Project NiteVision - NiteMax + HUD + carputer - Page 17

04f150XLT · 05-25-2006, 03:00 PM

the reason I prefer full transscreen at my windshield ( i will not use it as a big screen,although it is nice idea

) is that i don't wnat to put a pice of polarized glass infront of me, i wanted somthing invisible, also to tint a small area at the windshield even a transparent one, the borders will be visible.

but if that transscreen get beyond my limits, I will be happy with that pice of glass or tinting the whole windshield (it is ok to do that here)

Genesisfactor · 05-25-2006, 03:10 PM

hehe, lucky you...where IS here? If the beaches, the weather hot, and the women hotter

....

pate60 · 05-25-2006, 04:56 PM

i went to have a look a Chevrolet Corvette this afternoon, and was surprised to find a 'tunnel' probably 20 to 30cm deep about the size of a 6x9 photo when the actual HUD projector sits. The 'tunnel' has a concave lens which covers the top. I think we'd be hard pressed finding that much space in our vehicles to do something similar, well using a projector anyway.

shotgunefx · 05-25-2006, 06:19 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by 04f150XLT

the reason I prefer full transscreen at my windshield ( i will not use it as a big screen,although it is nice idea

) is that i don't wnat to put a pice of polarized glass infront of me, i wanted somthing invisible, also to tint a small area at the windshield even a transparent one, the borders will be visible.

but if that transscreen get beyond my limits, I will be happy with that pice of glass or tinting the whole windshield (it is ok to do that here)

The transcreen seems cool, but won't it reflect other light as well? Like say, headlights?

shotgunefx · 05-25-2006, 06:31 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by pate60

i went to have a look a Chevrolet Corvette this afternoon, and was surprised to find a 'tunnel' probably 20 to 30cm deep about the size of a 6x9 photo when the actual HUD projector sits. The 'tunnel' has a concave lens which covers the top. I think we'd be hard pressed finding that much space in our vehicles to do something similar, well using a projector anyway.

Definitely tight.

I can gain a few inches by removing the drivers side vent (or rerouting it), but it's still a tight fit.

The main wiring harness isn't going anywhere, so basically, if it's going to happen, it's got to fit in the footprint of that bracket.

04f150XLT · 05-26-2006, 03:30 AM

shotgun, it was stated somewhere in the website about High Ambient Light and how to overcome.

anyway, don't bother, it is $300/ft

I'll be looking for :

1) polarized glass. OR
2) tining the whole windshield.

not sure what to do.

dja_82 · 05-26-2006, 11:11 AM

I read in article about a HUD that
the distance between the source projection and the windshield is the distance the image will appear in front of the windscreen if it hits it at 45 degrees

so if the projector is 1 meter from the windscreen the image will appear to be 1 meter ahead of the windscreen.

I think that this is why there is a tunnel in the HUD you saw in the corvette.

Also have been doing a lot of reading and most companies that have made a HUD have used frenel lenses to magnify and project image onto a collimator.

There is a company in the U.K that sells optics for kids I am gonna get a bunch of lenses to have a play with. Using fresnel or triplet lenses is definately the best ideas i think. I am going to try and make a miny projector using a vga PDA screen but i need some money to test out some ideas. Great work so far guys, I think we need to start looking for the right lens or lenses. also one paper suggested that for light power 15-20 lumens is adequate so a good backlight for screen that will produce more than that to be on the safe side. I think HUD glass is best idea because you can adjust it to the right angle even if your widscreen is not, remembering that the image must hit the collimator at 45 degrees to create the right effect

shotgunefx · 05-26-2006, 11:36 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by dja_82

I read in article about a HUD that
the distance between the source projection and the windshield is the distance the image will appear in front of the windscreen if it hits it at 45 degrees

so if the projector is 1 meter from the windscreen the image will appear to be 1 meter ahead of the windscreen.

I think that this is why there is a tunnel in the HUD you saw in the corvette.

Also have been doing a lot of reading and most companies that have made a HUD have used frenel lenses to magnify and project image onto a collimator.

There is a company in the U.K that sells optics for kids I am gonna get a bunch of lenses to have a play with. Using fresnel or triplet lenses is definately the best ideas i think. I am going to try and make a miny projector using a vga PDA screen but i need some money to test out some ideas. Great work so far guys, I think we need to start looking for the right lens or lenses. also one paper suggested that for light power 15-20 lumens is adequate so a good backlight for screen that will produce more than that to be on the safe side. I think HUD glass is best idea because you can adjust it to the right angle even if your widscreen is not, remembering that the image must hit the collimator at 45 degrees to create the right effect

There's some links previously in this thread that go into it a bit more. Pretty sure there is more to focusing the image optically then the distance to the collimnator. Not that that won't work, just don't think that's how it's normally done.

Normally they are focused at infinity, though I've read some systems go for about 6ft out as an approximate. Hard to see how that could be done in most systems, especially the add-on ones for small airplanes and what not as they are in fairly compact packages.

Though to be honest, still have a hard time wrapping my head around that one

Yevmeister · 05-28-2006, 01:14 AM

Well i have been reading this topic for awhile, but haven't contributed much, as far as i understand.

1) you guys using nitemax nightvision, the device is dissasembled, and the lcd is being placed by the windshield, while the camera is attached whatever you get the view from

2)image has to be projected 45 degrees, or parrallel to the windshield,

3)use fresnel lenses for calibration, and enlargement

4)use polarized screen to avoid incoming light distorsion

am i missing anything besides additional options such as video signal

Yev

Genesisfactor · 05-28-2006, 07:46 AM

hehe, just to add and ask...

"1)" is correct, although i might opt for a larger screen as the NiteMax camera's CCD board have RCA output (and is rumored to be S-Vid capapble), which, depending on how these fresnel lenses work out, we'll see. I'm a near sighted punk.

2)....who's using it parallel to the windshield? (curious, i may have missed a post or two)

Dja, why not just ebay a pda? a screen by itself is about 1/2-2/3's as much and then you have power requirements to deal with

tj!2k4 · 05-28-2006, 10:34 AM

How about using a replacement PSP screen.. seems they can be had for ~$50..?

Silentbob343 · 05-29-2006, 04:24 AM

In the new episode of Top Gear Jeremy takes a look at some in car night vision systems.

jarofsonicmen · 05-29-2006, 12:07 PM

I wonder if you could replace the factory VFD with the little LCD in the 'Vette projector? Looks like these folks are not having the double-image problem...maybe they just polarize all the Vette windshields from 97 on...

$385 isn't cheap, but if it worked, it wouldn't be bad.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1382686

shotgunefx · 05-31-2006, 05:01 PM

Got the DC Auto Iris lens working. Actually I did this last week, but it wasn't working right. I'll have to double check, either one of the pin outs were wrong, or I had it backwards in the socket. Either way, I just flipped it around and it works.

Same one as this.

Cheap and adjustable. Getting auto iris to work sucked though. The connectors and solder pads are so damn small.

I couldn't manage to get wires soldered to it, so I ended up unsoldering the tiny feature connector (think it's a molex picofuse) and carefully soldering the 4 leads to it. On the other end, I used a 2x2 molex header to connect to the auto-iris plug. It's a little snug but it worked.

Unfortunately the lens is a lot taller than the old one, but it's a usually image.

I ordered some picoblade "pins", I think it would be easier to crimp them on some 30ga wire and then just push it over the pin. I'll let you know when i try it. That way less risk of breaking something.

Try and take the car out for a spin and get some night video later.

04f150XLT · 06-03-2006, 01:01 AM

Genesisfactor

Do you know how to contact Mark? I sent him a PM few days ago and haven’t received reply yet. Thanks