Thread: 2000 Saturn SL2

I bought a BU-353 Weather-proof GPS Receiver and got Garmin Mobile installed. I know everyone has been having trouble embedding it. I've searched the forums and found the IGO solution but I've had some trouble getting it to work.

I need to rework my computer case since we had the baby stroller in the car a couple weeks ago and it must have shifted and broke my case.

Tonight, I was able to get most of my wires properly ran through the door trim. I got my front speakers wired up. I had been avoiding it since I had to pull the dash back apart to do it.

I was considering mounting a 10.2 monitor where the rearview mirror is for backup cameras. I know HiJack has a quad process but I don't really want a main video with 2 PIP. I was looking for a way to show 3 cameras side by side basically as a panoramic view. I know it's not really needed in my car but I thought it would look good. Let me know what you think.

I will get some more photos up soon. I've been slacking in that area.

Originally Posted by skeet2331

I bought a BU-353 Weather-proof GPS Receiver and got Garmin Mobile installed. I know everyone has been having trouble embedding it. I've searched the forums and found the IGO solution but I've had some trouble getting it to work.

I need to rework my computer case since we had the baby stroller in the car a couple weeks ago and it must have shifted and broke my case.

Tonight, I was able to get most of my wires properly ran through the door trim. I got my front speakers wired up. I had been avoiding it since I had to pull the dash back apart to do it.

I was considering mounting a 10.2 monitor where the rearview mirror is for backup cameras. I know HiJack has a quad process but I don't really want a main video with 2 PIP. I was looking for a way to show 3 cameras side by side basically as a panoramic view. I know it's not really needed in my car but I thought it would look good. Let me know what you think.

I will get some more photos up soon. I've been slacking in that area.

Now only thing I suggest when you get the 10.2, is take the rear view mirror off 100%. The backing that holds the mirror in place and all. Then go to your auto store and buy a heavy duty insustrial mirror repair kit. With my experience, the glue the factory uses cannot with stand the weight of the screen, so eventually it will fall off.

I went over board with that because I wanted to delete all my mirrors. I have never seen a DQP that can do a panoramic view, but ive also never checked, but I do have an idea on how you can do it. They make cameras so tiny now, that maybe you can buy one of those fake antennas on the roof, up towards the front, above the windshield and have the cam face back, and build it into the fake antenna. Make sure its a wide angel camera. That should allow you to see both left and right and rear all at the same time. Only issue is, you would also see the roof too. I think the new Infiniti's use the tech your talking about to put each cam, side by side by side. I'll try to put my DQP back together and see if it has that mode, ive honestly never looked for it, maybe it does have it. I took it apart so I can wire it into my car, basically the old mirror controls will control the DQP and a Mini DVR system thats the size of a pocket PC. I am going to use it for security and recording track runs.

I'm still looking at the rear camera idea. I have like a dozen ideas going on and not sure how easy or complex to make it. As we all know the easier the better.

So the Plexiglass class is no more. After 3 weeks with no problems at all, I started getting a whine in my speakers. First think i thought it could be was of course the case. I had it grounded with a wire running between all 4 posts but that wasn't enough. I could not find an standoff in Muncie to save my life and I needed to have music for the 5 hour drive to Chicago for the meet on Sunday. So last night I had an old desktop atx/itx case laying around. I slapped the PC in it for the time being. It cured the problem with the whine.

To say the least it was not an easy night. I got a spark on my M2Atx and thought I blew it. While in test mode I let me go of M2ATX and it touched the metal of the PC case connecting the circuits on the bottom. (Very bad feeling) Fuse was good no crispy burnt caps, but still nothing. So i took the MB in the house hooked it up to a PSU and everything worked. So I went back the the car was like lets hook up the inverter or a temp solution for the weekend. Striped my wires got it all hooked up and the inverter would not power up.

So what do I check well you guessed it the main fuse to the battery and sure enough it was blown. I replaced the fuse and wired my M2 back up. The computer booted up for 5 secs and shut down. I double checked my J8 wire going to the MB and everything looked correct. Tried it again same problem.

I hooked up a temp on/off switch to the MB and not the M2ATX. The computer booted like it should. So I'm assuming something has happened the the J8 on the M2 causing it to be on all the time. I wired a temp on/off switch to the driver seat for this weekend that I will turn into a reset switch if I can get the J8 problem figured out.

I've learned to jack around very little with the M2-ATX while it is powered up.

What a pain that thing is.......... but it works so good, and clean, and low power consumption..... it's like a fat hooker - it sucks and blows.

Little update.... I hard wired a on/off and reset button under my dash.

Joystick
After the Chicago meet GizmoQ had the great idea of replacing the shifter with a joystick. I have been scouting joysticks I was considering getting the Logitech Force 3D Pro. Not the most advanced joystick but a little cheaper and I don't feel as bad hacking it up.

Rear Camera
Ok so my thinking for the rear camera is to mount it on a servo. I then am thinking of getting a Phidget USB controller for it. I then want to make the joystick movements left and right to the servo. Then I can move the camera 45-90 degrees to cover my blind spots. I am planning on wiring the camera to a 10.2 LCD mirror monitor. It will then be active even though the computer is not on. It will be pointing straight back. Then once the computer is booted up I will have control over the movement.

Any feedback would be appreciated or if someone has done this let me know. I have not seen anyone with a camera mounted on a servo.

if you mount it to a servo, i would suggest getting one that is designed for monster truck rc cars due to their high torque and durrability against stripped gears

btw, good job cutting the plexi... the first time it snapped i ditched the plexiglass and went with polycarbonate.... quite a bit more expencive, but its indestructable by any means that the internals of a computer would survive (if it breaks the poly, then you know the computer components are broken)
(thanx for the comment about GM--may the shoving commence MUA HAHAHHAHA HAHAH AHAHAHHAH HAHAHAH HAHAHAHh........)

I received my Phidget and started programing it. Everything seems to be working well. I had it setup to work on a joystick twist, however that seems to be working a little inconsistent. If i set it up to work on a button push it works flawless.

I may be looking into the Monster truck servo. Right now I just got a cheap one mainly for playing around and just learning everything. This is all new to me for the most part.

I got a joystick and dismantled it. I guess it is part of our nature to buy something new and take it apart. I took my shifter off of my car last night. I have to modify the handle to mount on it. A stop at lowes tonight should do the trick. Hopefully I can get some pictures posted when finished.

GL on the fabrication!!

futaba makes or they did make great monster truck servo's though its been over a decade since i built any... worth checking out still

I like how your screen fits in the dash, looks nice.