How-To: Relocating Screen Buttons

Altimat · 12-10-2004, 07:28 PM

In many cases, you may have room for the screen but not the buttons. If you have a full function remote and a separate button circuit board like a Lilliput, you can desolder and relocate the remote IR receiver and move the button board out of the way and to the backside of the housing.

But if you want to keep the buttons and relocate them, you can simply cut the button area right off the screen housing front. Take care to remove the buttons and lenses so as not to scratch them. Trace the button panel onto your new location, cut out the opening, and attach it from the front with a piece of tape so its as close to flush as possible. You need to limit your filler apllication to just the edges, and not build up anything thickness in the immediate area of the buttons. Glue it in from behind with epoxy being sure to prepare it well for adhesion by sanding everywhere you will be applying epoxy:

Finish the front with a good automotive glazing filler like Evercoat Metal-glaze, prime, and paint. Filling the little curved recess gets a little tricky around the button holes. You also need to avoid building up any filler, primer, or paint in the button holes so that they still move freely:

With a Xenarc, you will need to build your own switch board with miniature tactile switches glued to a piece of plastic. They are inline, so its not too tough. Then run wires from the button solder points on the main circuit board to the remote buttons. I used a scrap of ABS plastic and the original Xenarc buttons desoldered, but you can use a similar button each wired parallel to the originals just as well. The buttons are glued in place, and the panels is screwed in place. The wires are 3-conductor ribbon RC servo cables with the black wire peeled away. This same wire is great for remoting IR sensors, and is very high quality:

Here is the Xenarc with relocated buttons in the same 350Z storage compartment finisher panel:

With a Lilliput you're are limited by the length of the ribbon cable, but you can buy a longer ribbon cable if necessary.

Cris · 12-10-2004, 07:42 PM

Thanks dude. Very nice looking. More OEM...

mv2123 · 12-17-2004, 12:55 PM

does that bracket slide down and cover the screen?

ryuandwings · 12-17-2004, 01:25 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Altimat

With a Xenarc, you will need to build your own switch board with miniature tactile switches glued to a piece of plastic. They are inline, so its not too tough. Then run wires from the button solder points on the main circuit board to the remote buttons. The original buttons can remain in place.

Did you happen to take any photos of backside?

Altimat · 12-17-2004, 09:37 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by ryuandwings

Did you happen to take any photos of backside?

No it slipped my mind before I sent them off. I'll try to get some. Basically all I did was glued the switches (properly spaced) to a piece of plastic, run a ground to the first button, daisy-chained the ground to the other buttons with solid core uninsulated wire for more rigidity, then soldered the individual wires from the xenarc solder points to each button on the other side and mounted the board.

Altimat · 12-17-2004, 09:42 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by mv2123

does that bracket slide down and cover the screen?

Yes it pulls straight out then pivots down and latches manually. To open it just push the button and the mechanism opens slowly and automatically.

Here's a pic of the door closed:

The warning? sticker peels right off.

ryuandwings · 12-21-2004, 01:13 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Altimat

No it slipped my mind before I sent them off. I'll try to get some. Basically all I did was glued the switches (properly spaced) to a piece of plastic, run a ground to the first button, daisy-chained the ground to the other buttons with solid core uninsulated wire for more rigidity, then soldered the individual wires from the xenarc solder points to each button on the other side and mounted the board.

The switches you are talking about can be any momentary swtich, right?
Also you said "properly spaced" that is because you use the same Xenarc button, otherwise it they can be located any where. I am thinking right?

If you can find a photo of actual wiring, that would be great. I don't want to mess up the board. I spent enough money replacing parts I screwed up.

Altimat · 12-21-2004, 06:03 PM

The switches I used are called "tactile" momentary switches. They have four solder posts, but pairs on each side are common. I buy these from Parts Express. You can tell very easily by looking at the traces on the Xenarc board which are all grounds, and which are the inputs. I'm still trying to get the pic.
Regarding the spacing you just need to mount them such that each is centered under their respective button on the button panel.

desiz · 12-21-2004, 06:48 PM

wow that was exactly what i planning on doing, just dont need the buttons as of yet ... mine is a 04 350 too ..

Pathos · 12-21-2004, 07:13 PM

the relocated xenarc buttons look sweet.....hmmm, opens up new
possibilities

Tred · 12-22-2004, 01:14 AM

Altimat-can you show us how you mounted the screen into this particular console?
thanks man

belezeebub · 12-22-2004, 05:06 PM

Where did you get the door ? or is that part of the car.

Altimat · 12-22-2004, 05:39 PM

The door is the 350Z NON-navigation storage cubby. You also need the little finisher panel that the buttons go in. Both parts come to almost $100. There is a neat mechanism for the door though so it not totally unreasonable for the mechanical operation it offers. Check one out at a Nissan dealer if you're interested. Its a lot of work to custom install it, and the dash needs to have a similar curvature which is rare too. I have a few of the main center dash panels around here that I have cut gauges out of - if anyone needs the surround for the opening and the screw mounting bosses they can have one of these pieces for $10 shipped.

The Xenarc screen fits this part much better than the Lilli, but both are fairly easy to install because the opening is the perfect size for a 7" LCD.

Tred · 12-23-2004, 11:39 PM

PMed you

Altimat · 01-19-2005, 02:22 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by ryuandwings

Did you happen to take any photos of backside?

Added the photo of the backside.

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