Hey, just thought I'd add my ideas rather than start a very similar thread. I've been following this for a about a week and read through it several times.
I was wondering whether anyone has looked into making a system very similar to the ones above but using the ideas behind a DIY projector, like
these?
I was thinking you could use ultrabright white LEDs as the light source, shone through a small (2.5-52) active matrix LCD screen, then pass this through the relevant filters and lenses. I was also planning with mine to use a very thin plastic screen on top of the dash to project onto, rather than projecting onto the windscreen. This solves the problems of placing tints onto the windscreen (which in the UK could be a legality issue), and I can also motorise this so it can be withdrawn into the dash when not needed?
Another advantage of this is that you can have greater control over the brightness of the screen. I was thinking of using an LDR to regulate the brightness of the white LEDs, so if there is a car coming towards you with headlights on, or real bright daylight, or going through tunnels, etc, the LEDs would adjust the brightness accordingly.
The one last advantage I thought this would give is with the control it gives you over the reflection/refraction angles and ghost images. Because you would essentially only be projecting the image through one enlarging lense and onto the viewing surface you can set up the viewing angle of the screen precisely and you don't need to worry about the curvature of the windscreen?
Anyone have any thoughts on this? Its a bit of a rough idea so far, haven't had time to sit down and work anything out on paper yet.