2020 Camry.

JCsAudio said:
This install is crazy different and good. I’ve never seen anything done like this before. Very interesting to watch!
Click to expand...

Thanks man! My thinking is that anyone who wants to install one of these single board computers can just order the same parts that I am using and they can be confident that everything will work when they get it installed.

For instance, here it the momentary switch with blue LED ring I will be installing on the front of the enclosure to power the VIM3 ON/OFF and into STANDBY:

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/te-connectivity-alcoswitch-switches/AV2210E712Q04/450-2341-ND/6043827View attachment 8644View attachment 8645



Here is a smaller diameter version that will also work:

[url]https://www.digikey.com/products/en/switches/pushbutton-switches/199?k=momentary+switch&k=&pkeyword=momentary+switch&sv=0&pv522=364355&sf=1&FV=69%7C383710%2C130%7C405967%2C183%7C314248%2C-8%7C199%2C66%7C201620&quantity=&ColumnSort=0&page=1&pageSize=25
[/URL]
 
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Started assembly of the core playback system, got the SD card extension installed, the auxiliary fan connected and the IR remote extension ready for attachment to the IR diodes and USB power supply. When the display arrives I'll work out the exact dimensions of the in dash enclosure and lay it up.

For control of the auxiliary fan I'm going to install a hidden on/off toggle switch on a switch panel that I'll make up for energizing/de-energizing system components.
 
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Just bought these to provide strain free connection of the HDMI cable to the LCD and single board computer...a must have for this install.

[h=1]VCE 3-Pack 3D&4K Supported HDMI 270 Degree Male to Female Left Angle Adapter[/h]
 
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This looks great! Where in Canada, if local (GTA), would love to see it in action live (if you agree).
These type of projects always intrigue me!
 
I got the 'pods' finished and drivers dry run installed. I used texture to cover a couple of minor boo boos and then shot black appliance enamel for the finish. I baked the pods in my hot box at 75C for 2 hours to set the enamel and the finish is very hard and scratch resistant, I'm quite happy with how they turned out. Each pod is custom shaped to fit the top of the dash.

Sorry about the manky photos but I could not get my tablet camera to focus properly.

Also of note is my first big mistake on this project, the LCD screen I bought is not a touch screen. A bummer but my own fault for not checking the specs. closely enough. I've started looking for a new one and there are lots of choices so no real damage done. Still having a lot of fun.View attachment 8743View attachment 8744View attachment 8745View attachment 8746View attachment 8747
 
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I fell in with a couple of guys here in Vietnam who are into car aodio. One of them has a great looking VW bug with a rather nice sounding syatem in lt. Sorry for the manky photos but it gives an idea.
 
With the khadas tone board if your using it with its partner board (the vim) does that not give you a coaxial digital output from the other rca socket, surely this would be better than using a d/a converter, then an a/d converter in the dsp, then a d/a converter in the dsp, just have one transformation of the signal form?
 
Yes, I will use the coaxial output on the Tone Board driven by the VIM3 into the miniDSP 6X8. I could drive the DSP directly from the VIM3 but that involved adding so many components, connections and fiddling around that I chose the Spdif output of the Tone Board. If I find any sonic degradation I'll take the Tone Board out of the chain and fiddle things out but having heard the VIM3/Tone Board combo in a home system I'm confident in the configuration I've chosen.
 
I'll be back in Canada in 5 days and after the usual 36 hours of jet lag it's back to my install. After having a look at some higher end head units in Saigon and very much liking the shiny copper finish whilst also considering the faraday cage aspects of the copper enclosure
I've decided to clad my 'head unit' enclosure in copper sheet. The link and photo are for reference only as I found a place here in Vietnam that sells pure copper sheet in various thicknesses for 1/3 the price I'd pay in Canada. Will this effort make a difference in sound quality? Who knows? But I don't think it will hurt and the 'Bling' quality alone is worth it IMO.
https://leeselectronic.com/en/product/10253.html
 
I'm back at it! Got the wire run for the midrange /tweeter pods and finished up the SBC enclosure. Tomorrow I'll start mounting the amplifiers. Photos to follow.
 
It's been a long time since I have posted in this build log, I've been fighting a severe flu that I picked up in S.E. Asia for the past few months and only recently felt good enough to begin posting again and working on my car...but things seem to be on the up and up so I am slowly getting back to it. I had bought an LCD touch screen to control the VIM3 SBC but I've decided to use a Samsung TabA as a wireless head running HiBy Music Player instead. I'm running Android9 on the VIM3 and the HiBy player bypasses the limitations of android music playback.

The tablet came with a USB-C adapter that I will connect to the VIM3 to provide 5volts DC to the tablet so run time and charging are not an issue. The front of the tablet is almost all LCD and is very fast at $199 CDN (146.54 USD). I've been trying out the HiBy player on my old tablet and it's slick. light weight and easy to use.

https://www.hiby.com/znnr/list_47.aspxView attachment 12842
 
Been back at it for a few days. I installed my new sub amplifier and after a bit of struggle it is now working perfectly. I mounted the midrange and tweeter drivers in the dash top enclosures, installed new heavier gauge wire for the midrange, tweeter and made grills for the enclosures, lots of fun and time well spent. I've been humming and hawing about what type of grill material to use so today I went to the Salvation Army thrift store to have a look for something I could repurpose and as luck would have it I found a large Kitchenaid strainer with very good quality mesh. I bought it ($1.99) and took a peek at the electronics section where I found 2.5 metres of fairly heavy gauge many stranded speaker wire ($2.99) which I will use to re-wire my subwoofer and a pair of Liberty interconnects ($2.99). The interconnects are very well made and will go nicely between the DSP and sub amplifier. Car audio doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. Forgot to mention that I'll fancy up the grills, replace that odd midrange screw and paint the screws black to match the grills.

Tomorrow I'll install the new mid-bass amp and I hope start tuning.View attachment 13279View attachment 13280View attachment 13281View attachment 13282View attachment 13283View attachment 13284View attachment 13285View attachment 13286View attachment 13287
 
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Bit of a fly in the ointment, I did a reset on my VIM3 SBC and it died...and I mean died. So I sent it to Khadas in Hong Kong for check out and repair but it takes at least 30 days for small packet mail to get from here to there so for the nonce I'll be using my Kenwood HU. This is a bit of a bummer but that's the way things go sometimes.
 
Today I installed the mid-bass amp and made cloth grills for the dash pods. I'll be using the existing wire runs for the mid-basses which saves a bit of effort. It is too hot here to work outside for a good part of the day so I go at it in the early morning and after about 8PM or so when it has cooled down a bit. Photos tomorrow.

I have learned a lot doing this install but the biggest thing I have learned is be more patient.
 
I had installed the pods on the dash top and starting to tune when my wife announced that she did not like them there and could I install them elsewhere or make them smaller...so meeting her part way I ordered a pair of the 70mm version of the Wavecor 90mm full range I am using. This will allow me to shrink the enclosure by circa 21mm.

The drivers should be here in 10 days or so.

https://solen.ca/products/speakers/...vecor-fr070wa03-70mm-aluminum-cone-fullrange/
 
I'm still waiting for my new Khadas VIM3L single board computer and in the meantime I've been working on the dash top 'speakers and the subwoofer enclosure. Today I got the sub box just about finished, after I glued and screwed the sides and bottom together I laid up some mat with polyester in all the joints and vacuum bagged two layers of mat between the two layers of the baffle for a thickness of 38mm (1.5"). This enclosure is built for stiffness not strength and I would say mission accomplished.

The box looks much better in person than in the photos.View attachment 13619View attachment 13620View attachment 13621View attachment 13622View attachment 13623
 
My VIM3 SBC has disappeared in the mail between here and Hong Kong so I bought a new VIM3L which is more of a specialist media centre device, received it a few days ago and going to start installing it in the car in the next couple of days. I finished the new dash top 'speaker enclosures, the new shape is smaller for the smaller diameter mid range driver compared to the original, as seen in the photo. I made a blue foam shape, covered it in aluminum foil then used mylar as a carrier for the 8 alternating layers of 'glass and carbon cloth which I laid up using polyester...next time I'll stick with epoxy. The little box is ugly but is very stiff and rather bomb proof. Appearance is not important as they will be covered by black grill cloth.View attachment 13672

https://www.khadas.com/vim3lView attachment 13673
 
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