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iPad mini

12K views 30 replies 12 participants last post by  DigitalBman 
#1 ·
What do you guys think about a mini iPad as a head unit?
 
#4 ·
I thought about this too for my 240sx. It would be a lot cheaper than the pioneer app radio 2 and you can take it with you when you leave your car.

---------- Post added at 11:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:27 PM ----------

My question would be, how do you amplify the sound without a receiver? I don't know jack about audio...
 
#9 ·
I have been considering hooking up an iPad for years.. even made a post a year ago here and nobody bit... perhaps a bit before my time... anyway.. I too am considering the mini... at the end of the day a clean install where it is integrated into the system is what matters. I have an 09 and use a Kensington cord and wireless control now to shuffle through songs on ipad and ipod... works.. but not exactly what I am looking for.. somebody needs to get this done... I have 8 months left in Afghanistan and will be doing this mod plus others come the summer... :)
 
#11 ·
SLDGT500 said:
I have been considering hooking up an iPad for years.. even made a post a year ago here and nobody bit... perhaps a bit before my time... anyway.. I too am considering the mini... at the end of the day a clean install where it is integrated into the system is what matters. I have an 09 and use a Kensington cord and wireless control now to shuffle through songs on ipad and ipod... works.. but not exactly what I am looking for.. somebody needs to get this done... I have 8 months left in Afghanistan and will be doing this mod plus others come the summer... :)
Ya that's why I'm thinking the mini will be perfect. It will be flush in the dash. I know I'm kinda pushing it here but I also want to be able to take it in and out of my car easily lol
I wonder how much a custom audio shop would charge to make something like that.
 
#12 ·
Tec_ said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wujrt9cnJQ&sns=em

Check out sound man car audio great YouTube Chanel and they have done some very cool iPad installs. They use the Istreamer and get a nice signal out.
So it charges the iPad and converts the 3.5mm jack into an RCA. But you still have to tie up a 12V cigarette/accessory port?

I wish I could hear the difference between the $200 istreamer and a $5 adapter from RadioShack.

I'm no Grandmaster Audio Wizard but that seems like excess gadgetry that may not even be necessary.


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Check out how they run the 3.5mm Auxiliary cable to the head unit. That's kinda lame. I would have at least put in a head unit that has the Aux cable in the back. Pioneer makes some like that.
 
#13 · (Edited)
primer2tone said:
So it charges the iPad and converts the 3.5mm jack into an RCA. But you still have to tie up a 12V cigarette/accessory port?

I wish I could hear the difference between the $200 istreamer and a $5 adapter from RadioShack.

I'm no Grandmaster Audio Wizard but that seems like excess gadgetry that may not even be necessary.

Check out how they run the 3.5mm Auxiliary cable to the head unit. That's kinda lame. I would have at least put in a head unit that has the Aux cable in the back. Pioneer makes some like that.
No it takes the digital out from the 30 pin apple dock and converts it to a analog signal you could run in to a amp or signal processor. It dose not pull a signal from the headphone jack. This could be done with any DAC (digital to analog converter) but as they mentioned in the video this unit when tied to ACC (accessory/switch power) will pause your music when you shut your car off.

The use of a unit like that eliminates need for a head unit. Meaning you would have no AM or FM or CD your only AV source would be your Ipad or galaxy tab or what ever you wanted to use. It dose however require a amplifier.

If you desire to keep a radio and just run you I pad as a big iPod through a AUX in run it of the headphone jack and buy a mount to slap it in front of your radio or slap some Velcro to that bad boy.

*edit*
Maybe the customer asked for the cable to be run like that. I've seen people ask for dumber stuff.

*second edit*
Your pic in question and a clarification of what they did. Instead of just running a AUX cable to the headphone jack on the iPhone in the video they used the Isteamer to take the digital signal from the 30 pin connecter on the bottom of the phone (a cleaner signal than the one coming from the headphone jack) to the AUX in on the head unit.

In my car when I run my music to my head unit through the AUX or the bluetooth it sounds muddy and distorted compared to when I run it through the alpine 30 pin iPod cable.
 
#14 ·
I see what your saying. I guess I would have to hear the quality difference. I've only listened to my iPad from the headphone jack so I have no idea what it would sound like coming from an actual dock.

If I were to install an iPad into my car I would eliminate the radio altogether. I wonder if anyone else makes a converter like that, that might be better for audio on a budget?

Thanks for your input. :good:
 
#15 ·
Tec_ said:
No it takes the digital out from the 30 pin apple dock and converts it to a analog signal you could run in to a amp or signal processor. It dose not pull a signal from the headphone jack. This could be done with any DAC (digital to analog converter) but as they mentioned in the video this unit when tied to ACC (accessory/switch power) will pause your music when you shut your car off.

The use of a unit like that eliminates need for a head unit. Meaning you would have no AM or FM or CD your only AV source would be your Ipad or galaxy tab or what ever you wanted to use. It dose however require a amplifier.

If you desire to keep a radio and just run you I pad as a big iPod through a AUX in run it of the headphone jack and buy a mount to slap it in front of your radio or slap some Velcro to that bad boy.

*edit*
Maybe the customer asked for the cable to be run like that. I've seen people ask for dumber stuff.

*second edit*
Your pic in question and a clarification of what they did. Instead of just running a AUX cable to the headphone jack on the iPhone in the video they used the Isteamer to take the digital signal from the 30 pin connecter on the bottom of the phone (a cleaner signal than the one coming from the headphone jack) to the AUX in on the head unit.

In my car when I run my music to my head unit through the AUX or the bluetooth it sounds muddy and distorted compared to when I run it through the alpine 30 pin iPod cable.
*i need to go to sleep edit*

They buried a second cig sock in the dash so you don't have to see the cable or take up the cig sock on your dash.
 
#16 ·
Tec_ said:
*i need to go to sleep edit*

They buried a second cig sock in the dash so you don't have to see the cable or take up the cig sock on your dash.
Haha, yeah. That's how I used to power my satellite radio back when that was cool.

Go to sleep man, I won't bug ya anymore. Lol, oh one more thing! Did you ever replace the hood on your sixxer? Stock or did you go aftermarket?
 
#17 ·
primer2tone said:
Haha, yeah. That's how I used to power my satellite radio back when that was cool.

Go to sleep man, I won't bug ya anymore. Lol, oh one more thing! Did you ever replace the hood on your sixxer? Stock or did you go aftermarket?
They went stock. It took a month to get it done properly and my car got hit in the body shop lot and the shop and my agent said the damage was there when I brought it in. Worst experience of my automotive life. Dumped the agent filed complaint with the better business burro and am planing murders and arsons in accordance with the don't F with my car code.
 
#18 ·
Tec_ said:
They went stock. It took a month to get it done properly and my car got hit in the body shop lot and the shop and my agent said the damage was there when I brought it in. Worst experience of my automotive life. Dumped the agent filed complaint with the better business burro and am planing murders and arsons in accordance with the don't F with my car code.
Ah, **** man that sucks.
I've got a list of wankers that need to bleed out in a dark ally as well. I'll get to them later...
 
#19 ·
primer2tone said:
I see what your saying. I guess I would have to hear the quality difference. I've only listened to my iPad from the headphone jack so I have no idea what it would sound like coming from an actual dock.

If I were to install an iPad into my car I would eliminate the radio altogether. I wonder if anyone else makes a converter like that, that might be better for audio on a budget?

Thanks for your input. :good:
I would do the same. I don't have a need for AM or FM when I can use pandora. And I haven't bought a real cd in years lol
 
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