Mac Mini Nav/Stereo System Questions

[EOE_overland]

Hey folks,

I'm working on aquiring the parts to put a Mac Mini (just like the one I'm using to type this) and LCD Touchscreen in my FJ62 for an offroad nav system (I don't use gps on the road) and ~200GB music player. So I suppose there's two questions embedded in this:

1) How are Mac OS nav software (like MAcGPS Pro) for this application. I especially like their feature where you can scan maps into the system; I plan to use this in Mexico in the semi-near future. Or should I run something like Parallels and use a Window-based nav software like Overland Nav or similar? I won't use it for onroad turn-by-turn stuff, so I don't need that.

2) Anybody running iTunes and/or Front Row in their trucks for music and have any input/advice. Any tips or likes and dislikes?

Thanks
Matt

 

[Steelbender77]

I can definitely give you some insights into this sort of project, I ran the Mac Mini + LCD setup in my WRX a few years ago.

Also, I've got a brand new 7" Lilliput touchscreen LCD I've been trying to sell on MUD. Think I could interest you? Yours for $200, I'll get the shipping in the cont. US.

iTunes works wonderfully for your music, but I've never used FrontRow in the car. The Lilliputs are great screens for this as lesser quality cheapo screens will be really fuzzy and you won't be able to easily look through your library to find songs without the clarity.

You're going to have better success with some of the windows based apps for GPS, but my Mini was one of the original 1.42Ghz PPCs and can't really run Parallels and have it not be blindingly frustrating. I would stick with MacGPS.

One thing I really really disliked was the cable clutter from the mini, but this is less of a deal in a Landcruiser that has storage space. The mini had to go under the driver seat in my WRX and any passengers in the back seat had to be careful where their feet went. I bought a mount from a guy on mp3car.com that allowed me to bolt the mini to the floor. That site is a great reference for this type of work: if you're not on it already you should definitely check it out.

 

[pman]

Im curious as to how well the hardware on the mini will handle all the shaking and temperature fluctuations that are associated with being in a car. I feel offroad usage would be even worse for it.

Anyone have any information on this?


EDIT:
I just remembered this, if your primary purpose for getting the mini is off road navigation, you should probably look into something like this:

http://www.lowrance.com/en/Products/Automotive/HDS-5-Baja/

Expensive, but its built exactly for your application.

 

[EOE_overland]

Also, I've got a brand new 7" Lilliput touchscreen LCD I've been trying to sell on MUD. Think I could interest you? Yours for $200, I'll get the shipping in the cont. US.

I might be interested; just finishing (I hope!) a summer-long 4 day week schedule at work. But I'm gonna eBay my last PC laptop and maybe I'll have the $ for it soon.

I looked into this setup for iTunes a few years ago with my last vehicle, and wasn't sure how it would work (why I mentioned Front Row) to pick a song with the tiny lines they're listed on in iTunes. But with the new update, I really like the ability to slide thru the album covers like an iPod Touch.

Im curious as to how well the hardware on the mini will handle all the shaking and temperature fluctuations that are associated with being in a car. I feel offroad usage would be even worse for it.

EDIT:
I just remembered this, if your primary purpose for getting the mini is off road navigation, you should probably look into something like this:

HDS-5 Baja Off-Road GPS Chartplotter | Lowrance

Expensive, but its built exactly for your application.

No experience yet on the durability question. They're used quite a bit in vehicle applications, and I haven't read anything bad yet. It's basically a Macbook in a single-DIN package. I know notebook hard drives are far more durable than desktops. I also plan to come up with a shock-dampening mount for it in my double-DIN dash hole.

As for the Lowrance, I've had good luck with them at work (Marine Electronics Tech by day). But the primary reason for the Mac setup is music and a few other applications that I want the computer for. The Nav stuff is a bonus. Besides, I already have my Garmin WAAS antenna to mount outside the truck for a nice view of the sky . And the big chartplotter units seem kinda clunky compared to an LCD touchscreen.

Oh yeah- about the temp question...I was going to come up with a semi-removable setup so I can slide it out on cold nights in the winter. I saw a few similar setups online (MacVroom, I think?). Any thoughts?

 

[EOE_overland]

Steelbender: Got any pics of your WRX setup?

 

[land crusher]

I would look at Sun's VirtualBox instead of Parallels. It's free and I find it more robust. Supports more OSs, too.

 

[pman]

On the software side of things, you could use Crossover to run the windows based nave software on the mini. The mini's will have more than enough power to handle Crossover.

Windows Applications Seamlessly Integrated on Mac OS X - Mac Windows - CodeWeavers

FWIW I have a Macbook Pro, thats why Im so interested in this thread.

 

[EOE_overland]

How do Virtual Box and Crossover do with the PPC Mini's? You can get a PPC Mini on eBay for under $200. Or save up for the intel. My current Mini at home is an Intel Core Duo and I love it!

 

[pman]

Im fairly certain that crossover only works with Intel powered Macs. Check the link I posted to verify, as I may be wrong.

 

[land crusher]

VirtualBox requires an Intel processor, but that's one reason it runs so well. It's not an emulator, but a virtual machine. My wife uses it to run ArcGIS under Windows 2000 on her MacBook. Windows runs faster under VB than it does on native hardware.

 

[Steelbender77]

I had pics before my external enclosure burned up taking all of my music and pictures with it.

Let me know about the screen though, would love to have someone put it to use.

 

[Sanchez]

i'm working on a similar project, I have the intel mac mini, 8 inch lilliput screen, carnetix power supply with the macpac cable that lets you unplug the mac mini and still use it at home with your regular brick power supply. I got all the parts ready to go but I just havent found the time to install it. I'm also looking into SSD drive option for this but they are a $$$ right now for a small 80GB, but the cool thing about it is that there are no moving parts.

Juan