Requesting Assistance - on - Android Control of a Laptop via USB

[CAHazard]

My Neo Car Jukebox died (after being kept in the cellar for about 5 years)
replacement cost is 160

I would like to use a small android tablet (oh 6/7 inch screen or so) to control a trunk mounted
laptop that stores audio books and mp3 directories... and to do this via a usb connection into the trunk.

Can anyone advise me as to the unit, and application?
I have the laptop...

of course cost is a factor...


thx,

Chris Hazard
Massachusetts

 

[Mrhelper]

I am not aware of any practical method to do this over USB, but there are several Android RDP apps available that allow you to bring up a Windows console on the tablet. RDP requires IP connectivity between the tablet and the PC. You could configure the Windows laptop as a Wifi AP, and then connect to it from the tablet. I use the Pocket Cloud app (available in Play Store) to access Windows consoles via RDP. There are also a few other RDP apps available in Play Store. If your PC does not support configuration as a WiFi AP, something like the TPLink TL-WR702N may work ($23) when plugged into the PC Ethernet jack. I find that TPLink products have very flexible configuration options, and high quality for the relatively low price.

 

[CAHazard]

Well the USB issue is because the trunk is fairly shielded; but I suppose I could place the laptop under the front or rear seat and go wireless that way I would need some software to handle the inputs and outputs to a Windows based media manager(you know the standard DIR,CHDIR,PLAY,STOP,FF,REV plus a few others) and output the resultsI would not be transferring files per se (just commands to the pc and text results or beeps back to the tablet)the pc would be playing the audio.Any Recommendations? Bare in mind - I am not a very upto date super tekkie or hack... The links on in-car Jukebox projects goes back quite a ways but by todays standardsit seems an android tablet and a small pc would be the best combination. Thanks, Ch

 

[Mrhelper]

This seems like a lot of trouble to merely do something that many relatively low cost MP3 players and tablets can already do right out of the box.

It seems that it may cost less and be more reliable overall if you could leave the PC out of the solution entirely, and use the Android device or an MP3 player for playing the audio, or serving digital media files to a compatible car stereo over USB.

If for some reason you just want to use the PC, you could run the Ethernet cable from the trunk to a WiFi AP mounted under the dash, and then use an RDP client app on the tablet to control any application that you have on the PC. The RDP client gives you the same view of the Windows desktop as you see on the PC monitor screen.

 

[CAHazard]

Well I agree;
but my trips to VA. were 10 hour drives and so my Neo-Car jukebox was a 20GB storage
and I had my selection of music, audio books and movie sound tracks for the 25 odd round trips I made...

That is all gone now a 4-8GB player or USB stick is not going to do it
less I am behind the times?

Plus I need the ability to have voice response to my button pushing
so I am not taking sight off the driving (also a pc function)
I also had that with the Neo-Car.

and last I can rip the laptop out and use it,
while doing car repairs at MIDAS <lol>

but keep going I am listening
I got the laptop, and the android is just $60 or so

Thanks For The Input,

Ca

<they make car mp3 players but not car jukeboxes anymore>
yeah I figure I need about 50GB storage between long distance listening, and working on pet projects.

 

[Mrhelper]

If you shop around you can probably get a 32GB quad core Asus TF300 and a 32GB micro SD card for about $300 total. That seems very close to what you are looking for all in one relatively small package. Once you get that tablet, you'll have a hard time putting it down, and an even harder time Ieaving it down.