instrumentation

[ro_butler]

Has anyone thought of wiring a small computer permanently to the cars ECU and using a small LCD, like the in car dvd players (or the fancy alpine motorised screens) as a display.

That way when the car starts running rough or whatever you can monitor everything.

I guess the best bet would be a small PC for embedded applications. It need not be pwoerful but would have to resistant to, and produce very little, heat as cooling may be a problem.
Not sure that the screens have standard inputs either.

Any instrumentation experts out there?

[Byker28i]

Off the wall suggestion - something like a palm pilot T3 or iPaq running a serial program would probably be easier.

The thing is - would you see the screen?

[Mars]

Change to an Emerald, then buy one of these:

http://www.aimsports.com/products/mxl-chooser.html

It integrates with the Emerald. Replaces all your dash clocks in one go. Would probably fit quite nicely into the instrument binnacle.

[Fex2005_uk]

I did a similar thing in my old car, was a custom job tho. It had Mp3, internet, dvd, radio, GPS Navigation, and car readouts all linked to a motorized screen, all controlled via coice activation and a mini keyboard built into the sunvisor.

The hardest part is getting adequate ventalation and getting custom software designed around your system. For a system above you are looking at around £1400.

The advantages are you can make a customised system exactly to your requirements and pretend youre knightrider!

Check out the forums at http://www.mp3car.com or drop me a email [e-mail]

[Fex2005_uk]

I did a similar thing in my old car, was a custom job tho. It had Mp3, internet, dvd, radio, GPS Navigation, and car readouts all linked to a motorized screen, all controlled via coice activation and a mini keyboard built into the sunvisor.

The hardest part is getting adequate ventalation and getting custom software designed around your system. For a system above you are looking at around £1400.

The advantages are you can make a customised system exactly to your requirements and pretend youre knightrider!

Check out the forums at http://www.mp3car.com or drop me a email [e-mail]

[TVRleigh]

Mars said:

Change to an Emerald, then buy one of these:

http://www.aimsports.com/products/mxl-chooser.html

It integrates with the Emerald. Replaces all your dash clocks in one go. Would probably fit quite nicely into the instrument binnacle.

Mmmmm looks nice, worth upgradeing to Emerald for.