Mini in the shop

Its a sad day in the robot workshop (the bolts are only being threaded halfway). The mini mac is in the shop for a couple days and to add lemon to the wound Memorial Day is around the corner. The blasted computer 'ate' a cdrom and won't release it. I've tried numerous ways to make Kit regurgitate the disk but all attempts have failed. Since I cannot work on software, I'll try to add details about the hardware this weekend. The biggest pressing issue is during a redesign of the layout to accommodate the mini along with a larger battery, should I scrap the wood I am using for a prototype and machine its aluminum counterpart or do I stick with the easy to work with wood?

Mac Mini DC-DC Power Supply

I thought I was going to have to use an inverter to get the power to the Mac from a 12 v battery source, but thanks to Carnetix they've developed the CNX-P1900 for $100. Also, Tom's Hardware Guide reports the mini's power draw to be around 20-28 Watts. I haven't shown the pictures yet, but a prototype of the mini mac mobile platform is nearly finished. I've used simple hobby wood for now until the design is finalized. The last nagging issue before the software code is developed is the USB camera issues on the mac. To my disappointment, I've only been able to capture from one USB camera. This may be enough for awhile, but I was going to have 2-4 cameras. I also may rethink this since the iSight is a lot higher quality than my quickcams and it uses firewire. More on the design and architecture will come this weekend. So long, until I post again.

The mini

I invite you to come along with me on a journey to create robots based on the Mac mini. The mini's size of 6.5" x 6.5" x 2" begs us, no demands us to build an autonomous mobile platform around it. No self respecting robot hobbyist could possibly resist, so the quest begins.

This blog will serve a myriad of purposes. One is to create a place for rapid updates, pictures and descriptions as the building of Mini Mac aka Kit unfolds. Another is more of an experiment. I believe blogging can be an important if not a core part of projects for those of us who are not disciplined enough to document well as we work. Too often have I had to write documentation after the project is nearly finished. So enough is enough. I must blog while I work. Anyway, who can whistle when you're surrounded by cubicles?