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Mac mini in a Volkswagen

Posted by timothy on from the ultraslick dept.

pyramis writes "Matt Turner has installed a Mac mini into his Volkswagen as an integrated audio/video system. He's distributed the I/O ports around the cab for convenient access and installed a remote power button right into the dashboard. Cool pics of all of this, plus a detailed article on that cool power button."

4 of 346 comments (clear)

  1. Site down... by ral315 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Mirrordot link
    Coral cache

  2. Re:LOL WHAT A CROCK by Upaut · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'm afraid I don't quite understand.

    Let me see if I can break it down for you:What's so goddamn novel about throwing an underpowered, overpriced Mac inside a dashboard?

    Well for starters, its a very well done hack. Second, the poster shows that it can display maps, and quite probably can aide in navigation. Third, the mac can store a very large music library, and comes with the ease of itunes. Forth, he made a very nice dash/overall car mod to include a ipod dock, a power outlet, and many shiny buttons...

    If one were interested in getting a portable media center for his car, he would have many options that involve spending less money and/or getting more bang for your buck. Why, for the $500 he spent on his fashion accessory that can't play games, he could've gotten a Dell desktop with approximately double the speed, and expandability to boot, plus he would've instantly been able to use the vast array of Windows and Linux software available.

    The mac is shiny. And playing unreal at 94 mph along the freeway is not something I want to be doing...

    Proof once again that Macs are nothing more than an item for trend whores and label sluts.

    I had a Dell for one year before it fried. Bough another, same deal. The costomer service/documentation sucked. On the other hand, I have now had a mac Powerbook for the last two years, and its providing better functionality than any other machine I have bought. When you buy apple, you buy quality. Think of an apple as a Lexus, and a dell as a Ugo. Sure, the Ugo will get you from point A to point B, but it is made of inferrior parts, tends to fail, and lacks any style.

    --
    3 degrees of separation from Vladimir Putin
  3. Re:It isn't the hardware. by momogasuki · · Score: 5, Informative

    His car, a GTI 1.8T, can be reprogrammed (chipped) to run the turbo at higher boost, in addition to running octane-specific timing maps for more power. Stock is 180 hp, but the ECU can be reprogrammed for around 215 hp on 91 octane, 220 hp on 93 octane, and 235 hp on 100 octane.

    There is already aftermarket ECU reflashing software (e.g., http://www.giacusa.com/) for the 1.8T. However, it would be cool if he could rig the Mac Mini to switch between different performance programs. That would be a true hack.

  4. Re:One question... by Twid · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here you go. With photos even.

    THE CNX-P1900 DUAL OUTPUT 140 WATT INTELLIGENT DC-DC POWER REGULATOR

    Compatible with the Mac mini, as well as P4 system cases from Travla!

    The retail price of the P1900 is $99.95. Target availability is April 2005.

    --
    - "When you want something with all your heart, the entire universe conspires to give it to you" -Paulo Coelho