My new WiFi/Cellular Network Design

Mr. Presentation is the Crimp-xpert on this forum... He works for an electrical connector company. So watch how you show your crimps. A crooked antenna with crooked crimps will cause a lot of angst around these parts.
 
Instead of cable ties, you could use a velcro strap to the board. This way you could easily remove/reattach if troubleshooting.

Doug
 
I just want to see it work. That's a lot of routing and networking and power management. I'm sure it will, I'd just be scared if something were to go down and how to get around it.
 
Turtlesboat said:
I just want to see it work. That's a lot of routing and networking and power management. I'm sure it will, I'd just be scared if something were to go down and how to get around it.
Click to expand...

I'm not too worried... My bridge computer is a PC and, knock on w!ngless, but I have not had any issue with it... It's more reliable than the dang Sea Ray Navigator things. Besides, this is a hobby... and it's not going to sink the boat if it breaks.

I'm trying to make it as bullet proof (i.e. good for 8 foot waves) as possible. However, at the end of the day, this stuff probably is only going to have a lifespan of 5-7 years... technology changes and all...

The biggest "ghetto" part of this was putting in a y-adapter on the Mac Mini motherboard and feeding the connector out the back:

DSC_0269.jpg


You can't get to the power button and so it's controlled by the external 12v power supply/regulator (this is just like my bridge computer). Basically, when 12v is applied to the ignition input (which is tied to a switch on the panel as there is no "ignition"), the power supply "pushes the button" for you. I'll explain it better in a write up.... it works well though... just looks hokie on the back.

The other thing that is a little tough is cutting all the cable inputs for power (external drive, hub, router, etc) and figuring out the proper voltage and making pigtails out of them so they can be secured to terminal blocks:

DSC_0266.jpg


The splicing is done and then shrink wrapped so it doesn't look too bad...

DSC_0273.jpg


but getting all the voltages to correctly match the pinouts of what it is plugging into requires some detective work...

There were also some operational issues I had to solve... but again I'll write the Mac Mini thing up in a separate thread because people probably are not even reading this one anymore....
 
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It looks like a lot of fun to put that all together. I proudly admit I love getting to use the crimp set I picked up on your advice. In fact I helped a dock neighbour re-do some ring connectors tonight and he was impressed with the kit.

Nice work.
 
Wait, you have to hit the engine switches to power the mini?
 
Turtlesboat said:
Wait, you have to hit the engine switches to power the mini?
Click to expand...

Yeah... I need 1400HP to power up that power hog...

NO! This power supply was designed for installation in a car so there is an "ignition wire". It's just a 12v trigger so if 12v appears on the wire, it closes the contacts with the primary power inputs. It's like when you turn the key a little in your car and the radio works... the power leads are always hot to the radio but there is a 12v "ignition wire" to the radio that is just a trigger. Obviously on a boat that makes no sense so it is just wired to a contura switch on the front panel (on/off) and turns the computer on and off... The reason to have this control the power is it also controls putting the Mac in hibernate mode when the power is turned off (like tapping the power switch) instead of just "cutting the power" to the thing...

Here's the power supply:

http://carnetix.com/P2140/CNXP2140.htm

and the manual:

http://carnetix.com/installation/P2140_Users_Manual_V1_2.pdf

and the diagram how it works:

2140Block.jpg


The actual unit's outputs are not exactly like that (I think their manual sucks and is old)... but I needed 18.5v (Man Mini), 12v (external HDD), and 5v (external HDD and video scaler) for various power inputs on my setup...
 
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Oh, the "ignition switch" was confusing. "remote switch" is better.

What did you need the video scaler for? I thought it was all software driven in the mini. The built in video card should be able to output a lot of options. Is it a dvi to hdmi issue?
 
Turtlesboat said:
What did you need the video scaler for? I thought it was all software driven in the mini. The built in video card should be able to output a lot of options. Is it a dvi to hdmi issue?
Click to expand...

This is a real sore spot for me... If I was plugging this directly into the TV (which has a dvi connector), I would be fine. However, I am plugging it into the video router (AVAtrix) and the thing only routes component video (Y/Pb/Pr) so I have to convert a digital output (hdmi) to analog component (Y/Pb/Pr)... It still is doing 720p/1080i... but it required an expensive piece of equipment to do it right...

http://www.audioauthority.com/product_details/1366/Video_Converter/5/1

1366_scaled_320.jpg


Which was about the same price as the Mac Mini itself... Note the thing runs on 5v so the DC regulator can support it.

If you are not routing video via component, then you don't need that. I'm not real happy about having to buy this... The AppleTV had built in component video and cost $200.
 
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Could you originally have purchased a video router that routes DVI instead of Y/Pb/Pr? Or would that have complicated things further?

Doug
 
douglee25 said:
Could you originally have purchased a video router that routes DVI instead of Y/Pb/Pr? Or would that have complicated things further?

Doug
Click to expand...

I think you can buy DVI routers now... but when I bought the AVAtrix it did not support that... something about license violations...

However, then you have to combine the sound into an HDMI connection (which you would have to convert from the DVI) as the digital sound output on a Mac Mini is separate from the video output... and it has to be synched so the people's mouths don't move different than the words are coming out... so it's just a different "can of worms" IMO.
 
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Four Suns said:
I think you can buy DVI routers now... but when I bought the AVAtrix it did not support that... something about license violations...

However, then you have to combine the sound into an HDMI connection (which you would have to convert from the DVI) as the digital sound output on a Mac Mini is separate from the video output... and it has to be synched so the people's mouths don't move different than the words are coming out... so it's just a different "can of worms" IMO.
Click to expand...

Yeah I see what you're saying. You're probably better off going the route you did. The adapater look to be pretty costly.

Doug
 
I see. So the mini is now a $1200 computer... with component video.

The router is needed in this setup, no doubt. Here's the question, are you able to change stations on the different TV's from the TV's? Or do you need a receiver at each TV? I hate having to get out of bed to change channels. I'm looking into wifi to infrared doohickies.
 
Turtlesboat said:
I see. So the mini is now a $1200 computer... with component video.
Click to expand...

It's more like $1400 with the external 2 TB Newer Tech hard drive.
Bastard.

Turtlesboat said:
The router is needed in this setup, no doubt. Here's the question, are you able to change stations on the different TV's from the TV's? Or do you need a receiver at each TV? I hate having to get out of bed to change channels. I'm looking into wifi to infrared doohickies.
Click to expand...

That's what the AVAtrix does. I don't have to get out of bed to switch sources or control sources (like switching channels). The AVAtrix I have is an older version and doesn't have lockout so you can get into control wars (the new ones are smaller/cheaper/and have more features like lock out)... that's why I have two DirecTV sat boxes... I hate Sponge Bob. The iPad makes a decent remote to control the Mac Mini... with this:

http://rowmote.com/Rowmote/Rowmote.html

Works with your iPhone too...
 
That's pretty cool.

This device just came out, the iTach
iTachWF2IR-medtrans-150x128.png


wifi to IR. You can build custom remotes with the app iRule. you can use the itouch, iphone, ipad as a remote to control all of the devices.
 
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