Quote:
With the sheer mind power we have in this community, why don't we make like Hugo and create the MKIII?


I'm surprised to find myself disagreeing with you. Is there really a lot that the Empeg doesn't do that this community wants and hasn't figured out a way to make it do? Large colour screen, touch screen, OBD-2, more serial devices, USB2.0 master?

While I would certainly buy a MKIII if it became available, I think a better strategy would be to look at one of the following:

A "smartscreen" - Colour touchscreen, StrongArm processor, some kind of NIC (probably Bluetooth), headphone socket (or better, IR headphone support) and a small flash Linux OS containing a web browser and touchscreen interface. Configured to fetch a pre-determined URL over its NIC (the Empeg web interface). Case designed to fit both in a 2-DIN hole and to be strapped to a headrest. Apart from the hardware and software to support tcp/ip over bluetooth and a web interface that is better suited to to the touchscreen, no changes to the Empeg would be needed. This would also open up the possibility for movies from the Empeg.

Processor upgrade - replace the StrongArm with a socket and daughter card that contains a new StrongArm, USB master and a more generic DSP (to work in combination with the existing DSP). This would require a new HD bay that is only able to take 1 drive (or perhaps could be designed to take two drives with a smaller form factor).

Now, I'm probably wrong about this but my gut feeling is that there are a couple of people on the board who could design the hardware for my first suggestion and a fair number that could write the software using the Arm-Linux kernel as a starting point. There are probably only two people on this BBS that could pull off my second suggestion.

Of course, at some point either the demand for Empegs will exceed the number of working Empegs available or Moores law will apply such that our needs will not be met by the capabilities of the unit. For instance, I took a cursory glance at decoding DAB in software and it isn't immediately obvious whether the Empeg has enough processing power to achieve this.


Edited by mdavey (14/10/2004 07:59)
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Michael
Ex-owner of stolen empeg #030102741