So what is RideRunner?

RideRunner is a front-end application originally built around Winamp, but which now supports many other media players.

It was based on an application called Mediacar: when support for Mediacar dropped off and further development slowed to a halt, an enterprising programmer known as Guino decided to take up the open source challenge, and extend its functionality.

The enhancements changed Mediacar out of all recognition and to recognise that the renamed application 'Road Runner' was born.

Now known as Ride Runner, it has now become one of the most popular front-end systems to be
found on car PCs.

What do you get?

What you don’t get is a shrink-wrapped piece of software in a nice box. What you do get is a highly-configurable piece of software for free –­ that you can influence the future development of through the forums at MP3Car [insert link].

If you can’t get something working there are many users who can give you the benefit of their experience to help fix your problem. Much information is also available that can be searched through to get answers yourself.

Your individual system can be tailored to do many things, from MP3 to Satnav with voice control, to vehicle tracking, engine monitoring…the list goes on.

Support for many ideas is available; there are a lot of nutters in this world, and many of them seem to have car computers!

System requirements

• A computer (it doesn't have to be a CarPC, but it's more or less designed for that purpose).
• At least a VGA screen (touchscreen is popular for in-car use).
• RAM and CPU requirements vary according to the skin used.
• Visual Basic Runtime files (if you get DLL/OCX errors, get it HERE [insert link])
• Hard drive space for OS, WinAmp, RR, MPC and all your media files.
• Winamp (www.winamp.com): it MUST NOT be a LITE version and you should use a CLASSIC skin. All versions from 2.91 higher should work. Winamp 2.95 is recommended for performance reasons. Other players have now been added – Fmod , Windows Media Player, Itunes, Foorbar 2000; select the player you wish to use in RRconfig.
• Speakers – if you plan on hearing anything. An amplifier or head unit would be good, too, for in-car use.
• Media Player Classic (can be found here, included in the RR installer below). Other video players have been added: Windows Media Player, VLC, MS Direct Show Player.

Note: MediaCar is NOT required.

Optional accessories/add-ons

• Text-to-speech support (You’ll need at least one agent character, a TTS engine and SAPI support. Control panel is also highly recommended).
• GPS (USB or serial, for use with GPS software such as MapMonkey or Routis).
• Microphone (for use with voice-nav software such as NaviVoice v1.7).
• Temp sensors (four-sensor kits can be found here).
• TV tuner adapter (USB or PCI; some have FM radio as well).
• FM tuner (So far the D-Link USB DSB-R100 is not recommended, but supported, along with any tuner that Radiator supports).
• Girder for remote control support. Version 3.29 is the last freeware version before it went to a production tool. You can still Google it and find download sites.

Credits

El Camino: Plugin support
Valheru: just because you was there
Bluezx3: RRextended requests and fixes
Mitchjs: for help building the installer
Gizmo: tester
Treetop777: tester
Beolle: Newbie tester
ChevyN8: for hosting the files on his server

Plugins supported so far

Other functions supported

• Radio XM, Sirius, HD, FM
• Video
• Audio: player/browser/rate/search/art finder/playlist/lyrics finder
• Launch
• Background browser
• Logos
• Calculator
• Cover browser RR type/Coverjuke Apple style/Covermess
• Draw
• File manager
• Font type browser
• Font color chooser
• Games browser
• Satnav: Garmin/Iguidence
• Skin color browser
• EQ
• Menu button rowser
• Picviewer
• Plugin manager
• Settings screen
• Skin browser
• Task manager
• Day/night timer settings
• TV
• User save function
• Extra apps bowser
• Video player
• Video browser
• Web support
• Weather
• Youtube
• Recorder