HQCT stands for High Quality Car Tuner, oh, you mean a simple headunit?!
No, certainly not! However HQCT is build up with standard headunit components so there is a certain degree of compatibility but apart from that there are no more
simularities. HQCT is designed to act as a radio AM/FM receiver/tuner which can be build into cars to replace the standard headunit but only when a PC is installed,
a carPC to be exact. This means that HQCT cannot replace a headunit as a standalone solution,
a PC/MAC is always required. The PC is connected via a USB interface that allows software, running on the PC, to control the module.
Via the program you can switch frequencies, set FM or AM, receive RDS info, seek stations, etc .. the same as you can do with a normal headunit.
What is the advantage then of using a carPC and a seperate module if I can only hear/control radio with it?
The big advantage is when you not only use the carPC for listening to radio but also as
Handsfree kit for your Bluetooth mobile phone
MP3 player for your legally downloaded MP3 files ;-)
GPS positioning system and route planner
Movie player that plays movies on a secondary display for your kids in the backseat
Internet browser when you need to find the opening hours of your favorite restaurant
Picture viewer/backup when you are on holiday with your car and your memory card is full
A CD/DVD burner so that you can give a copy of your holiday pictures to the new couple that you've just met on that wonderfull vacation
OBDII interface when that annoying alarm light is flashing again and you haven't got a clue what is wrong
And above all, the interaction between some of these functionalities. For example when you're playing MP3 files and you receive an incoming call on your mobile.
The software pauses the MP3 player, shows the incoming call number, plays a ringtone that you can choose from any MP3/wave to get your attention that a call is waiting
and asks you if you want to pick up the phone or ignore it.
After the conversation took place, or simply after you ignored the call the MP3 player continues playing and the GPS resumes with spoken directions.
The second main advantage of a carPC is that all these features are installed into 1 box with 1 touchscreen display and 1 speakersystem. Not a PDA that sits on your
windscreen, a seperate carkit installed with no decent interface. An IPOD that is lying arround connected to a crappy FM decoder that plays music with a horrible quality.
A DVD player for your children connected to the sigaret lighter with cables all hanging around the car like if you are driving arround with a telephone pole installed
between the dashboard and the backseat. Have a look at mp3car.com and look at the different installs, I'm sure that you can
find some amazing stuff there.
