Ipad mini in-dash installation

[Nine8Six]

Originally Posted by Shehadehd

So as far as GPS capabilities, the mini with cellular data capability has a GPS antenna built in a can be used with GPS without a data plan. There are a number of free, and some quality, apps in the app store that I've used for GPS. Then of course, if you get a data plan, you can use a number of native apps that will run GPS.

As for hooking the system up to my head unit, I've been thinking of a couple options. First off, I will need to get a new head unit that has an aux in on the back. Then, my choice will be to either install the new head unit in the top din of the lower console, or mount the radio behind the iPad and do away with the separate head unit. Chances are I won't do that since I like to option of listening to the radio and being able to change the volume separate from the iPad slider.

Also, the iPad mini 2 was announced yesterday, finally, but of course Apple delays it until the end of November... With a price tag of $550 plus tax, I don't know if the Retina screen and A7 processor are worth it, especially since I can find plenty of first generation Minis with data capability for under $350. Plus, there's the benefit of being able to install it a month earlier and not have to wait in holiday shopping lines to get one.

One dude here thrown in a 8" touchscreen in the console. Looks fab. He is running Windows 7 off a very-tiny ITX computer (Intel CPU) and hides it in the frunk. The whole thing powers itself by a DC PSU. Cost him about $300 for the whole set-up I believe. Has GPS antenna, few wi-fi webcams, and using his iPhone 3G data plan to video conference and all. He also has a 2 terabytes HDD to record his track days and other night-time escape in the city. Pretty slick set-up and very creative in all honesty!

The HD touchscreen & fit literally looks factory. Its actually stunning

[epapp]

Originally Posted by Nine8Six

One dude here thrown in a 8" touchscreen in the console. Looks fab. He is running Windows 7 off a very-tiny ITX computer (Intel CPU) and hides it in the frunk. The whole thing powers itself by a DC PSU. Cost him about $300 for the whole set-up I believe. Has GPS antenna, few wi-fi webcams, and using his iPhone 3G data plan to video conference and all. He also has a 2 terabytes HDD to record his track days and other night-time escape in the city. Pretty slick set-up and very creative in all honesty!

The HD touchscreen & fit literally looks factory. Its actually stunning

See, I would love to throw in a full computer because the possibilities are endless and I have so many spare everything for computer anything. The problem with that setup is the ease of use for connection reasons and for the nature of a full computer in general without a battery powering it.

The data connection with a full computer would be messy and potentially cumbersome to get it to connect. With some kind of tablet, its got a dedicated 4g antenna that it knows to use to connect with. (A full OS may require from time to time physically fiddling with a 4g dongle that you get from verizon or ATT/network connection fiddling from within the OS)

The other problem that links to the connection issue is booting up/down. When you shut off the car you will kill the computer (unless you rig a battery and run a few scripts to shut down the computer softly when it loses main power, which will work just fine)...BUT

Then you have the problem of booting up each time you start the car. Even with a SSD it will take a good 7 seconds to get loaded and ready to do whatever.

Thats just my opinion on a full computer install. I would love to do it but an iPad seems like what would work best for me. With the bluetooth adapter to the CDR220, an iPad would slip right into the dashboard and integrate nicely.

END

[Nine8Six]

I can't make a judgment on which one is better. I just love the thing when he drops by the circuit. I can slip in my go-pro's SD card in the little reader he has in his ashtray and review my practice sessions, between sessions. Of course while cooling down using his petrol and A/C

Those services alone, meaningless to you maybe, made me wonder if he was the 986s Master of the Universe for a few minutes!

iPad will be equally a good set-up if not better in many other ways I'm sure. I was just sharing what others came up with.

Can't you link a touchscreen to an iPad?? That way you could take the (expansive) iPad in and out of the car while keeping the touchscreen in the dash permanently. Any soft/hardware to output the graphic of an iPad these days.... would be hard to believe this technology is not available at "Apple"