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Thread: Nexus 7 install

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    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    Nexus 7 install

    So, I decided to document my NB2 Nexus 7 install. Found somehow that the 2012 Nexus 7" is almost identical in dimensions with a 2DIN faceplate, so it makes the perfect candidate for an in-car installation. I plan on having all my music in there, as well as GPS and an OBDII reader paired with bluetooth to the tablet for monitoring/logging ECU data.

    Hardware required for the installation:

    Essentials:
    - Nexus 7 (of course). I use the 2012 version, but the 2013 can be used as well.
    - USB OTG Y cable. This is used to simultaneously charge the tablet while allowing USB devices (such as USB sticks) to be used.
    - DC/DC converter (12V to 5V), with an USB output. This is to charge the tablet. Find a decent quality one that provides at least 2A of output current; less is not enough to keep the tablet charged at all times.
    - 3.5 jack to send the sound from the tablet to your amp (will get there in a moment)
    - Ground loop isolator to avoid parasitic noise in your sound signal
    - Some sort of amplifier to drive the speakers. An short-chassis (mechless) aftermarket head unit can be used if pushed behind the tablet. Alternatively, a "barebones" amp can be bought off eBay/Amazon for cheap. Keep in mind that these usually require some form of cooling.
    - ISO harness adaptor

    Nice to have:
    - External USB sound card. The integrated Nexus sound card is not bad, but not great either. For higher quality sound output, an external sound card is recommended
    - USB DVB-T antenna. The Nexus hasn't got an on-board FM receiver, so if you want radio, this is a must
    - External GPS antenna. Some people have found the internal GPS antenna to be weak.
    - OBDII bluetooth reader. This is pretty much self-explainable
    - Matte anti-glare screen protectors. Sun can be too annoying at times.

    Software:
    - Timurs' USB ROM. This is a CyanogenMod based ROM, specifically developed for use in cars. It adds a bunch of great features such as deep sleep on power loss and wake up on power. 2012 version can be downloaded HERE
    - GApps. Timurs' ROM does not come with Google apps pre-installed and for a good reason. I have these disabled most of the time, as they drain the battery rather quickly. However, the app store is nice when setting up your apps. Can be downloaded from HERE
    - Stickmount. A great app to recognize and auto scan all USB drive media once you mount it on the tablet
    - PowerAmp. A really good media player, albeit there are other alternatives out there
    - HERE Maps, my GPS navigation app of choice
    - UCCW app; it allows you to build clickable widgets/hotspots so you can control your tablet from the home screen.

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    Demon I Am (05-23-2016),NCGreasemonkey (05-23-2016),RustRat (05-23-2016),tsingson (05-23-2016)

  3. #2
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    First step was to source an extra radio bezel, as I did not want to cut into mine. The top two clips need to be slightly trimmed with a Dremel as such:



    The tablet fits securely behind the bezel and is "sandwiched" between the bezel and the dash. However, it leaves a small gap on top and bottom as can be seen here:



    I designed two extra trim pieces to be added to the OEM bezel to fill these gaps. These will be 3D printed in ABS and bonded to the OEM bezel, filled and sanded if necessary and finally painted over for an OEM-like installation. STL files for the 3D printer can be found HERE

    Will follow up with pics of every part as well as a detailed installation "guide" as soon as I find some more time!
    Last edited by HarryB; 05-23-2016 at 02:56 PM.

  4. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to HarryB For This Useful Post:

    Agent☣Orange (05-23-2016),kung fu jesus (05-23-2016),NCGreasemonkey (05-23-2016),RustRat (05-23-2016),Stealth97 (05-26-2016)

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    Ninja Messiah kung fu jesus's Avatar
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    Awe. Some!

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    Individual-1 ☚ ☻ ☛ Agent☣Orange's Avatar
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    Good project, man! This is where it's all going anyway. My '16 Civic's infotainment system is basically an Android device (I think). No antiquated CD player either which I love.


    No todo que es oro brilla.

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    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift NCGreasemonkey's Avatar
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    And me about to remove all audio from Noir!

    Sweet post and thanks for the freebie file.

    That is what is so great about this forum. Ying and Yang. Tech and grass-roots. Race beasts and retro. To all! Cheers!
    ... Rick

    Quote Originally Posted by Hammerhead View Post
    ...and don't be like an NCGreasemonkey.
    For the thread on Noir click below
    http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....e-light-Slowly

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    Ninja Messiah kung fu jesus's Avatar
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    I have an iPad mini from last year I've been thinking of doing something similar to.

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    Individual-1 ☚ ☻ ☛ Agent☣Orange's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by NCGreasemonkey View Post
    And me about to remove all audio from Noir!

    Sweet post and thanks for the freebie file.

    That is what is so great about this forum. Ying and Yang. Tech and grass-roots. Race beasts and retro. To all! Cheers!
    Tell me about it. Times have changed since that 25lb., suitcase-sized amp in the trunk and heavy speakers. Nowadays, my Polk MMs are feather light and crank like a concert hall, all with an amp the size of a pack of cigarettes. And I don't even need a head unit anymore with my iPhone serving that duty. Of course, that doesn't work for everybody so an 8oz Nexus head with 100x more computing power than the original Atlas rockets is perfect for tunes, NAV, and OBD.


    No todo que es oro brilla.

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    Demon I Am (05-23-2016),HarryB (05-24-2016),NCGreasemonkey (05-24-2016)

  12. #8
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    Back to this thread to say I have abandoned the Nexus install for now. Primary reason is that I needed bluetooth pairing with my phone for calls and I could not find a nice way to integrate an external mic to my Nexus. Instead, I have purchased a (chinese) Pumpkin 2DIN head unit, which gave me all sorts of headaches until I was happy with it. Printing a custom bezel now, as it leaves some gaps from the OEM bezel. Still miss that clean and simple look of the Nexus though, as well as its' reliability (Pumpkin shuts down due to overheating too often for my liking, working to resolve this as well).

    Most probably I will start a new thread with these adventures for anyone that may be interested. Also, if anyone attempts the tablet install, give me a shout, may be able to assist somehow.

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    Individual-1 ☚ ☻ ☛ Agent☣Orange's Avatar
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    Yes, it’s been awhile and after some experiments it is obvious to me that while a cheap Chinese Android unit has a good price and offers more functionality, they consistently lack the audio quality of dedicated and more expensive units from Kenwood or Alpine probably due to cheap DACs (digital audio converter). My conclusion is that tablets or cheap stereos with tablet innards were never meant to be great audio sources in cars but Google Maps works great on them.


    No todo que es oro brilla.

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    Ninja Messiah kung fu jesus's Avatar
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    Ironic this was bumped, I was looking into this subject on the web last night. Trying to decide if it would work the way I would want it to.

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    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    It is not a bad solution, just not the right for me after all. The chinese HUs offer something that "big names" don't; they are essentially Android tablets with a hard button panel added to them. This means you are free to do whatever your heart desires. Sound performance is not the best, but honestly I cannot notice any difference compared to my old (7yr old) Pioneer unit that was there before. Maybe that's due to the crappy OEM speakers though. Another thing I miss from the Nexus is the screen, was heaps better in terms of quality.

    Makes me wonder why no "big players" make such units though, I would buy a good quality one at a heartbeat

    P.S. Steven (or anyone) let me know if I can be of any help.

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    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here! Satisaii's Avatar
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    I used a bluetooth amplifier with my tablet install. I can connect both the phone and tablet to it and it will switch between the two for phone calls. It has some fancy phone modes that I have not looked into. I think it came with a remote microphone that I did not install. I generally don't answer the phone while driving so I have never tested the phone functions. I wanted a wireless connected amp so I could eliminate a bunch of wiring.

  17. #13
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    This is something I have also considered, but... I would need to take my eyes off the road to switch between the two devices which I do not consider safe. I also do not talk when driving, but I need to be able to pick it up if it is a work-related issue, and being able to to so from the HU is the easiest/safest way IMO.

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    Ninja Messiah kung fu jesus's Avatar
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    The interface has the issues that concern me too. It I wanted to turn down the volume quickly, run navigation AND listen to music at the same time, etc. I would like to run my track apps for timing and data collection too.

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    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
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    For quick volume adjustments you definitely cannot rely to soft buttons; a knob works best. Initial plan was to use a remote one on the small amp, mounted on the cigarette lighter hole. The rest can be accomplished with both a tablet and a standalone Android HU, although as mentioned the ones from the "big names" do not seem so friendly in installing 3rd party apps. TBH, if there was a way to interface my phone through the tablet, I would do it that way. If that's not important to you, guess you would be better off that way, especially if you already own a tablet.

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