Thread: Tablet Install into P38 dash

OK. Here is a summary of what I did and in order of how I did it. Pic at end which I will update in a few weeks when I tidy it up more and have all the trim back on the car.

The Tablet basically is my source for GPS, Music/Video, Radio (DAB and FM), maybe a reverse camera in the long run, and other typical tablet capabilities.

Tablet
Bought a Nexus 7 32GB Wifi 2013 edition: Good size to fit in the P38 spot where the cubby hole is.

Kernel Change (flashing the tablet)
Installed Timur's Kernel: allows deep sleep (long standby battery life) but still an almost instant turn on when the ignition is turned on. Also allows charging while using an OTG cable which is quite important if you plan on using any usb device on the tablet.

Homescreen customisation
Installed Nova Launcher just because it has a few good gestures to access he menu's and can make the homescreen very bare to start with.

Made a Wallpaper in GIMP that looks just like I want it to look, including fake icons but not the Widgets.

Used an App called Desktop Visualizer to make transparent shortcuts over the top of the wallpaper where I made the fake icons. This way it all looks like however you like it to look.

Used an app called Folder Organizer so I can make shortcuts using the app above but have customised folders open up with that category of apps in it. For instance, GPS shortcut open up a folder view of all the GPS programs I have.

Other Apps
Installed Tasker to automate a few things like a button to bring up the volume from the homescreen as the buttons are behind the dash now and also a button that turns Wifi Hotspot on my phone without having to pull my phone out of my pocket.

Installed Mediamonkey for music app primarily for its good databasing and autoplaylists while utilising wifi syncing of my music ratings and video to all devices including my PC.

Installed GPS programs including Locus for decent offroad maps.

Installed automotive apps like Torque mainly for alarms of things like over temperature etc.

Overlays Pro for my music widget to be overlay when in certain apps like Google Maps or Navigation. Very handy when using other programs and want to quickly change tracks. Also has minimise mode so it's not intrusive.

Installed Tablet Talk to display call and text details on the tablet even though they are actually on my phone (as the tablet is wifi only)

DAB/FM MonkeyBoard Radio Pro, see the hardware section for more details.

Other Hardware
Jaycar 12VDC filter as there ended up being minor whine at 3000rpm and above

OTG cable hub to allow 2 USB devices to be connected to the tablet and also charge at the same time.

USB Dac to give better audio than in built Dac (digital to analog converter) of the tablet. Also hoped this would stop ground hum/whine that seems to come from the alternator when I used the 3.5mm previously. May have been able to fix that other ways but I liked the idea of an external USB Dac anyway.

3.5mm output of the Dac goes to the second input of my aftermarket headunit.

I have tested a "Monkeyboard Pro" DAB/FM radio tuner board. It's in its infancy, but there's an app for this particular development tuner board on Android for FM and DAB radio and is much nicer than the normal apps that use the cheaper tuners. Highly suggest for anyone looking at adding an in dash tablet and would like DAB radio on it.

Charger made using a 12V plug USB device that I pulled apart so the charger runs from the Accessory feed.

Bluetooth OBD II plug to monitor some ECU values

Physical Mods and mounting

Pulled centre dash trim out (the one with the switches) and everything out of it. Pulled the cover off that goes over the HEVAC temp sensor below the clock, that also is the front of the cubby hole. Cut the cubby whole out as far as I could do to the face of the trim.

Placed the tablet in behind to get a sense of how much more needed to be cut. Found the Nexus 7 2013 just fit, well almost perfectly top and bottom as well as from the right to the clock. Found that having the USB port facing to the passenger side (clock side) was best as I needed access to the usb port on the tablet but not necessarily the audio socket (it's that tight).

Trimmed the opening at the top and bottom edges just enough to see the whole screen. Works out pretty good with cutting for this size of tablet. Then trimmed the drivers side of the trim more so the gap between the screen and the trim was balanced each side.

Then used silicon to stick the tablet to the trim and also also acts as a filler so there are no gaps around the edges of the tablet. Made the beads almost square as it looks better than a bead like you see in bathrooms.

I could have kept the clock if I made a right angle micro usb connector with flat ribbon cable as the space would be really tight but decided I didn't need the clock and put a USB input face I made out of thin PVC sheet. This meant I could just plug the OTG cable with no mods to the connector.

Cut the trim that covered the HEVAC temp sensor and cubby hole face so it only covered the HEVAC temp sensor location.

I then spray painted the whole trim using matt black latex spray paint as I figured I peel it all off if I didn't like it or wanted to make more mods.

Before putting back together I had to trim the hard plastic part of the dash a little more than the thickness of the tablet on the drivers side and the bottom part thats above the headunit. Didn't like doing it but have no worry's about structural aspects, not can you see it with the trim back on anyway.

How would I do some things better if I did it again?

I'd just have a normal single din headunit rather than my single din flip out and up touchscreen unit I have. Reason being is that I will only use the headunit for radio, amplifier/volume and reverse camera. And the reverse camera could be hooked up to the tablet if need be. This would allow the headunit to sit further back into the dash as there is no need ot have it sticking out for the screen to fold out. This would look a little tidier I feel. But I am not that worried so sticking with the headunit I have. You could do away with a headunit all together and just run an amplifier, as well as add a radio usb device to the nexus.

I will however be pulling the trim back out again when I do the blend motors and redo the silicon beads much better. Will also repaint the trim again as I know I can do it better next time using the same latex paint, but with more preps before painting.

Why I am happy I did it?

The music ratings and playlists are just so much better. All my digital media is synced and the most I listen to music is in the car so now I can rate and have all the play counts recorded where I listen most. Also wifi sync is great for the in car.

Basically I can make the homescreen look however I want it.

I can add a lot of functions and apps because the Nexus device is fairly good when it comes to development, and Android is just great with flexibility and apps unless you're an Apple fanboy

The device acts like it is designed for a car with the Timur kernel.

I can have GPS, radio and music all working through the car speakers at one time with the music made quieter when the GPS wants to talk.

When my phone rings or gets a message the info will display on the tablet and the sound will go through the stereo like a handsfree. So even though its my phone getting the call or text, it will appear as though its all through the tablet.

Thinking in future I wil utilise the Torque monitoring of coolant temp on the OBD plug and alarm if over temp. Means I need to be listening to it though. Might look into tasker intercepting the alarm and acting visually as well.

Thanks Pete

I've read about the Plastibond brand before but I haven't found it as a rubberised spray paint on the Internet. Is it still available as I think it is similar to Plastidip, which is available even if expensive here?

I found that I could strip the original rubberised paint off the dash on my console/dash using acetone or naptha based solvent but it was a bit 'hot' and affected the plastic mouldings a bit, even when the survived. When I cleaned the mouldings again using one the citrus hand cleaners accepted the bumper paint I was using at that time. At least I didn't need to fill the marks on the old paint.

That paint didn't match the dash texture and colour exactly so I may try the Plastidip to try and rubberised covering that was used during the manufacturing process used on the P38. Strangely I've haven't found any comments about that rubber paint on the P38s as my console was scratched significantly around the switches.

Regarding the dirt sticking to the paint, that's exactly how my car looks and feels but it does come off mine if I use a bit of warm water and mild CT-18 truck wash.

I'll let you know when I pull the console out again and try the different paint. Thanks,

Gary.