Using the A5A as a car media center

[ixtroisy]

Hi,

I've bought a couple of LCD headrest screens for my kid, hook them up together and to the car power, with a control box in a compartment of my central console. That's an incredible ammount of cabling, but the good thing is that I could hide most of it under the console and still have my connection easily accessible just in case... and I can output the Archos video to the screen, though with some quality downgrade because I only have RCA video input for the LCDs... Anyway, a BIG success!

A couple of thing are though not too optimal.
- Screens are facing rear, so it's not really practical to set up a movie if you have to go in all the menus with the control pad (Archos in output mode). I was hoping for a way to start and pause the movie before connecting it to my battery dock (for A/V connection as well as battery boost), but when it's pluged I see on the LCDs, that it's back to the home screen, and I have to navigate with several clicks before I get my movie back. Anybody has a clue how to play a movie with a minimal of interactions (ideally just a tap on the Archos for play/pause), once you switch the video output? (note that I had a similar issue once I hooked it to a TV and my cable was too short to properly see the TV screen: controlling the TV from the Archos screen is very annoying then)
- What's the best way to charge the battery dock in a car? The car adapter works for the Archos, but not for the dock. Could it be charged via usb?

[map002]

As far as charging goes, there are plenty of auto A/C adapters which will supply the power and tip type for the battery dock. A look through an auto accessory site should turn up some good candidates for that.

Michael

[ixtroisy]

Yes I guess, but I have already so many chargers (netbook, gps, Archos, USB...) that I was hoping to reuse the USB adapter to recharge the battery dock (it says DC input: 5V). I should work, but has anyone tried it?

[AllenPapapetrou]

Or you can get an DC/AC inverter from Radio Shack and plug in the Battery Dock's PS to it.

Allen

[ixtroisy]

I have one and that would work too; however, I wish to actually sell it because it wastes even more of that precious car space.
I'll give a try with a USB cable.

[gschier]

You could hook up yet a 3rd screen and put it in your steering wheel :P
Umm... If you click into your list of movies and hover over the one you want it should still be in that position when you plug it into the dock am I right? So all you would have to do is push enter. This is assuming your "control pad" is referring to the one that comes with the dvr dock?

[ixtroisy]

No I'm using a battery dock, and I'm refering the Archos itself as a control pad/mouse/pointer... (sensitive black screen), once the output is redirect to the LCD.
So far, even if I start a movie, switching the output also send me back to the home page; I was wondering if there was one way to actually stay in the Archos media center movie play back.

[gschier]

How old is your kid? You can connect a wiimote to the archos for easy navigation so maybe you could teach your kid how to use it if he/she's old enough.

[ixtroisy]

That's actually an interesting idea I'd like to try: no need for an additional Bluetooth device;) Is there a Wiimote app (or PS3 controller app) that could handle that?

[gschier]

Yea, there's a wiimote app available on the Google MarketPlace. It allows you to map each Wiimote button to a button in Android so you could rig it up to be able to control the menus and stuff.

You can take a look at the following topics http://forum.archosfans.com/viewtopic.p ... te#p225640
http://forum.archosfans.com/viewtopic.p ... te#p221488

Let us know if you run into any problems

~Gregory

[ixtroisy]

Hi,

I had an exam and I passed!

So coming back to recharging the battery dock in the car, it won't work with USB. I tried. As for modifying a USB cable with a plug tip, it's probably a bad idea since I believe the battery dock can suck up 1.5 to 2A (might blow my car charger to USB adapter).

Back to square one. Have any of you found a suitable car charger for the battery dock?

73

[map002]

I guess that means all the other suggestions above are still out for you?

Michael