How To Install A 7” Android Tablet & Relocate Your Radio
 

Hopefully this will be a useful guide to installing a 7” Android tablet into a double din fascia. Plus help with the dilemma of what to do with your existing head unit, and maintaining its functionality.

OK, so here is a pic of where this guide should get you to:

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...419_183351.jpg

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...420_132732.jpg


So, why do it?

Well, if you are like me, I like Android but don't want to spend a small fortune on a double din system. I also needed something that's not running the Android equivalent of Windows '95 :-)

What can it do?

It can pretty much do anything your tablet is capable of. Mine has Bluetooth and GPS. This means I can use it as a Sat Nav AND it will run Torque Pro, which means I can monitor engine data from the bluetooth adapter I have in my ODB socket. Its also got all the usual, e-mail, internet and pretty much any app from the Google Play Store.

What did I use to get the tablet working in the car?

First off, I bought a second hand Acer Iconia B1-71A (has GPS & Bluetooth). £40 on Ebay!

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...arter/_121.jpg

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...arter/_122.jpg


To power it from the ignition reliably, I need a 12v to USB power supply, so it was Ebay again for one of these for about £6.

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...carter/_12.jpg

I wired this into the ignition live on my original head unit and the same for the earth.


To get sound from the unit into my Kenwood head unit, I got a cheap 3.5mm jack to jack lead, again from Ebay for £1.75. It needs to be at right angles, so that it does not stick out too far and is less likely to get caught and get damaged.

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...CK_KENABLE.jpg


Finally I got hold of a double din fascia panel for £16 (yes, you guessed it, from Ebay!).

So, now you need to remove the ATC, Switches, Eybrow, and Ashtray / Cup Holder assembly. There are plenty of How Tos on here, so if you need to know how to do this, have a read of them before you do anything further.

I had been toying with doing this install for ages and have a few spare parts (understatement!) I could have a go at, before making a mess of my existing teriror.

I occurred to me that a head unit would fit where the cup holders and power socket are. If you are like me, I don't use the cup holder and I have a power socket in the arm rest.

Here is my first trial with an old head unit.

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...418_133434.jpg

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...418_133500.jpg

To get the radio in, remove the cup holer(s) and you are left with the power socket. This has 2 uprights, which form the 3 compartments. I hacksawed these out carefully, to create one aperture. The cage for the head unit slides in and is a great fit width wise. I used and old piece of plastic (about 3mm) to pack it vertically.

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...418_133547.jpg

You are left with gaps either side, which I covered up with the cup holder fascia plates, trimmed to size and glued into place.

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...418_133601.jpg

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...418_135319.jpg

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...418_174349.jpg


If you wanted to, at this point you can refit the unit into the car, as the wiring will just fit the head unit as before. The infra red LED on my ZT-T is yet to be located permanently, as I have not decided how I want this to look yet but as long as it can be seen by the head unit, your steering wheel controls will work as before.

The double din fascia will have to be cut to take the tablet. It will protrude from the top and bottom of the panel but its not a problem, as there is plenty of room above and its hidden by the eyebrow.

To trim the fascia I used my Dremmel. Make sure you only cut out what you need (this will depend on your tablet but I would not suggest going bigger than a 7” tablet).

I fixed the tablet to the fascia with a bracket I made and some double sided tape.

The fascia fits back and looks like this.

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...9_183257-1.jpg

The fascia plate on the ATC will need trimming to take the part of the tablet the protrudes from the bottom. Again, I did this with a Dremmel. Just be careful not to take too much plastic out.

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...419_183309.jpg

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...419_183319.jpg

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...419_183337.jpg

http://i1165.photobucket.com/albums/...419_183351.jpg

I wanted my tablet to turn on with the ignition and go into standby when I turned it off.

There are a couple of great free apps to help achieve this. I used “AutoSleeper” from the play store and “Condi (previously Mini Tasker)”. The latter allows far more tweaking as to what starts and stops with the power (or lack of). Have a read about this here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...kix.minitasker

I hope you find this how to useful and that it shows you CAN have all this functionality for about £60.

Amazing - good work !

That's very clever indeed

Well done fella

Thanks guys. I like it and it suits my budget :D

Looks superb Dave. Well done. How long did this take you to do? Or rather, how long would it take you to do again, say for a fellow forum member, who, maybe owns a 75 and doesn't live too far away and could supply beer tokens? Hypothetically of course.

"So, why do it?

Well, if you are like me, I like Android but don't want to spend a small fortune on a double din system. I also needed something that's not running the Android equivalent of Windows '95 :-)"

Alas, I did spend a small fortune! :eek:

Sean (aka Radioguy) pull your finger out!!!! Sort the upgrade!!! ;)

Brilliant! Well done Sir! :bowdown:

Hi Mike,

It took a good 2 days mate. I did a fair bit of swearing and my missus was none too please at me playing cars for that long.

The biggest pain in the bum was fitting the headunit back in, but I always struggled even when it was just an ashtray / cup holder, due to the mountain of wires in that area.

Get hold of the bits and I'll have a look at it for you. Difficult to pre-make any bits, as tablets have different dimensions and so on....

Dave

LOL, that is exactly why I went down this route :D

very smart that is. I likey a lot.

always wanted to fit the Google Nexus 7 I have lying about doing not much.
I was only worried about not being able to get to the power button on the side.

Does your's just turn on and off with ignition then ?

If I cold overcome the switch worries, i'd think about this even though I have a DD I really want to use Torque without having to put it on my phone.

Amazing work and thought. A Top post ! :drool4:

I already have a Samsung galaxy tab 2. Would that be any good?