XDA In-car holder [Archive] - Thoughts Media Forums

Russ

08-08-2002, 03:31 PM

Perhaps not the perfect in-car holder -but damm close. Get down to Halfords (UK) http://www.halfords.com/shop/item.asp?id=203869. The one shown is expandable and fits onto a Vent. It allows you to just fit the XDA into it securely on maximum extension. I didn't get that one (although I think it's the same as the one I got, which has a flexible arm and windscreen sucker attachment - but I can't find this on the web site.) Mine cost around £14. You can also get them in black - but it's perfect in silver. TIPS: Mount it upside down - you need to allow for the cables ! and it's seems secure enough - even over the bumpier roads (read most roads) in Manchester.
I dismatled mine and removed the flexible arm, un-did the back of the casing and screwed this onto my existing mount. I then re-attahced the front part - fiddly but can be done and heh presto. Smart in-car holder.

I can supply an image if someone wants to know how it looks.

Russ

keithr

08-08-2002, 03:52 PM

I'd like to see a shot of your in car holder. O2 have no accesories at all. Just found this site and forum for XDA. Must be about the first. I'm also in Manchester and thinking of getting a 4X4 for those roads.

Russ

08-09-2002, 06:58 AM

Hi Keith, recommend the 4x4, the suspension on mine is much to hard for the streets of Manchester ! It's like being on a bone shaker. Anyway I will attempt to get a photo today and try and post it to this forum-I'll keep it small. Have you also looked at skins for the media player. I found this hard - because you need something which is really simple whilst driving with big buttons and bright colours. I'm using one called MaveSphere which is pretty good (except for the bright colours!). Regrettably I can't remember where I got it from, but a search in trusty Google should do it.

Russ

keithr

08-11-2002, 12:32 PM

Hi Russ, are you into programming these things? You might be able design your own skins in emmbedded visual basic.
I'm looking for a database program which will let me design forms and queries. There are several data viewing utilities at Handango but they are limited to viewing and modifying records in Access tables.
Cheers

Russ

08-12-2002, 06:25 AM

Sorry, havn't got round to the photo yet - just been too busy. Writing software in EVB (Embedded Visual Basic) isn't that hard although I guess you'd have to be a bit of a programmer. If you just want list type software the Iliums ListPro software is good. If you are after more like Access stuff for the PocketPC (even though it isn't Access) then HanDBase Professional Edition for Pocket PC by DDH Software Inc or SprintDB Pro 1.6c by KaioneSoft look pretty good. Hope this helps, If you want a particlular app let me know - I do write db stuff for the PocketPC in my "spare" time.

Russ

keithr

08-12-2002, 12:02 PM

Thanks Russ, I've done a bit of programming in MSbasic, and MSAccess and VisualBasic so I may be able to handle it. Had a look at the HanDBase freeby and it seemed ok. I'll check out SprintDB.

Russ

08-21-2002, 06:04 AM

:oops: Sorry about the delay for the pics of the in-car holder, but here they are :

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/russell.baldwin/html/pdaincar.html

Had to put them on a web site as I could't figure out how to post pictures here! (I know it's probably really easy but I though if I waited to work it out it would be another week or two I got them up.)

I hope this helps, me, I think it looks pretty good. Note my Maplins connector for the car stereo and my cassette adapter... What do you think ?

Russ

keithr

08-21-2002, 02:51 PM

Hi Russ, I can spot a 928 when I see one 'cos I've got one! Mine's a 4.5ltr 1980 series 1 manual. You are obviously a man of taste. Installation looks great. Still no car charger at O2 in Manchester though.

fk1team

08-22-2002, 03:21 PM

Russ

08-23-2002, 03:35 PM

:D Hi Russ, I can spot a 928 when I see one 'cos I've got one! Mine's a 4.5ltr 1980 series 1 manual. You are obviously a man of taste. Installation looks great. Still no car charger at O2 in Manchester though.

Thank you very much Keith, good to meet another man of such good taste ! Mine's a 928S4 1990 Auto model.

Had the following info from O2 ref accessories (They kept saying dates are not firm and prices exclude VAT):

Sync. Cable - USB £12.99 2HT1B99N Now

Sync. Cable - Serial £12.53 2HT2B99N Now

Serial Cradle £19.99 2HT2B04N Now

USB Cradle £19.99 2HT1B04N Now

Headset Stereo PHF £9.99 2HT1B98N Now

Stylus (3 Pack) £7.99 2HT1PENN Late August

Executive Case (Real Leather) £12.99 2HT1D11N September

Flip Case (Real Leather) £12.99 2HT2D11N Now

Car Power Adapter £19.99 2HT1B54N Late August

Folding Keyboard £69.99 2HT1B95N September

Extended Battery £ 49.99 2HT1B51N Late August

22-pin to DC jack converter £9.99 2HT2D58N Now

Fast Charger Pack (UK) £26.99 2HT2B54N Late September

Fast Charger Pack (EU) £26.99 2HTEB54N Late September

AC adapter with UK/EU/US plug £14.26 2HT1D58N Late September

Hope this helps,
Russ :D

Russ

08-23-2002, 03:42 PM

Just got one of these (the £14.99 one with adjustable stalk - not the cheaper £5.99) this Lunchtime from Halfords, Braehead, Glasgow - works a treat!!

PS - Do u use the Maplins connector for the car stereo to play audio from xda thro' your car stereo??

Yes fk1team ??? I use the connector from Maplins (do you have the part number - it's in another thread in this forum) to plug into the PDA and then plug the lead from a cassette adapter into that. Drop the volume on your PDA to just over 1/2 (more and it begins to distort on mine) and use the volume on your Radio Cassette unit to control the sound. I got my cassette adapter from Dixons I think but I expect you can find them most places - probably even Halfords. Don't foget to unplug it if the phone rings - not whist your driving obviously....

Hope this helps,
Russ
P.S. Do you think we could get Halfords to pay us for all this viral maketing ? ! :lol:

fk1team

08-26-2002, 10:35 AM

A note of caution on using the Halfords holder - I went down a bumpy (full of potholes) road near where I live - and the holder came lose from it's suction pad and my xda fell face first and landed on gearstick/ashtray.......it's OK - no scratches on screen.....but I have now glued the sucker in place to stop this happening again.........

johnwallis

08-28-2002, 02:08 PM

There is a US company that manufacures PDA holders which bolt, suck, clamp etc for vehicles. Primarily for iPAQ, but I seem to remember adjustable.

If anyone wishes, I'll try to find url.

Rgds
John

Russ

08-28-2002, 04:30 PM

It maybe that http://www.arkon.com/ is what you are looking for, but note that Expansys (www.expansys.com) also do some of them.

Russ

fk1team

08-28-2002, 05:59 PM

Russ

08-29-2002, 07:39 AM

I'm gonna take a picture of my in-car holder and post it soon.....

Biggest issue I have when driving is that using built in 'speaker' for conference call it's difficult to hear others as they are so quiet and road noise also means that I have to talk very loudly. Using the headphones it came with are OK but it's difficult to carry them about without damaging them.....

Look forward to the pictures....
For talking and driving using the handsfree kit, it would be cool if you could have a double 2.5 (4 way) adapter. To this you could add the 3.5 adapter to connect to the car stereo and the second to the headphone kit. This would give the best of both world - I think..

However assuming they can hear your ? - you could use the 2.5 to 3.5 adapter and play the sound (them speaking) through the car stereo - and speak using the internal speaker phone mic. Don't know if plugging in this headphone socket will diasble the internal speaker phone for talking though ? It may not as it is a two way not four way plug i.e. it doesn't have the connector for voice or for control i.e. volume or answer a call.

Maybe this will help - although I forsee the problem of feedback depending on where your speakers and XDA are placed.

Russ

fk1team

08-29-2002, 10:56 AM

thanks for the thoughts...

Will have a think about this over the weekend and see if I can come up with a solution.....

The connector is 4 pins so:

A: left audio channel
B: right audio channel
C: voice mic
D: answer button

So in theory it should be possible to:

(A and B) into car stereo so u can hear call over car speakers
(C and D) as they were - I'd probably still use the lapel mic for talking as still not sure that mic on xda is sensitive enough on motorway at high speed to talk into.

So what we need is a splitting adapter for 2.5 to spit (A and B) from (C and D) - will look in Maplins but don't think this will exist......

Am also thinking it's possible (if I'm brave enough) to carefully cut open 2.5 connector (or protective sleeve just above where wires go into 2.5) from hands free kit then get access to 4 wires.

Work out which are (A and B) and solder 3.5 jack/socket onto these wires to connect to tape for car stereo to hear call (may have to physically cut signal to headphones here in case fry xda by drawing too much current). Leave (C and D) on the 2.5 connector for mic and call answer button.

You could then just add a small switch to flick between standard hands free (out of box - A and B goto ear pieces) and modified hands free (A and B goto car stereo).

then again maybe I'll just refrain from using phone while driving......