2004 Honda Accord, Dual Climate Control, interface and Car-PC Touch screen control.

I have a quick video of some of the basic functions of the Install.

The front panel in the video is the prototype backing panel – The front cover will be finished when I’m sure I have the layout finalised.

This is a trans-reflective LCD, notice when it dims for night viewing how the camera capture improves.

The screen looks nothing like this horrible video. It's as rich and as crisp as my 24” HP HDMI monitor.

You will hear the PC say “Drive E is Missing” this is the Drive recorder 500-GB USB3 drive. I am replacing it with a SATA 2.5” unit. This unit just disappears and reappears for no reason. Mini USB3 connectors are just crap!

NOTE: All voice announcements can be turned off.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eceZqUg1CXg


In the video I turned the vehicle off and the PC went to sleep with Standby +5v running.
The last action in the video shows the PC Hibernating and the FE and Micro controller forcing the PSU to drop +5v Standby in that mode.


BTW – The camera start-up loading time in the video is due to a setup option. Drive record cameras can be auto started with the FE or manually started. These two cameras are completely separate from the reversing camera.

Not shown in the video, voltage monitor screen, vehicle diagnostic screens, Window app launcher screen, 6 other setup screens, the Garmin OSK along with the feDrive encoder menu select options and DAB station list select options.

Holy freaking cow... You created a nice piece of work. You wrote most of the software, correct? And what did you use for the voice recognition?

And again, Thanks a lot for sharing!

Hi nasa. Yes, every line of code in the FE and all assembly code in the 4 interface Microcontrollers.

The FE hasn’t got voice recognition input yet, it looks like that because I’m either turning the FE encoder or pressing the mode button on the steering wheel out of view. I played with voice recognition but had no real use for it at the time but I’m sure that will change when I get a chance.

I’m just enjoying how great it’s running now. It does everything I started out to do and more. Everything including GPS is faultless, another 2 days with 10 hours a day driving and it never put a foot wrong. It’s very relaxing (if I can use that term) to use while driving in heavy traffic, no distractions and no need to look at menus.

Thanks again for the comments.

Hi mike,
Love what u have done here. Quick question regarding the dab radio. Does the aero aerial you have a 12v signal booster?
The Motorola adaptor I have got for the ultimate dab requires a 12v line in as a signal booster my concern is it may damage the ultimate dab.
I should clarify, the adaptor Iam referring to converts from car to Motorola and then I use the Motorola to SMA that I got with the dab.

Ok, end of hijack ;-)

Depending on the aerial you may have one, two or 3 leads. I have 3. +12v for inbuilt RF-Preamp (booster), DAB lead and an FM lead.

The 12v supply going to the aerial does not come back down any aerial lead. You may have a unit that injects +12v into one of the aerial leads via an adaptor. That adaptor would (should) also be isolated from the Receiver.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mos33y

Hi mike,
Love what u have done here. Quick question regarding the dab radio. Does the aero aerial you have a 12v signal booster?
The Motorola adaptor I have got for the ultimate dab requires a 12v line in as a signal booster my concern is it may damage the ultimate dab.
I should clarify, the adaptor Iam referring to converts from car to Motorola and then I use the Motorola to SMA that I got with the dab.

Ok, end of hijack ;-)

---

mos33y, you can use a "DC Block" on the input of the Ultimate or a "Bias-T" to send power to your antenna and strip the power back off to send out to the radio.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mickz

Off track but anyone interested in the OBD-II HONDA Interface module for the Honda HDS might find this interesting. HDS (Honda & Acura Diagnostic System). HONDA/ACURA from year 1992 to 2009. The HIM comes with Honda diagnostic software for a PC.
....

The information available on all vehicle systems and the diagnostics you can carry out is amazing, however if these advanced features are used without a full understanding of what you are doing you can easily cause damage to the vehicle.

---

Hey Mickz,

Beyond engine info, what other info are you able to pull off the OBD-II interface?

Every vehicle system for the particular model is available including diagnostic testing of these systems, IE controlling solenoids, fuel injectors, all dash instruments, transmission, Keyless entry, Security, VSA, ABS, Air-Bag, Charging system, HVAC, Emission, Lighting, Door locks, electrical etc.

The position of all switches, pressure sensors, temp sensors, positional sensors and voltages etc in real time along with the units of value and tolerance allowed in most cases.

I use this with the factory manual and follow it step by step as it uses this device to carry out all diagnostics and tells you what menu or system to go to in the HDS screens to access data or test for fault conditions.

Obviously everything that the Dealer has available to diagnose and repair the vehicle with the exception of how to interpret the findings (some repairers are useless at this anyway). The fault codes have a text description of the codes and some information about the possible cause or other steps to take.

It can also be used as a drive recorder to capture or display data in real time, with adjustable trigger conditions. Haven’t tried that yet but others claim it works great.

No aftermarket scanner can do these systems. Clearing fault codes with an aftermarket scanner can in some vehicles cause vital engine calibration data to be reset causing all sorts of problems.

Most of the info returned is non standard and “Honda only” access so it’s not available with most low cost scanners.

Mickz - I'd really like to implement your second battery circuit in my build. Would you mind providing me a bit more information on the setup/construction if you have the time.

Also I another idea for my build was to use one of my AUX outputs on my alarm to remotely power on the computer with my alarm remote. This would allow me to sync music files between my home network and the car (in garage).

I should be able to figure it out just haven't sat down and thought through yet. I figured this would probability need to tie into this area of the install so maybe you had an idea or maybe you've considered something similar already? Currently the AUX out will provide a ground when activated.

Thanks Mickz for your time and responses on my other thread!

For handy look up all part numbers are from the Jaycar catalogue which can be viewed on line.

The Aux battery is a 26Ah deep cycle GELL part SB-1698, size is W=165mm, D =172mm, H=110mm and its weight is 8.35kg. This makes it small enough to fit INSIDE the spare MAG wheel which is recessed into the trunk floor in the Honda. I made a ½“thick plywood base and quick release tie-downs that lock the battery into place in case of a collision.

I went with it because of the low profile and the 20 hour discharge rate of 1.3A and a 5 hour rate of 3.74A (assuming full charge and a good battery and how far you can rely on the specs.)
The cycle voltage is quoted as 14.4v to 15v with a Standby of 13.5v to 13.9v.

This means that with a battery mounted in the trunk you will need to get every mV of voltage to the battery to keep it correctly charged; to this end I have the following circuits and thoughts.

I run two 8G cables from the Vehicle battery terminals. You want these connections directly to the battery terminals not 6” from the terminals on another cable. This is a CAP-PC and keeping noise out of the system is important as well and that battery is like the biggest capacitor you can buy for smoothing voltage transients, charging and ignition noise. Something a good AUX battery close to the PC–PSU can help with as well.

With hindsight I should have run 4G cables (EDIT: definitely run a 4G cable for the positive 12v lead) to the trunk distribution point and 8G from there. As I said in another post, it’s sometimes not just about current capacity; it’s also about saving a few extra mV across the cable and importantly reducing noise with those heave ultra low resistance cables.


Parts:

The unit is made on two small pieces of Vero board HP-9540 or similar. If you have trouble soldering and working with small PCB tracks then Unclad punched Laminate HP-9554 would be the way to go. Just bend the leads below the board and connect/solder with hook up wire.

RLY1 is an SY-4068 30A relay. Must be at least 30A or above to reduce voltage drop across the relay.

Diode D1 is a Stud Mount diode. Something like this: http://australia.rs-online.com/web/p/products/4689168/ it will also need a stud mount insulator kit.

The FET STP80PF55 is a very common device from places like Mouser, and Digikey http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/101...stp80pf55.html

The FET needs a silicon insulator mounting kit HP-1176 OR if you mount it on the board something like a HH-8516 heat-sink (no insulator needed but the heat-sink has 12v on it)

Diode D2 is an IN4004 or equivalent and available everywhere.

Q3 and Q4 BC547’s are available everywhere.

Q5 is BD140 available anywhere.

The two 1watt Zener Diodes are once again available everywhere and voltage values only have to be close.

The two 10K 10 turn pots RT-4650 from Jaycar.

Resistors are ¼ watt.

D1 needs to be mounted and insulated on a small heat-sink such as a thick piece of aluminium angle bracket.

http://www.brisdance.com/Honda/files.../BattBittC.png

Circuit in PDF format


What it does.

I designed the system to:

1. Allow the vehicle battery to help support the AUX battery, even during engine cranking if AUX is low on charge and the PC has started to boot or is running. (M4 runs down to around 6 volts)

2. To isolate the AUX battery (and PC) from any possible discharge during vehicle cranking.

3. To allow the vehicle battery to partly support the AUX battery during sleep mode and in the ignition accessory position.

4. To protect the vehicle battery from running low. I know that a lot of the vehicle PSU’s have this built in but I just don’t trust it!

5. To allow the AUX battery to have as close as possible to full charging system output across its terminals for correct charging.

The low voltage cut-out is shaded blue. When the Main battery voltage falls below a preset level set by the 10k 10 turn pot, the FET is switched off, isolating the Vehicle battery before it discharges to the point of not starting the vehicle. The 2000uf capacitor is part of the delay circuit that holds the isolator on during vehicle cranking.

However you don’t want to pull voltage from the AUX battery during cranking. The +12v Accessory line to Q5 drops to zero when the vehicle cranks and therefore instantly drops supply to RLY1. This isolates the two systems. D1 and the delay in the low voltage cut-out allow whatever voltage is available from the vehicle battery to still support the AUX battery to power the PC in case it has already started to boot or is running.

Transistors Q4, Q5 form part of the charge switch. When the voltage from the charging system is above 13v (adjustable) Q5 turns on and RLY1 connects the input voltage straight to the Aux battery.

At that point the only loss in the system should be from the Fuse holder loss, Cable loss and Relay contact loss. These 3 things are under our control. Heavy cable, 5AG fuse holders and 30A relay contacts.