Thread: Virtual Instrument Cluster?

Don't know what happen to all of my post so here is the rest.




There are some switches that let you toggle between mpg, instant mpg, volts, oil pressure, ect.. Could these be eliminated and have all this on the new screens or can they be replaced with a touch screen.

Switches:



The blank spot on the right are idiot lights.


The touch screen:


So give me your thoughts.

So you want to get rid of your smooth nice looking gauges, for a slow booting computer which will likely be too bright at night, and too dim during the day, all the while ruining the value of the vette? To each their own I guess...

Though that last picture you posted looks to be a mobile internet device, not a computer, are you planning on using that??

If you are using a real computer, then you have a few options. If your car is fuel injected, the 80's GM ecu's had a really nice datalink (ALDL, look it up) which would allow you to use gauges. Granted, they wouldn't be nearly as responsive as your stock gauges, but they would certainly be usable. Upgrade to a post 87 ECU and it would multiply the speed of the data by 10x.

If your car is not fuel injected, then you probably want to find out how the gauges are receiving their signal, and run that into an I/O module such as the Fusion Brain, then have the computer read that and display proper values as needed.

The factory gauges need to be replaced they are sun faded and it is pricey. As for slow i don't know. The vette is not worth much any way it has a salvage title it dosen't have any damage but nun-the-less.

The last picture is what i would like to use as the touch screen for the switches it is a mp4.

The car is fuel injected TPI. I will look into the ecu update.

You should check out thirdgen.org, you should be able to find out which ECU your car has, and which ECU you would need to get the faster data rate. The slow rate is 160 baud, and the faster is 8192. If your car is MAF, then you may be able to get a '165 ecu and it would only require some minor rearrangement of the ECU connector to work.

The interface cable to hook up to your computer is about $80, and you can get it from moates (google it).

If you can hook that itouch looking thing up to a computer, both video and touch (perhaps via usb?) then sure it's possible. You should check and find out if that's even possible. Where are you planning on mounting it, just in the middle of where your old gauges used to be? Also, you may be better off using a real touchscreen, so you can have more than one, and much larger gauges, of course that could potentially be a lot more expensive.

Originally Posted by malcom2073

So you want to get rid of your smooth nice looking gauges, for a slow booting computer which will likely be too bright at night, and too dim during the day, all the while ruining the value of the vette? To each their own I guess....

Well it is an Automatic Vette anyway....

-mike

If you are 'not good with computers' then this challenge will be beyond your abilities. It will require you to construct or purchase a hardware interface and link it with software programming, possibly multiple touchscreens or figure out some way to relay it to the device you have posted a picture of.

In addition, you will need to skin a software front end interface to control it while learning Flash to make the gauges move. At the same time, you will have to construct and install a PC to control it.

It's not impossible but it is difficult and will be time consuming.

If that isn't enough to frighten you off, then I suggest you look into using the following as a starting point:

1. Ride Runner
2. Fusion Brain

The picture of the automatic is not mine it's just to show you the switches in the center i would like to get rid of. Mine is the 4+3.

I'm not scare of the putting it together or fabricating a new dash so that everything will fit. That is the stuff that i'm ok at. The thing i'm not good at it is software and programing.

Here's something to consider.

A Windows CE based Instrument Cluster running on this custom hardware. It's got CAN so it can interface direct with the Databus or modern cars, on which RPM/Road speed etc are transmitted. It's also got 22 x digital and 4 x Analog I/O ports. Good for feeding in ABS/Airbag status lines or fuel level senders, or making 'Old' non-CAN based systems work.

http://www.applieddata.net/products_VGX.asp

The next and hardest part is developing the software that can make use of all this, and then manufacturing a form-factor that both fits into your cluster and interfaces with the existing wiring.

But I reckon that's a good starting point.


Lukeyson

Ah Luke,
You remembered that one Nice little board that is, especially with CE....