# iPad mini Audi A3



## majic (Mar 10, 2005)

Like the title says... It's almost complete, I need to work on the final fit/finish, but I figured I'd post progress pics for those interested in doing the same.

Questions/comments/suggestions welcome

gallery is here: http://imgur.com/a/911zN#0

Current state:


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## majic (Mar 10, 2005)

Oh -- of course before you flame me haha, once it's all said and done, the ipad wire will go behind the dash, not in front of (obvi)


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## DG7Projects (Jul 12, 2011)

Very interesting. opcorn:


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## everfresh59 (Jul 26, 2010)

Looks good, u gonna post a DIY of any kind...


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

Impressive work for sure... Would drive me nuts like that current state haha. and are you planning to move the hazard buttons etc down? Looks way to tall as is?


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## majic (Mar 10, 2005)

At the moment I do not have plans to move the buttons. I don't have the piece in the car because... Yeah, it would drive me nuts, so I just connect to the HU with BT haha. Latency for audio sucks with the BT tho so that's why I wanted to have a wired connection,

I've been waiting on the trim paint so I can paint it and stick it in... As you noticed, the ipad is slightly too tall for the space. I decided to let it overlap the air vents ever so slightly. It really just overlaps the bezel a little, and it doesn't pose a huge aesthetic issue.

In the photo album you'll see it being built at various stages, I suppose I could put a materials list and some words to the pictures and do a DIY guide.

It wasn't too difficult, just takes a lot of patience to work it down and get the figment just so... I think I have a little more shaving to go and it will be just right.

Initial tests show no rattles, but because there is a pressure fit flange, I'm afraid the paint will wear constantly, or the ipad bezel will scuff... But only time will tell.

Will post updates when they're available!


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## drew138 (Dec 3, 2006)

Nobel effort. Looking forward to the write up and more pics. 

Not a fan of the new lightning connector and not sure why they had to make it so big. Personally, I'd go with the double din configuration using a single din radio to keep the controls of the radio and work on some sort of custom tray that you could pop out to reveal the mini. This would also be more stealth so as to conceal your ipad when parked. Attach it to a pivot mount so you can alternate the horizontal / vertical orientation.

I think these are the best / slimmest mounts around:

https://studioproperuk.myshopify.com/

These guys are selling an ipad mini tray supposedly this month:
http://forum.soundmancaraudio.com/forums/topic/1031/ipad-mini-pan
http://store.soundmancaraudio.com/ipad-installation/

If you could affix a custom mini tray with the slick mount mated to something like a RAM mount that popped out of a concealed double din setup. Maybe use a "push to open" type slider:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Slt4MPKzb00

Game over.

The biggest issue is finding the right software to run. Some App developer or car stereo company could make a killing if they sorted this issue.


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## majic (Mar 10, 2005)

The ipad is removable, so when I leave the car I can take it with me.the radio will ordinarily be concealed, and controls are intuitive enough with swipe gestures that I can use the ipad itself, but I have steering wheel controls too.

The objective for the single din radio was to make it as cheap as possible and get the pre-amps out that I needed for the factory bose system (which has its own amps. It's happy if you just give it the pre-amp signal out. Speaker level signals overdrive it and you get a lot of clipping and distortion = sounds like sh*t)

I like the comments and ideas, though. This may not be the final version


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## majic (Mar 10, 2005)

SoundmanCA makes some quality products. I looked into them before I started my project. They want $800 for a ipad mini install, 1000 with power -_- I thought that was too steep, so I just set my mind to it. The ipad tray is actually the easiest part of the project I found haha. I wrapped the ipad in wax paper, then painters tape, and tried to put about 4 layers on so a) nothing got on the ipad and b) the impression would be slightly larger than the ipad so I could prime/bondo/paint and it wouldn't come out too small for the ipad.

20 dollars in supplies at autozone gets the pan made... 30 hours of filling, sanding, fitting, and refilling gets young where I am. Probably have another 5-10 ahead of me for final finish


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## poli84 (Dec 15, 2009)

Really great work so far mate.
I was very keen to do this too and then I actually got my iPad mini and realised that it was too big for the dash so I canned the idea. I'm looking forward to your finished product which might get me going again.

Few questions, does your factory bluetooth still work with your aftermarket single din head unit?

Do your steering controls still work at all?

If you wanted to listen to the simple radio, you need to open your glovebox and change the source or is there another way?


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## majic (Mar 10, 2005)

Well, I actually have up "regular radio" some time ago. Let me ask you this -- if you had pandora, spotify, groove shark, etc, what does regular radio have to offer still?

My goal is to never open the glovebox unless there is some sort of technical difficulty or I need to get a paper towel ice stored in there 

All steering wheel functions work, next/previous, vol up/down, and the push on the volume side is mute. If I had a different SWI I could probably map the "push to talk" or the "mode" button, but I'm satisfied with the controls it has now.

Stock Bluetooth is gone, because the symphony is gone. I did run/mount the mic for the aftermarket headunit in the oem speaker position in the dome light, I actually didn't have to remove any headliner pieces except for the dome light/sunroof controls (and that's a matter of tugging and two screws... Just don't do as I did and drop one of the screws inside the dash and listen as it plunks its way to the subframe. I almost had to remove the entire dash to fetch it, and I only fished it out by luck as I helplessly shoved a magnet in a blind hole).


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## asal (Oct 12, 2007)

really cool install. I'm kinda bummed the ipad mini doesn't fit in the dash without slightly blocking stuff. What's the size of the RNS-E screen? i thought that was pretty much the same size.

Nevertheless, amazing work, i'm jealous as I don't have the determination for 35+ hrs of fabricating.


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## majic (Mar 10, 2005)

The screen size is essentially the same, it's the bezel and body that push it over the edge. The thing is, it actually looks pretty organic. The lines that I built into the cradle echo those of te car, so even if the ipad is out it looks like something you might have found in the stock car, as opposed to a void where it looks like something is missing. Instead, it just looks like the car is inviting an addition 

Once I get a little more time, I'll post some different angles and close ups to give a better impression. This was just a quick pic after laboring for hours haha.

35 hours isn't all that much when you're into it, put some good music on. I think I spent more time just looking at it and planning versus putting the sandpaper to it. Then again, I almost passed out on more than one occasions because of the noxious fumes from the bondo haha. Worse yet, I did this while visiting my parents for Christmas, and even though my dad is a car guy, he got pissed off at the fumes that would invade the corner of the house adjacent to the garage haha


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