Nexus 7 Install

[dablackgoku1234]

I just finished a Nexus 7 install on my car. I have been searching for a solution that can provide a nice display, navigation, and stream music without having to break my wallet. The navpod was out of the question since it was $400 piece of plastic and did not expose the necessary buttons for the Nexus 7.

I got my inspiration from my friend's new BMW 328i F30, just have a display sticking out of the dash without any cover. Here is the goal I was aiming for:



I had a few extra requirements of my own:

1) the tablet must be easily removable - having a tablet in the beating sun can cook and destroy it. I left my ipod in the sun once and the display exploded. Also, I didn't buy a $200 tablet just for the car; I wanted to take it with me sometimes and be on the go.

2) the tablet must be secured onto the car during hard acceleration and turns

3) the tablet must be charged while secured on the car. I wanted something easy and quick; didn't want to manually plug in the USB cable into the tablet every time I wanted to use it.

4) must play music thru the OEM NSX stereo - this meant buying a Grom Android USB adapter

5) must be a clean look

This meant off the shelf tablet car mounts were out of the question. I test fitted the Nexus and it fit perfectly into the NSX OEM vent. There was a slight gap on the sides but was resolved by putting the Nexus into a case. The OEM clock needed to be removed; no problem, I can set a clock on the Nexus.

Next, how to secure the tablet yet have it easily removable? Magnets. Very strong magnets. http://www.ebay.com/itm/10PCS-25mm-...166?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a741c7106

I went to a local metal shop and bought a 4in x 5in metal plate. Bent it and secured it onto the OEM NSX vent. There are 4 holes at the back of the vent. Just drilled 2 holes into the metal and secured it with a nut and bolt. The NSX vent is plastic and to avoid it cracking, I place a big yet thin washer on the bottom side. The 5 inch wide plate will still expose the 2 screw holes necessary for securing the vent back onto the dash.

There is a sensitive spot on the Nexus that is used to trigger the display via a magnet. That area is the bottom right corner. I used a smaller magnet for that corner. http://dx.com/p/super-strong-rare-earth-re-magnets-15mm-x-1mm-10-pack-10303

How to charge the tablet while it is secured on the car? Conduct electricity through the magnets onto the back cover.

Bolt everything back up and we're good to go. I also bought an android app to automatically turn on and off the Nexus to save battery. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ch.gridvision.ppam.androidautomagic&hl=en

I made 2 conditions:

1) when power is off, turn on airplane mode (turns off wifi), disable GPS, and turn off the screen.
2) when power is on, turn off airplane mode (turn on wifi), enable GPS, and turn on the screen.

Also, for streaming music to the Grom adapter, download https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gromaudio.aalinq&hl=en
For offline GPS support, download NavFree https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navfree.android.OSM.ALL&hl=en
For online GPS support, use Google navigation with live traffic

Here are the final pics:

Total Cost:

Nexus 7 Tablet - $200
Grom Android USB Adapter with HON-92 harness - $100
Magnets - $15 Big ones Small ones
Micro USB right angle cable - $2
Nexus 7 case - $6
Nexus 7 screen protector - $3
Metal Plate - $5
Nuts and bolts from Home Depot - $2
4 brass paper fasteners from Staples - pennies
Automagic android app - $4

Total: less than $350

Next project, rear view camera via USB webcam to the Nexus 7

 

[GQ NSX]

Excellent. I really like the electricity set-up. Do you think one could fab a similar solution using an iPad mini or the like?

 

[NSX3tek]

Very ingenious-thanks for sharing.

 

[dablackgoku1234]

Excellent. I really like the electricity set-up. Do you think one could fab a similar solution using an iPad mini or the like?

The iPad Mini is 1.5mm wider than the Nexus 7 (landscape). It might be a tight fit if you put it in a case. I would suggest test fitting it first if you have the iPad with you. Otherwise, buy and return it if it doesn't fit.

Another thing to note, Grom does not have an adapter for Apple devices. You can use the aux-in but you'll need to route the headphone jacks out as well. Also, you lose the ability to control the device using your OEM stereo; you'll have to reach up to the device to change songs, etc.

 

[Bram]

Wow, Excellent solution.

Bram

 

[vivanshah]

did you consider using the nexus 7 audio dock? the n7 has 4 pins on the side that accept a charge and output audio. you could avoid the unsightly usb plug on the side if you were to make a connection with those pins instead of the magnets at the back.

regardless, looks awesome!

 

[dablackgoku1234]

Unfortunately, the 4 pins on the side of the Nexus 7 provide: ground, audio, audio, power. The Grom adapter requires data transfer, and thus needs to use the USB port. I am in search of a slimmer micro USB plug to replaced the right angle one I am currently using. I agree the current plug is hideous, I have yet to find something smaller.

 

[vivanshah]

Did you not need the 5th usb pin for the Grom adapter to work? (the 5th pin controls usb-host, but I guess the grom doesn't work using usb-otg and instead uses the new jellybean audio streaming functionality?)

 

[EuroBoutique]

Thanks for sharing, it's a bit ghetto and looks so hacked when you remove the NEXUS but it does work.

P.S. Just to give you some constructive criticism, if you are looking for a more finished look, my advice is to build a pod that extends past the rear bracket so you can make it look more finished and OEM. Right now that rear bracket is such an eye-sore. I know you are trying to save money without buying a NAV POD but you can build something out of balsa wood, frame it and bondo/sand it to make it look good. You can even texture it to flow with the OEM dash.

 

[Si Espanol4Yes]

Even a piece of very thin black cloth would help hide the magnets. What you've done here though is very ingenious! I like it.

 

[racer9x]

Awesome, you have done a great job and like others have mention if you work on the cosmetics so it looks OEM/factory, it would be the icing on the cake:smile:

 

[vivanshah]

Problem with covering the magnets is that he's using them to conduct USB power and data. Maybe he can think of a way to hide it while making the contact points as small as possible...

 

[dablackgoku1234]

Thanks for the advice guys. Yes, the bracket with the magnets looks a bit ghetto when the Nexus is taken off. As mentioned already, I am using them to conduct electricity. I'm still brainstorming on how to make the setup cleaner...will update this when I find a solution.

 

[EuroBoutique]

Problem with covering the magnets is that he's using them to conduct USB power and data. Maybe he can think of a way to hide it while making the contact points as small as possible...

Sorry but I'm not a NEXUS user but if he is using the magnets, then why is there a cable plugged into the right side of the unit?

I admit the idea is a very good low cost alternative once he cleans up the overall look. Now if you could motorize it and let it pop up like in the BMW that would be really nice.

 

[dablackgoku1234]

The cable on the right side of the unit is part of the case. It is spliced and attached onto the case and is exposed on the backside as 4 electrical points. Those 4 points correspond to the 4 magnets on the metal bracket. Another USB cable is again spliced and each wire is place on each magnet. Closing the circuit to charge the tablet is a matter of placing the tablet on the bracket and letting the magnets do it's job.

I did manage to find some conductive black paint , but still doesn't address the ghetto cable and ghetto bracket.

 

[EuroBoutique]

Gotcha!

My suggestion is to build a canopy "dome" behind the unit so it will look sorta like a NAV POD rear so it complete hides your metal bracket assembly and just looks like a little bubble pop from the front view.

I built this for a Ford Raptor customer who wanted to conceal his V1 on the dash of his truck. The principle is the same if you can use some imagination but essentially you want to make the bracket and bump disappear but concealing it under a dome canopy. You can build the frame out of wood and then use fiberglass/bondo to do the final shape. I used grill cloth in this install because it was a rectangular shape.

 

[vivanshah]

from the looks of it, the usb port and audio jack are connected by the same ribbon cable. perhaps you could cut an opening in the back case of the N7 and pull the ribbon through that? then mount the usb port somewhere on the back of the case you're using?

you can see the usb port & the ribbon cable here:

above image is from step 10 of ifixit's nexus 7 teardown:
http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nexus+7+Teardown/9623/2

 

[nsxalot]

Sweet, from my nexus in my hand. Lance