What do you use to hold your DAP for in-car use? (UPATED w/PICS, 56k not a good idea!)

[MDX-400]

I saw this thread on the forum recently:

http://www.atraclife.com/forums/index.php?...96&hl=hours

And thought it was an interesting creation...

I was thinking of constructing or buying something to hold my HD3 in my car at first myself...

I looked at a lot of commercially available solutions and found that Belkin Tunedok for the iPod was pretty well suited for me. I think the HD3 is about the same width as an iPod so I think it would probably fit okay in the tunedok and it is rotatable so the HD3 could sit fine horizontally as to see the display properly (so not a problem since it was designed for the vertically oriented iPod).

But then I thought I did not want to give up one of my cupholders and also thought looking down in that area might be a little distracting while driving. I do plan on getting the Connects2 adapter soon (right now I'm using my XA-300 AUX-input adapter, which sounds great actually but offers no display/control); but even then with the interface, navigating on the HD3 itself will still be necessary at times...

Anyway I decided now that I'm going to try to mount my HD3 to my sunvisor and run cabling through the A-pillar. That will let me have the HD3 right on the visor and simply have to flip it down to see/use it. My idea to mount it, so far, is to use some strong velcro affixed to my silicone skin and another peice on the sunvisor's plastic mirror cover. Either that or perhaps a Sony HDCASE1 attached to the visor and simply inserting/removing the HD3 from the case.

However, I'm interested in other ways people have mounted/located their units for car use as perhaps that will give other ideas.

A Future Shop employee suggested I use one of those non slip mat things (which would work okay with the HD3 if a silicone skin is on it), but to that I replied "there is no way the player is going to stay on there with the way I take corners" LOL...

[D-EJ915]

When I used my HD3 on the way to and from school and whatnot, I stuck it sort-of under my right leg so that it was held there but still stuck out. It kept it in the same place (not flying around everywhere) and easy to reach/grab for without looking since it touched my body.

[Richard_p]

i am panning to use a mobile phone holder for my hd5.

[MDX-400]

Anyway I decided now that I'm going to try to mount my HD3 to my sunvisor and run cabling through the A-pillar. That will let me have the HD3 right on the visor and simply have to flip it down to see/use it. My idea to mount it, so far, is to use some strong velcro affixed to my silicone skin and another peice on the sunvisor's plastic mirror cover. Either that or perhaps a Sony HDCASE1 attached to the visor and simply inserting/removing the HD3 from the case.

Well just an update to this^ ... I've run the cabling up through the A-Pillar and permanently installed my XA-300 Aux in adapter in my car (had this thing for years but barely ever used it, and never did a permanent install). If I get enough use out of the HD3 in-car I'll be buying the Connects2 adapter and finding a way/someone to mod the player for permanent line out.

Anyway as for the mounting, I ran into one small snag, lol. Velcro (self-adhesive stuff) won't stick to the silicone that those player skins are made of I was thinking it might have problems doing that and today when I tried it sure enough it comes off as if the backing weren't even peeled off LOL!

So I guess I'm going to have to go down to one strip of (1/2") velcro, instead of two; and, I'm going to have to place it on the player itself, and then cut a hole in the skin to allow the velcro to be exposed. But I'm not going to stick velcro right to the player until I get the blue one (hasn't come in the mail yet) which will be the one I'm going to dedicate to car useage.

But it looks quite nice (just holding it with my hand for positioning) on the sun visor--simply flip the visor down and there's your player. Not in the way at all--no cupholders to take up, no unsightly mounts, no visibly indiciative "I-use-an-MP3-player-in-my-car" wiring or looks... Instead it's quick and easy access to the player just flipping down the visor and it's easy to read and navigate it seems.

Anyway once I have the blue HD3 and get that going, I'll try to take some pics

[xispe]

I use homemade stuff!

http://www.atraclife.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1296

[MDX-400]

I use homemade stuff!

http://www.atraclife.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1296

LOL I linked to that thread in my first post on this one!

Anyway this project has finally ended for me.

It took a while because I had to get a replacement piece of mirror cut for my sunvisor as the old one was broken. I figured that instead of replacing the mirror entirely I'd replace only a fraction of it (1/3rd of it) and then setup the HD3 inside the sunvisor...

Started this procedure, dismatling the entire visor (fabric off, plastic apart, etc.) and dremelling in certain areas to run the cord, etc. I ran into a snag which required me to cut into the flip cover on the visor mirror in order to run the miniplug into the HD3 without putting undue stress on the plug and the phones port on the HD3. So at that point I decided against going inside the sunvisor. With the only visible flaw a slight notch cut in the frame around the mirror under the cover, I "cancelled the project" and installed a full size piece of mirror. All the other cutting was done inside the visor insides, completely not visible after re-assembly. I figured cutting into the cover would look bad and I also realised the cover wouldn't completely close after the installation, leaving it resting on the HD3 if it were inside.

Anyway once that project was cancelled, I went back to my original idea. AUX wire still running up the A-pillar and velcroed the HD3 to the visor cover with the wire visible on the sunvisor where it comes down from the headliner along the visor arm and to the player, but otherwise out-of-sight.

It looks pretty nice and allows for fingertip/eye-view control of the HD3 just by flipping down the sunvisor No additional space taken up in the car whatsoever, and the visor is easily flipped up to hide the HD3 altogether. If I end up using the HD3 enough in-car, it will be on to the purchase of the Connects2 adapter as well as getting around to hardware modding to permanently set the AUX input.

I'm going to try to take some pictures to post up later so ppl can see what I'm talking about... Stay tuned

[MDX-400]

Sorry to resurrect this thread but I never did get around to adding pics as I said I would, oh so long ago.

Anyway long story short I mounted the HD3 to the outside of my mirror cover on my sunvisor (with the help of velco--I know it sounds ghetto but it looks really quite nice IMO). I had it running through my XA-300 Aux Input Adapter but I eventually got the Connects2 interface (thanks to steeluk!) and it works great (I'm gonna submit a somewhat updated but short review of the device in the other section momentarily).

Anyway enough talking, here's the pics (added some of my car interior in general to get a gist of how everything goes together ).

Note the quality of the pictures and quality of photography may not be the greatest they were just some quick snaps I took one day as I thought I should take some, lol. Actually probably the first time I'm posting pics of my own ever!

Connects2 Box & Contents, Model # ASONWHD001 / MSC-01 / AHD-D001 [All the same model]:

Connects2 "Little Silver Box":

Full Left Car View:

Sunvisor (Notes: the other thingy beside the HD3 is a temp readout for OAT; note that the HD3 is playing back the track "Endlessly, She Said" by AFI)

Visor Closeup:

Centre Dash, High; CDX-C7850 w/"AFI" text shown:

Centre Dash, High; CDX-C7850 w/"Endlessly," text shown (remainder must be scrolled):

Centre Dash (Climate & MDX-400 View):

Centre Dash (MDX-400 & Shaker Control View):

Centre Dash (MDX-400 & Shaker Control View):

Well hope those look good! (I noticed some slightly jagged edges after resizing But they still look okay I think).

Car sound setup is as follows, in case anyone was interseted:

Source Gear:

Sony CDX-C7850 mobile ES Head Unit

Sony MDX-400 4-MD Indash Changer (UniLink Slaved, Digitally Connected)

Sony CDX-T60 mobile ES 6-disc CD Changer

Sony CDX-828 mobile ES 10-disc CD Changer (Digitally Connected)

Audio System Accessories:

Blaupunkt CDC-Bridge (Rebadged Sony XA-U40 MCA--makes more than one changer a reality)

Connects2 ASONWHD001 Walkman Integration Adapter

Sony XA-300 Tri-Input Aux-Input Adapter

Soundgate GMSW1 Steering Wheel Controls to Sony Wired Remote Protocol Adapter

Aura Bass Shaker Control Knob

Processing:

Sony mobile ES XDP-210EQ 21-band EQ/DSP (Digital Domain Crossover and Time Alignment)

JVC KS-N60 Electronic 6-Way Crossover (providing bi-amp facilities )

Front Stage:

Focal Polyglass 165V 6.5" Component Set

Subwoofer:

elemental Designs e12a.22 12" Subwoofer, in ported enclosure tuned to approx. 26Hz

Bass "Assist":

Aura AST-2B4 Bass Shaker x2 (1ea. mounted under driver and pax seats)

Amplification:

Aura RPM3004 (85Wx4 RMS @ 13.8V), Biamplifing Focal set

Aura Class-D Digital Bass Shaker Amp (50Wx2 RMS)

Aura RPM3002 (~300Wx1 RMS), Temporary Sub Amp...

Vechicle:

Well let's see who can guess what it is from the interior shots!

[Guest Stuge]

IS HD3 fixed permanently ?Which glue or stiking material have you used to stick it ?

[MDX-400]

IS HD3 fixed permanently ?Which glue or stiking material have you used to stick it ?

It's not permanently fixed, it's held by velcro. Couple peices on the visor, one strip on the back of the HD3. Otherwise I'd never be able to charge it or transfer to it, lol. Two peices on the visor make for more velcro-area for positioning

[bob123_]

I'm interested in how the Connect2 works & functions. What shows up on the Head Deck & how do you access the songs?

[MDX-400]

I'm interested in how the Connect2 works & functions. What shows up on the Head Deck & how do you access the songs?

Review is now here:

http://www.atraclife.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2999