New Project: Tablet Interface, have some interface questions

[MikeL]

I'm embarking on a new project to interface a tablet into the Camaro. Obviously this has been done but I was wondering how people interface tablets into the cars radio/entertainment system (2010-2011) that don't have the MyLink and such?

Questions:

• What connection do they use to interface? USB? Or different wiring based on the cars stereo?
• How much can you control from a tablet? Just the radio etc? Or could we figure out a way to control windows and more without rewiring the vehicle?

I've assembled a small team of friends; a programmer and a fabricator and some guys who are willing to help figure things out. With that said the programmer has never done work on cars, only actual programming work on computers, he has said he is down for a side project like this. He claims making a UI will be the easy part, actually communicating with the car without knowing the connections will be hardest. He is an experienced programmer with years of experience so I trust him on the PC side of it. Our plan is to use a Windows 8 Surface Pro tablet when they launch so we have the ease of using a full PC essentially for out initial run.

Any help from knowledgable GM techs/or others who have done this kind of work would be great. I'm definitely willing to share progress and help others if we get some viable system going.

[oldfriend]

Are you serious , about hopping that the GM tech/ would jump in to the frying pan , NO FREAKING WAY.

[MikeL]

Originally Posted by oldfriend

Are you serious , about hopping that the GM tech/ would jump in to the frying pan , NO FREAKING WAY.

Well I'm not asking them to say they are a GM Tech or give advice without a huge disclaimer. I'm asking for just some information on how the system works so we can get started.

[liquidsmoke]

If you are really serious about this, and it seems like you are you should head over to mp3car.com. I was really heavy into car pc's starting 10 years ago and I've designed and built a number of car pc's over the years.
Before you do anything, read up on everything you can cuz it sounds like you are about to reinvent the wheel on a lot of this.
You really don't need to bring your own personal programmer onboard, all of the heavy lifting has been done multiple times already.
You can buy a car pc that's pretty much plug and play at this point.

I don't build car pc's anymore I just have my iPad mounted in the car.
So much easier and less of a head ache. Which is the route I would suggest anyone who asked me.

[MikeL]

Originally Posted by liquidsmoke

If you are really serious about this, and it seems like you are you should head over to mp3car.com. I was really heavy into car pc's starting 10 years ago and I've designed and built a number of car pc's over the years.
Before you do anything, read up on everything you can cuz it sounds like you are about to reinvent the wheel on a lot of this.
You really don't need to bring your own personal programmer onboard, all of the heavy lifting has been done multiple times already.
You can buy a car pc that's pretty much plug and play at this point.

I don't build car pc's anymore I just have my iPad mounted in the car.
So much easier and less of a head ache. Which is the route I would suggest anyone who asked me.

Well my goal is to have a touchscreen interface for the car, AKA tablet. I don't want a double-din i want a full on powerful tablet. Believe me I would rather not reinvent the wheel. The guys I have on board have more or less offered their services for fun and as a weekend project, this is by no means an official style project. If I can find a way to interface my Windows Surface Pro Tablet (when they come out and I buy one) I would much rather use pre-existing software and interfacing technology.

Since you have experience (I haven't looked through the website you provided in great detail yet) how did you hook your iPad up? Is it a complex process or just time consuming?