SYNY5TER

I'm looking to put an iPad in the car without using a head unit. So I need an amplifier. Do I need a new performance audio battery?? Or can I use a normal battery from pep boys etc??

Thanks!

cegha

Hey there,
I first want to start with, why you think you need an external amplifier or new battery to hook up an ipad in your car? Did someone tell you this?

Second, neither item is needed. Which is why I was asking where you got the idea that they were needed. I guess your thinking you can buypass the headunit to play music. It doesn't work this way. The signal has to originate from the Headunit to be passed to the amps done through rca cables with aftermarket equipment or through wiring harness with stock equipment.

Third, It would be tricky but doable to run an ipad in your car if you have the stock Shaker 500/1000 headunit. I've replaced my Shaker 500 with a Avic D3. My D3 has a aux out port. My stock Shaker 500 had one as well. I'm not sure if the basic 05+ headunit has a aux out port. All you need is a $2 headphone to headphone cord to plug from the ipad headphone port to your aux out port on your headunit. My Shaker 500 aux out port was located in the center console.

Someone else made a thread about mouting an ipad in there car. You would need to check that thread for the mounting solution used. Then you could run a aux port cord from the ipad into the center console IF you have that aux out port. You will notice it looks like a headphone jack. If you don't have this, you will have to buy a new headunit to get this functionality. Most headunits have them nowdays that are aftermarket.

Now if you did go aftermarket, I think Ipads have bluetooth. Some pioneer headunits like mine support bluetooth. If you wanted you could make sure to get one with bluetooth & set it to auto-connect each time you got in the car & you wouldn't have to run any wires either, completely wireless audio then you can grab & go & not worry about a cord everytime you get in or out.

The only reason an external amplifier would be needed is if you want to power aftermarket speakers. Door or rear deck speakers or subs are usually what your running with these.

The only reason to get a "car audio" battery, which some are car audio brand, but I would go Optima, it's what I run, is to keep voltage spikes down. You really only need these when starting to run systems near your alternators max capacity, or when you get into large audio system setups.

My stock crappy duracraft battery died on me, so I got a yellow top for like $150 brand new. Cheaper than a red top would have been. Autozone or Advance Auto parts online with $50 off $200+ purchase. So it worked out well for me.

wayne613

Uhm...People do it all the time. And YES, you need an external amplifier to hook the line-level audio out on the ipad up to your speakers, if you wish to replace the head-unit completely.

The 2 or 4(in the case of the shaker 1000) shaker system "subs" would just need a split line in.

That Ipad will use like 8 watts man. You can run it and an additional 4 channel amp(<200watt RMS) fine off your existing battery, modified of course to fit in the console and use the delayed accessory line that normally goes to the head-unit(on 05-07's). The fabrication work needed for it to fit in the double-din slot right is the only real hurdle in most cases.

SYNY5TER

Thank u for all ur replies.

I'm sorri im a total noob to radio system in cars. Imma talk to the local audio techs and see eat they can do for me

wayne613

This usually isn't something done by the local audio shop with 19yo installers. I'm sure they could hook it up on a mount for you to hook into the existing stock system, or a newer head-unit; but replacing it, doubtful, as this still requires a custom job to flush mount in the console. Usually involving quite a few hours of work. I assume you'd like it to be removable, yes?

Just hit google and use "motorized ipad install", the previously linked site(mp3car) also has some examples. Expect to pay a couple grand to have someone else do it. Unless your ok with sacrificing it to the car, in which case some easier fiberglass work can be done to permanently mount it in place. That should bring the price-tag down to a fraction of that.

JayMax03

Can a Android Tablet work the same way?

wayne613

Yep. Usually the better option(and cheaper), since it can be customized further to give a decent front-end(as in an app that uses the full screen with large buttons to control other commonly used apps), not to mention more apps that are more specific to this usage.