Adam M

ok,

bit far out here, but would like a permanent pc installed in the car for the purposes of monitoring DRIVETRAIN stuff as well as changes to ecu.

First off monitor.

would like to fit an lcd monitor in one of the dash top lids. Having no airbags, I have a choice of the centre bin, or the one where all you have your passenger airbag.

am just wondering if anyone has seena systme fitted which has a lid opening to reveal a slide out screen. I am sure it has been meantioned to me.

Am wondering what I would do interms of processor and keyboard, Have seen some funky fold up keyboards which plug into thinks like Ipods, but I am not sure if the ould have the processing power I need.

The pc needs to have enough processing power to control the pectel, I presume and be powered from a 12v supply.

I know its a little far fetched but I would prefer an integrated system than having a laptop and cable permanently sitting in my footwell.

chiark

Hi Adam

Guess what I'm doing? (in car diy dvd, mp3, route finding and interface to the OBD)

You can either go the laptop route, or use something like a mini-itx board. Anything will have enough power to do what you want, as displaying diagnostics from a slow serial port is not taxing by any means.

If you can wait a while, you'll see what the LCD panel looks like in a pop-up configuration in the top box... I'm trying to work out how to make that work, write the software, get the PSU right and also fit a bathroom. You can probably guess what my wife sees as a priority.

Only downside with the Epia mini-itx board is that there's only one serial port as standard, though there are USB ports which take care of this nicely as I can add more ports through that interface.

For power, I'm copping out at the moment and using a 150w inverter from maplins. at 20 quid, it was easiest by a long shot!
Cheers,
Nick.

AlanG

Something like this Adam?







Alan

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

Thats whos car i had seen it in, Well Lane 3

So Alan, you got a laptop with mobile connected to that?

AlanG

The facility is there for an external input to the screen, so yes i could connect up to it.

just haven't got round to it yet.

Always fancied the idea of the Link ECU's "gauges" being shown on screen.

Alan

chiark

Like it a LOT Alan! Think I'll be trying something along those lines...

David_Wallis

What under your gauges

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

Alan Sounds good

Hmmm.....

Adam M

alan, thats exactly what I had in mind.

I already have a 7 inch screen in the stereo but it only has rca inputs.

I want a proper dedicated pc monitor separate from the stereo.


Nick, what you are doing sounds interesting. I was hoping to interface it with the rs232 on the ecu.

Pat and moray mentioned something about creating a gauge kind of set up like in the skyline.

that would provide me with exactly what I want as I dont like the messiness created by lots of gauges.

alan, how much was that screen and what exactly do you use it for right now?

Forester_GP

Guys, this has also been puzzling me for quite some time. I have a mini computer(PIII-800) which can easily fit into the trunk but any motherboard( all-in-one) with an inverter can fit in there. Problem is with the monitors. First you need a 7"-10" touchscreen @ 800x600 resolution with high brightness. Anything with less than 300 nits(i've tried it!) and you'll be straining to see it on a bright day and most likely get into an accident by trying. I've looked on I-net and almost tried any shop in the States but the ones that i've found & look decent on cars with mounts(flip-tops, drop-down,etc) are only for DVD composite video and not for D-15 VGA. Even if you drive them by TV-out their vertical resolution is to low (240 dots) to be of any use for small text. I've found some that fit the category, i'll supply the links if needed but unfortunately, don't fit the bill as they run close to 800$ for an 8" one. I'm open to suggestions if anyone has a cheaper source.

George

chiark

I'm solving this by having two displays.

As you say, LCD is ****e for text information, but good for visual. VFD (vacuum fluorescent display) is great for text...

So I've got an alpine 5" lcd, and a 255x32 pixel vfd which is around the width of a DIN unit and an inch high.

I'm writing a modular display system for the LCD (and VFD) using DirectX driven by VB. On the list of things to do is a real time interface to the ECU, but that's quite far down on the list

Cheers,
Nick.

AlanG

Can't remember the cost TBH

I use it for Sat Nav.

Alan

dazzaTypeR

Alan, that looks the dog danglies. well smart mate.

What I'd like is instead of the usual gauges etc I'd like it to be on a display like in the R34 skyline.

I've seen the setup of a 7 or 8" wide screen in a P1, it was by one of the many suppliers in the car industry who's name escapes me at the mo, I'll have to try and find out and post up again.

I'm not the greatest techy but could it be possible to do the skyline type jobby and get someone to write a programme.

cheers

dazza