Use an iPad mini for your Tacoma A/V System!

Yeah, I've got something in the works along those lines. Haven't spent too much time on it, though. Really just been focusing on getting these current kits done.

 

Update:

The current production line is still in the paint shop. I had hoped that the painter would have had them done by now, but he's pretty busy and he's doing this on the side for me, so bare with us.

Also, It looks like the 3d printer will come in handy for these after all!

This is my first prototypes that I thought were close enough to test fitment on an actual kit. The parts consist of a trim / bezel to create an area that fills the void between the curved inside of the dash kit and the flat surface that the iPad needs to sit up against. This will be great to print out of ABS, rather than fabricating the are with fiberglass / body filler. It will also increase the strength and rigidity of the dash kit. The next important parts to this new process are the rear-supports. These were very close already, even for the first time testing fitment. A few tweaks and I should have them perfect to support the iPad effectively and allow for sliding. Another change brought on by recent developments is that I will no longer be using felt tape to trim out the places that the iPad will slide against. I will be using suede-tex on those areas for better adhesion / more coverage.











The best part about these new developments is that the kits will now be made out of 100% ABS plastic. No more fiberglass / body filler or epoxys that don't adhere properly to plastic. This takes a lot of the work away from making a kit. The measures that I had to take to make sure that the body filler would actually stay mended to the kits before were ridiculous. Utilizing ABS casting, pipe glue, and printed pieces, these kits will be stronger and easier to make than ever before. Stay tuned for a re-vamp of the whole product line!

 

Wow!!

 

I will be sending you a PM in a couple days

*grumbles to self. Why must you make such a nice looking product*

FYI: ipads still suck

 

This is really looking to be a must have product. I've already scheduled to have my factory head unit replaced with the Sony 610BT unit at the end of the month. Now I just need to score an iPad mini...

 

Sub'd

 

There's a member on here selling a couple iPad minis for pretty cheap.

 

Wow Shane this is turning out great! I cannot wait to see it In person

 

Can it be a quick removal to get the iPad out? Its a great idea and would love to purchase one, but leaving your iPad in the cold up here in Canada would not be the best thing.

 

PM sent

 

As I'm sure Kevin told you, this style is in the works, and should be available to order in the next couple weeks.

 

Doesn't soundmanca.com have a ipad/android kit? All the parts needed to send an optical signal for a processor/line out is available as well. Would take a lot of the time for R&D out, unless of course your interested in making your own product for Tacoma specific applications.

 

That is a tray... that needs to be entirely fabricated into a dash kit. all you get is... the tray, for $250

 

Its actually $249.99

 

Yeah, their "kit" is a ridiculously overpriced tray that you still need to fabricate into your dash piece. It relies on magnets to hold the iPad in place, which will not hold onto it when off-roading or hitting any major bumps (ask tacomonazul). Also, with very few reference lines to go off of, that tray actually creates MORE fabrication work than any of my methods so far. So spending $249.99 on a piece of plastic (that doesn't even include the magnets!) has never been a considerable approach for me.

Also, what parts are you talking about? The iPure I-20 is the only piece out there that CAN give you an optical line out alone. It costs $100. Then you need a $15 12v to 9v step down transformer. And two harnesses to tie it into your stereo ($20), and a steering wheel control module to get it to work with those ($50). Then, you still have to figure out your hands free Bluetooth without running your amp turn ons and speaker wires through a switching box like the ones used with a parrot mk3000($100).

Still seems like everything I plan on offering with a dedicated interface module is readily available? The cost of all of the aforementioned parts surpasses the $300 mark pretty quick. Then there's the time and expertise it takes to wire it up.

Only plan on changing the head unit out with an iPad? Right now the best option is fitting a nice head unit behind the iPad.

"Well u can just use a $60 iSimple lightning to RCA"
Sure, you CAN. Then you are required to have a fully amplified system, you can't have steering wheel controls without something like the NAVTV SteerBlue (which is a POS), and you completely give up hands free Bluetooth.

My goal with developing such an interface is to lower the cost and provide a simplified solution. It will also be easily re programmable via USB flashing to be used in other vehicles, as I expand the range of my applications.

 

I saw the guy selling iPad Gen 1s, but no minis. Can you toss me a link? My search-fu must be weak.

 

Ah, you're right. That's the thread I was referring to. My mistake!

 

Never said it was a replacement for the package you were developing, just consider what another guy had already designed. I would be on the wagon if someone had made available a full dash trim for a tablet interface that just bolted in to the Tacoma. Well aware of all the costs involved, would only go this route if I were to go fully amplified.

 

Is that not what I'm doing here? I'm just not sure of any point(s) you're trying to make whilst commenting in my for sale thread.

 

Yeah, I can see that and it looks great. It also looks like your taking it further and making changes to advance your set-up, that's all I was commenting on. I'll leave it at that.