How do I Install Mac Mini on Boat

[57guy]

I've searched the threads here for suggestions on installing Mac Mini on boats to run Nav, etc, but everything I find is a year or two old. I'm sure a lot has changed.
I'm cruising the Bahamas in a 54" MY. Last week I run into a Captain of a boat next to me in the Marina started talking about chart plotters, iPads, etc. He offered to show me the system in the boat he was running.

He said everything was based on the Mac Mini. Their chart plotter software is mac enc, they have 50,000 songs on the mini and it runs their sound system , TV, digital recording system, Netflix , Apple TV, etc.

The more I thought about this type of set up, the more I like. I would like to install two mac Minis when I make back to the states and have it ready for next years crusing.

I have been using an iPad with iNavx for the past year and love it, but have Apple TV, music, Netflix, etc. at home and love it also.

I'm reading up on the different mini systems now, but having a hard time finding current info.

[continuouswave]

The older models of the Mac Mini used a separate power supply brick which converted 120-VAC to DC to run the device. It was straightforward to adapt these units to 12-VDC power. Unfortunately, the newer model of Mac Mini contains an internal power supply. To adapt the new Mac Mini for operation on 12-VDC requires disassembly of the device--not permitted under the warranty terms--and substantial modification. This drawback has no doubt reduced the enthusiasm for use of the Apple Mac Mini on board ships, other than those where 120-VAC is always being generated. This situation may account for the lack of more recent articles being written about use of the Mac Mini with recreational boats.

[GPSNavX]

Unibody MacMini on 12Volts - MacSailing.net - Powered by FusionBB

[Chipg]

If you are not going to use it until next season hold off, Intel is going to release their new processors in a couple months that are faster and more power effecient requiring less watts. I'd expect to see new releases for all Apple computers a month or two after.

[57guy]

Originally Posted by Chipg

If you are not going to use it until next season hold off, Intel is going to release their new processors in a couple months that are faster and more power effecient requiring less watts. I'd expect to see new releases for all Apple computers a month or two after.

I need to install mine the first week in Nov (2012) because thats when I start my cruising season in the Bahamas and naturally I have buy everything in the US. I will start now researching the setup.

I have a 5 year old furuno NavNet that I never turn on with Duel screens. I may decide to replace these with monitors.

[maytrix]

Keep an eye out in October - A windows 8 tablet might be a better choice. They should be full fledged windows 8 computers in a tablet form, so it can do all a desktop/laptop and tablet can do.

I had a mac mini and if I was going to replace it, I'd probably go with windows. You can get a more powerful windows system for about the same price. I've just found the mini to be a bit limiting and not very powerful.

[Chipg]

the new mac mini's with the i5 or i7 are really good and the ones that will be coming out soon after this latest intel processor upgrade will be even better (I'm hearing 1 to 2 months for the Mac Book Pros, the mini's will probe be a month or two behind that), also you can run windows on them, I run Mac OSX Lion and Windows 7 both on my Macs, it's the best of both worlds.

[SunDevil]

You can always find used ones that still work, and probably have the external power supply.

Would you need a display of some sort? Would you need to put it in a waterproof case of some sort? Would a MacBook Air/Pro with AppleTV (if you have a bigger TV) work better?

[57guy]

I read in some forum that you stated iNavx needs 250 G and mac ENC needs 1000g.
Is this right. If so, a Mac Mini don't have that much storage.

[GPSNavX]

MacENC needs 2 Gb for the app and marine charts. Any Mac made in the last 6 years could handle that.

iNavX needs 1 Gb for the app and marine charts. Any iPad or iPhone can handle that.