Thread: VGA to stock NAV RGBs/RGsB: research results and questions

Well, the thing has arrived!

Can't wait to test it, maybe tomorrow. It needs 5v, so I just bought a DC-DC 5v adaptor at Fry's. I'm also using an old Velleman DC-DC converter that says it has regulator capabilities (also bought at Fry's), but who knows?

I going to connect it to an old Notebook, Compaq Armada M700, a Pentium III 700 MHz running Windows XP, and ATI graphics. Just updated the bios, graphic drivers, etc. Can't choose many resolutions with that thing, starting at 640x480 @ 60Hz and beyond. Also installed Roadrunner on it, with some skins, just to test the colors and fonts besides the desktop, and the web browser's. I'm also going to download some display calibration tests online, hope this will help me with the display control in the converter and in the driver (tint, brightness, sharpness, I don't know)

I'll keep you posted. I'll probably open an worklog for my carputer project later.

This will be my first carputer, let's see how it goes.

Some Pictures:

Box Contents: Circuit board (no cover, can't use it like this inside the dash), 5v power cable, CGA RGB+sync+2 Ground wires.


Plugged box contents in open circuit board plastic box (with Notebook VGA cable attached). Hope I can fit this somewhere inside the dash, to keep the video cables short. I couldn't find a smaller box, but with this one I think I can use double side tape to fix the relay on it.



Circuit box closed:


I plan to leave both ends of the box open, for air circulation, since there is a heatsink covering the main chip, it probably needs openings to avoid dead air. Since hot air goes up, two openings will do the trick.

Now I'm working on powering up all this. I'm working on it, I'll have to buy a couple of relays for the notebook and the 5vdc adaptors, otherwise they will drain my battery...An then to find IGN wires on the car. Tomorrow I'll probably just hook everything to the cig lighter though.

Can't you use USB as 5V power source? Just an idea.

Well, I couldn't wait for your test results and ordered one of those as well. Unfortunately the result is not as great even though the picture was pretty good actually. But in all three supported resolutions I have a black frame and overscan doesn't work. It was possible to move the visible area a little but since there is no horizontal/vertical resizing I was unable to fill the whole screen. Was worth a try though.

Sorry for the delay. I was having issues with my time.

Basically the image appears distorted at the top slanted to the right. It also shows a black bar on the right side that I can't adjust it out.




I cannot select any resolution like 800x600 or 1024x768 at any refresh rate. I have to use 640x480 @ at refresh rate - it does not seem to matter (although the card should support the other two resolutions, according to the manual).

The colors are good though, red, green and blue display fine. On the part of the image where it shows no distortion we can even read text and display pictures. Skin tones look good enough (although artificial, but that can be worked out in software), I guess.



One more. Ignore the flash, the small font looks good, readable...



But it is distorted no end. Just sent an e-mail to tech support, see if they can come up with something.

I think your results are pretty good, but it is hard to tell from that picture alone. I'd be happy with your results!

Are you still using powerstrip? What setting are you using?

My picture was taken with the PC running at 800x600@60Hz. No PowerStrip (doesn't work on the VIA Pico ITX boards or any other VIA anyway). As I said, the picture quality was acceptable but since there is no way to adjust/resize the picture, I probably don't follow that route. Unless you come up with soem fancy hidden features that tech support tells you.

I fear my stock screen on the M35 has something different to it than the others. The kind of distortion I'm getting is sync problem, most likely vertical sync. There are two makers of adapters who sell products for the other Infinitis stock screens (PAC audio and G-Net) but say their product does not work only on the M35. Maybe my screen is sync on green, which I know this wouldn't work.

Yesterday I also found an interesting post on the PowerStrip ADMIN forum about VGA to CGA conversion, with links to an adapter:

http://forums.entechtaiwan.net/viewtopic.php?t=23



I'm expecting an answer from Australia Tech Support only by Sunday afternoon, or early Monday, since when I sent them a message was already Friday night there.

Oh well, we'll see.

Well, I'm in touch with the tech support from ConvertersTV. Just send them a couple of pictures and 4 pages of the Service Manual.

Infiniti LCD (it also happens on the Nissan 350z, G35, FX35) does seem strange in one thing, it has inputs for RGB + Sync (composite sync), and ALSO Horizontal and Vertical Sync...I searched everywhere on the internet and couldn't find anything about it...Either a screen asks for composite sync (RGBs) or separate sync (RGBHV), but not both...

hey man, not to go away from your intended dirrection which is a good one , but I've been thinking about a similar install to what your working with & the solution that I come up with in my head is diferent from the approach your taking, so I thought I'd just share my thoughts with you...


if I was to approach this kind of install, my thoughts would be to try to replace the factory screen entirely with a true pc touchscreen, then have the factory rgb signal converted into something usable by the pc screen & be able to switch between oe display & pc display on the new screen. when it started up it would display factory nissan/infiniti stuff & look & work just like factory, when in pc mode you may even be able to rig a picture in picture to show the oe display on the pc display too. you could have a button in your front end to display the stock display maybe too. of course I've done no measuring or real hard research, but just my thoughts so far for what there worth