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Hmmmm.... Kodi?
06/15/2016 at 22:29 • 0 commentsI have been thinking and rethinking my approach to this project for quite some time. I had always thought about using a Pi for it, as it is what I am used to playing around with, can have Bluetooth/WiFi added, could be hidden in the glove box etc.
While that may still be the long term goal I'm thinking about trying a somewhat different aoproach to get a simple system up and running...
I was was recently updating our media devices at home (one Android box and two Amazon Firesticks); we use Kodi, with the Paradox wizard install. Whilst looking through the builds I noticed that there was now a 'Music Build'. The description said it was tailored for in-car and audio streaming etc.
I stuck it on my phone and had a look at it; it seems great, has plenty of music add-ons, but is dependent on a WiFi connection.
It was at this point I started pondering... What if I use this approach? I could get an old handset, add a beefy microSD card for storing music, set it as a hotspot (to allow other devices to connect to it), and enable Airplay and the web interfaces to allow control from the passengers.
I could even go as far as adding a scheduler app to run Kodi on startup and turn the phone on/off when power is applied to the phone (by the car being started).
Hmmmmm...!
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Pi Zero Airplay Receiver
04/18/2016 at 15:51 • 0 commentsDefinitely a good example to get me started.
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Pi Power: Safe shutdown
03/31/2016 at 16:26 • 0 comments- Power Antenna (yellow wire) - has power when radio is switched on (regardless of ignition state)
- Relay connected between Pi and power source
- Monitor PA to determine state of relay; If power to PA, then close relay (Pi on), otherwise open relay (Pi off).
- Monitoring PA state will allow for a software shutdown to be triggered before opening the relay
So - need to investigate what to use to monitor the state of the power antenna!
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Arduino Controller
03/31/2016 at 16:07 • 2 commentsWhile CAN Bus control for my project is nothing but a pipedream at the moment, I need a way to control my Pi and display feedback.
@Arsenijs has a great project (#pyLCI - Linux Control Interface) that uses a 16x2 screen and a few buttons to command and control the Pi via i2c. Arsenijs has said that it still requires some work, so I have decided to make a simple arduino controller as a stop-gap
Using an Arduino Mega and an lcd/button shield I will make a simple little menu to essentially send serial commands to the Pi; a Python script on the other side will interpret the sent commands and act accordingly. This simple approach should let me get my Pi functioning somehow :-)
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Surely not!
03/31/2016 at 00:59 • 0 commentshttp://m.aliexpress.com/item/32581650373.html
This little fiend exists on Aliexpress. It is a few dollars/pounds, and I can't see any reason why it shouldn't work with a Pi.
I always thought CAN bus communication would be expensive, but if I can get this to work, then it's game on!
Ideally I would like a Beastie that interfaces to the pi via i2c or serial as they are methods that I use most, but beggars can't be choosers at this price!
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Reconnaissance
03/23/2016 at 22:06 • 0 commentsI have added some links under the heading of 'Reference'.
These links are some existing projects that I have found after a bit of digging - both feature the Bluetooth and airplay features I am hoping to conquered, so a great starting point for me.
Then I just need to master how to integrate the CAN bus reading :)
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Head Unit Pinout
03/21/2016 at 12:41 • 0 commentsThis Adaptor is available to do some of what I would like to do with my project.
It connects to the head unit via the changer port too:
A quick google search shows the following Pin out for the back of my head unit, port C being the D Changer port:
I'm assuming the cable I currently use makes use of a ground pin and two of the low level input pins.
It's good to see a 12v pin on the changer port - with a regulator I'll be able to power my pi without needing to route anything on the front, meaning I can have a nice clean install!
There's also some Bus pins and some Remote control pins. Some investigation will be needed to see what i can do with those!
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Initial Plan
03/21/2016 at 12:06 • 0 commentsCurrently in my car I have a cable that gives me an 'AUX' in via the CD Changer port.
The port itself has a variety of pins and, after looking at some diagrams and a tip off on the stack page, it would be great if I could interface the Pi via that port. It opens up all kinds of possibilities; sound from the Pi via the cable I currently have in place, reading of the steering wheel controls, and writing track/folder data to the head unit's display.
For the last two I will need to be able to read/write to the CAN Bus, i believe.
On the Pi side of things i would look to fit the Pi in the glove box, giving a short cable run to the back of the head unit, and no need to modify the car in any way. If i can power the Pi from behind the head unit that would be awesome, otherwise I'd have to run a cable from the 12v lighter via an in-car USB charger.
Software I would aim to have the Pi have several modes; Bluetooth - where devices can connect to it as if it's a Bluetooth speaker, WiFi - where users can stream to it, and local - where it plays files from the Pi itself via a USB stick (automatic mounting preferable).
Until I can fathom the CAN Bus and get controls and the screen utilised I will take a look at using #pyLCS - Linux Control System to provide an interface for my device.
I can't wait to start having a play around with it!