Thread: Production Double-Din VGA Touchscreen in the making!

Originally Posted by Mrbmw99

If you have more links, feel free to send them over. I am planning on putting a photocell daylight sensor to auto-adjust the backlight, maybe the IR could go next to that.

no "only auto adjustment" - maybe frontend needs to adapt his gamma (look at CF for this feature)...

I need the type of your microcontroller what are you planning to use ! Atmel or PIC, ... ?
I have some german source (with sourcecodes) so....

Originally Posted by Mrbmw99

There will be 2 or 3 video inputs.

When I mentioned the steering wheels earlier, I wasn't referring to those strap-on controllers. There are devices (Look at Crutchfield.com) that you can wire to the steering wheel wires that will convert the keypresses into IR signals. This system could be completely hidden behind the dash (with a rear mounted IR sensor too). These devices are used when you put an aftermarket radio in a vehicle, but you want to keep your stock steering wheel controls.

- Brett

You mean the PAC SWI-X ! This would be then an selfmade optocoupler

Video inputs don't make sense - I bought a VideoUSB grabber device for only 20 Euros... now I can screen in my videocam to my frontend... or can redirect its picture to another display (USB2VGA!)...

But if its not too expensive... why not....

Brett,

Should I get on the list now? or wait for the next list? I just want to be in the right place at the right time...

And the feature list is looking so good, I beleive that I'm drooling...but here is my two cents since I haven't chimed in for a while..

IR next to the Photocell - Yes! But I'd like to request something else with this - can we get one in the back as well? Those of us with the need/desire for something like the PAC SWI-X would rather it be in the back I'm sure, since we can hide everything back there... Since, my HU-soon-to-be-CarPC sits up high, so I can't covertly mount the IR sender anywhere effective. And, I have kids, so the remote control option would be good too, so in my case, I would love one on the back as well as the front.

Photocell-backlight controllable by front-end... no doubt. I would love to have the backlight brighten/dim automatically (through a user defined threshold? setting)

Video inputs are good, keep them. Let us buy USB devices if we want them.. This gives US control over it, while maintaining your product's versatility.

and btw, the ANTICIPATION is killing me!!!!!!!!!

What is the difference between a USB framegrabber and a USB webcam?

I tried to use a webcam and it really sucked the juice out of my PC.

Obviously it would be nice to be able to control video output from within RR, but is it feasable?

Originally Posted by speedy_parker

...

IR next to the Photocell - Yes! But I'd like to request something else with this - can we get one in the back as well? Those of us with the need/desire for something like the PAC SWI-X would rather it be in the back I'm sure, since we can hide everything back there... Since, my HU-soon-to-be-CarPC sits up high, so I can't covertly mount the IR sender anywhere effective. And, I have kids, so the remote control option would be good too, so in my case, I would love one on the back as well as the front.

Photocell-backlight controllable by front-end... no doubt. I would love to have the backlight brighten/dim automatically (through a user defined threshold? setting)

Video inputs are good, keep them. Let us buy USB devices if we want them.. This gives US control over it, while maintaining your product's versatility.

and btw, the ANTICIPATION is killing me!!!!!!!!!

don't worry if Brett is not mounting an IR receiver in the back... you can also use an IgorUSB (mine was 10Euro) to get your steering-wheel-buttons...

"Photocell-backlight controllable by front-end" means the logic is on the PC you/or anybody else can add what he wants also a small module which gives automation without a frontend... Or this mechanism is only active when headlights are on (like OEM navsystems from VW, Audi, ....)...
As the unit has additional Inputs the PC also knows the status of the headlights....

I wrote their is no need for videoinputs because it needs an additional videoswitcher IC and an FBAS-to-VGA conversion IC...

Originally Posted by bes51659

What is the difference between a USB framegrabber and a USB webcam?

I tried to use a webcam and it really sucked the juice out of my PC.

Obviously it would be nice to be able to control video output from within RR, but is it feasable?

Both appear as videodevice in device manager but...
If you think an USB Webcam is an USB Grabber with Videocam in one caseing you are wrong (i thought this too until I opened up a Webcam)...
...and I really think that a 1GHz VIA is fast enough for a 640x480 videostream...

I don't know Roadrunner but as Roadrunner is opensource someone can add a rearcam module to it - if not look at Centrafuse's rearcam integration (you can control your music while you are watching a WDM videosource whatever it is)
now try it if the unit switches it picture from VGA to VideoIN1
Good luck !

Originally Posted by FMode

no "only auto adjustment" - maybe frontend needs to adapt his gamma (look at CF for this feature)...

I need the type of your microcontroller what are you planning to use ! Atmel or PIC, ... ?
I have some german source (with sourcecodes) so....

You mean the PAC SWI-X ! This would be then an selfmade optocoupler

Video inputs don't make sense - I bought a VideoUSB grabber device for only 20 Euros... now I can screen in my videocam to my frontend... or can redirect its picture to another display (USB2VGA!)...

But if its not too expensive... why not....

It'll be an Atmel. There will be video inputs on the back of the unit. It's not much harder to do than just VGA.

Originally Posted by speedy_parker

Brett,

Should I get on the list now? or wait for the next list? I just want to be in the right place at the right time...

And the feature list is looking so good, I beleive that I'm drooling...but here is my two cents since I haven't chimed in for a while..

IR next to the Photocell - Yes! But I'd like to request something else with this - can we get one in the back as well? Those of us with the need/desire for something like the PAC SWI-X would rather it be in the back I'm sure, since we can hide everything back there... Since, my HU-soon-to-be-CarPC sits up high, so I can't covertly mount the IR sender anywhere effective. And, I have kids, so the remote control option would be good too, so in my case, I would love one on the back as well as the front.

Photocell-backlight controllable by front-end... no doubt. I would love to have the backlight brighten/dim automatically (through a user defined threshold? setting)

Video inputs are good, keep them. Let us buy USB devices if we want them.. This gives US control over it, while maintaining your product's versatility.

and btw, the ANTICIPATION is killing me!!!!!!!!!

I'd get on the list now! Anyone who is interested should be on there because that is the order we will send them out in - even for the second batch. I'm going to try and put an IR on front and back. The front is going to take some work to get it to look right, but adding one on the back should be effortless. The photocell will be read by the microcontroller. The microcontroller can be set to auto-adjust the LCD's backlight based on the brightness, OR, the PC can read the brightness value from the photocell and set the LCD accordingly. I'm glad you're excited about this model - it's going to be pretty sweet!

Originally Posted by bes51659

What is the difference between a USB framegrabber and a USB webcam?

I tried to use a webcam and it really sucked the juice out of my PC.

Obviously it would be nice to be able to control video output from within RR, but is it feasable?

The video inputs on the monitor can be software controlled. This means the PC can tell the monitor to display either the VGA input, or one of the video inputs.

Originally Posted by FMode

don't worry if Brett is not mounting an IR receiver in the back... you can also use an IgorUSB (mine was 10Euro) to get your steering-wheel-buttons...

"Photocell-backlight controllable by front-end" means the logic is on the PC you/or anybody else can add what he wants also a small module which gives automation without a frontend... Or this mechanism is only active when headlights are on (like OEM navsystems from VW, Audi, ....)...
As the unit has additional Inputs the PC also knows the status of the headlights....

I wrote their is no need for videoinputs because it needs an additional videoswitcher IC and an FBAS-to-VGA conversion IC...



Both appear as videodevice in device manager but...
If you think an USB Webcam is an USB Grabber with Videocam in one caseing you are wrong (i thought this too until I opened up a Webcam)...
...and I really think that a 1GHz VIA is fast enough for a 640x480 videostream...

I don't know Roadrunner but as Roadrunner is opensource someone can add a rearcam module to it - if not look at Centrafuse's rearcam integration (you can control your music while you are watching a WDM videosource whatever it is)
now try it if the unit switches it picture from VGA to VideoIN1
Good luck !

The video inputs do not require a lot of extra circuitry. We will have a very high-performance video processing device in these monitors will can handle video input easily. I also wanted to mention that there MIGHT be an option for PIP capabilities as well. This might be useful in the above scenario because the video window (from a rearview camera) could be overlayed on the VGA window, but not fullscreen. It could appear that it was inside the frontend software, but it's really in a PIP window. This is good because it can be set up in a way that when someone presses the rearview button on their frontend, they'll see the rearview video on-screen, but they can also have buttons around the window to control the frontend or return to the main menu.

It's best to use video inputs on the monitor for rearview cameras because the PC is not booted up when you first get in your car and shift into reverse (a framegrabber would require the PC to be booted before showing the video onscreen).

- Brett

signed up at panda innovations, i can't wait for this screen to come out. I saw that the original came back for sale on digitalww.com, but I'm still gonna wait for this one.

to be honest, I'd like to get one with an internal amp, as my stock tacoma speakers don't need to be driven by some awesome kick *** amp anyways.

Right now the amp built in to the single din panasonic head-unit I'm using is more than enough and it sounds great to me, so if an internal amp would be as good as that one, I'd be perfectly happy with it

Originally Posted by Mrbmw99

It'll be an Atmel.

...I also wanted to mention that there MIGHT be an option for PIP capabilities as well....

okay I am looking for your Atmel RC5 sources
(I think this needs a timer which started/stopped by an input...)

PIP okay I am quiet now !

Originally Posted by Mrbmw99

@ tfboy:
You wrote: "And above all, for those who wish to use this in conjunction with a CarPC, there's no point having dedicated bespoke hardware that's not PC compatible because only the PC would be used to drive it."
The versions with the internal radio tuner will be USB controlled.

Here's my explanation on the amplification and FM radio:
MOST people that have CarPCs do not need internal amplification because it is considered sub-par to the external 4ch amps. I agree. The same applies to those who do not need an internal PC system because they will have an external one elsewhere in the vehicle. The AM/FM/RDS is in the same category. This monitor will be offered in several versions. The most basic will be a monitor and DVD system. The next level will have the FM radio and amplifier built in, and the full version will be an all-in-one PC system - with it's own internal amp. In the end, you can pick and chose the best one for you.

Thoughts?

- Brett

Brett, yes, that does make sense
Just looking at it all from multiple angles, I do have one other school of thought...

If the FM radio is exclusively USB (and hence PC) controlled, then I'm not sure I'd want the amplification built into the enclosure. I'm just thinking from a control point of view, it means having not only USB and VGA to/from the enclosure and the PC which is located elsewhere, but also low level inputs back into the enclosure which are then amplified with the built-in amp. It just seems complicated and not necessarily what the majority of the market needs.

If the radio can be controlled without USB and PC using the buttons on the front, then I could see the point of a built-in amp, but operationally, the workflow isn't optimum as there would be two different control sytems with a single display, ultimately defeating the point of having a carPC as a central control point in the first place!

Put another way, I don't see how one can add a built-in amplifier and radio (with no built-in PC) and retain a tightly integrated solution. JMTPW

The best option I can think of is to have the enclosure designed in such a way so that all the "parts" or options (i.e. radio, amplification, PC....) are modulable so you can easily offer multiple build configurations with no additional design costs as to whether a component is there or not.

The option to include a USB-controlled FM radio is a good one IMHO just from an ease of integration: most people will already have their OEM car aerial feed into the dash for the stock head unit, so if a radio is built in, then there is no additional cabling required for the PC because the link between the dash / enclosure and the PC (in the boot/trunk/under seat) is all done via a single USB cable

Sorry for my long ramblings, I hope they make sense

Just added my name to the list, but I too would like to see the full final version with mobo etc...

Mark