Playing with an idea...

[alex_gray255]

Not done this myself (yet) as I don't know if it is already implemented on the standard dash set or not.

The backlighting to the standard T dashes is usually green in colour when the lights are on.

The dash has three lights which are used to indicate shift warnings - green, amber and red.
The colours change when the revs get too high and need changing.

Bog standard so far.

Now, my idea/question is to modify the dash ECU, backlighting LEDs to change colour at the
same time as the shift lights.

So, green is normal backlighting. Amber changes the backlighting to amber, and red etc.

Now my question - is this already standard behaviour on the T cars? Never pushed the shifting
up that far, so not sure if this is already the behaviour. I doubt it is, but just wanted to check.

Cheers!

[crazyidea]

alex_gray255 said:

Never pushed the shifting
up that far

Seriously? How can you not?

[Sevenman]

alex_gray255 said:

Never pushed the shifting
up that far

It is as far as you want it to be - you can set the shift lights in the menu. I selected a conservative 5500, 6000 and 6500 for green / amber / red.

[alex_gray255]

Sevenman said:

It is as far as you want it to be - you can set the shift lights in the menu. I selected a conservative 5500, 6000 and 6500 for green / amber / red.

Cheers, yes, I know it is programmable. I've never modded the base settings myself. :P

However, I was just interested in if the behaviour was as stated above, which it looks like it isn't.
So, I'll add that to my list of things to look into this year.

[tamore]

Sevenman said:

alex_gray255 said:

Never pushed the shifting
up that far

It is as far as you want it to be - you can set the shift lights in the menu. I selected a conservative 5500, 6000 and 6500 for green / amber / red.

'kin 'ell! i have to echo this. how long have you had the car for and not lit the christmas lights up?

[darkmark07]

This is not standard behaviour, backlighting stays green no matter the revs.

Perhaps if you spent more time driving and less time 'improving' you'd know this

[alex_gray255]

Good. That's what I thought.

I tend to be a reasonably sedate driver in the Sag. The CR gear ratios give me all the
power I need for the type of driving I do in the Sag.

[crazyidea]

I like the overall idea of the whole dash lighting changing although it sounds like in your car it would be as ambiant lighting and you could programme the lights for 3k 4k and 4.5k. I admirr your restraint as I suspect that if driven hard you have one of the most fun machines imaginable to play in. I on the other hand only have that level of restraint until the engine is up to temp.

[darkmark07]

Fair enough and to each his own etc.

For what it's worth, I quite like the idea; if you were able to get tri-colour LEDs, I expect that it wouldn't be too hard to achieve.

Edited to add: Looks like the LEDs are doable: http://www.maplin.co.uk/tri-colour-led-26361, just the LCD backlight, some way to control it (reasonably straightforward, i would expect) and someone mad enough to try it. Over to you Alex

Edited by darkmark07 on Sunday 14th April 06:55

[7 TVR]

Like the idea Alex but the fact you have not seen your gear change lights yet but possibly have the most modified road sag in the UK is slightly alarming!
The SP6 is at its best when its revving its tits off 4L or 4.5L, if your not seeing the lights your not getting the most from the experience IMHO but its your car so tell me where to go if you want
I'm surrounded by Porsche & Ferrari drivers who would be better suited to a Prius so this is one of my pet hates

[Mattt]

I knew that your car spent more time in the workshop than on the road, but the fact you've not seen the shift lights saddens me slightly.

Is it for town cruising that you use the car?

[Sevenman]

alex_gray255 said:

I've never modded the base settings myself. :P

From what I have read on the forums, that must be the only thing you haven't modded

[alex_gray255]

What can I say? I prefer driving down twisty country lanes, than wider B or A roads.

Lots of them around where I live, so that's what I drive.

Not really a great need for speed on those.

But anyway, that's me. The world moves on

[Don1]

Surely getting the tri colour LED and getting them in series with the shift lights?

But what the hell do I know?

I like the idea though, but probably wouldn't go for it...

[alex_gray255]

Yup. Theoretically should be fairly simple to do. Well, we'll see.

[sanquin]

I really like the idea. Would like to see a video of those LEDs in action if&when you have it done

[Mattt]

Doing the dial lights would be good too, the ring of LEDs around the edges should be relatively easy to do....

[TOV!E]

sanquin said:

I really like the idea. Would like to see a video of those LEDs in action if&when you have it done

That will never happen as they will always be green, as Alex says he has never seen the other colours on his shift lights.

[paul1962]

Changing the colour of the lcd backlight might be tricky, depends how it's done on the original.

Alex, you should go for a full colour replacement LCD, or even OLED

[alex_gray255]

Had a chat with Paul Smith about this idea and it is possible to do. Just need to look at best approach out of the few he suggested.

I'll think about it some more and then maybe get something together for it.