Project: Mac Mini / Protegé5

**brownaa82** · 10-09-2009, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by VmtSquad

Transflective or not?
If you don't have a screen yet, I suggest you to go with the transflective one. It worth the money BIG TIME!! TRUST ME!! I also have good tint all around and still frustrated sometimes during sunny day.**Also I don't like having my window rolled up during a hot day of summer...again its my opinion

Do you have a transflective? It doesn't seem like many people have them so I didn't know how badly it was needed.

Originally Posted by VmtSquad

AUDIO?
as for the audio, I kept my OEM stereo and used a AUX device that connects into the Audio 3.5mm Jack in the back of the Mini. The volume is just NOT LOUD enough, I know we have a good audio card into our mini. In my opinion if you can plan on using the FIBER AUDIO port, GO AHEAD, Im currently searching for a converter

Good luck!

I'd love to use the digital audio out! I found this to convert it to RCA stereo audio. I have to admit that audio is not my focus, but I need to catch up on all the latest and greatest so I'm not

after my install.

**Project07MACry** · 10-10-2009, 01:09 AM

http://www.bybyte.com/lcd_combos.html
This is the site I went to for the LCD Combo. Thing is, this sells the 7" screen. Just follow the pull down menu.

This is the combo you probably might end up with should you go this route.

If you use the dash that you bought from Crutchfield, be prepared to do some body work on it; it just might fit the 8" screen...
Bodywork in this instance would be expanding the inside dimensions to fit an 8" screen; with a viewing size of 6 7/8 x 4 1/8; and an exterior body size of 8.17"x5.71"x1.23".

**Project07MACry** · 10-10-2009, 01:16 AM

One more thing: The digital audio-out...
According to Apple, this is a "Combined optical digital audio output/headphone out (minijack)".
This one headphone/aux port is supposedly our digital output. Unless someone can vouch that the toslink cables can attach to this port, the route you might end up taking here is a simple y-adapter which splits into male RCA cables.

BTW - Where did you see the amplifier that you spoke of in your first post?

**brownaa82** · 10-16-2009, 09:07 PM

Anyone have any thoughts on volume control?

I am looking at getting 4-ch amp in the 100W to 150W range (RMS of course).

anyone here used the Mac Mini for volume control? What is your experience?

**natedawgg** · 10-17-2009, 07:18 PM

your best bet would be to turn the amp up as high as you/the system can handle (without distortion) and then get something like the griffin powermate and use that to control the master volume on your mac. I use this setup in my car and it works pretty well.

**brownaa82** · 10-19-2009, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by Project07MACry

http://www.bybyte.com/lcd_combos.html
This is the site I went to for the LCD Combo. Thing is, this sells the 7" screen. Just follow the pull down menu.

http://bybyte.com/images/99-7505+LCD_b.jpg
This is the combo you probably might end up with should you go this route.

If you use the dash that you bought from Crutchfield, be prepared to do some body work on it; it just might fit the 8" screen...
Bodywork in this instance would be expanding the inside dimensions to fit an 8" screen; with a viewing size of 6 7/8 x 4 1/8; and an exterior body size of 8.17"x5.71"x1.23".

Thanks. I decided to go with the 7" as I didn't think the extra inch would be THAT big of a deal in the long run. I'm probably going to get a transflective, optically bonded screen from mo-co-so.com

**brownaa82** · 10-25-2009, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by Project07MACry

BTW - Where did you see the amplifier that you spoke of in your first post?

I can't find it the post!!! However, I found this one and it is similar.

Pictures of the partial deconstruction to come. I just had a quasi hard-drive failure with all of my pictures on it, so I'm doing a backup now!

**brownaa82** · 11-14-2009, 08:17 PM

If any of you mac install experts have any advice, I've got a question in the power supplies sub forum open....

Determine Fuse Rating

**brownaa82** · 11-19-2009, 09:00 PM

Well folks.... it's been a while. I got a lil sick and then things piled up after that, but a buddy of mine is coming over this weekend to help me run wires!

I got a brand new Mac Mini, and I'm waiting on carnetix to ship out the new Macpac. Until then I guess I'll be running it through the cigarette lighter.

**brownaa82** · 11-19-2009, 09:43 PM

Power Diagram:

I created this power diagram to make sure I was installing the right sized wires and fuses in the system. Diagram care of gliffy.com. All of the equipment was assumed to be 20% inefficient in case you are wondering how I came up with the amp requirements.