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I've documented some of the work I've done installing an iPad mini into my '04 996 in several threads on a few different forums... I'm putting the information here in its own thread as well. Sorry if it seems a bit discontiguous, much of this is cut and paste. ----------- Here's what I'm doing: Relocate HVAC to lower slot in lower center console. Relocate head unit to upper slot in lower center console. Replace head unit with Pioneer single din with USB input and enough charging current to keep iPad mini operating properly. Custom mount mini in upper dash. Modifications to horseshoe bezel and cup holder trim only. Can be returned to stock easily by replacing $60 bezel. Mini will feed into pioneer stereo, then to upgraded speakers in dash and rear. ---- On the hookup, you could eliminate the head unit and go directly to the amp, but there are several considerations... Head-unit solution: A top of the line Pioneer 1Din head unit (DEH-X9500BHS) is only $182 on Amazon. It has dual USB inputs with adequate charging current for an iPad mini, three sets of high-voltage RCA outputs if I want to drive an amp, HD radio, Sat-radio ready, and adjustable illumination color so I can exactly match the OEM amber lighting. It also has full bluetooth integration with my iPhone for calls. A volume KNOB rather than some slider is very nice. Built in amp is adequate for my current needs Easy to mount into one of the existing DIN openings. No head-unit solution: There are various ways to do this, but they all have some limitations. IMHO the BEST way would be iPad mini iStreamer digital-analog converter (DAC) ($230). This will allow you to bypass the relatively low quality DAC's built into the iPad to get a higher quality signal and simultaneously charge the iPad. Audiocontrol three.2 equalizer (~$300), fed by analog output from iStreamer. This will provide a real volume control knob as well as a front/rear fader (though still no balance control). 1/2Din form factor, so it will need a bit more custom work to install. Four channel amp. On the inexpensive/small/light side, something like the Fosgate punch PBR300X4 ($150) would be fine. My original intent was to not use a head unit, but as you can see, it might seem simpler to eliminate the head unit, but it actually requires more stuff and is significantly more expensive to do correctly. It just didn't make sense with all the great low cost USB input head units now available to try and work around it. You could do nothing more than take the headphone output of the mini and use a headphone jack to RCA cable and run it right to the amplifier... It would likely not have sound quality, and quickly adjusting the volume is difficult. And it *still* would cost as much as a decent USB input head unit... ----------- I function tested everything previously with the head unit and HVAC in their original upper position and the iPad mini just temporarily mounted to the lower console. Pandora, Slacker, Waze, MotionX, Harry's Lap Timer, Safari, Google maps, Apple maps, accu- weather all work great. You can even make phone calls if you want without a cell phone using a skype account. Inbound as well, but it takes a bit more work. One of the things I've been waiting on is the IOS/iPad-mini jailbreak which was just released today. The thing I really wanted jailbreak for was to eliminate the 'lock' slider and have the mini immediately go live to the last app in use when the ignition is turned on, and immediately go to sleep when the ignition is turned off, just like it works with the smart cover. Simple enough, but impossible to accomplish without jailbreaking the device. The jailbreak should also allow me to use the less-expensive generic OBD2 bluetooth devices to feed data to Rev, harrys lap timer, etc. -------- I just got out to the garage to do a final test fit. Everything seems to fit perfectly, though I still need to purchase the lower HVAC trim bezel (996.552.339.00-01C). Sorry for the crappy garage-at-night photos. I'll get some better pictures once everything is finished and cleaned up, but this will give you the general idea... ----- Visual notes on the cup holder could be retained... ----- More details on the horseshoe bezel modifications... After modifying, the iPad is sandwiched tightly between the front bezel and the radio support bracket. [Final Install pictures pending...]

Firstly, I have to confess that this was my brother's idea, and he was the first to do it on his '99 C4. We have always been frustrated with the lack of storage space, for stuff that you want to keep out of sight, like portable satnav, camera, jacket, etc. The platform is made of 6mm (1/4") MDF board. Mine is covered in a leatherette I got from eBay which isn't quite a perfect match for the savannah leather, but is extremely close to the carpet colour. My brother used black alcantara for his, as he has a black interior. We made a cardboard template to get the shape right, which is a close fit at the sides. The back edge goes under the back panel by about 12mm (1/2"), and the front edge is cut square to the back of the seats. It is a snug fit under the back panel, which holds it nicely. The MDF was cut from the template, and the covering was stretched over the MDF and stapled on the underside. We screwed some small metal tube clips to the MDF on each side, and cable-tied them to some modified clips which just hook under the side panels. There isn't anything else holding it in place, so it can easily be removed if you need to gain access to the DME under the rear carpet. Hopefully the pictures will explain all. Hope you like it!

Integrated Garage Door Opener DIY I got tired of forgetting to remove the garage door opener at Concours and getting points taken off, so I decided to integrate it into the center console. I got my inspiration from Kirby's Garage Door Opener DIY and added a few twists. I took the existing garage door opener from Genie and opened it up to use just the circuit board. This particular circuit board had lots of extra unused traces and holes that went back to were the switch was (probably for different enclosures), so I just picked 2 and ran about 5 feet of wire from each one. Then I put a little cap over the switch to prevent it from being pushed and wrapped the whole board in electrical tape. I wanted to put the circuit board transmitter as high in the car as possible to get the maximum sending range. I settled on putting the transmitter at the top of the drivers side A pillar, secured with some velcro. There is plenty of space under interior A pillar cover which goes over the transmitter with no problems. The 2 wires are run down the A pillar in the wire conduit that is there, and along the bottom of the drivers side of the dash to the center console. This arrangement gives me a 1.5 block range on the transmitter, which is further than I can see the house. The only downside to this arrangement is that you have to take off the A pillar cover to change the remote control battery. But this only need to be done every other year or more, so I don't think it is an issue. The parts that I used for the switch and its placement are from a 996 Targa. The batwing is called a Sole Switch Trim, P/N 996-552-335-01-01C and lists for $12.69. The Switch is called a Tip Switch, P/N 996-613-119-10-A05 and lists for 23.56. This switch is used to control the sunshade on the Targa. The plug blank is one I had laying around is probably under $5.00. Wiring the actual switch is pretty straight forward. There are 5 spades on the switch, 3 are used for the Garage Door Opener, and 2 are for the switch icon lighting. The 2 outboard vertical spades are for the lighting of the switch icon. Looking at the switch from the front, the spade on the left is the + lead, and the right spade is the - lead. I took lighting power from the seat heater switch lights. On those switches connector the brown wire is -, and the blue/red wire is +. The blue red wire is pigtailed between the 2 connectors, so that is the giveaway on it. I used inline cable splicers to connect the new leads. Back to the garage door switch, the center 3 spades are what are used for the wiring back to the remote control circuit board. The bottom horizontal spade is for one wire connection, and the 2 vertical spades above it are ganged together for the other wire connection. This way you can push the switch in either direction and the garage door remote will activate. So there you have it, another nice way to integrate your garage door opener into your 996. :) ONE LAST THING: Be sure to put in a fresh battery before you button up you work. A fresh battery can last 3-5 years under normal use! Otherwise, you may be opening up things much earlier to replace the battery.