I'm holding out for the Lexus LFA style gauges :bong:
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I'm holding out for the Lexus LFA style gauges :bong:
There is only one technical problem with those fancy gauges: Resolution. All the Displays that might fit behind the steering wheel are very low resolution and instead of giving a modern look would give a retro (attari) look.
But I've been collecting all the pieces I need to implement something similar to this photoshop instead:
http://imageshack.us/a/img96/9756/photoshoppk.png
I have all the gauge covers and a lot of ultra bright LEDs, I just need some time to put hands on. Maybe by the December holidays...
I'm all good with the Atari look.
Cool stuff so far man! I doubt i'd buy one, but that's just cos im keeping mine stock..
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5d/Benc.png
I want a DANGER lamp
A few random pics. There is room to put more info in the HUD, I just had been busy with other stuff.
http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/3...1025212714.jpg
http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/3...1025212421.jpg
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/7...1025212256.jpg
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/7...1025211653.jpg
I finally drew the HUD mask, so I can use the left section of the HUD display.
This is going to be printed in an acetate (the ones for the old overhead projectors) using a laser color printer. Then the acetate will be just glued to the glass of the VFD.
The numbers still will be like made of small squares, but it should improve the reading.
There is clear advantage because now I can add the color gradient and I can give the increasing aspect to the bar graphs and the increased resolution to draw the symbols.
More during the weekend...
http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/8157/hudmask.png
The hardest part is done. Matching the printer's scale with the VFD.
http://imageshack.us/a/img641/5955/mask1h.th.jpg
I'll be working in updating the code during the day to light up the correct pixels behind the mask. Fortunately I don't need to be out in the car to do this. I'll be inside the house and programming while watching the football games.
http://imageshack.us/a/img11/9149/mask2zt.th.jpg
As usual, its only a theory at this point. I hope it looks as good as in the 1st pic.
Ah man that's gonna be sweet!
Oh my, sign me up!
Guessing you need a FI ECU for this, though, correct?
No, it reads the signals directly from the cluster gauges. Tachometer, Odometer, Temp gauge, fuel gauge and directly from the oxygen sensor's output.Quote:
Originally Posted by EbidaDragon
Thanks John, I ran the first testing and realized that I need to put double mask, so the black sections really block the extra light.Quote:
Originally Posted by 2ndGenGuy
Didn't finished today, but made the masks, ran the testing, and upgraded the original circuit with a new micro with more memory capacity.
I can't see the imageshack link below anymore...
The masks are on top of the LCD and I guess meets the expectations.
But I can't upload the pics.
Next step is put it back in the car.
Though I was going to get the imageshack link to attach pictures with the new look of the forum, but still missing in all my computers & different browsers.
Anyway, here is how it looks now. I wrote the code to be filling/unfilling the bars just to give me an idea of how it looks in all cases. Next step is to make the connections.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images...0/hud2x.th.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img198/3080/hud2x.th.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img838/1275/hud1h.th.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img840/2080/hud3u.th.jpg
any new news on this?
Long time since the last update to this thread.
But here I am again with another version of an HUD. Its based in a POV (persistance of vision) system where a small motor is spinning and a microprocessor turns on and off LEDs to draw something that seems to be drawn in the air.
A POV can be purchased by anyone over Internet and there are USB programmers already available to draw almost anything with it.
I decided to build my own and here is how it is going so far. The idea is to put the POV above the instrument panel to see the car's info as if it was floating in the air right in front of me. It doesn't make too much noise or wind. I guess its quiet enough for the car.
I am testing here with numbers, but I want to simulate 4 gauges into the same circle, divide the circle in four parts for RPM, MPH, Fuel Level and Temp and draw a small pointer to the current level to make it less busy.
The next step is to make a heavy duty PCB and add red LEDs to the warning sections of the indicators, because this one is just glued together and I put a lot of flying wires.
Edit to add another picture.
On the other system, Instead of regular tint, is there tint available that gets darker with the sun is out. I'm thinking of those glasses that get dark when outside automatically.
Oh man! POV gauges! How cool is that going to be?! :-o
just had another idea, what about using those rear view mirrors with the backup camera screen built in, could that be connected to display data.
Finished the mechanic portion of the project. I used a bigger DC motor taken out of an old deskjet printer to get more RPM / less blinking.
Hope I can install it in the car today for a quick demo.
This is turning out pretty good. I never thought about putting in a HUD in ny car until this.
Nice work :thumbup:
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This is to show how you can see through the device while it is spinning at high speed.
Also a couple of views of the motor and pcb.
I see the following technical things that we need to resolve:
1) We need to put at least one brush to pass the + to the spinning PCB, the negative can be sent through the motor shaft.
2) Add counterweights to balance the PCB, or there would be a lot of vibration
3) In this case I selected a thin PCB because I wanted to reduce weight, but I fount it get twisted with the speed and the components. A standard 3mm PCB is better
The idea is to put the motor right on top of the plastic cover of the instrument panel, so the word FUEL can be seen below the steering wheel and the needle indicator on top. I will use the mirror adjusting control to navigate through different things to display.
In case you didn't notice it, the fuel level is almost half tank hahaha.
That has got to be one of the most unique display ideas I have seen. What about completely removing the cluster and putting that in its place? You could put a dark shade over it, this would make it so you could only when the display lit up. Otherwise would just look like a tinted window.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzo
Do you know anything about canbus? I would love one for a tach output.
Thanks everyone for your comments & ideas.
I finished balancing the PCB by holding it with a screwdriver and adding/removing counterweights I got from a ceiling fan balancing kit.
Then added the positive brush from the brushes left from my recent alternator fix.
The motor works quieter and the brush works very well.
Time to install it in the car, or at least on top of the cluster cover
The huds i looked at online you usually have to add a dark tint patch to the windshield to make it show good in daylight.Quote:
Originally Posted by conozo
Here is a quick test-fit in the car.
The LEDs are too bright for the night but that can be fixed by adding another resistor value in series with the LEDs.
The camera's flash reflects back in the LEDs, so we see those circles in the picture, but they aren't there live.
The objective is to eliminate the ghosting generated with the HUD reflected in the windshield and be able to see it during the day.
I really would like to do something like this. I am looking for small dc motors at this time. I do have a spare cluster case to start building it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Legend_master
I even have another idea for which I already have all I need. Use one of the plastic covers of the MPH gauge on top of the dash, and put a bright light underneat so the numbers can be projected to the windshield even in dailight (add brightness control to reduce it at night). Then the POV will be spinning drawing the pointing arrow only. Something similar to the yellow car's photoshop I posted below in this thread.
Sorry I don't. Any place you know to get information?Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldblueaccord
I know a little about it but not much. What are you trying to do?Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldblueaccord
C|
The first picture is one of the best pictures my camera has taken of this project.
Its hard to capture a complete picture due to the slow refresh rate.
But if you remember It happened also with the VF display.
Here you can see the 'flying' effect of the graphics.
The second pic is how it looks in the car at daylight and shows the size of the graphics related to the standard gauges.
Added a third picture to show the POV off. I put it temporarily in a piece of wood, because there is a lot to do with it yet, like adding the Bluetooth module to be able to receive the real information of the car.
I can draw almost anything at this time.
Before I put it permanently in the car I am going to double the resolution and re-design the PCB to make it self balanced, I mean, put the same number and type of components in both sides of center of the PCB.
The left and right arrows in the pics will be connected to the turn signals of the car and will blink accordingly.
Edit, there was room for a third picture, so here it is. This is how it looks w/o the turn signal arrows which will be normally off. Also it barelly shows the red LED of the base of the floating pointing arrow. It looks much better live.
What is CAN Bus?Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzo
Its what all new cars use.
I have been looking for a shift light or aftermarket tac for my 2011 Challenger. The tach in the dash is about useless.
The have hud displays the usd the obd2 for data input. But that would be slow i would think.
Auto Parts & Accessories & Performance ADD hud Mph head up display gogoautoshop.com
Controled area network, study hard before you add anything to existing circuits.
I'm in love with this project as you can see.
I put a screw with nuts as counterweight in the less populated side of the PCB, so I can adjust until I get perfect balance.
So all the vibration is gone and it only sounds like a little fan.
There are some more things to resolve.
1) We can see a little blink in the numbers in the POV, we need a motor with higher speed or put two or maybe three series of LEDs. I already built a new PCB with LEDs in both sides so I can see if its going to be enough or need the third branch.
2) A bluetooth pair should be easy to implement, but I got the idea of using the Opto-Sensor that detects the sinchronization pulse to send the data to display one bit at the time.
I was more concerned with the mechanical installation than the way to send information to the POV. But with the vibration and light intensity control I added, I feel comfortable to go ahead with the next steps.
Thank you all for reading!
I finished the latest PCBs last night.
The project will have two PCBs and two microcontrollers, one will be fixed reading the signals from the back of the gauges and the menu buttons.
At the same time it will be passing the data to be displayed to the second micro in the spinning PCB through an infra-red wireless connection.
BTT. Liked this project!
What is that app?Quote:
Originally Posted by 89HatchbackLxi
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