iPad Mini Mounted in GM Truck?

[airomero83]

Well the Apple iPad Mini has just been released and already has been mounted in a Toyota Camry. I think its 7.9" screen is perfect for this type of application. Of course the LTE version would be better to get NAV/GPS. Wonder who will b the first to get it custom mounted into a GM Truck. Check out the YouTube video:

 

 

[brotherBONES]

looks cool. Will be even better in the GM truck if you have the steering wheel audio controls if you get them to work to control volume and stuff.

[kstruckcountry]

iPad mini, even easier to steal than your regular radio!

[airomero83]

it's detachable

[aesalazar]

Pretty slick but I still dont like the way the whole thing looks. Just looks kind of "awkward" especially with the controls in the center armrest like that - I hate it when things dont looks stock but that is just me. I can definitely appreciate the ingenuity that went into it though - these guys obviously know what they are doing.

 

Ernie

[db3812]

I think that would be so cool. Most all new automobiles are coming out with touch screens for all their automobiles. I don't know why they don't make an option to where you could just put your iPad mini or iPad in the dash instead of using their stuff. Except for only if there is no way to integrate the steering wheel controls with the iPad minis.

 

For me personally and my family, it would be greatly used for my kids movies, maps, and everything else you can do with them.

[BSsil]

I just recently installed a mini in my 07 NBS Silverado... the mini nearly a perfect fit. Love it.

 

[tobias]

I just recently installed a mini in my 07 NBS Silverado... the mini nearly a perfect fit. Love it.

 

 

 

 

Any chance you took pictures, did a write-up, can give us details?

[BSsil]

I took a couple pics... I didn't do any write up or anything but I will do one here for those who are interested and want some details!

 

Now that Apple has given us the long anticipated iPad mini it makes it that much easier to perform these installs! I have wanted to do this for a long time, and got a little "lucky" parts wise for this install. Long story short, about 6-7 months ago my pioneer f90BT in dash nav/dvd deck got stolen.. right from my house at night, and we caught it on security cam... painful to watch the next day to say the least! So the guy ended up prying the dash trim off with a screwdriver in one corner giving it the slightest damage, basically unnoticeable... after claiming the whole thing through insurance I got them to throw in a new dash kit (and I kept the old one, waiting for this mod), and they gave me $1000 for a neck deck as well... score! I got a new deck, sold it.. and held on to the dash kit waiting for Apple to release the iPad mini.

 

Now lets get to the good stuff...

 

1 - The hard part... mounting in the dash!

 

Unless your experienced with fiberglass, know someone who is, or dont mind spending $1000+ to get your local stereo shop to do it for you, then this will for sure be the hardest part of the install. soundmanca.com offers pre-made fiberglass iPad pans and front bezels along with some other parts to make things easier if you feel confident going that route, but that is still a tough route for most.

 

With all that said, I went a different route. I design products daily using Solidworks (a 3D CAD program for those unfamiliar) and I am constantly prototyping new products to test them before they get to production. Once the iPad mini was announced, a couple days later the specs/dimensions were readily available with a quick google search and that got me started. After a couple hours of dash measurements and design I had a nice little bolt in dash kit.

 

I sent the drawings off to one of my manufacturers in Taiwan and had them whip up a rapid prototype for me... and thats what I used for this install. One of my big concerns in the beginning was theft, since that is basically how this whole thing started. So I designed a "snap-in" feature to the dash mount that allowed the iPad to dock, then be "snapped-in" and held in place. This allows me to remove, or put it in place in less than 2 seconds at any time. You can see the self sprung clip built into the top right hand side of the mount. Below this clip (lower right side) is a pocket, or cut out for your finger... so when you push the clip to release the iPad, you can slip a finger under it to lift and remove it. The other beauty of this install is that the only part of this mount that is visible after its all said and done is the thin lower edge just below the iPad, then the 2 small cut outs for the clip, and finger pocket... everything else sits behind the dash trim.

 

Photos of the dash mount (natural plastic color is typical for this type of rapid prototype):

 

The dash trim kit itself required minor mods. Lucky I had an extra one, so I didn't need to buy one.... and because my entire kit is bolt in I can put the truck back to factory when I sell it. The top of the deck opening in the trim kit needed to be extended up a little bit, then the 2 small pockets for the clip, and finger hole needed to be cut out. 3 clips, and 2 "positioning posts" had to be removed from the backside of the dash trim as well. Since I had the CAD drawing I simply printed out a drawing, and used that as a template to cut the dash properly. More on this later.

 

As I said, the dash will be the hard part of these installs... I am fortunate enough to be able to do it the way I did with only the cost of my time.

 

Here is the dash mount after spray paint and install.....

 

 

2 - Wiring/modules.

 

The wiring for these installs is actually very simple, and the items you need will work in most vehicles as long as some other factors are considered. Here is what you need:

 

- HRT 12v iStreamer ($200).

- Audio Control Matrix Plus 6 Channel line driver w/remote (http://www.audiocontrol.com/t34/5249/736879/Special-Processors/Matrix-Plus-Six-Channel-Line-Driver-with-Remote-Level-Control-Input.html)

 

Before getting into these 2 items, you need one other piece of the puzzle. Your speaker system MUST be amplified, since this install doesn't include a head unit of any kind. If you have a truck with non-amplified factory speaker set up (like I did), don't worry, its very easy to amplify... I wont get into how to do that.. you can get that answer anywhere, and it's very basic. The only thing I did to make it easier is use the speaker wires from an aftermarket wiring harness to hook up the speaker wires from the amp... no need to run wire to each speaker... save your self the hassle.

 

For the 2 units mentioned above, they are very easy. The iStreamer has one cable going out for power (a usb cable, and it comes with an adapter for the cig lighter/charging port in your vehicle), then it has another slot for your iPad USB cable (that is simple run directly to the iPad), then it has a pair of RCA's out of the other side... these RCA's will be used as your only input into the Audio Control Matrix Plus.

 

The Audio Control Matrix Plus is a 6 channel driver, but we will only be using 1 input, and 2 or 3 outputs depending on your set up. The input as I mentioned is the iStreamers pair of RCAs. The outputs will be Front speakers, Rear speakers, and Sub RCAs. In my case, I have 2 amps, one for speakers and one for my subs... so the RCAs go to their respective amp. You will also need to run a Power, Ground, and Remote wire to the Matrix Plus unit from the dash wiring harness. You will need an aftermarket wiring harness, just like you would buy if you were installing any kind of aftermarket deck into your truck. There is a $20 version that will work, and there are others up to $300 that retain all the factory functions... either way will work it just depends how much you care about all your bells and whistles. Side note, I am unclear if you can retain steering wheel functions, but I believe the answer is no.

 

Power and ground wires are very simple, and can be run directly to the Matrix Plus. The Remote can be more confusing depending on your set up. In my case, both amps needed a remote wire, as well as the Matrix Plus box. For my remote wire, I tapped into the factory wiring harness under the steering column (its a pink wire in my 07 NBS silverado... but there are 4 pink wires in the same harness, so if you are doing this do it at your own risk, and test the wires before you do anything). After tapping that wire, I added an inline fuze just as a precaution since this was going into factory wiring... after the fuze the wire split off into 3, one for each amp, and one to the Matrix Plus.

 

The Matrix Plus box also allows use for a remote level control input.... or in english, a volume knob. I highly suggest getting this addition, as adjusting the volume on the ipad isnt a quick or easy task using the touchscreen, and for convenience you will want the volume knob. The iPad volume can be left all the way up... all the control will come from the knob. The Matrix Plus has a dedicated plug for the volume knob (its basically a phone jack type plug). This goes back to the dash mod, because I removed one of the dash power plugs, and with a small hole, a little bit of hot glue, and some creativity I mounted the volume knob where the power plug is located closest to the driver. It is unnoticeable to most people, and comes in handy. I could have mounted the knob somewhere else, but this was the least ugly place I could come up.

 

I mounted the Matrix Plus, and iStreamer in the lower center console, because there isn't enough room in the dash. I ran the iPad usb cable (with a USB extension cable), power, ground, remote, and volume knob wires from the lower console, under the floor carpet, and up into the dash.

 

My subs were already all wired in from when my old head unit got stolen, so I just had to re route the RCA's to the Matrix Plus box. I amplified my speakers at the same time as this install.

 

Here is the finished product:

 

Over all I am very happy with it. On the dash mount I would change a couple small things just because I am a perfectionist... but for a couple hours of design on a saturday, without a physical iPad in my hands I am pretty happy with how it turned out. The main thing I love is no fiberglass, easily removable iPad for theft reasons, and I can put my truck back to the factory radio and dash when ever I need to.

 

Oh, and when I am parked at home, my iPad syncs over wifi through iTunes, and iCloud when I am on the go or at home. Perfect!

 

Last but not least, I have no intentions to make any more of these dash mounts. I did not make a mold for them, it was just a one off rapid prototype. If someone else wants to take my drawing and manufacture it themselves I would be happy to talk to them and give it to them at an extremely reasonable price to use as they wish!

[tobias]

Very nicely done. Thanks for the info.

[montyss]

Great job !

[BSsil]

Thanks! And no problem.

 

A few more small things I forgot...

 

The iPad is charged constantly through the istreamer. The only thing it doesn't do it pause/play itself when the ignition is switched on/off... But that's minor because sometimes you want music, or radio, or a movie etc.

 

The audio control unit is $200 also, but you may be able to find it for less online somewhere.

 

I have the wifi model iPad, and I just tether it to my iphone for Internet use.

 

Since you cannot access the physical lock button on the iPad, there is a feature hidden in the accessibility settings that lets you put a small white dot on the home screen (see my last photo, top left corner) and you can tap that and it gives you multiple options... Volume up/down, lock, mute, home button, etc. I guess it's for disabled users who would have trouble with physical buttons. Even though the iPad will still auto lock after which ever time period you set, it's nice to have a way to lock it if you want to... It makes it quicker to change songs as well but double tapping the home button when the iPad is locked and only the iPod controls come up.

 

If anyone has any other questions let me know... Aside from the dash mod everything else is surprisingly simple!

[Black02Silverado]

Very nice install and info.

[Chris]

If love to find a way to mount my Motorola Xoom into my console under the climate control head. I use it when I drive to get engine info my gauge cluster doesn't give me, GPS speed, and sometimes nav. The pic of how I set it up currently is on my old phone

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Xparent Red Tapatalk 2

[wottenad]

Very nice!

 

You should re-think the part about not making these - you may have more of a market than you know...