Member Since: 11 Sep 2006
Location: Swine Town
Posts: 2330
Advice please - Has anyone used one of these?
My wonderful kids have damn near shredded our existing cheapy DVD player (one of those £90 twin wide-screen units with a separate player), and it can't take any more two-pack adhesives and duck tape, so I'm looking at re-using the screens but replacing the DVD player with a Hard disk Multimedia player.
I want to keep it safe in the top glove box so that SWMBO can control it rather than the kids and keep the peace and protect it from being trodden on/kicked/hit/poked and dismantled .
I've found what looks to be an ideal solution, but I can't find any manual for it as their site comes up with a 404.
This player has a built in text display and front panel controls and looks ideal for the job, but I can't find any information on whether you can truly drive the unit via this front panel text display as opposed to the On Screen Display that it definitely does support.
Has anyone got one so they can give me some guidance on how well it works please?
SumVision Cyclone HDDr. Ian Malcolm:
"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Transgenic tomato anyone?
Member Since: 14 Dec 2008
Location: up that tree
Posts: 4866
that's bizzare..... when i picked up my D3 i found a remote control unit in the cubby hole, not found what it controls but looking at hte picture above it is exactly the same controller....
so if anyone wants that bit then you're more than welcome
15th Mar 2009 1:41 pm
stapldm
Member Since: 11 Sep 2006
Location: Swine Town
Posts: 2330
Fantastic CC! Thanks!
Main site is here; google finds several UK suppliers. Watch out if you dive in though thinking you have a bargain, there are two types - one is player only, one is player/recorder + HDMI + LAN + use of external USB storage as extra source...
edit : I'll get my edit right in a minute 4th time luckyDr. Ian Malcolm:
"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Transgenic tomato anyone?
15th Mar 2009 5:42 pm
stapldm
Member Since: 11 Sep 2006
Location: Swine Town
Posts: 2330
OK, a thorough read of what they laughingly call a manual, and I'm still no further forward.
It states that some things have to be done with the remote as only some functions are available on the front panel. According to that manual, the display on the front is just a power indicator which lights up green when on. Unless my eyes are all out of whack, the display is blue, so I'm assuming the manual is wrong and I'm still clueless (steady!).
Has anyone else any info on this please? AD15, I don't suppose you know who had the car previously?
Thanks!Dr. Ian Malcolm:
"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Transgenic tomato anyone?
16th Mar 2009 12:55 pm
AndyViking
Member Since: 09 Aug 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 269
I use one of these in my AV set up at home and it is awesome! Handles DVDs and Blu-Ray no problem, all HDMI 1.3 etc etc. The dogs danglies in fact. The unit is about the size of a couple of hard drives and has some limited video scaling capacity built in. It also plays music by the way.
If you are into all this, you can very easily build a DVD jukebox on the Popcorn using something like My Lil Movie Jukebox - brilliant software interface.
What inputs can you use for the screens you have - this may make my suggestion absolutely useless of course...D3 - 2008.5MY HSE, Stornaway Grey, RSE etc - all the toys
Grabber AT3s, Smoked Sweeping Side Repeaters
D4 Steering Wheel with BBS boards
IID BT Tool - happy to help with fault codes
16th Mar 2009 3:01 pm
stapldm
Member Since: 11 Sep 2006
Location: Swine Town
Posts: 2330
Thanks AV, that looks interesting indeed.
My initial problem is that the box needs to be in the glovebox but the two (composite) screens are at the back of the headrests. The unit I'm trying to find out about shows a text display on the front along with selection buttons. I'm hoping that the front passenger can select DVDs for the kiddies to watch without requiring a third screen to do so. That's the ideal anyway, but at present it's not looking hopeful.Dr. Ian Malcolm:
"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Transgenic tomato anyone?
16th Mar 2009 5:46 pm
blue meanie D3 Decade
Member Since: 04 Aug 2005
Location: Newbury
Posts: 6861
anything with a HD in it is going to get nice and toasty shut in the glovebox stapldm, are you going to put a fan in the side or something to stop it overheating?and theeeeennn......???
16th Mar 2009 6:14 pm
stapldm
Member Since: 11 Sep 2006
Location: Swine Town
Posts: 2330
Yes BM, was fairly sure that I'd either have to install a Ginsters warming box in there or put a fan at the back/side to draw some air through and keep it healthy. Either that or just cheat and cut into the aircon trunking just after the fan and fit a pipe OK, so maybe not that.
I'm sure I'll have to make a cut-out at the back to let the plugs stick out, so adding in the fan whilst I do that shouldn't be too difficult, at least not compared to finding a suitable HDD player in the first place
I'll also have to figure out how to fit an IR extender in there so that the remote will work even with the lid shut, and make a power supply/video splitter for the two screens. The screens are currently slaved to the DVD player and won't work on their own without some extra circuitry, although they do have an IR receiver in each one so it might be possible to drive the IR extender circuit direct from these.
I'm hoping too there will be just enough room for the drive to be surrounded in some medium density foam to absorb those minor G shocks when you slam down off a boulder. With that extra insulation the internal fan in the drive is a must.Dr. Ian Malcolm:
"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Transgenic tomato anyone?
16th Mar 2009 7:00 pm
AndyViking
Member Since: 09 Aug 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 269
For the third screen, can you not use the spare feeds on the sat nav (assuming you have one)?
On heat, the Popcorn uses a HDD from a computer. You could of course use a solid state drive so no heat...if you can get one big enough and cheap enough?
Silly question, but why no use an ipod? If you look around for the Alpine KCE 425i (do a thread search) this will integrate an ipod with video into the LR system (and can also be extended to the rear screens). Fitted is around £650 all in, which is probably not a lot different from the disk system you are thinking about when all is said and done. If you want to do it DIY, knock about £160 off for labour.
This will allow SWMBO to navigate on the ipod and play video as you wish
Just a thoughtD3 - 2008.5MY HSE, Stornaway Grey, RSE etc - all the toys
Grabber AT3s, Smoked Sweeping Side Repeaters
D4 Steering Wheel with BBS boards
IID BT Tool - happy to help with fault codes
19th Mar 2009 2:49 pm
stapldm
Member Since: 11 Sep 2006
Location: Swine Town
Posts: 2330
AndyViking,
Yes, using sat nav screen as the third is indeed an option although I was really hoping not to have to 753 each time a new video needs selecting.
The iPod isn't a silly option at all, and I am considering it as an alternative approach. Hell I'm even thinking about a Nokia phone with a 16Gb SD card in it as an option; the N95 or 5800 would both make a suitable source as I'm not exactly looking for HD.
Thanks for your thoughts Dr. Ian Malcolm:
"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Transgenic tomato anyone?
19th Mar 2009 9:51 pm
AndyViking
Member Since: 09 Aug 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 269
Hmm, not sure how your sat nav is set up?
As I understand it, if you add the Alpine kit, you get another button on the screen - no need for 753s or the like. It is just like selecting sat nav, 4x4 info etc and then it goes into its own software screen to choose video, music and then genre, artist, album etc.
Pablo has just posted some useful discussion including the user manual on the Alpine KCE 425i - it may make things clearer than I can!D3 - 2008.5MY HSE, Stornaway Grey, RSE etc - all the toys
Grabber AT3s, Smoked Sweeping Side Repeaters
D4 Steering Wheel with BBS boards
IID BT Tool - happy to help with fault codes
20th Mar 2009 4:57 pm
stapldm
Member Since: 11 Sep 2006
Location: Swine Town
Posts: 2330
It's just the plain satnav with no extra interfaces fitted (yet); I have added an RCA socket on a flying lead connected to the back though, so I use the special menu to select a video input when I need one. Fine for occasional use with the wireless camera, but a pain in the to use if changing tracks/videos etc.
I've just read Pablo's post; all good info, thanks Dr. Ian Malcolm:
"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Transgenic tomato anyone?
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4th time lucky
to use if changing tracks/videos etc.
