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Adrian_D

Dracula's Droptop

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Here we go, starting the lightweight, simple install in the Miata biggrin.png

 

First off some pictures of the car, keep in mind I was always too busy enjoying driving it to do anything else, like cleaning it laugh.png

 

Just after a wash, comparing it with a friend's Z3. 

1387930_655564761144159_909506377_n.jpg?

 

1396406_655564764477492_2011766469_n.jpg

 

1376889_655564757810826_428131507_n.jpg?

 

Mock-up of the 7" tablet. Fits great in the scene 

 

IMG_1411_1.jpg

 

 

Target for the entire system is under 30 lbs. That includes wiring, fiberglass, minimal deadening, speakers, amp, tablet and miniDSP. 

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Tuned in, this makes me want to find a cheap zoom zoom car.

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Naming rights!

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Maybe some fangs in the dash?

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So what's up with the Dracula references? What's that mean?

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So what's up with the Dracula references? What's that mean?

 

Where he lives.

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Ohh he lives in Transylvania lol I was wondering why all the Dracula jokes!

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Hah, yeah, I live in the land of vampires. And I've visited the "official" castle. Pretty nice crib :lol: 

 

No subs, the Extremis should do fine. After selling my tablet, I'm getting it back and the PPI 900.4 should be here before Christmas. miniDSP can wait, the PPI has some processing. 

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PPI 900.4 arrived today. It's TINY :D

Pics + weigh-in coming later today. 

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The amp weighs 2.5 Kg. 

Total target weight is under 10 Kg. Time to weigh the Extremis :)

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The amp weighs 2.5 Kg. 

Total target weight is under 10 Kg. Time to weigh the Extremis smile.png

What the hell is a kg? tongue.png

 

 

Pics!!!

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I'll have to fabricate some sort of amp rack to keep the amp in place. Couldn't find a better place to put it. very short power wires FTW!

IMG_1572.jpg

 

It's TINY!

IMG_1574-1.jpg

 

1 Extremis weighs in at 1.5 kg. So total weight with 2 Extremis and the amp is 5.5 kg. Dropping the target weight to 10 kg (22lbs). So still 4.5 kg to spare for deadening, tweeters, wiring, mdf rings, tablet and minidsp. 

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Really like my 900.4's small enough to install in a glove box of some cars and put out respectable amounts of power and sound clean doing it.

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Started the amp rack cardboard mockup. It will be built it out of 1/16" thick flat stock, with speed holes to keep the weight down. 

IMG_1591.jpg

 

Going to use the battery hold-down bolt for one of the supports since it's convenient. 

IMG_1592.jpg

 

Yesterday I broke down and ordered a Nexus 7 (2012 model) :D

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permanent mount for the tablet or making a dock? 

 

I was thinking about modifying this dock (or using pins) for a dock set up

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009UQZPA0/ref=s9_hps_ft_g147_ir01?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=1EQF9EDV8JRP95JWD4XX&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_p=1705902322&pf_rd_i=1001023771

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Tough to fit a dock, I'll mount it "permanently" and just run wires with plugs. One big problem is the volume control, if I don't have access to the rocker switch, the volume control will have to be somewhere on the screen. Some tablets have it there. And I will have to figure out a way to access the power button. 

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minidsp has a volume pot.

 

for power im guessing there's a way to boot when vehicle is turned on. 

 

i started a mount but scrapped my plans. buying a new car this month

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk69/killwish/photobucket-29702-1376162086652_zps2b8dd230.jpg

Edited by lithium

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I want to keep it on all the time and just have it turn on the screen smile.png

 

miniDSP sure has one but first iteration of the system will be using the PPI's on-board processing. So I'll have to figure out a way to control volume. 

 

Mounting it nicely is going to be a pain in the butt :( 

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the battery life is pretty solid so I bet it would hold charge for several days maybe over a week. 

 

the ppi unit looks pretty good, i went the cheaper route with two 2x4 units.  maybe you'll be able to do some external volume control with a rooted os. iirc sean found a way to do steering wheel controls which would include volume i would think... 

 

edit" mount idea

 

http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/build-logs-project-install-gallery/157938-2013-wrx-nexus-7-install-no-hu.html

Edited by lithium

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Tough to fit a dock, I'll mount it "permanently" and just run wires with plugs. One big problem is the volume control, if I don't have access to the rocker switch, the volume control will have to be somewhere on the screen. Some tablets have it there. And I will have to figure out a way to access the power button.

Are there steering wheel controls? If so, it is easy enough to get them to talk with the Nexus. Or perhaps any other button in your car.

Can also root it with Timur's kernel so a volume control is in your task bar at all times. Just + - but it is enough.

Power control on that unit is EASY to reach if you pull the rear cover and can then make your own. Or use the kernel above to automatically unsleep when it see's power. Usually about a 2 second boot from sleep. Battery lasts about 10+ days with the car off in standby as well. As long as you drive once a week you'll have instant startup nearly.

And definitely permanent mount.

SDR Touch and some adapters will let you get free FM over your car's antenna.

If you want peripherals, before you go buy some let me know as I may go a different route and am all set up to do it. I just have WAY more screen real estate space than the 7 so I'd like to go bigger. ONLY the Nexus 7 (2012) can boot instantly via rom, charge over USB & use a USB hub all at the same time....unless someone has hacked something else in the past two months which I don't think.

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Being the outside of the screen is flat and style of mount that sandwiches will work. Would have been the easiest screen mount in a cayenne. 1 piece of wood, routed, then cut and 4 holes drilled and stock mounts would have worked.

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Tough to fit a dock, I'll mount it "permanently" and just run wires with plugs. One big problem is the volume control, if I don't have access to the rocker switch, the volume control will have to be somewhere on the screen. Some tablets have it there. And I will have to figure out a way to access the power button.

Are there steering wheel controls? If so, it is easy enough to get them to talk with the Nexus. Or perhaps any other button in your car.

Can also root it with Timur's kernel so a volume control is in your task bar at all times. Just + - but it is enough.

Power control on that unit is EASY to reach if you pull the rear cover and can then make your own. Or use the kernel above to automatically unsleep when it see's power. Usually about a 2 second boot from sleep. Battery lasts about 10+ days with the car off in standby as well. As long as you drive once a week you'll have instant startup nearly.

And definitely permanent mount.

SDR Touch and some adapters will let you get free FM over your car's antenna.

If you want peripherals, before you go buy some let me know as I may go a different route and am all set up to do it. I just have WAY more screen real estate space than the 7 so I'd like to go bigger. ONLY the Nexus 7 (2012) can boot instantly via rom, charge over USB & use a USB hub all at the same time....unless someone has hacked something else in the past two months which I don't think.

 

No need for steering wheel controls smile.png

 

With the current kernel, in developer mode I could set it to never sleep when charging. And it goes to sleep 15 seconds after I stop the charge, so all is well on that side. 

 

From what I could find, the volume and power buttons are on a separate PCB, connected through a ribbon cable. If I take it apart I can move it where I want and problem solved. 

 

For permanent mount I need to figure out a cover to go over it, with magnets, so that everything is stealthy. Keep in mind it's a rag-top and a tablet in the dash screams steal me. A black plastic cover with the Mazda logo screams boring smile.png

 

Please let me know what peripheral setup you have, if you're selling, I'm buying. Not sure I want FM (antenna mast is broken and I'm not spending $50 to replace it at this point). But charge over USB and using a USB hub is mandatory. Plus I need to find a cable with a 90 degree plug. 

 

People on head-fi were dicking around complaining that the DAC is crappy and there is a tutorial for using a USB DAC, did you ever get to listen to the headphone output? 

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In other words, progress on the amp rack...hooray speed holes :D

IMG_1595.jpg

 

IMG_1594.jpg

 

I ran out of gas for the MIG some time ago, so no welds until I can get gas :( 

In the meantime I can finish off all the pieces and build an mdf amp mock-up to keep things in place when welding. 

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Nice work.

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