I have just been fiddling around to see where the best place to fit the Drive+Play would be. Have a look at this shot:
The display fits perfectly (and I mean perfectly!) into the RH cupholder. Obviously you will lose the use of the cupholder but it strikes me as the most discreet place to put it and should draw less attention from passing scallies who may have designs on your iPod. You can also see the control knob sitting behind the park brake (ignore the wires - they'll go somewhere neat when it's properly installed...)
The only other location I can find is at the RH end of the passenger cubby tray above the top glove box. I'm slightly worried about it fouling the passenger airbag there. Anyone know how it deploys? (I don't want to carry out an empirical test involving a wall at 20 mph...)
Looks great. Thanks for the pictures. The command dial could be mounted on the plastic trim (lifts out easily to allow the wires to be routed inside the console. Much neater. I'm sure you already knew this).
The screen might fit, but how visible is it from the driver's seat? I would worry that I would have to take my eyes too far off the road to see the screen properly, even if it could be read there. I would be tempted to try and mount the display on a PDA mount (look through the archive for a rather neat no-screws mount from NeilR) to the side of the stereo fascia.
Great pics - thanks again. Let us see what the finished mod looks like!
PS does the display unit come out as an anti-theft measure?Discovery 3 tdv6 7 seat Buckingham Blue
Had it since new - sold Jun 17 after 12 years and 214,000 miles
Looks great. Thanks for the pictures. The command dial could be mounted on the plastic trim (lifts out easily to allow the wires to be routed inside the console. Much neater. I'm sure you already knew this).
The screen might fit, but how visible is it from the driver's seat? I would worry that I would have to take my eyes too far off the road to see the screen properly, even if it could be read there. I would be tempted to try and mount the display on a PDA mount (look through the archive for a rather neat no-screws mount from NeilR) to the side of the stereo fascia.
Great pics - thanks again. Let us see what the finished mod looks like!
PS does the display unit come out as an anti-theft measure?
Both the display and the control knob have adjustable mounts and can either be fixed using (supplied) adhesive pads or screwed to a surface. If you use the pads, the cable has to come out as seen in the photo. Using the screw mount, it will go through the mounting block and will be invisible. I intend to screw the control knob to the park brake emergency release cover and route the wire back to the centre console. That way the cover can still come off when/if the park brake jams on.
The display has a small 'ball & jaw' mount that will fit to one of three positions on the back of the unit. You can also invert the video feed if you need to mount it upside down (i.e. from the headlining next to the mirror). In the picture, I have removed the mount and simply sat the screen in the cupholder. I figure that a small hole in the base of the cupholder will allow me to route the cable under the centre console. I take the point about the viewing angle and will try it out in the 'test' position and report back. Unfortunately, the screen isn't easily detachable, hence the idea of sitting it there, out-of-sight to the passing masses.
The only other bit of kit is a small control module (about 4" x 3" x 1") that you mount out of sight. I haven't yet decided where but I want to see if I can get it behind the rear 12v supply panel and Aux socket and then take the power from there (as in Woodman's video mod) and feed the audio to the same point.
All in all, it seems pretty neat. I'm taking it slowly because I have a natural avesion to drilling holes in a 5-day-old £38k car!
I intend to screw the control knob to the park brake emergency release cover and route the wire back to the centre console. That way the cover can still come off when/if the park brake jams on.
All in all, it seems pretty neat. I'm taking it slowly because I have a natural avesion to drilling holes in a 5-day-old £38k car!
I reckon you #should# be able to buy a replacement release cover for a pound or so- and drilling through one of those should be OK! I have a natural aversion to drilling anything in a car (except on my old 90, which was de rigeur for random brackets & mounts all over the place)Discovery 3 tdv6 7 seat Buckingham Blue
Had it since new - sold Jun 17 after 12 years and 214,000 miles
I reckon you #should# be able to buy a replacement release cover for a pound or so- and drilling through one of those should be OK! I have a natural aversion to drilling anything in a car (except on my old 90, which was de rigeur for random brackets & mounts all over the place)
My thinking entirely - I'm not worried about the park brake cover. I'm just taking time to try out possible positions for the display. I'll keep the feedback coming; that way I can have made all the mistakes for you by the time HK get the local stock on sale
Guy, thanks for the picture. I think your concerns about looking away from the windscreen are important - I'd prefer a shelf/dashboard mount and risk the interest it would generate in the crims.
From experience, much of the trim appears to be held in place with spring/friction clips, so it's a 'yank-job' to get cables behind. Would think Woodman has best experience on the centre console; the back on one between the front seats has yielded to my persuasive grip...Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana
Guy, thanks for the picture. I think your concerns about looking away from the windscreen are important - I'd prefer a shelf/dashboard mount and risk the interest it would generate in the crims.
I think the iPod is a bit like the SatNav: you would want to stop to do anything serious to it, but it's OK to carry out basic manoeuvres (like track skip) on the move and just glance at the screen to confirm the new track name etc. Wherever you've got the display mounted, I wouldn't want to start lookig up artists/tracks on the move - that would be as dangerous as sending a text. I've had the Drive+Play screen both in the cupholder location and to the left of the SatNav screen and, frankly, your eyes are off the road to the same degree in both instances. It may also be possible to mount the screen just behind the indicator stalk but that would seem to require more damage (screw holes or nasty adhesive marks) to the dash.
21st Nov 2005 7:16 pm
espri
Member Since: 07 Nov 2005
Location: Tyrol, Austria
Posts: 387
That certainly looks very neat. Where have you tucked the iPod itself? And what further wires do you need to connect to the radio?
The iPod will (eventually) live in the centre console. All you need for the Drive+Play is power (they give you both a cigarette lighter lead and a hard-wired option) and a connection to the Aux socket (not supplied but a standard 3.5mm lead). I'll post more photos as the installation progresses. I'm still musing about the display position, so I may leave that flexible for a while.
21st Nov 2005 11:08 pm
espri
Member Since: 07 Nov 2005
Location: Tyrol, Austria
Posts: 387
Today I received a reply from LR (Germany) to my question about controlling an iPod via steering wheel buttons or the display. Nothing doing just now, they said, as was probably to be expected Oh well, patience is a virtue; I imagine something will appear in a year or two. In the meantime, I expect I will try a solution like Guy's.
Eric
26th Nov 2005 3:36 pm
croyde
Member Since: 17 Aug 2005
Location: SE England
Posts: 459
Some sites are selling the Drive+Play for £150.
Would be interested on how you have run the wires from the iPod to the "Brain" and hence onto the display and controller. Shame us S owners cannot make use of the radio/time display for simplification.
I presume that it all ends up in the Aux port at the rear of the centre console?
I've now mounted the control knob on the park brake panel. I used three short M3 screws and fed the cable through the centre of the supplied base. I then ran it down the side of the centre console and out by the side of the driver's seat. The position of the control knob is ideal. Once you get used to it (about 5 minutes!) you don't need to look at it and it's in exactly the right place if your arm is resting on the armrest or the centre console lid. Have a look:
That's where time and enthusiasm ran out! The 'brain' is currently stuffed under the seat and takes its power from the cigarette lighter on the back of the centre console. That's also where the audio feed goes.
The screen is still in its test position and I've now decided that it's in the best place: the cupholder location was cute, but your eyes are off the road for too long. The screen can be set to dim out after 10 seconds which is the least distracting for night time driving (although it's no brighter when adjusted than the satnav screen). A swift tap on the middle of the control knob will re-light it if you need to check track name etc. Here's the test location - look at that dust!
Also the screen still has its protective plastic on if you are wondering. It tilts round further but the hi-tech glove and reel of insulating tape that are holding it in place have moved slightly! In that location, it doesn't look as if it fouls the airbag when finally mounted. The iPod is in the centre console and the cable feeds through the lid.
The next stage is to tidy it all up: the 'brain' won't fit behind the Aux panel but would go in the place where the second row cupholders live (there's a separate thread on removing that). In reality, I think it will end up in the passenger footwell. I also need to figure out how to remove the centre console 'bin' to drill it to take the iPod cable. Any ideas anyone?
And I meant to add - ease of use and performance are superb. It's worth going throught the hassle of installing it (especially as I've made all the mistakes for you )
29th Nov 2005 1:34 pm
croyde
Member Since: 17 Aug 2005
Location: SE England
Posts: 459
Thanks Guy, much appreciated and don't worry about the dust, the inside of mine looks like I have been driving across Mars.
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Oh well, patience is a virtue; I imagine something will appear in a year or two. In the meantime, I expect I will try a solution like Guy's.
)
