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mcr2582 · 05-16-2005, 07:58 AM

Ok, here is what I'm thinking... based on what I posted earlier, the iMac draws very similar current to the powerbooks. The powerbooks run off an external "brick" same as the Mini Mac. So I'm thinking that I should be able to go buy one of the car chargers intended for a Powerbook and adapt it to power the Mini pretty much by changing the plug. This aleviates the need for an inverter. It also means that while in sleep, the Mini should draw only the 4 watts or so of power which I would think is low enough to last a long time. I'm willing to add an extra car battery to the system, but I'm not sure it will be necessary yet.

I haven't looked into detail on the 1900 so I'm guessing it is either a transformer or a voltage regulator (more or less the same thing I realize) as you're using it to maintain voltage during engine crank. But if it's being used as the power supply, there may be a simpler solution if the powerbook brick is used in the equation. I also wonder if that brick, since it is designed for use in an automotive environment might have some regulation of its own. Enough to maintain the computer at sufficient voltage and 4watts current during crank.

Ideally we could find a way to hack in a powerbook type battery system. I imagine the mini is based on iBook architecture, so it might be possible. One thing of interest there is the desire to have two different power management profiles. One for engine-on, one for engine-off. When the engine is off, I would want it to sleep in 5min or less, but I would want to be able to wake it wirelessly for network access to deposit music on it from inside the house. The other would be for engine-on where I wouldn't want it to sleep at all, though the display might sleep the backlight.

I don't have a Mac Mini yet, heck I don't have my Mini yet, but the Mini should be here in a week and a half or so. I was going to do the Mini MP3 adapter and buy an iPod, but frankly it doesn't get me the featureset I want. So I'm thinking I'll switch to AUX in and a mini, which if I were to buy a good sized iPod now (my current one is series B, no dock connector, and will sell with my BMW as it has a custom built mount and very nice sound system built around it. I'm going with Harmon Kardon at least for now in the Mini and focusing on other systems... I may eventually upgrade the sound system, but not to the degree I did before!), I could spend $300-400 on the good iPod and $250 on the BMW iPod controller which doesn't do what I want, or the ICE controller which sort of does what I want but also messes with the iPod's interface, or the iCruze which does an ok job via an external display but also costs $500 or so. Since small touchscreens have come down a lot since I last looked ($1,000->$250ish) and the Mini mac is on par with an iPod in price... I'm thinking it would be much more fun to go this route.

Any thoughts?

Michael

05-16-2005, 07:58 AM	#23
mcr2582 Newbie Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 4 My Photos: ()	My Theory Ok, here is what I'm thinking... based on what I posted earlier, the iMac draws very similar current to the powerbooks. The powerbooks run off an external "brick" same as the Mini Mac. So I'm thinking that I should be able to go buy one of the car chargers intended for a Powerbook and adapt it to power the Mini pretty much by changing the plug. This aleviates the need for an inverter. It also means that while in sleep, the Mini should draw only the 4 watts or so of power which I would think is low enough to last a long time. I'm willing to add an extra car battery to the system, but I'm not sure it will be necessary yet. I haven't looked into detail on the 1900 so I'm guessing it is either a transformer or a voltage regulator (more or less the same thing I realize) as you're using it to maintain voltage during engine crank. But if it's being used as the power supply, there may be a simpler solution if the powerbook brick is used in the equation. I also wonder if that brick, since it is designed for use in an automotive environment might have some regulation of its own. Enough to maintain the computer at sufficient voltage and 4watts current during crank. Ideally we could find a way to hack in a powerbook type battery system. I imagine the mini is based on iBook architecture, so it might be possible. One thing of interest there is the desire to have two different power management profiles. One for engine-on, one for engine-off. When the engine is off, I would want it to sleep in 5min or less, but I would want to be able to wake it wirelessly for network access to deposit music on it from inside the house. The other would be for engine-on where I wouldn't want it to sleep at all, though the display might sleep the backlight. I don't have a Mac Mini yet, heck I don't have my Mini yet, but the Mini should be here in a week and a half or so. I was going to do the Mini MP3 adapter and buy an iPod, but frankly it doesn't get me the featureset I want. So I'm thinking I'll switch to AUX in and a mini, which if I were to buy a good sized iPod now (my current one is series B, no dock connector, and will sell with my BMW as it has a custom built mount and very nice sound system built around it. I'm going with Harmon Kardon at least for now in the Mini and focusing on other systems... I may eventually upgrade the sound system, but not to the degree I did before!), I could spend $300-400 on the good iPod and $250 on the BMW iPod controller which doesn't do what I want, or the ICE controller which sort of does what I want but also messes with the iPod's interface, or the iCruze which does an ok job via an external display but also costs $500 or so. Since small touchscreens have come down a lot since I last looked ($1,000->$250ish) and the Mini mac is on par with an iPod in price... I'm thinking it would be much more fun to go this route. Any thoughts? Michael