Apple TV in Car

[Jimmy Solari]

Hi guys !
how can i install a small size Apple TV in my Car dash-board
please also tell me the minimum inch TV offered by Apple?

 

[Slurpy2k8]

Hi guys !
how can i install a small size Apple TV in my Car dash-board
please also tell me the minimum inch TV offered by Apple?

I think the miminum TV size offered by Apple is 70 inches, so you may be out of luck.

 

[nathanjbrown]

Hi guys !
how can i install a small size Apple TV in my Car dash-board
please also tell me the minimum inch TV offered by Apple?

I'm going to go ahead and assume you meant "supported" rather than "offered." If that is indeed the case, then all you need to do is find a small LCD TV/Display/Monitor that is capable of resolving 720p via an HDMI connection.

And while it sounds simple, I'm not sure how easy it's going to be to find a small monitor that supports an HDMI input (I suppose DVI would also suffice).

Of course, you'll also need to install a high-speed (4G?) Verizon or AT&T hotspot in your car because the AppleTV is incapable of storing content and requires a connection to the internet.

And perhaps all this belongs in the AppleTV forum...

Nathan

 

[rworne]

I'm going to go ahead and assume you meant "supported" rather than "offered." If that is indeed the case, then all you need to do is find a small LCD TV/Display/Monitor that is capable of resolving 720p via an HDMI connection.

And while it sounds simple, I'm not sure how easy it's going to be to find a small monitor that supports an HDMI input (I suppose DVI would also suffice).

Of course, you'll also need to install a high-speed (4G?) Verizon or AT&T hotspot in your car because the AppleTV is incapable of storing content and requires a connection to the internet.

And perhaps all this belongs in the AppleTV forum...

Nathan

Dependa on the vehicle. The latest Honda Odyssey's highest trim level has an HDMI input for the rear-seat entertainment system.

In our Sienna, I got tired of burning backup DVDs of the kid's shows and got a Patriot PBO (all-in-one media player) and connected it to the entertainment system. It also has WiFi so I can update its contents without taking it out of the vehicle. If the ATV2 can be made to work, you can stream off of an iPhone or iPad.

In the poster's case, a Mac mini (or 1st gen ATV) might be a better choice because something needs to store the media and the Mac mini can play back too.

 

[fishcove]

In the poster's case, a Mac mini (or 1st gen ATV) might be a better choice because something needs to store the media and the Mac mini can play back too.

Actually, it might work quite nicely, using Airplay from an iDevice.

 

[DrEnalg]

Actually, it might work quite nicely, using Airplay from an iDevice.

Ooooh! Me likey. Then Mom or Dad can have complete control over the content from the passenger's seat of the car with their iPhone via Netflix (or perhaps XBMC?), and just do it via Airplay! Niiiiiiiiice

 

[Bill.the.Cat]

Ooooh! Me likey. Then Mom or Dad can have complete control over the content from the passenger's seat of the car with their iPhone via Netflix (or perhaps XBMC?), and just do it via Airplay! Niiiiiiiiice

If you have an iDevice there's no real need for the ATV at all, just get one of these, and run HDMI to one of these or similar.

 

[blueroom]

Why not just mount an iPad in the dash?

 

[waw74]

Actually, it might work quite nicely, using Airplay from an iDevice.

except you have to have a wi-fi connection, which nether device will create, they only join, so you'd have to have something to create a wireless network.

and then you will probably run into problems unless you have something with internet connection on there.
also not sure if the iphone will use it's 3G connection for data if it's connected to a wireless network, or if it will drop off the wifi when it sees no internet connection.

 

[KevinC867]

except you have to have a wi-fi connection, which nether device will create, they only join, so you'd have to have something to create a wireless network.

and then you will probably run into problems unless you have something with internet connection on there.
also not sure if the iphone will use it's 3G connection for data if it's connected to a wireless network, or if it will drop off the wifi when it sees no internet connection.

If you jailbreak the iPhone/iPad and run MyWi, it should work very nicely.

 

[afd]

Personal hotspot?

 

[Jimmy Solari]

except you have to have a wi-fi connection, which nether device will create, they only join, so you'd have to have something to create a wireless network.

and then you will probably run into problems unless you have something with internet connection on there.
also not sure if the iphone will use it's 3G connection for data if it's connected to a wireless network, or if it will drop off the wifi when it sees no internet connection.

Thanks to all of you For valuable Advises!!!

 

[rworne]

Thanks to all of you For valuable Advises!!!

Get a portable AP like one of these:

http://www.dlink.com/DAP-1350

Configure it to be a hotspot and it will turn on and off with the ignition (find a 12VDC to USB power adapter and wire it to something like the accessory line that is hot when the ignition is on). Connect AppleTV2 to a power inverter.

Configure the iOS device and Apple TV2 to connect to the hotspot. The whole thing should come up whenever the vehicle is started.

Enjoy

EDIT: I should mention that the ATV2 is HDMI only, so that limits vehicle choices.

 

[KerrG]

Depends why you want to do it. I used to have an in-car DVD for the kids but had problems with playing DVDs - each DVD had its own start up sequence so you didn't know if it was playing; stopping the car reset the DVD;DVDs jumped etc etc. Solution was to sit a dock on the front dashboard and connect it to the AV in on the DVD. An iPod classic held plenty of DVDs and we had control in the front. Also meant better security; the DVD player was under the seat permanently and we just took the iPod with us. We also have a 160GB ATV which we took with us on holiday along with an HDMI cable so we could just plug it into hotel TVs etc.

 

[kaputsport]

I am planning to kinda do the same thing.

Version 1 Apple TV + 7" LCD display = no more discs...

I am installing a first gen 40gb in my 2002 M3. The screen will be an add on and used as a visual display for the apple tv, as well as the back up camera and thermal night vision camera.

I can use the remote feature from my iPhone to control it when using the thermal night vision camera, and when under normal driving, the regular remote to control it. It will sync with my iMac at home while in the driveway, so any new music will be added.

I have to construct a housing for the screen, to allow it to mount on the dash. I'll be using fiberglass and part of a factory BMW dash (Look at the E90 series with iDrive for inspiration).

You can use the standard composite in by plugging it into the green cable on the old model. The 40GB storage means thousands of hours of music.

I was thinking about a Mac Mini, with a magic touch pad so I could support Google Earth with realtime traffic and weather, but the internet connection and fees would kill me (unless I jailbreak my phone and tether it).

I think the Apple TV will do nicely, and facilitate a need for digital storage. I will use the RCA audio out and interface it with a Dice Media Bridge unit, connected directly to the factory unit.

All in all, it will be slick. Totally hidden, and a "Wow" factor to my M3.

 

[GeekGuys]

Why ATV?

I thought about this myself a few years back. However, Apple tech has moved on where it now becomes quite easy to do this.

I use an iPod Classic (160GB) which hold the iTunes sync'd movies and a bit of music.

Using a small Phono to Fibre converter box, and the Apple AV Cables, I can output audio through the car stereo (Aux In) and video get piped out to the two 7" screens in the seat headrests.
Mount the iPod in a dashboard dock and a bit of cable hiding, and it works a treat.
It's been like that for 2 years now.

With IOS v5 and personal hotspots, this might become easier, might become harder.
You could do this with a iPad if you wanted, mounted in the dash to give you more stuff up front... navigation, games, other stuff like that. I decided a cheap iPod was just the job!

 

[paulrbeers]

I had the same thought about a year ago when installing a Video setup in my truck, but here's the issues I ran into (most have been mentioned):

1. Most moderately priced displays do not have HDMI. Thus in order to connect an AppleTV you would need to use a converter.
2. No local storage (unless you jailbreak). In order to fix this you will need some kind of local storage which either means: A. Another iOS device (ipod Touch or iPhone) for streaming or B. a mac mini.
3. If you go the iPod Touch or iPhone then you have to have wifi in the car. Now you need to find power to supply to the wifi router (as well as the apple tv) and a place for yet another device.
4. If you go the mac mini route, then you have to deal with a whole computer and you will have to buy a device that A. that either does DC to DC right to the back of the mac mini or B. a converter from DC to AC so you can use the normal mac mini power supply and no matter which way you go, you need to buy a power switch that will shut the power off to the mini when your car is off.

There were a few other logistical issues I ran into. In the end, I just got a head unit (Pioneer) that could pull music and videos off a standard iPod Classic, and my head unit also has a video out so you can watch the same videos in the back monitor as in the front. This works flawlessly and didn't require me to hide a bunch of "stuff".

Just saying, there's a lot better ways at this point than using an AppleTV.

Edit: OH and if I wanted to go the Personal Hotspot as my router, it would A. Cost me $60 bucks a month, B. Run out of battery life before the end of a long trip or I would have to run an ugly power cord.