Turbo, I am basically trying achieve similar to want you are doing.
- Lost weight without sacrificing much, perhaps gain more.
- Eliminate OEM HU, OEM Amp-Speakers & Sub
- Add Type R delete plate or similar
- Nice set of component speakers, maybe a sub under foot-well
- Good amp to power everything, relatively small
- Auto on/off amp
- Volume knob
- Smartphone
- Phone Clip that look OEM
My questions are:
1) Is the Iphone the best in what I am trying to achieve? What makes your choose the Iphone over like Galaxy S2 for this car task?
My car is OBDI so cannot read car data. I am finally going to give the Iphone a try tomorrow after not wanting one for so long because I am some what a tech geek and like to customize things.(Don't know if that’s a good explanation) As a phone, Iphone does that job really well. And that it has so much support.
2) What Clip is best for the Iphone?
Is the O-Car one the best from your research? I want to locate it right in front of the delete plate, where the radio use to be in my case. Perhap, a custom one?
3) Since my Car is OBDI, that means I cannot benefit from the PLX for engine data correct?
A tablet has certain advantages like a bigger screen, but it isn't a phone. Part of my whole issue was that I won't want to create this whole thing, then have all these cords and holder seperately for my phone. Using your phone is the best to me because that part is already integrated. EAC's concentration is on gauges, so for that purpose being the main purpose, the nav pod gives you the best line of sight and so he is doing a tablet.
I don't think the navpod is a good location however for radio or phone or any other controls as it is out of reach. You have to see what is important and make compromises. You can use the phone down low and have a screen in he navpod show what the phone does with the Oxygen Audio gear as it gives you a video out. In that scenario, the display in the navpod is just a cheap display, not a touchscreen.
I've played with a lot of phones and I know some like android and some like apple, and each has their benefits. I don't want to get into that argument, depends on what things are more important to you. I personally think the best phone now is the 4S.
As for a clip best for the phone, I would say the O'dock. The tomtom clip is good too, but if you turn the phone vertical or horizontal, the wires for audio out turn too. That's a mess. Only the Oxygen Audio lets you turn like that cleanly, and that turning is important as some apps just won't work landscape mode. Also the tomtom clip sends nav data out the speaker built into it, and not the audio out.
I was going to do the same thing you were, blank plate and a clip where the plate is. But the O'car is actually quite light, and having a clip stick out is not very nice looking. I am looking at other locations like the pillar pod. I want a neat look. I think the best thing is to center the O'car, between the top din and bottom din. The sos bracket lets you do this, but you have to deal with the center console. The center console issue is a real pain. If the A pillar looks good, is within reach, and I can blank plate the radio, I will do that and install the O car in my other car.
PLX will easily work on OBDI, if you use seperate sensors. Which is what you want anyway. Things like AFR, AIT, fuel pressure, EGT, Oil temp, etc. are things the OBDII port does not provide at all or only within an NA range or with a delay. There is little USEFUL info that comes from the OBDII port IMO. Most people get it because it looks cool. Oooooh! engine parameters!! LOL.. I don't mean to put such devices down, they can be useful, but just not enough. So you could get a phone, a few sensors and the PLX Kiwi, and get all that gauge info on your phone... or even get a navpod with a monitor, and hookup the video out so you get to see it there.
The other option is to see where EAC gets to with the galaxy tab, use that as a seperate CAMP2 alternative, and use your phone for audio/nav/phone functions.
If you want to go light, get your amp now. JLXD400/4 or 600/6 at half off at crutchfield. If they are out, I have a 400/4 I was going to return I can give you. These have a seperate volume knob capability which will be very handy.
Remote on/off or "auto" on/off is not a big deal. There are solutions for that, don't let that affect your amp choice. The XD400/4 is VERY light. 4.5 pounds. I weighed them all, weights are not listed in specs.
