How To:Samsung Galaxy Tab Stereo for Bose trucks

Here is a little write-up on how to set up a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7” tablet as the primary stereo in a 00-06 Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade with Bose

Parts needed:

1 - Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7” ($199 at Best Buy)
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung...skuId=5064393&st=samsung galaxy tab&cp=1&lp=1

1 – Axxess GMOS04 aftermarket stereo wiring adapter that retains system chimes ($75 on Amazon)
http://www.amazon.com/GMOS-04-OnStar®-Interface-Amplified-Systems/dp/B000980HC4


1 – 12v cig lighter adapter (I got mine at Autozone for $6)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/12v-Female-...1124593283?pt=US_Adapters&hash=item3f2048fa83

1 – Samsung Galaxy Tab car charger (ebay #5)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2A-USB-Car-...=Laptop_Adapters_Chargers&hash=item3cc8c1b79c

1 – 1/8 mini stereo TO RCA adapter (ebay $5)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-5mm-1-8-M...le-/300740372055?ssPageName=ADME:L:OU:US:3160

1 – microphone (Frys $4)
http://www.frys.com/product/5940534?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

1 – 1/8 mini to RCA converter (ebay $1)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rca-male-pl...or-/271015093187?ssPageName=ADME:L:OU:US:3160

2 – RCA Splitters (ebay $1)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2pc-1-Male-...=US_Audio_Cables_Adapters&hash=item1c30921835

1 – Samsung Galaxy plastic case (ebay $8.50)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Samsung-Gal...ck-/150932847005?ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:US:3160

1 – small sheet plexiglass (Home Depot $4) Get the thickest plexiglass they have.
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-25e...oreId=10051&superSkuId=202939022#.UTERWujlE7o

Misc Parts: heatshrink wrap or Electrical tape, Velcro, and a Bic Pen


Remove the dash bezel from the dash by unsnapping it around the edges. It will unsnap fairly easily. You might need to put the transmission in 1st gear in order to get the bezel around the shift lever.

Unscrew the 3 screws mounting the factory stereo.

Unplug the wire harness from the back of the stereo and get rid of the stereo.


All the cable adapters will end up making a harness that will connect the headphone jack on the tablet to the external microphone and the factory Bose amplified speaker system. You are going from 1/8 mini stereo to RCA. Here is a picture of what your harness should look like. This was the first draft of the harness and it did not support the microphone. I dont have a picture of the current setup, but its easy to figure out when you have all the parts in front of you



1. Plug the gold headphone plug into the headphone jack on the tablet.
2. Plug the gray connectors into your factory plug that previously plugged into the original stereo
3. run the black wire (coming from the gray connector) and the RED wire (coming from the black box) down under the cup holders in the center console
I ran my blue amp remote wire under the cupholders as well. That blue wire will go to an aftermarket amp if you have one.

Now its time to install the 12v power outlet.

The RED/Black wires are switched so they will lose power when you turn the truck off.

Drill a hole in the plastic as shown below and install the 12v power outlet. Connect the RED/Black wires coming from the harness.



Install the USB adapter into the power outlet: You will run the Docking/Charging cable from the tablet to this location. You will have plenty of slack to pull the usb cable and plug it into a laptop if needed.




Now its just a matter of mounting the tablet.

Here is what you should be looking at at this point. Its a big hole with a headphone plug and the docking/charging cable for the tablet:




Take measurements and cut your plexiglass:

http://www.summitcomgroup.com/misc/samsung/plexiglass_marked_uncut.jpg[/IMG
[IMG]http://www.summitcomgroup.com/misc/samsung/plexiglass_cut.jpg


Mount the Plexiglass using the same screws that originally mounted your factory stereo. You will probably have to make spacers to go between the plexiglass and the screw holes in the dash. I made them using the white plastic casing on a Bic pen. I had to make the spacers because there was a gap between the tablet and the dash bezel. Sacrificing a $0.25 pen made the installation look flawless.


Now that the plexiglass backing is installed you can center your case on the plexiglass and velcro it in place. Once that is finished, just snap in the tablet and plug in your charging cable and headphone plug.






Snap your dash bezel back on and VOILA! Installation complete.




I use an app called TASKER in order to customize the tablet to work the way a car stereo would work. I cant go into how to use tasker, because that would take all day.

Basically, Tasker will tell your tablet to pause all music and sleep when it loses power and wake up/unpause music when power is turned back on.

Post up any question you have. Im supposed to install this setup in my accountants 08 tahoe. Hopefully it will be as easy as this one was.

WOW that looks great and so easy to do...

Thank you for the write up..

Thinking about doing this on my OBS. Maybe my NBS as well.

How is the volume controlled, Is it from the tablet itself? What is the mini microphone for, is it just to get better voice recognition from the tablet?

mharders said:

How is the volume controlled, Is it from the tablet itself? What is the mini microphone for, is it just to get better voice recognition from the tablet?

Click to expand...

I have a volume widget that runs up and down the left side of the screen. I just swipe my finger up and down the side and it adjusts the volume regardless of what screen is displayed.

The microphone is for video chat and voice recognition for GoogleNow.

Right on, thanks! Super clean install. I'm in the process of gathering all parts for this. Thanks for the write up!

wouuld you consider making and selling a kit for this install withe the harness and maybe the plexiglass?

I kinda took inspiration from this...

I wanted to put my tablet in the truck but be able to remove it, plus I needed to interface it into my stock Navi/Bose system.

I got it temporarily running through the RSE till my module comes in.

Its a Arnova 7 G3 tablet running Jelly Bean. I put two strips of Velcro the width of the little cubby whole and it happens to be the width of my tablet also. The first strip is on the black part right above the cubby and the second is on the strip right above the cup holder.

I'll wire the power under the center console in a few days, Right now I just tuck everything behind the tablet in the cubby...

Anyways here is my crappy cellphone pic of the install as it is right now. I'll get better pics when I get everything installed more permanently.

That is REALLY clean and I like the plexiglass idea

05nali said:

wouuld you consider making and selling a kit for this install withe the harness and maybe the plexiglass?

Click to expand...

I could build you a harness if you would like.