AU Optronics Screen and VGA driver board (large images)

[Maximus]

I honestly don't remember how i found them, but they're a local distributor who prefer to be unnamed since they feal that they cant handle individual sales in large numbers... I guess I was the lucky exception.
They offered me to be a "retailer" but that would mean that I'd have to order ten kits and I don't know if there's enough interest for that.
As of right now, they don't even have a 7" transflective, they where having production problems and didn't want to deliver the screen, but I'll get it sooner or later.

If you're not in a rush I'd suggest you'd wait for whatever mp3car has up their sleeves, my screen is plenty bright and 500nits is 100 more than mine so that should be great. If they're able to get a similar controller (serial controllable) then it'll be a great package.

If you and nine others can't wait... I could get the screens for ya (at no additional cost).


If you could make the bezel, that would be great... what cad format do you want the drawings in so you can have a look ?.

/M

[Enak]

I'll wait for the time being I think... lets see what happens with what mp3car have planned.

DXF, IGES or Inventor files are fine for me.

[NickQ]

Quote: Originally Posted by Maximus

The whole kit was $450, but that's with our hefty sales tax of 25%, import taxes and other stuff, so I'd assume that you US guys could get it for ~$350.

Yes, the screen does rotate, you can flip the image on the VGA controller, selecting which way is UP.

Thing is with 100% brightness that the AU doesn't look "good" as it washes out a bit.
This is a correct exposure where the AU screen looks "normal" at 100%.

Wow!! ... wow!! sorry I couldn't help to wow twice. I will be rich if I price my kits this high. I don't know how to attach pictures, otherwise I would show you the kits I designed. (sorry, bgoodman, I'm not doing advertisement here, I just couldn't help to respond to this post)

[Arathranar]

There's loads of interest - especially if the price is right. $450 is way too steep for most people.

[rotarypower101]

If you have something that would work with all the parameters that carpc people require with that many nits yes you would have a large market share quickly.

If you do have something that can blow away what you see, find someone local and take side by side shots of the current technology compared to what you claim you have.

Where are you located?

[rotarypower101]

ny update Maximus?

[0l33l]

NickQ: How much for that kit?

Latest on carpc developments... well, majority are sitll using VIA, although some see the light in Pentium M boards.
Windows XP is the OS of choice, 256-512mb or ram is usual, wiFi, GPS.
FrodoPlayer, RoadRunner, and Centrafuse are the most popular frontends.

[EL CAMINO]

i would like to know the price also,thats all i need the monitor to complete my setup.

[tanqueray]

Hey Maximus,
Any new news about this monitor? I just came across this post and I'm very interested. I'm building my first carputer and I still need a monitor. I hate those buttons on the others, this one would be perfect. I tried calling the contact phone number but only get error messages.

[quantum]

Hey, this looks like a solution and a half (for me at least)! From what I gather, this setup is a bit brighter and a bit easier to work with then some of the other "all in one case" LCDs, plus scaleable with software to do all kinds of neat tricks.

Plus, it doesn't need to be torn apart, cus it comes all torn apart already, the various boards and controllers look like they just plug right into the connections (if I'm reading this correctly), and can be placed a litle more freely thanks to wires that are a few (6"?) inches long.

I wonder, can you extend those wires to the button board by 6 feet or so without losing anything? I am rather keen (aren't we all?) on putting things like buttons and switches in a certain location during the install rather than work within design limitations of an all-in-one. Does this LCD/TS have a down side?

Not to get off topic, but I just completed an electronic goodie upgrade with similar open design features in the Caddy that I thought you might like to see. It is a remote radar (Whisler 3300 Custom Install (CI). Usually these things have an antenna that sits behind the grille and wires that run to one controller unit in the cabin which mounts under the dash. This CI version allowed me to put the 3 separate components (contol board, speaker and display panel behind tinted plastic) in a configuration in the upper console that looks like a factory install vs. a gadget add-on.







I contacted Amy and this is what I was told about a sample...

Hi Mike:

We can sell you the products directly from our Taiwan office. What type of application will these products be used for? We have local Promate reps throughout the US. Please let me know where you are located and if you would like to get in touch w/ someone for more details or technical support.

Sample pricing (FOB Taiwan-TT in advance by wire, check or credit card)
JLPA070VW01-2: $135 USD
JDBK070G1A0P: $100 USD
JTHC084DUA1: $21 USD
Leadtime 2-4 weeks


So, if those wires can be extended without harm up to the overhead console, I'll probably put my brand new Super 7" TS up for sale and use the proceeds to buy one of these puppies. Anyone else?

Maximus, could you offer a little guidence on the RS232 programming for it? Sorry, that's new to me. I read a little, so what do I need to do to have things like auto dim, make coffee, etc? Software? Tutorials? Schematics? I also noticed there was a remote control and IR receiver, did you look into that as well?

TY, I'll keep you posted about Promate...

[tanqueray]

Quantum,
That's great... this will be the perfect screen for my project.. Please post as soon as you have details and/or contact person so that people here can start placing orders.

[Maximus]

Quote: Originally Posted by quantum

Plus, it doesn't need to be torn apart, cus it comes all torn apart already, the various boards and controllers look like they just plug right into the connections (if I'm reading this correctly), and can be placed a litle more freely thanks to wires that are a few (6"?) inches long.

I wonder, can you extend those wires to the button board by 6 feet or so without losing anything?

Does this LCD/TS have a down side?

JLPA070VW01-2: $135 USD
JDBK070G1A0P: $100 USD
JTHC084DUA1: $21 USD

Maximus, could you offer a little guidence on the RS232 programming for it?

The VGA / Button board / Video cables are all ~12-15" long.
The inverter and touch screen cables are ~3-4" long.

The biggest problem with extending the cables would be the connectors and the correct crimping tools, apart from that I don't see a problem with extending the cables a bit.

Personally I'll take a chance and skip the buttons and run software control only.

The downside so far is that I can't calibrate the TS with the inverter/backlight on, all measurements from the touchscreen seems normal so how unlikely it would be it looks like the inverter is f-cking up the TS controller... they're looking in to it right now.


$250 !? for a kit... now that's a good deal


The RS232 programming is pretty straight forward, the commands/data depend a bit on the BIOS in the controller and your Promate contact should be able to give you the info you need.
I got this information: RS232_Command(VGA_AV1)
It's standard serial communication, schematics are in the PDF's.
If you want autodimming through hardware you'll need something that detects the incoming light and "translates" that into 0-5V that you could connect to the HW dimming connector on the VGA board. If you want software you'll need pretty much the same thing, but you'll need to be able to read the light level from your computer. I'm a bit lucky since my car (SAAB) allready has a light sensor and I can read the level of the car's internal can-bus (similar to BMW I-BUS).

Software can be anything you're comfortable with, VB6 is an easy way to start, .NET is way more powerful.
I'll use .NET since I need to make a plugin for Centrafuse in order to have all the features I want from the car's can-bus (Steering Wheel control, automatic profile selection based on the memory from the powered seats, MP3 tags displayed on the car's "info display" and so on...

No, I did not look into the remote as I wont be using that.

Apart from that... no news on my side...
Still waiting for a quote to manufacture my Double DIN frame.

[tanqueray]

Maximus,
check out emachineshop.com
A friend of mine designs parts for his motorcycle on there and he's happy with the service and price. I was going to use it to custom fabricate a bezel to fit the double din in my truck.

[tanqueray]

www.emachineshop.com

[Maximus]

Yeah, I've seen 'em before and they're good for less complicated constructions.
For some odd reason the bezel is too complex for their cad software, and an early model I did was quite expensive too (compared to the ammount of machining they'd have to do).

That said, I'll probably use them for the heatsinks I'll need later on (CPU/GPU/NB).

/M