, what a dumb move.