So since I bought my LS, I have been using a tape adaptor to play music off my iPhone. The crappy sound has been getting old and while I was looking around for a solution without having to replace the deck, I found this: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/lex...em-stereo.html

Have to say the sound difference is actually pretty amazing... My tape adaptor obviously was not functioning all that well and was missing all the midrange in my music. The AUX mod cost me about $15 plus the monster cable headphone-to-RCA cable I had from an old project.

I built the relay kit last week and had some time today so I put it in the car.

Additionally, I picked up a new panavice dash mount, quick release, offset tipper mount and dug out an old iPad mount I've had for years.

End result is pretty much a completely stealth way to have an iPad or other device in your LS!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/11882029616/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/11882029616/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/11881187505/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/11881187505/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/11881190495/http://www.flickr.com/photos/zx3tuning/11881190495/ by http://www.flickr.com/people/zx3tuning/, on Flickr

Going to grab an iPhone 5 holder so I can do the same with the other quick release and tipper mount I have.

 

Now that is cool!

 

LMAO! I wonder what would happen to a front passenger in a crash - especially if the passenger side air bag were to deploy. iPad sandwich? I hear that Samsung has a new 105" TV with sides that bend forward - it might fit.

Your photo is going to be used in my defense the next time I give a particular coworker a ride to work on a snowy day. She loves to harass me about the "screens" I have in my car - see attached photo.

Seriously .... maybe an iPad mini or a 7" tablet mounted lower in portrait orientation would be practical ... like in the attached photo where I hold my Samsung 7" tablet in front of where my phone cradle is installed.

 

I don't actually plan to run the iPad full time, just for fun, all my music is on my iPhone anyways.
The size and mass of the iPad makes it prone to vibrations and shaking a lot while driving, I need to figure out a way to support the bracket before I'll actually drive around with it like that. Part of the reason why it's on a quick release.


And it's not so much the front passenger but the rear driver side passenger who would need to be worried about the iPad... It's likely to be catapulted that way if the airbag does go off!!


Oh and your setup was actually the one that made me decide against going with a DVD/double din deck and do this. What's the point of an In dash screen when the screen is so small, has to be positioned so low, their GPS systems suck or are extremely expensive. Maps or google maps on my iPad is more accurate than my Garmin GPS system and I don't have to pay to update it yearly either.

Eventually I'll be building a motorized flip-up cradle that holds a full size iPad and retracts away into the stock deck location and flips up over the AC controls. And then shuffles down, if needed, to sit where the stock deck was for general cruising convience.

 

Not directly relevant but this discussion made me think of this future Audi display.

 

That display looks really nice but you would have to constantly look down taking your eyes off the road. Most newer cars the nav is in the middle of the upper dash and you just have to look to the right while still having your eyes on part of the road at least.

 

Excuse me. Your location says Victoria. Since when did more that a small area of Vancouver Island get the minimum 3G cell phone service that allows a person to use Google maps?

Don't feel bad. Huge areas of the U.S. have 2G or less cell phone service where Google maps can't be used. Cell phone service is certainly getting better but there are still lots of rural areas where there is no cell phone service at all.

 

Lol, well, I don't actually NEED to use gps to get around like some people do.

But to answer your semi-condescending question/statement...

Virtually all highways in BC, and Canada for that matter, have at least 3G coverage. And in BC any area with 20,000+ people, they will usually have a pretty extensive 3G in not LTE network around there as well. Perhaps unlike backwater towns in 'Murica, cell coverage in BC is actually pretty good considering the population per sq-unit of area.

That said, if I am going on a road trip where cell coverage is questionable (read: off-paved roads), the completely updated Garmin GPS I have for cross country motorcycle trips, tends not to have map coverage anyways. I do also have the ability to look at a map and figure out a route in my head or divine my location by landmarks, intersections, looking at a map or asking... Like they did in the old days, before GPS...

 

Personally, I just replaced my head unit Also, stealthy and iPad are two things that don't go together lol. Nicely executed though.

 

I didn't mean to be condescending. I should have mentioned that we know our way around Vancouver Island and not just the places American tourists usually go like Butt-chart and Victoria. We've driven on barely paved rock roads to places on your west coast that people with any common sense would get to only by boat or sea plane.

 

Speaking of GPS and such, every time we get lost and my wife tells me to just "ask someone..." I tell her that asking for directions is like cheating. We, men, just don't do it.

(until we spend too much time wondering around that is)

BTW, I found this stereo which everyone seems to rave about, and it is GPS ready, but I am not sure how that works; I could buy a Garmin map, put it in, but how do I get voice prompts for navigation? Surely there must be software I would need to install on it too... or maybe I should just finally buy a garmin unit and be done with it. Or use my android phone for navigation anyway since it has 6" screen...

Here is that stereo, planning to buy it soon:

http://www.lightinthebox.com/7-inch-...s_p238813.html

 

Might want to read this thread .....

http://forums.cnet.com/7723-10157_10...bsite-chinese/


But if you do go ahead and buy it let me know how it works out ...... kinda interested

 

I'd just say hit up Sonic Electronix and grab a Jensen Double DIN. I haven't had any experience with off brand stuff, but I'd say you're better off going with something backed by a brand name (at least in the case of certain electronics).

 

Scope,
How is it not stealthy? Comes off in seconds leaving almost nothing behind.
It is not like I would leave the iPad or the mount hanging out when I'm not I'm not in the car.
But stealthy will really come into play when I get going on the rest of my system by putting a pioneer 80PRS in the upper glove box where the stock changer is/was.

Jim,
I know, I was giving you the gears a little.
But anywhere where there is cell service up here, there is at least 3G coverage. In fact, I cannot think of the last time I had cell service but didn't have 3G, except when I was on my bike trip through the US 2 summers ago.

 

I'm not saying that it isn't stealthy, because the mount is stealthy. I'm just poking fun at the idea of a stealthy iPad Also, definitely make a post on that sneaky radio! Would definitely be an interesting mod to see. Personally, I plan on hiding a P/A system in mine... lol