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Looking for a PDA for my van.
I recently got a new conversion van and I am thing about putting a mp3/wma player in it.
I saw on the Blaupunkt web site a remote unit that plugs into thier head unit that uses a 1 gig microdrive to store the music.
You just plug the microdrive into a cf adaptor on your desktop to load the songs.
I was thinking I could do sompthing like this cheeper with a PDA.
I can also add the GPS unit that I saw at Radio Shack for $99.00 and have an in car navagation system.
Now for my question.
What would be a good unit to do this with?
Batery life is not an issue as this will be mounted to my dash and wired directly to the car with an adaptor.
I have a Jornada 520 now and am considering taking the back cover off and either modifing it or buliding a new one that will work with a CFII microdrive, but I don't realy want to do that because I won't be taking it out of the car.
I was considering an IPAQ with a CF sleeve but I think it will be too thick for the way I want to mount this to the dog house.
Also do any of the new units have a audio line level output that is not amplified?
Then I could also use this idea for my mobile DJ system.
I have used my 520 with a 128 meg CF for this and it is great but I would like to build a system with 2 pdas instead of my laptop.
It would be so much smaller and lighter.
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I would go with an iPAQ.
Probably a 3900. It's transflective screen would make it easier to see/read.
I recommend an iPAQ because since you will not be lugging it around anywhere or worrying about battery life, you can load it up with sleeves to use PCMCIA cards or CF cards and GPS navigation (Dual CF sleeve jacket for CF micro drive and the other slot for a CF GPS unit, etc).
The 3900's xScale processor should be able to run a GPS program while playing MP3's in the background.
And the screen is nice and large (3.8" diagonal) to view the GPS maps.
However, I am not really certain about things like the ability to play MP3's and do GPS at the same time.
Right now the Pocket PC is really the only PDA that can multitask, and I personally run Windows Media Player in the background while doing things like running Word/Excel, Pocket Internet Explorer with Avantgo, or playing games like Solitaire or Taipei with nary a problem.
However, these programs and tasks are not as CPU intensive as a GPS system and mapping software.
You might want to see if anyone else on these boards who uses GPS has tried running WMP in the background while running their GPS software.
It may bog down the unit or may not function at all.
It would be nice to have a unit that can play hundreds of MP3's from removeable storage OR do GPS navigation.
But it would be better to have a unit that could do Both at the same time.
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I am not realy worried about doing both GPS and MP3's at the same time.
It would be nice but I want to be able to run the audio directions from the GPS software through my stero so I can hear them clearly while I am driveing around in a city that I am not familiar with.
I will be contant if my wife can switch between the nav software and the media player easilly.
She usualy is trying to read a map and doesn't get to look around while she is trying to find where we are going.
On the Ipaq doesn't the CF sleeve make it pretty bulky?
I want something that is going to mount on my dash and not stick out too far.
I have already started designing my custom mount and I am even thinking about flush mounting it in the dash with a pivet point on the sides so I can get to the CF slot.
I am going to put either a serial plug or usb plug under the dash so all I have to is bring out my laptop to update the software.
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The Toshiba e550g has a CF type II slot, and the large 4inch reflective screen would be even better than the 3900 outdoors.
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True, but he would have to swap out the Microdrive and GPS unit every time he wanted to switch between operations.
Not recommended while driving.
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Pretec has announced that it will soon release 1.5 GB, 2 GB, and 3 GB CompactFlash cards.
These will be available next year.
Hmmmm....
Maby I should hold out and wait for a 3 GB CF card and use my old J520 and relpace it with a new one although I know those are going to be expin$ive...
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Quote: :
True, but he would have to swap out the Microdrive and GPS unit every time he wanted to switch between operations.
Not recommended while driving.
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You may want to look at a Audiovox PPC.
They have a built in CF Type II and an SD slot.
Plus they are reasonably priced at around $250 or 300.
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Sorry for my question
But why not bying an lcd monitor for your car (van, whatever) and just connect this to a GPS unit, DVD and everything else (when the anything else can be a PS2, XBOX, TV )
Just a question
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I would concur. Haven't you found some better deals.
You are going to have to buy the GPS, the PDA and the Micro drive.
For the price of a microdrive you can buy an MP3 player and connect via cassette or via wires and have 6GB+ of space.
Then buy a GPS device.
I think you would come out ahead.
L316
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