FS~Phat
11-24-2012, 02:20 AM
Now we have the new rules about phones in cars here, they must be mounted and NOT picked up at all.
I finally got around to making my own cradle for the car and integrating decent BT audio for the iPhone.
Nothing I could find commercially looked good enough for the clean look I wanted so I resorted to Macgyvering my own from a few bits I had lying around and a couple new bits to pull it together.
Whats involved?
Jailbroken iPhone 4S on 5.1.1 with a whole bunch of useful tweaks and apps that support landscape orientation.
The list is extensive so I'll post it later if there's interest.
An old vent mount cradle from my old iPhone 3GS (first on left in pic)
A new iPhone battery booster cover from Jaycar - (second from left) This one is really slim/clean and light and doubles the battery life, even has a standard iphone dock connector for recharging so you can charge it in the car, or off any usb/apple charger in the house. I didnt want cables which is why this one is so critical!
A bike mount kit with 4S and 3Gs cradles.
A Manhattan rechargeable BT audio reciever with 3.5mm out to connect into AUX in on the RNS 510. (pic in centre console) This thing is really great and for $55 dollars it was amazing value from scorptec computers. specs are 6.5hrs playtime and 3hrs to charge. 20hz-22Khz 748kbs BT 2.1 A2DP range 20M.
BT audio can be crap, but this thing sounds fantastic. After listening to the BT audio quality of my Kufatec BT Audio/Phone hands free its like going from AM radio to full Hi-Fi CD quality. And I kid you not, it sounds as good as an MP3 can sound in a car environment... no dropouts, no static and it sounds as good as songs from SD or MDI! The phone pairs with both the Kufatec and Manhattan simultaneously (which was a nice surprise) and even automatically switches to the Kufatec BT for a phone call and then back again. (now that was really a massive surprise!)
For now for $55 bucks its a great alternative that meets my criteria for quality wireless audio and I can charge it from the cigarette lighter (5V USB) or take it inside to charge. I didnt want to pay $400 for a 9W7 without knowing how the quality of BT Audio was going sound. Now I know, eventually I will install a 9W7F AVRCP A2DP kit to replace the kufatec/Manhattan BT and then I'll have complete RNS 510 BT Audio integration with steering wheel buttons for tracks skip and artist info. The only downside is having to switch it off/on as it doesnt look like it has a timer auto off when there's nothing paired to it. If it was going to be a long term solution I'd just wire it permanently to the fuse box with 12v/5V usb charger inline.
BTW I do have the iPhone MDI kit which completely integrates with the Nav unit/steering wheel controls and dash display, but that requires putting the phone in the glovebox! Putting in the 9W7F i mentioned above will give me all the same funtions as the MDI kit wirelessly!
Anyway onwards with the pics...
The bits to be "Macgyvered" with the Dremel!
http://ukp6bq.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pFPs0zi1L0omYs9WZFY-msoWvlsXJUG2npkmHEfwk_AMuVltQHdzT-y6eZjbk0lLjQg_YFAJ1P_l5z6TXQVX3zuSyDA0ohYRT/IMG_0383.JPG
Another better angle
http://ukrfpa.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pRs94eJjBQy20xhoX_boILJmhG3UAK5DLJ-qM_YgmmjonNC-jnWBG-AqPtKgTROTBp8A1ZhxrykUP9fni2wUyXoFwEUBXeqcQ/IMG_0384.JPG
Pilot hole in the old cradle clip almost ready to mount the nut from bike cradle. (nut dremeled out)
http://ukrfpa.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pK9I6Uha2ulrtXWe00GAONzjcqvTj9l8uLFmxlCueynAf6UW 6sZ8cMtxgSHN5rPZP6vNCB3KfFOqB3hCyQU9yvqfVsXP4DIco/IMG_0386.JPG
Drilling out bigger.. later to be dremeled and cleaned up ready for hotglueing the nut in place.
http://ukrfpa.blu.livefilestore.com/y1psvBUn5CvAX2YF0fQTzR0KeCOeD6SxFRxd1ky708snYsTS20 MQv06capNd12v_tmb23H0g6ENgqC_dD_dl33Hj1QVtAK-IVRi/IMG_0388.JPG
Cradle finished + original iPhone 4/4S bike mount case + Battery backup case ready for glueing the clip from the 2nd 3G case that came with the bike mount kit.
http://w7v84w.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pEdZJVXdWt1GkMFyzPudCh9l7goKHFzL6m0WgRS6OxO-9KtL9Wj4lU2uSk9VMFhwNayaR-ST_mWTufrl9XdrcV7BtWnmCSSum/IMG_0389.JPG
New iPhone bike cradle mounted and nut glued in. (notice it swivels in the centre on a ball joint!)
http://ukrfpa.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pZMCwb7bFodZq177aobKhJPhhIH0WAJ5W-XrXFEUHMZRBWhSQ5ochmuj5N7U1R1m_X9i2Zb8Vi_xdf0LbzZF 80_XkIzt7eMRT/IMG_0391.JPG
http://ukrfpa.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pIAiwR5eSx5z0bX8zI5i1s5Q-9FGpLtBNY25xhRCrMg4IYAL3V75gMmhYAVJDAe3Bgq27Ok8MfL E4aPofpevH4Qa3tv2bdkRp/IMG_0392.JPG
iPhone battery booster case mounted to cradle.
http://ukrfpa.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p6jKv3gWnxmJZgHvw3LQN3yBDFpvV0IKMym-68B9S9XhnbA4xaQJEdUQJ4elL-uu4SvwHLuEM3IRFwa8uDNzw8LFKv-fJAsX1/IMG_0398.JPG
iPhone installed in booster cradle! Nice clean fit!
http://ukrfpa.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p0GZFG6emEtVZCq0CO9_E_OGWZeQpxDuWfLNhdjrLxL-Cv_SXFtYe5Pv4c1p0nw2OH3wYqsUVjwpCjO3wM7FRNk3cqbZWS mQ7/IMG_1795.JPG
http://ukrfpa.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pvyslXimaldcmxNIcHCrhwFILnT8SGzqql10lcF4Fkyj8lnZ 5PHyI7PcOGJAKZu3V1D-XH5myFz4HQiAwo-GiVb0bihFi8TEF/IMG_1794.JPG
Now off to the car...............
I finally got around to making my own cradle for the car and integrating decent BT audio for the iPhone.
Nothing I could find commercially looked good enough for the clean look I wanted so I resorted to Macgyvering my own from a few bits I had lying around and a couple new bits to pull it together.
Whats involved?
Jailbroken iPhone 4S on 5.1.1 with a whole bunch of useful tweaks and apps that support landscape orientation.
The list is extensive so I'll post it later if there's interest.
An old vent mount cradle from my old iPhone 3GS (first on left in pic)
A new iPhone battery booster cover from Jaycar - (second from left) This one is really slim/clean and light and doubles the battery life, even has a standard iphone dock connector for recharging so you can charge it in the car, or off any usb/apple charger in the house. I didnt want cables which is why this one is so critical!
A bike mount kit with 4S and 3Gs cradles.
A Manhattan rechargeable BT audio reciever with 3.5mm out to connect into AUX in on the RNS 510. (pic in centre console) This thing is really great and for $55 dollars it was amazing value from scorptec computers. specs are 6.5hrs playtime and 3hrs to charge. 20hz-22Khz 748kbs BT 2.1 A2DP range 20M.
BT audio can be crap, but this thing sounds fantastic. After listening to the BT audio quality of my Kufatec BT Audio/Phone hands free its like going from AM radio to full Hi-Fi CD quality. And I kid you not, it sounds as good as an MP3 can sound in a car environment... no dropouts, no static and it sounds as good as songs from SD or MDI! The phone pairs with both the Kufatec and Manhattan simultaneously (which was a nice surprise) and even automatically switches to the Kufatec BT for a phone call and then back again. (now that was really a massive surprise!)
For now for $55 bucks its a great alternative that meets my criteria for quality wireless audio and I can charge it from the cigarette lighter (5V USB) or take it inside to charge. I didnt want to pay $400 for a 9W7 without knowing how the quality of BT Audio was going sound. Now I know, eventually I will install a 9W7F AVRCP A2DP kit to replace the kufatec/Manhattan BT and then I'll have complete RNS 510 BT Audio integration with steering wheel buttons for tracks skip and artist info. The only downside is having to switch it off/on as it doesnt look like it has a timer auto off when there's nothing paired to it. If it was going to be a long term solution I'd just wire it permanently to the fuse box with 12v/5V usb charger inline.
BTW I do have the iPhone MDI kit which completely integrates with the Nav unit/steering wheel controls and dash display, but that requires putting the phone in the glovebox! Putting in the 9W7F i mentioned above will give me all the same funtions as the MDI kit wirelessly!
Anyway onwards with the pics...
The bits to be "Macgyvered" with the Dremel!
http://ukp6bq.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pFPs0zi1L0omYs9WZFY-msoWvlsXJUG2npkmHEfwk_AMuVltQHdzT-y6eZjbk0lLjQg_YFAJ1P_l5z6TXQVX3zuSyDA0ohYRT/IMG_0383.JPG
Another better angle
http://ukrfpa.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pRs94eJjBQy20xhoX_boILJmhG3UAK5DLJ-qM_YgmmjonNC-jnWBG-AqPtKgTROTBp8A1ZhxrykUP9fni2wUyXoFwEUBXeqcQ/IMG_0384.JPG
Pilot hole in the old cradle clip almost ready to mount the nut from bike cradle. (nut dremeled out)
http://ukrfpa.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pK9I6Uha2ulrtXWe00GAONzjcqvTj9l8uLFmxlCueynAf6UW 6sZ8cMtxgSHN5rPZP6vNCB3KfFOqB3hCyQU9yvqfVsXP4DIco/IMG_0386.JPG
Drilling out bigger.. later to be dremeled and cleaned up ready for hotglueing the nut in place.
http://ukrfpa.blu.livefilestore.com/y1psvBUn5CvAX2YF0fQTzR0KeCOeD6SxFRxd1ky708snYsTS20 MQv06capNd12v_tmb23H0g6ENgqC_dD_dl33Hj1QVtAK-IVRi/IMG_0388.JPG
Cradle finished + original iPhone 4/4S bike mount case + Battery backup case ready for glueing the clip from the 2nd 3G case that came with the bike mount kit.
http://w7v84w.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pEdZJVXdWt1GkMFyzPudCh9l7goKHFzL6m0WgRS6OxO-9KtL9Wj4lU2uSk9VMFhwNayaR-ST_mWTufrl9XdrcV7BtWnmCSSum/IMG_0389.JPG
New iPhone bike cradle mounted and nut glued in. (notice it swivels in the centre on a ball joint!)
http://ukrfpa.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pZMCwb7bFodZq177aobKhJPhhIH0WAJ5W-XrXFEUHMZRBWhSQ5ochmuj5N7U1R1m_X9i2Zb8Vi_xdf0LbzZF 80_XkIzt7eMRT/IMG_0391.JPG
http://ukrfpa.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pIAiwR5eSx5z0bX8zI5i1s5Q-9FGpLtBNY25xhRCrMg4IYAL3V75gMmhYAVJDAe3Bgq27Ok8MfL E4aPofpevH4Qa3tv2bdkRp/IMG_0392.JPG
iPhone battery booster case mounted to cradle.
http://ukrfpa.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p6jKv3gWnxmJZgHvw3LQN3yBDFpvV0IKMym-68B9S9XhnbA4xaQJEdUQJ4elL-uu4SvwHLuEM3IRFwa8uDNzw8LFKv-fJAsX1/IMG_0398.JPG
iPhone installed in booster cradle! Nice clean fit!
http://ukrfpa.blu.livefilestore.com/y1p0GZFG6emEtVZCq0CO9_E_OGWZeQpxDuWfLNhdjrLxL-Cv_SXFtYe5Pv4c1p0nw2OH3wYqsUVjwpCjO3wM7FRNk3cqbZWS mQ7/IMG_1795.JPG
http://ukrfpa.blu.livefilestore.com/y1pvyslXimaldcmxNIcHCrhwFILnT8SGzqql10lcF4Fkyj8lnZ 5PHyI7PcOGJAKZu3V1D-XH5myFz4HQiAwo-GiVb0bihFi8TEF/IMG_1794.JPG
Now off to the car...............