Project NiteVision - NiteMax + HUD + carputer - Page 45

DodgeCummins · 12-20-2007, 09:57 PM

You are always transmitting IR light...at least with a regular bulb...I can't speak for the high voltage arc lights installed on the Mercedes.

You are not sending out much IR spectrum...but it is there.
Obviously an LED array of a specific wavelength should produce more IR.

The traffic light hack involved specific timed pulses to trigger the light change.

Besides the new BMW has IR.

quantum · 12-20-2007, 10:36 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by DodgeCummins

You are always transmitting IR light...at least with a regular bulb...I can't speak for the high voltage arc lights installed on the Mercedes.

You are not sending out much IR spectrum...but it is there. Obviously an LED array of a specific wavelength should produce more IR.

The traffic light hack involved specific timed pulses to trigger the light change.

Besides the new BMW has IR.

Hey DodgeCummins,

Your right, even white light emits IR. It emits UV too. Wavelengths of the visible and not-so-visible spectrum are kinda my thing.

I'm just sayin' use and implementation of IR on the front of a car should be considered carefully, due to the possible, however unlikely, legalities. Same is true for the display.

Converting fog lights to IR emitters would hide them well, cus to the camera they'd probably look like bright fog lights. Building an IR LED array 2' long and mounting it behind the grille might just raise an eyebrow.

Had a chance to browse that Microvision site, and saw their HUD capabilities. Now I am very seriously considering that LCD idea I mentioned a few posts back. It might even work...the image would be magnified and skewed correctly so the text would look flat (i think). Maybe use something like this:

http://www.noritake-elec.com/uversion.htm

http://www.noritake-elec.com/colors.htm

Then one of you nice folks can write me PIC programs (since I know jack), and I'd be totally SET!

LeZandre · 12-21-2007, 12:14 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by DodgeCummins

You are always transmitting IR light...at least with a regular bulb...I can't speak for the high voltage arc lights installed on the Mercedes.

You are not sending out much IR spectrum...but it is there.
Obviously an LED array of a specific wavelength should produce more IR.

The traffic light hack involved specific timed pulses to trigger the light change.

Besides the new BMW has IR.

Mercedes uses H11 halogens with a IR through filter as a source for it's IR high beam.

BMW uses a PathFindIR thermal cam for it's system, with no need for IR illumination at all.

You just can't compare apples and oranges.

The Mercedes nightvision option has a €1.500 price tag, the BMW a €15.000 one.

LeZandre · 12-21-2007, 12:23 AM

Mercedes :

Mercedes-Benz Night Vision

Close

You need to upgrade your Flash Player

IR Illuminators outside & camera inside.

BMW :

BMW Night Vision

Close

You need to upgrade your Flash Player

No IR illuminators and thermal cam outside.

LeZandre · 12-21-2007, 02:58 AM

@ Genesisfactor : To recap on the IR LED diffusor bit. I might have been mistaken in explaining the function of the Bicycle headlight lenses as polarising the beam.

When sending a laser beam through those lenses the dot (.) becomes a line (-).
I used three of those lenses, each one of them with 2 NiteMax LED modules behind them.
I took care of angling each unit so their beams wouldn't overlap.

I hope this paints a better picture of what I tried to accomplish then my previous attempt to explain.

redleader36 · 12-21-2007, 09:28 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by shotgunefx

When are those damn laser cell phone projectors coming out!

You could make your own laser projector. this one is simple, but it could work; just replace the slide with a small b/w lcd! http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-Image-Projector/

Genesisfactor · 12-21-2007, 06:26 PM

where are we projecting the image onto? the window glass or at something?

Aerospaced · 12-22-2007, 01:32 PM

You will need another piece of plexi between the dash and the windscreen. It should be slightly mirrored. Same concept as fighter jets.
The glass wont do well because of the angle and curve.
I have done a few of these on cars and bikes. You may want to check if that LCD is rtransmissive or transflective too. You could put a slightly brighter light to the back if needed.
As for the comment #1 about that drug runner, I have seen that movie too, it stank!

quantum · 12-24-2007, 09:56 AM

Just a quick note -

Got the pinouts for the Caddy camera today. Basically, it is 2 wires (high/low) for the composite signal, a set of IGN power/ground to the front of the camera, then it mentions a "14 Volt Reference" and ground.

WTF is a 14 Volt Reference, anyone know? I am trying to figure out how to squeeze 14V outta 12V, unless that means something else???

Other than that, this looks doable!!!

Genesisfactor · 12-24-2007, 10:12 AM

yeah, a voltage regulator will upvert the voltage form 12 to 14. Ak mark about the electrical, or someone here...but i would suggest mark...nothing better than a seasoned engineer!

quantum · 12-24-2007, 10:19 AM

Hey GF,

TY for the quick reply! I kinda figured I'd need to step up the voltage if in fact it needs 14V to run, that "REFERENCE" part threw me a little...

Probably going to get a 2000 Deville wiring diagram soon. The place I got my last one (for my 98 Deville) is no longer around. Shame too, I got a PDF on a CDROM for $10.00, and it had every system of the 98 right in the pages of the PDF.

Maybe I will PM Mark and tap his engineering brain...

This is FUN!

Genesisfactor · 12-24-2007, 10:26 AM

hehe, np. I'm not entirely sure where you'd get one, but mark will help.

hey, equesiton for YOU- i need some help with a lens assembly. Short of hacking into a broken projetor can you help me figure out which lenses i need to widen and shrink a projected image while keeping it in focus?

lol...thanks.

Aerospaced · 12-24-2007, 12:39 PM

Hold up a minute fellows. If you recall, you can't recharge a 12 volt battery with only 12 volts, you need 14. That is what the altenator puts out and then goes through the regulator to the rest of the system. Put a volt meter accross your battery and you will see more that 12 volts while it is running.
I suggest you invest in Grobbs basic electronics. This a great text book that now even comes with a CDROM that has software to design your own circuits.

quantum · 12-24-2007, 04:09 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Aerospaced

Hold up a minute fellows. If you recall, you can't recharge a 12 volt battery with only 12 volts, you need 14. That is what the altenator puts out and then goes through the regulator to the rest of the system. Put a volt meter accross your battery and you will see more that 12 volts while it is running.
I suggest you invest in Grobbs basic electronics. This a great text book that now even comes with a CDROM that has software to design your own circuits.

TY, Aerospaced...

I know the altenator puts out more than 12v, usually settles in around 13.8v when the car is on and running for a while. I'll probably buy that book for other stuff though, very cool.

My question really was what does "reference" mean on the pinout, "14 Volt Reference" It also has a plug for + IGN / -GRND, which I figure is what powers the camera up when the car is on.

EDIT: The 14V reference is the power plug from the headlight switch to the camera, making sure it only comes on when the lights are on. According to the sheets I've read, it will be OK to run 12v to it, and it should work fine.

The other 2 wires (+/-) are for the window hearer on the camera. Now, where are my wire cutters....

shotgunefx · 12-27-2007, 06:24 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Aerospaced

Hold up a minute fellows. If you recall, you can't recharge a 12 volt battery with only 12 volts, you need 14. That is what the altenator puts out and then goes through the regulator to the rest of the system. Put a volt meter accross your battery and you will see more that 12 volts while it is running.
I suggest you invest in Grobbs basic electronics. This a great text book that now even comes with a CDROM that has software to design your own circuits.

True but you can bump up voltage. How a 9v battery can power out 50kv in a stun gun.

Quote: Originally Posted by quantum

TY, Aerospaced...

I know the altenator puts out more than 12v, usually settles in around 13.8v when the car is on and running for a while. I'll probably buy that book for other stuff though, very cool.

My question really was what does "reference" mean on the pinout, "14 Volt Reference" It also has a plug for + IGN / -GRND, which I figure is what powers the camera up when the car is on.

EDIT: The 14V reference is the power plug from the headlight switch to the camera, making sure it only comes on when the lights are on. According to the sheets I've read, it will be OK to run 12v to it, and it should work fine.

The other 2 wires (+/-) are for the window hearer on the camera. Now, where are my wire cutters....

Keep in mind, I'm no electrician, just know enough to be dangerous

A reference is just what it sounds like. It's a fixed voltage used to reference other voltages. Think of it as a legend on a scale, giving a sense of magnitude.

Say you had an ADC (Analog digital converter) that can measure a voltage from 0v to Nv in 256 increments. 0v = 0 and Nv = 255, well, what does 255 mean?

It needs some sort of "scale" if you want to know what the highest voltage you expect is. The reference provides this (and other uses). VREF doesn't neccassarily equal input voltage, it can be any arbitrary voltage.

The other thing with electronics, they are usually a bit sloppier than you imagine, usually there's a tolerance that's acceptable in the circuit, often 10% or more (for some applications though, it may have a minuscule tolerance). Something might say 12v, but actually be OK with 10v to 15v. (might not too

).

13.8v is very close, only a 1.5% difference. I'm sure that's what they mean. Though a quick question, what kind of headlights to those caddies have? I'll bet the reason there is also a power wire and the light switch is that IIRC, thermal imagers have some startup time. So keeping the camera powered all the time would avoid that.

User Name		Remember Me?
Password