Installing a PS2, need some help!

[Vandakeg]

I have a PS2 I no longer use, and want to put it in the H3. I want as clean of an install as possible, and I think I have everything I need.
Now I just need to know how I should go about setting everything up.

I have the Dual DVD Headrests (dealer option) and am planning on hooking up the PS2 to Monitor A (Driver's side).

I went out and bought a 350 watt inverter. To power the inverter, I want to tap into some sort of aux. power wire so it will turn on and off w/ the vehicle. Does anyone know where the best wire to splice into would be? I should be able to ground the inverter right to the frame, unless someone tells me thats a bad idea.

The only other problem I'm having is.. where should I mount the PS2?? I'm thinking under one of the front seats is the only option. I do not need access to the cd tray (I have a hard drive installed, and all of the games can be played off that)... but I do need access to the power button.

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!

[deicustoms1]

You will want to use a relay to power the inverter. Run a wire from the positive battery terminal, fused within 6". Run a wire from the negative terminal. Connect those to an automotive 30amp relay, tap into the acc wire in the ignition harness and hook that to the relay. Then run 2 wires from the relay to the inverter, + and -. Keep the inverters button switched to on, and the PS2 will be on when you want it.

If you are just going to use them for the backseat, hiding the unit under the seat would make sense. You might want to see if it will fit in one of the storage bins in the back, that could be neat.

A trick for the power button is, rig it so the button is always pushed in. If you push the button in you might be able to put something like fishing line in there to keep it depressed. If you want it to be neater for some reason, open it up and connect some wires.

If you don't always want it on when the car is on, install a switch between the acc wire and the relay. So you can just flip the switch and the relay wont be energized, and won't give the inverter power.

Another thing to think about would be a video distributer, so you can have the ps2 display on both monitors, or more at the same time.

And to go a little more custom, you could extend the wires of the controller ports and buttons, and mount them in the back of the center console, so the rear seat people have direct access.

[deicustoms1]

It's really pretty simple, just gotta find places to run the wires...

Here is some pictures of my xbox installed in my last car, maybe it will give you some ideas.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2074800/3

[Vandakeg]

Thanks DEI! As far as video distribution goes, that's already taken care of. I can set the input for Monitor B as Monitor A, which will display the PS2 on both monitors. I also already have wireless controllers, which I will be mounting via velcro to the back of the center console.

Where should I mount the relay? Does it matter? I bought a spool of 12 gauge wire, is that large enough?

I thought about mounting the PS2 in one of the rear cargo compartments, but I really have no idea how I would get the PS2 to power on w/ the vehicle, it's just a push button power. If the button is constantly pushed, the system will reset.

[deicustoms1]

I used 10 gauge wire, it would depend on your inverter. It should say in the manual a minimum gauage for direct hook-up.

A good place to mount the relay is under the driver side dash, you have access to the acc wire and grommet to get into the engine bay. I would suggest putting the inverter under a seat.

It's been awhile since I've had a PS2, didn't know it resets when you hold the power button on. The best way to turn it on/off would still be the switch in the acc wire mounted on the dash or back of the center console. But you will have to find out how to keep the power always on...

Does the PS2 have a function to automatically turn back on after power failure? What happens if you hold in the eject button? What happens if you hold in both the power and eject buttons? There has to be something that will make the switch always pressed so when you put power to it it turns on.

If you can't figure that out, you could always solder some extension wires to the power button circuit board and run them to the backseat console or dash.

One tip about stashing the PS2 under the seats-

I installed the radio body for a amateur transceiver under my drivers seat. This radio generates a fair amount of heat by itself so I covered the heater ducting that runs under the drivers seat with real duct tape. Not the grey flexible crap, real aluminum duct tape.

If I wouldnt have, the radio would surely have overheated if I was running it and had my heater cranked up.

If you don't live in a cold area, no worries. As I'm in Colorado this had to be done. Just a heads up.

[Vandakeg]

That's a great tip, thanks K9!

DEI - I got a 30 amp relay from Napa today, and I'm trying to make sense of what wire connects to what prong on the relay.

The relay I have has 5 connectors. They are all numbered:
+86
-85
87
87
30

I did a search online to try and find some sort of guide, but came up empty. Do you know what goes where? Also, how do I get to the Ignition wire that I want? Which one is it, and what do I need to take off to find it?

Thanks again for the help!

[deicustoms1]

It's been a long time since I wired it up and this is a little simpler than I needed, but this should work...

86 - acc wire
87 - +12v constant
85 - ground
30 - +12v to inverter
87a - not in use

The acc wire is white/red to brown in the ignition harness. Under the steering column, its a thin gauge wire, and is white/red from the key to the plug, then brown after the plug. Tap into that wire, put in a master switch if you want the option to turn it off while the car is on.

[Vandakeg]

That is great help DEI! THANKS! Does it matter where I ground the wire from terminal 85?

I have a red and black DC power input for the inverter, if I run just the terminal 30 from the relay to the +12v input on the converter, do I then just ground the black input connection on the inverter?

[deicustoms1]

Run a cable from the negative battery terminal to the black input on the inverter.

It doesn't really matter where you ground it, as long as it's metal.


Whats the inverter specs? And if you have one of those portable battery jumpers, you can test out most of the connections and see what it does before you put it in the truck if you want.

[LostOne]

I installed a thin ps2 under the passenger seat and installed a AC to DC inverter in the engine department and used a spare fuse slot that turns off with the H3.

For now I am just using the RCA cables pluged into the Headrest TVs (works fine but does not look clean). Is there a place to splice them under the seat somewhere?

[Vandakeg]

I called Invision, and asked them if there was any way to connect stuff to the monitors w/o using the jacks on the front. I was told there was no way, but I have yet to actually find the video swither to actually look myself.

I was told, however, that they will soon be releasing the tv tuner for our system, which may include more inputs.

I still haven't gotten around to installing the PS2, I have everything I need.. I just have to find the time to do it. I'm not going to use the slim ps2, b/c I am using a program called HD-Loader, which allows you to store all your games on a Hard Drive... so there's no need for switching discs. So I'm trying to figure out how to mount it in the back, but still be able to turn it on and off from the back seats...

[kodiakz]

We installed a few invision systems for a dealer last week. The control module is a small black plastic box (3" x 4" x 1") and does not have any other aux inputs on it. The plugs that fit into the box are small molex type plugs.

If you want to get the games in your truck, get a modded xbox (chip, jumbo hdd) and then you can play games, movies, music all from the xbox and not have to worry about 2 separate units.

[MahBabyBlue]

Originally posted by dei???????:
put in a master switch if you want the option to turn it off while the car is on.

Ohhh! So when the kids start fighting you can play god! MUHAHAHA!