Using media player in the car

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dickytim

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Topic # 162218 2-Feb-2015 12:37

Ok, so I have a 10.2 inch drop down screen on its way for my car, what I want to do it set this up to play movies off a media player with a built in harddrive.

I want something like the WDTV Live device, does anyone have a recommendation? I would prefer it if it were natively 12V as this could make the wiring a little easier, will need to have RCA outputs as car audio generally have not caught up to the digital age with HDMI input, well at least Alpine hasn't.

I have found this on PB's website which could be a contender http://www.pbtech.co.nz/index.php?z=p&p=DVANTC0004&name=Noontec-MovieHome-V7IIS-Full-HD-Media-Player--1080

I am really hoping for a device that will house the hard drive, which it doesn't look like this one would.

richms

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Reply # 1227652 2-Feb-2015 12:47

That one takes a desktop hard drive.

But if it takes 12v, it needs 12v, not power from a car which is 10ish up to the high 14's.

Best get something that takes a laptop drive and only needs 5v since that is easy to make from a car, whereas 12v needs a converter that goes up and down which is not available off the shelf as a tablet charger.

Richard rich.ms

dickytim

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Reply # 1230131 3-Feb-2015 06:52

richms: That one takes a desktop hard drive.

But if it takes 12v, it needs 12v, not power from a car which is 10ish up to the high 14's.

Best get something that takes a laptop drive and only needs 5v since that is easy to make from a car, whereas 12v needs a converter that goes up and down which is not available off the shelf as a tablet charger.

Right you are, an inverter may be the way to go, or as you say a 5V device.

frankv

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Reply # 1230340 3-Feb-2015 11:19

Curious why you want a hard drive.... why not a USB stick or SD card?

If it was me, I'd be looking at something like a Raspberry Pi (assuming your screen has an HDMI input).

afe66

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Reply # 1230414 3-Feb-2015 12:16

Isn't there a rule about tv/movies screen can't be visible to the driver?

A.

dickytim

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Reply # 1230418 3-Feb-2015 12:25

frankv: Curious why you want a hard drive.... why not a USB stick or SD card?

If it was me, I'd be looking at something like a Raspberry Pi (assuming your screen has an HDMI input).

Price and no HDMI option to start with.

USB stick is an option but I have spare 1.5TB hard drives at home as I replaced them with 4TB drives recently.

dickytim

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Reply # 1230420 3-Feb-2015 12:26

afe66: Isn't there a rule about tv/movies screen can't be visible to the driver?

A.

100% correct, a drop down screen generally is mounted from the roof where the interior light is and is only visible to rear seat passengers.

My set up is 100% legal with the front screen connected to the handbrake making it not possible for the screen to display input except from the reversing camera when the handbrake is down.

afe66

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Reply # 1230450 3-Feb-2015 12:54

I was just pondering whether the movie/tv in cars was correct.

Seems to be a number of android based radio head units being installed by geekers and I'd imagine the media players can do video too.

A.

dickytim

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Reply # 1230576 3-Feb-2015 14:55

If they can be operated with video when the car is moving they are illegal.

So mounting a tablet as a headunit is illegal.