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View Full Version : another US VIM G8 - slim ps2 installed!


WinstonWolf
11-05-2008, 09:02 PM
greetings. i've always been the instant gratification type when it comes to my toys, so when i saw the VIM i had to have it. adrian at no limit sent the 2nd US VIM unit to a forum member, who sold his car before he got it. thus, he sold the unit to me.

i got the VIM and the RCA cables in the mail today (thanks G8V8!) and promptly set about to install everything - the cables hooked up to a slim ps2 that sits on the glove box shelf. i picked a slim ps2 because it's small (about the size of two dvd cases), it's cheap ($75 for a refurb from gamestop), it's sturdy, and it plays games and dvds. to control it, i use an logitec wireless controller that i picked up for $15 used. since it's RF, it goes right through the glove box door. :)

to power the ps2, i ran a car adapter from the center console to the glove box. the connector end of the cord was just a little too big to fit through the slots in the bottom of the console, so i had to do a little drilling.

the whole install took about an hour. the vim was actually the easiest part - you just hook it up to the diagnostic port next to the hood release. i used some glove box removal diagrams i found on the site and g8v8's great writeup on the forum to guide me along.

it wound up being a really clean install. there are no wires showing and you don't even know there's a ps2 in the car without opening the glove box. the picture and sound are pretty good quality for just having RCA cables. overall, i'm really pleased with it. it's going to come in handy on those long trips, or when i go out with my boys and they want to play PS2 in the car. :)

here are the pics:

the ps2
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/8325/dscf0759dy5.th.jpg (http://img262.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0759dy5.jpg)http://img262.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)

the power supply hole:

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/3001/dscf0756uq6.th.jpg (http://img201.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0756uq6.jpg)http://img201.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)

the center console with the felt back in place:
http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/9991/dscf0758ml0.th.jpg (http://img113.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0758ml0.jpg)http://img113.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)

a little madden action:
http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/3963/dscf0760ww4.th.jpg (http://img90.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0760ww4.jpg)http://img90.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)

street fighter 2:
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8452/dscf0771bp6.th.jpg (http://img205.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf0771bp6.jpg)http://img205.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)


thanks go out to ed (g8v8) for making me the cables, jasonsanders1999 for selling me the VIM, and obviously no limit electronics for doing the VIM.
T.Rex
11-05-2008, 09:33 PM
Very, very nice! The PS2 fits in there perfectly. It's so nice to see something more interesting than the stereo & HVAC settings on that screen!

How do you switch into and out of the VIM/PS2 video & audio? Do you just switch to AUX and there it is? What happens if you want to see the outside temperature on the screen and then want to see the PS2 for example?
-Ray-
11-06-2008, 02:54 AM
Nice work.
WinstonWolf
11-06-2008, 04:39 AM
Very, very nice! The PS2 fits in there perfectly. It's so nice to see something more interesting than the stereo & HVAC settings on that screen!

How do you switch into and out of the VIM/PS2 video & audio? Do you just switch to AUX and there it is? What happens if you want to see the outside temperature on the screen and then want to see the PS2 for example?

yeah you just switch to rear aux and it's there. any time you press one of the HVAC buttons, the overlay comes on the screen for a few seconds, and then fades out. i thought it was interesting that the volume for the rear aux and the rest of the radio are different. for instance, you can have the rear aux volume at 20 and when you switch to the front aux or the radio, it will be at 15 if that's where you left it.


Nice work.

thanks dood.
SRG963
11-06-2008, 04:53 AM
Sweet
G8V8
11-06-2008, 04:54 AM
Cool. Glad it all worked out for you. I guess i'm going to need to get one of the VIM programmers.
BlueJacket
11-06-2008, 05:12 AM
Very nice, I have been planing to do the same some day.
T.Rex
11-06-2008, 10:06 PM
yeah you just switch to rear aux and it's there. any time you press one of the HVAC buttons, the overlay comes on the screen for a few seconds, and then fades out. i thought it was interesting that the volume for the rear aux and the rest of the radio are different. for instance, you can have the rear aux volume at 20 and when you switch to the front aux or the radio, it will be at 15 if that's where you left it.

Beautiful! That sounds like the best case scenario for how it could work. So I can still keep my iPod using the front aux? I like the fading in and out of the other screen info also. I think I'll ask Santa for a VIM for my G8!
norm8332
11-07-2008, 06:15 AM
Fine install! This is definitely on my list. Mine will be a PC.
T.Rex
11-07-2008, 12:15 PM
Fine install! This is definitely on my list. Mine will be a PC.

I'm going to use my existing Mac laptop because I really think the constant power cycling on and off, startup/shutdown delays of a desktop computer would be pretty annoying given my relatively short trips. It's something to consider unless you are talking about a laptop PC. Just think in terms of what happens when you shut off your car & how often do you shut off your car and you'll understand what I mean. Maybe some mobile PC vendor has this covered, but I haven't seen it yet. Laptops have batteries and the ability to sleep between uses.
Sarge54
11-09-2008, 10:14 PM
That's awesome!
GRRRR8
11-10-2008, 06:47 AM
I have an extra PS2 slim and might just do this one day.
Cashed
11-20-2008, 11:48 AM
just ordered mine...wife is going to be pissed, but oh well. It was this or a CAI...this toy was too cool to pass up. Plus I have a slim PS2 stashed away in a drawer at home. what better way to use it????

I will let you all know when I install how I like it...
Cashed
11-20-2008, 01:00 PM
Winston,

Because I am a little behind the times on some of the electronic toys...I have a silly question or two or three or...on the power plug that goes from the power source in the glove box to the PS2...how does it plug into the back of the PS2? Is it made specifically for the PS2? Whered you get it?

On the AV cables, how'd you get them to connect to the PS2? A special adapter? Where'd you get it?

Please dont flame me guys...
WinstonWolf
11-20-2008, 07:56 PM
Winston,

Because I am a little behind the times on some of the electronic toys...I have a silly question or two or three or...on the power plug that goes from the power source in the glove box to the PS2...how does it plug into the back of the PS2? Is it made specifically for the PS2? Whered you get it?

On the AV cables, how'd you get them to connect to the PS2? A special adapter? Where'd you get it?

Please dont flame me guys...

no problem dude.

1. here is the power plug: http://www.consoleshop.com/product.php?productid=16280

you might be able to find it cheaper using google shopping or something.

2. i got a slim ps2 at gamestop, and it came with RCA cables. those plugged into the video cable that a forum member - G8V8 (thanks again Ed!) fabricated for me. I think that if you order the unit through the vendor, they will supply the cable to plug into your stereo.

it's pretty easy to do. the most involved part was using a drill to enlarge the hole in the center console to run the power supply. the reason i chose a ps2 is because it's cheap, it's small, and it plays games AND dvds.

what part of DFW do you live in? i'm in richardson.
Cashed
11-21-2008, 06:38 AM
Thanks for the help, man. After I sent that message I realized that the RCA cables are probably female...my slim PS2 has the male RCAs, so I should be good on that.

I really appreciate the help on the power cord.

I live in Springtown...just north of Weatherford, west of Azle.
Bumpin1OHM
11-22-2008, 03:41 AM
does the video input work when the car in motion or only when stopped and parking brake up or something.


edit: yea, way to make a first post eh... ill go back to lurking. *slaps self in forehead*
WinstonWolf
12-03-2008, 07:54 AM
Update: The wife, my son, and I drove from Dallas to San Antonio for the holiday last week and used the VIM all the way down and back. My son (2 years old) watched Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc., the Muppets, etc. the whole trip. The unit worked perfectly, although I'm getting some electro-magnetic interference noise that I'm working on fixing.

On the way back, the ps2 got kinda hot and the fan came on like 5 min from the house, so we just shut it down. This was on a 6 hour trip with a couple stops.
Cashed
12-03-2008, 07:15 PM
Sweet. My power adapter for my PS2 and my VIM kit have both been shipped. Hope to have them both late this week or early next week.
WinstonWolf
12-04-2008, 06:14 AM
let me know how it goes man.