Upgrading to newer gen iPad in an existing in-wall mount

2MuchTech

Member
I've got several iPads mounted in-wall via iPort's Control Mount hardware.  So there's an iPad sized hole in my drywall, and the iPort steel frame sits down inside it.  I installed these prior to the iPad Air / Air2 coming out, so they have a footprint to match the larger iPad 1,2,3, & 4 hardware.  iPort makes a new version of the Control Mount that fits the newer, smaller Air / Air2 devices, but unfortunately they use a smaller steel frame, so you can't just buy the bezel portion of these new mounts that fit newer iPads and then plunk them into an older style steel frame.
 
Based on some preliminary analysis, it appears the older Control Mount bezel (which is the part the iPad actually gets mounted to) will work with a newer Air / Air2 iPad (as well as the iPad Pro?... not sure because I don't have one of these)... *if* there is a filler panel that would cover up the hole that would show through along the long edges of the Air / Air2 (i.e. the top and bottom edges in a landscape mounted iPad).  I'm thinking that it would be possible to buy some type of machinable plastic (e.g. RenShape) and machine out a pocket that the Air / Air2 would sit in.  There would be a visible seam along the long edges, but if it was done to reasonably tight tolerances I don't think it would look too bad.  I haven't taken detailed measurements yet to confirm that this will work, but on the surface it looks possible.
 
My question to the group is, how many people have older iPorts installed and would be interested in upgrading them to newer models of iPads without having to patch drywall and buy a new Control Mount kit?  If there's enough interest it might be cost effective to have a batch of converter insert panels made.  Making only a couple probably doesn't make sense.  My interest in doing this is based on my fear that the iPad 4 will, at some point, no longer be capable of running new generations of HA apps.
 
If anyone has a better idea for how to accomplish this, I'd like to hear it.
 
Not necessarily a better way or idea to accomplish this, but the nature of using a third party product installed in a 4th tier mount in the wall, it's what it's going to be. Sooner or later the backbox is going to require a retrofit or the footprint is going to be too big/small for whatever comes down the line....or the trim bezel is going to be ridiculously sized compared to the smaller device and not look as sleek or sexy as the original intent.
 
I may get bashed with this, but as being trade, I try to talk people out of flush mount anything, especially items that are technology related or subject to upgrade or replacement unless there's a trade sized box involved.
 
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