Lcd Fitment

Dluvr22 · 08-18-2003, 09:17 PM

Has Any One Of You Guys Tried Fitting A Xenarc Monitor In A Dash Opening That Originally Had A Factory Double Din Radio?

My 95 Toy 4runner Has A Dash Opening For A Double Din Radio Tha Measures 7.8 Inches Diagonally. I Need To Know If Anyone Has Tried Fitting One Before. I Have Never Used Fiberglass Or Bondo Before And I'm Afraid Of Damaging My Dash Board.

Any Help Is Welcome

frodobaggins · 08-19-2003, 05:18 AM

see that image under your name ?

Dluvr22 · 08-19-2003, 08:33 AM

yeah what about it?

kubark42 · 09-04-2003, 11:29 AM

Caveat: I don't have a Xenarc, but I do have the VGA + TouchKit package from DigitalWW. As I understand, it's the exact same screen + vga controller, and it sure looks like it in reality. Beautiful screen, if I do say so myself.

Bref, I received the screen and the VGA controller in two seperate shipments. I was ecstatic when I fit my screen into the double DIN opening on my Citroen Xantia, but, much to my chagrin, when the VGA controller came a week later I discovered that it underhangs the VGA screen by a significant amount. Enough that I had to completely throw out my design, and start over.

I still haven't found a design that works with my double DIN. I'm almost ready to just hacksaw the fool buttons off because who needs them on a digital screen? I haven't got any for my laptop screen and it doesn't bother me in the slightest.

I am a little bit upset by this because this isn't terribly clear in the web pics, especially since Armen (DigitalWW) posts a link to screen dimensions. In the end, though, it's my fault for not asking and ***-uming that it should work.

Armen, if you're there, why not add a sentence to this effect on the site? Or offer a VGA controller that DOESN'T overhang. I'll be the first to buy because then my in-car install will go like a charm.

Anyway, enough ranting and back to the question at hand. In my opinion, you can fit it in if you have an extra 10-15 millimeters in vertical space just behind your dash opening. I believe that the exact specifications, with VGA controller buttons mounted flush against screen bottom and with the metal grounding plate/shield installed on the back side of the LCD, are 171 x 120mm.

Of course, I'm not certain. I'm looking at the Pro/E models I made, and not at the real thing. Speaking of which, I have an (exceedingly) dimensionally accurate and complete Pro/E model of the M10000 (Nehemiah) that I'll gladly post if people are interested. Well, not complete, I think that I never got around to modeling *all* the capacitors. (I got bored after modeling the four important ones near the chipset and CPU.)

Good luck,
Kenn

phc · 09-04-2003, 11:40 AM

Kenn,

If you can export it as a STEP model, (Type 214 Automotive), I'd be happy to compare it to mine. I did a crude model in Inventor.

See www.tmz.com/wrx for some screen shots of my planned setup.

How did you deal with the VGA controller? Do you have any screen shots of the LCD with VGA board? I was considering going with that setup also, but now I'm looking at the TM-710VG.

kubark42 · 09-04-2003, 12:22 PM

What program are you using? Your models are very similar to mine. Could you post them, too, but in *.des fomat? I didn't model the fan (not using it anyway), RAM module, or white plastic DIMM clips. I did, however, model capacitors and plastic shrouds. Our powers combined, we could rule the universe!

Ahem.

I mean, our models combined, we could have a pretty nice gift to the forum.

Where'd you download those drawings of the hard drive and cdrom? I'm dying to find something like that. Are there lots of similar goodies online?

As to your website, in my opinion the LCD won't work. It just won't fit in a double DIN, unless your double DIN is different from mine. (Possible, it's a French car, after all.) Plus, the cables on the computer are nothing like the radio cables. (Ask me why I know

.) They won't bend, are significantly larger than radio cables, and connecting them is utterly impossible when the computer is installed. My idea is to make a plate that will snap into place with all the connectors installed and the cables routed out the side.

Also, might I suggest that you ignore the extra of overhang? So what if your carputer sticks out a few extra centimeters. It shouldn't bother you in my opinion. Plus, it'll solve your problem with the LCD + controller, since there's no other way to do it.

Lastly, I don't know what STEP is. I exported my drawing using Pro/E Desktop, but I didn't see a (Type 214 Automotive) option. I tried posting it, but the model is too big. How about downloading it in *.des fomat?

http://sweb.uky.edu/~kdsebe0/VIA_M10000_schematics.rar

P.S. If this keeps up, we'll hijack his thread. I'm making a new one.

digitalww · 09-04-2003, 12:30 PM

I will add more pictures and dimensions for both LCD and the Controller.

As far as the controller - it is designed this way because of the way it is positioned in the original case. Nothing I can do about it but it is one of the best controllers out there for small LCDs.

Armen

Quote: Originally Posted by kubark42

I am a little bit upset by this because this isn't terribly clear in the web pics, especially since Armen (DigitalWW) posts a link to screen dimensions. In the end, though, it's my fault for not asking and ***-uming that it should work.

Armen, if you're there, why not add a sentence to this effect on the site? Or offer a VGA controller that DOESN'T overhang. I'll be the first to buy because then my in-car install will go like a charm.

kubark42 · 09-04-2003, 12:39 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by digitalww

I will add more pictures and dimensions for both LCD and the Controller.

As far as the controller - it is designed this way because of the way it is positioned in the original case. Nothing I can do about it but it is one of the best controllers out there for small LCDs.

Armen

Thanks, Armen. I spent a long time getting everything just right and working with fiberglass (I HATE EPOXY!) and was incredibly frustrated when the VGA controller came in and it was 3mm(!) too big for my car. In any case, I would have bought the screen, I just wouldn't have spent any time building the mounting plate before receiving everything in the mail.

Agreed, though, that the controller is fantastic. I am simply amazed by the clarity and quality of the screen. Maybe you could convince your suppliers to redesign the controller by removing the buttons or placing them on the side?

Cheers to DigitalWW which has some of the best customer service in the biz!

Kenn

digitalww · 09-04-2003, 12:44 PM

The manufacturer will not change their design, I tried.

What about if you mount the controller at an angle? I could possibly try to get a longer ribbon cable for you.

What do you think?

phc · 09-04-2003, 01:26 PM

I use Inventor (from the AutoCAD guys). DES is a native Pro E Desktop and I cannot import/export to this format. I've sent and received STEP files from ProE Desktop before, works very well. If you ZIP the file, it should get smaller.

I found the fan model at www.cbliss.com/inventor These are native inventor files, but if you see anything you like, I can export them.

I only found a 3.5" HDD and a CD-ROM model somewhere, but that's all they had.

I think the LCD should work, I do have some space below the 2DIN opening for this.

-Patrick

wi77iam · 09-04-2003, 03:05 PM

I was able to mount my lcd flush in the 2DIN opening and tilt the controller board so that it cleared everything behind the screen. Doing that adds a little bit to the depth but not much. I removed the buttons from the board and relocated them to the dash piece around the screen. Everthing looks pretty good.

kubark42 · 09-04-2003, 04:06 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by phc

I use Inventor (from the AutoCAD guys). DES is a native Pro E Desktop and I cannot import/export to this format. I've sent and received STEP files from ProE Desktop before, works very well. If you ZIP the file, it should get smaller.

I found the fan model at www.cbliss.com/inventor These are native inventor files, but if you see anything you like, I can export them.

I only found a 3.5" HDD and a CD-ROM model somewhere, but that's all they had.

I think the LCD should work, I do have some space below the 2DIN opening for this.

-Patrick

Oh, it converted just fine. And I zipped it. Zipped, it's 355KB. (Unzipped, it's 1.93MB) It was just to big to put on the web page and I didn't want to cut it into two files because I don't want people only downloading half by accident. I'll upload the STEPS file to my server when I get back from Paris this weekend. If you're in a hurry, you could download Pro/E DESKTOP.

I?' like to have a look at your plastic DIMM clips, the DIMM itself, and your external connectors. I can't tell from the pic, but it really seems that you modeled the individual pins on the back side. Wow. I modeled them on the front side, but then covered the back side with the plastic housing. Guess you're not as lazy as I.

I just checked-- Pro/E can open STEP files. Instead of sending me your files could you link them to the new thread I opened here?

What are the your dimensions for the double DIN? I didn't have much luck finding values, especially minimum dimensions for depth. Are yours in keeping with the official values (whatever they may be)?

Armen-- I've sent you an email so we can continue this without polluting the thread. I would very much like a longer cable.

kubark42 · 09-04-2003, 04:08 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by wi77iam

I was able to mount my lcd flush in the 2DIN opening and tilt the controller board so that it cleared everything behind the screen. Doing that adds a little bit to the depth but not much. I removed the buttons from the board and relocated them to the dash piece around the screen. Everthing looks pretty good.

Got some pictures? You're a braver man than I. I'm not quite daring enough to slice off those buttons. How'd you do it and what model did you do it to?

Kenn

wi77iam · 09-04-2003, 08:42 PM

kubark,
No pictures yet. I have the DS Customs DS 700YYV. I tried desoldering the buttons but they're so small, I got fed up and just clipped them off with a diagonal cutter. If you want to reuse them, just clip close to the board so you still have something you can solder to.