I have been working on a similar setup for over a year, the delay has only really been due to issues with the Mimics X2 module. I finally received the new version yesterday and have it installed but still need to wait for the new firmware before I can get it running.

I imported my V into Australia from Japan so as you can imagine, almost everything in the Nav System is in Japanese. My setup will be a little simpler than the OP's due to the fact that the Japanese versions come with backup and forward facing camera's as standard on the top models.

I'm really just hoping to be able to plug my phone into a socket in the center console whenever I get in and then have the full functionality of the phone via the touch screen. The idea of a dedicated Android (or IOS) stick, does appeal though. Once I upgrade my phone later this year, I might look at using my current SGS2 as a permanent install.

Once I get it all up and running (this week hopefully, but I've been saying that for 12 months) I'll post a video of the whole thing in action. There's plenty of people here in Aus with Japanese imports who will find that this is great solution.

Al

 

In for updates!

I used to have a carputer in my 1999 Nissan Pathfinder to play MP3s (pre-iPod days). It had a 10GB hard drive and basically mimiced the Music Box functionality built into our cars today, but had wifi sync when I pulled into my garage. A super helpful resource at the time were the forums on Mp3car.com: Providing the latest news on in-car entertainment, and a community to connect people. - not sure if they've kept up with the times though, but the site seems to still be live.

Good luck!

 

Project is not dead, but not alive either. I have all of the parts needed except for the MimicsX2 module, which basically turned out to be a scam. Almost no one has gotten their unit, and the seller refuses to refund the pre orders. So I've been waiting since October for the unit and don't know that it will ever ship.

 

That is seriously disappointing in regards to the seller. Hopefully not too many people lost their money on it.

 

did u order from customgadz??
i saw that they said they were gonna catch up on back order soon and was thinking about ordering from them.

any info on customgadz would be grateful

 

I received the unit from Customgadz and have spoken to Dave on the phone on multiple occasions. He has bent over backwards to help me get the thing working a couple of times.

That being said, he is a terrible communicator and you really need to hound him to get anything done. The unit works exactly as described, it did take over one year from payment for me to actually get one though. I think that the issue is that they ended up with WAAAAAY more demand from all over the world than they knew how to handle.

 

Ordered in february, and never received. No answer at my emails or any refund from Dave.
I read on many posts that customgadz frauded a lot of people.
How can you reach Dave? I think is only a scammer

 

Any updates to this? I am interested in doing the same project.

 

Ya I've been waiting a while to, hopefully we get some updates

 

Since you guys are looking for an update, I'll give you the latest.

If you've read through my posts, you'll remember that I was waiting on the MimicsX2 module to ship out, which was supposed to happen at the end of October '12. That did not happen, but I FINALLY did get a refund about two weeks ago. Surprised me actually, because I paid via PayPal, and they would not help me, so in reality, there was no reason he HAD to give my money back, especially after holding it for 10 months. It seems my money may have been a kick-starter type of fund, who knows.

Regardless of that though, the MAIN reason I've stalled out on this project, is the terrible, terrible, terrible screen resolution that our G's have. It's something like 640x480, I dont recall exactly, but its terrible. Terrible enough that when I was doing the mockup testing with my parts, it was depressingly hard to read the text that was being output from Android. Map's looks like trash, my ODBII app looked like trash, it was just a real downer. Could you work with a custom rom to increase the DPI of whats being pushed out from the Android device? Sure, probably, but I don't know if it will help all that much. Maybe my memory is making it worse, in reality I should try again. I still have all the parts, minus the Mimix. That being said, without having the Mimix to send back the touchscreen input, and with having such a crappy screen to start with, I just don't know if it's worth taking all of the time to run the electrical wiring needed to complete this. It would be SO amazing, yes, but I just don't have the drive. I've looked into swapping out the screen, even for the newer 2010 model as I've heard it has better results, but it's not do-able from what I understand.

Sorry to be a long winded downer, but, such is life.

 

Thanks for the update, glad you finally got your money back! To be honest it would be better if we somehow jus found space to install a Nexus 7 or a iPad mini, no having to do all that other work, I have seen it installed on many cars and looks nice but you have to ruin ur oem look and don't know if they make something decent looking to change out console around. At least you gave it a try, thumbs up for all the headache you went through and trying!

 

Honestly, that is the best next step. I think I have an idea too! I took my iPad mini, and shoved it into the small depth of space that is in front of the screen, and it fit! So what I'm thinking, is that you get a slim case for the iPad mini, you fasten a backplate to the back of the iPad mini CASE, and then from there you can build a cage of some kind (wooden to start?) and basically extend stilts that rest against the bezel of the screen. The bezel being the plastic portion around the screen itself. The tricky part here, is how do you make it stay? How about magnets?!?! So you build this little cage, with stilts that rest on the bezel, and you put earth metal magnets on the foot pegs of the stilts that are resting on the bezel. What you would need to do is take out the dash panel, secure some magnets behind that bezel, so that when you insert the cage, it is secured in place by the magnets, and the cage thing is attached to the case! This way, its easily removable, so that you can access the real screen when necessary. You would just put some nice felt or something soft all over the cage itself so it doesn't scuff up your plastic. I don't know if any of you have held earth metal magnets, but they are strong. Really strong. The ones I'm looking at now are 25 lbs of force, and the size of a dime. I'd have to figure out how strong they need to be to hold up the iPad under the force of driving. Maybe 30 lbs?

Am I making sense? Should I make a new thread? lol

 

Yes you are making great sense and a new thread would be AWESOME!

 

this would be awesome!

 

Yeah your ideas sound great, seems like you will find some solution soon, far as Magnets go I totally understand what you mean, and I have access to any iPad accessory you could want (Sell accessories for a living), the only car mounts they make are for headrests for backseat passenger viewing, but I think there are alternatives, I will look around but a magnet idea in the perfect navigation area sounds awesome! Let me know I wanna beta test it lol. I have been considering a windows tablet recently, but android seems to be the talk of the town