Thread: Virtual Instrument Cluster

The big problem & reason peole shy away from this is because of the reliability of running your instrument cluster through a PC. Keep that in mind & if possible, have your original cluster available (ex: mount your screen in front of it, so if something goes awry, you can pull the screen out and use the original cluster to get where you need to go until you can fix the problem).

Integration only requires an OBDII tool, for which I recommend a USB interface so it simply pulls power from the PC and won't need a separate source. The software I can't help you with off the top of my head but google "custom digital instrument cluster" and you should be able to find some stuff. If you know programming, it would even be certainly possible to design something in, say, Flash & have it pull OBDII data to have the gauges disply the current data.

i would be interested in seeing a stand-alone unit probably based on a ARM powered unit like the sheeva plug.. as ryven said the major reason i would never do it is the reliability-- personally, this is due to me constantly tweaking my windows based carpc-- and there is no way i could rely on it that much for vehicle info because of all my tweaking..

Your unreliable because your a tweaker? What?

Sorry Soundman, couldn't resist.

I wish I knew more about the Lexus LFA or the new Lamborghini Aventador clusters. Both use amazing, digital clusters. The idea of this is mouth watering to me because you can have more information readily available and you get the wow factor of animations when opening/closing gauges.

-Zack
via Droid Charge

Dashcommand software...LFA style guages. Beautiful.
Run a reliable Carpc, search for a way to make it hibernate on key-off and spring to life from hibernate on key on (should be simple), and get a wired (i hear the wired ones are quicker?) OBDII cable. Should be good to go....7" touchscreen display and keep your original instrument cluster in your car.

My suggestion is to hit up the junkyard, get another instrument cluster, gut it out and custom fit your LCD into it.

reliable carpc w/ hibernate-- 2 words that seem to never go in the same sentence, with a third word that is the equivalent of poking a hungry bear...

For this simple application, Dashcommand only, I don't see any reliability issues; you could in fact run a stripped down netbook output to a 7" monitor. Last time I checked, both my laptops started up first shot from hibernate time and time again for years.
With a bit of ingenuity, and some research, I believe the OP can get this done far easier than it may seem....

There is a bit of lag from usb OBD2 cable to a monitor. I do not know if any of you have used it or tried it. Plug it in first and run your laptop and look at the factory gauges at the same time to compare real time. Also some gauge readings have more lag time than others so also depends on the gauges your going to display.

Could use a fusion brain and wire that straight to factory sensors and that would remove the lag. You would only have to do that for the important gauges and let the others run off obdII that do not matter about lag. Not sure how that would work with dashcommand. (I have never used it)