Project idea: using my Netbook as the audio system

[firejackal]

I'm posting my idea here for a future mod I may end up doing in the next few weeks as soon as I buy the parts.
But I'm thinking about using my netbook to control the audio output. I.E. just control playing songs from devices.

The idea I have is simple ... In my '99 Civic SI I will split the existing Front/Rear channel wires (and my subwoofer channel) on the radio conversion kit to three separate stereo jacks. I don't know how well this will work out but this way I should still be able to use my radio and then whatever I hook to the stereo jacks.
Only issue I can see with the stereo plugs is that they have three pins, left channel, right channel, and ground. don't know if this will mess up polarity because I have connect the two channels ground to one ground and also if this would effect my radio.

Next I would have to buy a 4.1 surround usb sound card for my netbook (Asus eeePC 900a) because it only has stereo and mic input and I would have to have all three channels plus line-in.

I'm thinking about mounting the stereo plugs behind the cup holder in that little compartment down there.

But this also introduces another problem, power for my netbook, being a small netbook it doesn't require much juice like my gaming laptop but I will still have to install a hidden DC/AC power inverter. which is a different topic but that will be following another tutorial where the cheap $40 inverter is placed under the driver seat, power plugs and switch are extended to a place where it's convenient.

I can't see any pros behind this with the exception of doing it to just do it. but one reason I have is because I am getting tired of plugging my mp3 player by line-in in the front of my radio unit and want it to be a place where the wire won't get in way of my stick.

For software side I can just use a media player like windows media player, winamp, etc... or I can just write my own (I'm also a programmer as a hobby.)

I'm curious to what other people's comments on this would be or suggestions, so post away.

 

[lowlife9]

don't they sell ipod adapters that plug into the rear of the stereo then you just run the wire through the glove box and keep it in there.

 

[UCCRacing]

Sounds like way to much work for a yield of no results or less quality...

 

[CivicxTree754]

I was looking into carputers. You are pretty much doing the same thing.

 

[cobb2819]

just use an aftermarket processor, like the bitone from audison, the ms-8 from JBL, Arc is releasing one. this will give you an aux in to 8channel output. with this you would run your audio output from the netbook to the processor and use the processor as your EQ, crossover, sub controller, volume controller. if you aren't running aftermarket amps, you could use the built in amp from the MS-8 and send that to your speakers. if you are using aftermarket amps then the processor will control those without needing a 4.1 netbook card or anything like that.

 

[eggyhustles]

You would still need some sort of processing

Not worth it imo

 

[OblivionEK]

This would be cool if you could play flac files through your car's stereo. Like the above mentioned, an external audio processor would be best, especially when pair with a capable net-book.

 

[BonyCatfish]

I can't see any pros behind this with the exception of doing it to just do it. but one reason I have is because I am getting tired of plugging my mp3 player by line-in in the front of my radio unit and want it to be a place where the wire won't get in way of my stick.

Why not just wire a jack up into your glovebox like lowlife said, not an ipod jack, but a simple input jack like the one on the front of your head unit.
Right? Same goal but a ton less work? Unless you get your computer to control more than song selection, I wouldn't do it. Maybe if you had a lighting show or put in a small screen to read from your computer monitor I would understand, but I feel like all that wiring is not worth it, especially considering that those converters aren't always very convenient.

 

[matisgugle]

i was kind of thinking the same thing, but with one of those cheap Android tablets, then fashioning it into a spot where the climate controls and stereo go, to have a convenient touch screen. i dunno. just an idea i had while shopping at best buy during the holiday s

 

[firejackal]

@cobb2819 and eggyhustles, why would a processing unit be needed?

The whole point of this would be a DIY thing, technically I could just as easily buy a new car stereo unit, because my current one has ipod connector but parts of the unit got fried. So since I'm hard up for money it would be cheaper to just splice off jack connectors to an external sound device like my netbook for an example.

@matisgugle, that would be an interesting idea, only issue is having audio out on it for surround sound (unless you split the line-out to all three channels) but if you was going to use it just for a computer to play with in the car make sure you have a lid or something to cover over it for no one sees and tries to steal it. but that would probably be a cheaper solution then buying a netbook, then buying a touch screen and then installing the touch screen on the netbook.

 

[cobb2819]

a real processor would be the best way to feed signal to the amps. i don't think your netbook will have the voltage out or clean enough signal to run straight to the amps.

 

[eggyhustles]

Not to mention the dac in the netbook is a pos

 

[cobb2819]

Not to mention the dac in the netbook is a pos

good call.