Oh wow I really like this setup. Much better then the ipad headrest mounts. I currently use iPad headrest mounts in my other SUV and folks in the 3rd row can never see the movie. But with what you suggest we can mount the ipad to the roof! Love it!

Just one question - how will the iPad make use of the external harddrive to play movies? Is there an app to do that?

Damn I can't wait for my R/T to come in so I can start tinkering with it.

 

You have to JAILBREAK the ipad to get video in Then there is apps to use. however even with the lock pick i would do more research. i dont think you can feed videos into it via usb. so yor HD idea me need some re-thinking.

Just get an ipan that that runs on a mobile network and you can stream that way or teather it to your cell phone somehow.

 

Seagate GoFlex is the wifi HDD I found - it seems to be made for tablets. I assume there is an app that comes with it. It says you can share with up to 3 ipads. I'd just stick it in the front console and plug it in with the car adapter. (it does have a battery). Pretty cool gadget here.

Baum is correct about the problem feeding video into the ipad from the headunit/DVD player via a/v cable. I reseached that thoroughly... but you can feed on-board video from the ipad/wifi HDD to the headunit with the lockpick. Perhaps in the near future ipads and lockpick upgrades will be able to feed video into an ipad via a/v cable but doesn't seem to be a viable way to do it right now.

I would NOT get an ipad with cell service personally as they are more expensive, you run a risk of hitting your bandwidth limit, and if I want to get internet access, I can use my rooted droid and make a mobile hotspot.

Also, I thought there would be plenty of bluetooth remotes out there for the ipad but there really isn't much to choose from. The only thing I could find that seemed suitable is this guy out of Europe:

 

So what you are saying you will do is feed the ipad with the videos from the wifihdd and then use the audio/video out to the lockpick? since the only video in on the lockpick is the standard a/v inputs??

on a side note that hdd is slick..

however in the near future there are products that will let you miror your phone onto your radio... so then you can use the apps and access your phone functions through your radio..

 

I really like that Idea! Would you connect it to the head unit also for the audio(as a primary reason?) It seems like it mak be a better quality video and cheaper to replace in the event of the screen going out.

 

yes, since ipads (or any other tablet I could find) do not have video inputs (other than jailbreaking), the ipad will have to network with the HDD and load video, then output the video (and audio) to the lockpick and headunit. I would use this cable. That'll give the option to play video only on the ipad or play on both the ipad and headunit/car speakers. It would be nice to have it work in the reverse to control more of the video at the headunit but this is a pretty good setup anyway IMO. Also, the overhead unit swivels 90 degrees to let driver/passenger have easy access to the ipad while in-place.

I saw that product you're talking about which basically hijacks your display when you plug your phone into a docking unit. I'd bet in the near future, touch screen headunits will use android and windows based software for true compatibility between our portable devices and our vehicles

 

Yeah, it's an a/v composite cable so according to the lockpick demo videos you can feed just the audio from the ipad through your car speakers or run both video and audio to the headunit (via the lockpick).