Working Wireless Dashboard NO PC. 'Basic' V1.0

[cyclicscooby]

Hi Guys..

Memoric, Gforce, Rottarian and myself have been talking about receiving the UDP via an Arduino... It's been a journey, but we've got the basics...

I'm after a dashboard, like the PC owners have. I use pCars Dash on my tablet, which is brilliant, but you can't beat a sweeping needle..
I have no intention of booting up my ancient old PC, everytime I use the PS4, like some do, and I love messing with Arduino's so...

I've made a 'basic' wireless dash with just a few bit's n bobs, and a few weeks coding..


I actually ordered a Mazda RX8 dash last night, so the Rev Counter is not really required anymore, but it proves the concept for now..


First off... I'm not using my rig for this demo, just a controller to 'poke' the throttle, in a DIFFERENT room to the PS4 and TV, so spend most of the time scraping down the armaco..!!

Because i'm using the controller for testing, it's in 'auto-clutch / auto box' mode, which makes the gearbox faff about at N <-> 1/R, causing my Gear Indicator to flicker back n forth to N..

I could / might add a delay to stop this, but when I get the rig out (T300, 3 pedals, gearstick) I will be in full control myself, so it wont happen..


(PS- the code is done for the temp/pressure gauges, but I haven't built the 12v drivers yet)





I bought the Rev Counter off Ebay last week for £33 new.. The Gear Indicator is a LOL shield with custom digits/font.

The shift light is 9 neo-pixels. 9 because it was right infront of me, off a previous RC project. It will be longer..

The shift light will be 2 x 6 - 10 pixels (like pCars Dash) but for now its the first 5..
Each pixel is full 16million colour RGB, and you can connect hundreds, so the options are infinate and colourful..

After the 5 shift lights..

Theres a blue 'Headlight' pixel (not shown in demo), then ABS, Traction Control and Stability..
If you watch those last 3, Stability comes on if you turn hard (any speed), ABS when you brake, obviously, and Traction control when wheelspinning..

It's all testing at the mo, so brightness and colours will change, but you get the jist...


Hope you like..


Luv
Chrisie.. xx

[cyclicscooby]

Hi guys..

Bit more dashboard..

I built a set of warning lights using an old 'bits box', neo-pixels and some symbols off the net..

Shame I decided to go around afterwards with superglue and bodged it, cuz it seeped under the front perspex... Doh..



I also added a small Oled screen I had lying around.. Only 1.5"...

Here showing the splash screen that's shown when in the menu's..
Quite happy with my little logo. It's only about 40x30 pixels, but a reasonable likeness...




Here it's showing the 'part info', displayed when in the pitbox screen..



Once you hit drive, the screen displays the 'dashboard' bit..
Speed in Mph, a 10 segment fuel gauge, and Odo, in miles..

The fuel gauge is a bar graph to save space. The last red segment starts flashing at 5%..
I could have gone mad and put more info on there, but it's too small for that, so I kept it simple..
A V2.0 could use a 2.8" touchscreen, which I've used successfully on other projects, but that's for another time...


Both of the above in action..

Before starting the car. Batt warning comes on below 250 rpm, engine warning when oil pressure less than 50.. They go out at slightly different times, so look quite realistic..




And driving...




Just need to get it all on a board or two, and in nice boxes, and we're done..Not helped by starting the next part already.. Today I've been making a small servo tilt table for a 1/18 scale Scooby, for motion testing... Not to mention the RX8 dash and CAN bus shield, sat under the table...

Anyway, I can't wait to try it out with my rig.. So far ALL testing has been done from another room to the PS4 and TV, via the controller, and that's no way to play Pcars...

Luv Chrisie.. xx

[Fre.Mo]

I love these analogue stuffs! Great job!
I can t wait seeing this finished on a rig.

[cyclicscooby]

Thanks Fre.Mo..

Nearing the end now...

So, using Tri-pad board and single core solid wire, I built the main circuit..




With the chips...



Teensy and ESP, 12v in, and 4 taps out, one for each 'peripheral', via connectors...


The 'black box'... The board will be square when screwed in..





I want the gear indicator in as small a box as possible, so have used a less conventional / professional way of connecting it up...!!



The Astar chip is in a header, so can be removed if required, but this method allows a very low profile..





Next, Oled n Shift light...

[cyclicscooby]

Laying out components...




The finished box... You can't really see the screen, but it's there, below the shift lights.. Just need a tinted perspex screen over the Gear indicator..




I used twisted pair network cable, but will cover the yellow with the same flexible trunking used on the rev counter




Complete dashboard...



Just need the afore mentioned perspex, and it's ready to install..

Gonna make a clear perspex 'bridge' over the wheel, attached to the rig, with amble clearance to let the wheel breathe of course.. But not before real work halts proceedings tomorrow

Back soon..

Luv Chrisie.. xx

[Pyromaniak666]

This looks really cool, are you planning on selling these?

[cyclicscooby]

Hi Pyro..
It has been mentioned, that it might be worth selling, but it's still prototype at the mo.. I've gotta test it to death first..
I'd need to sort out some boxes that looked less DIY, and ideally use a 2.8" screen instead of the 1.5", but other than that...

How much do you think it's worth..?? There's £30 in just the external connectors, £40 in chips, blah blah...

What about a black box that plugs into an RX8 dash..?? Is that something that would float your boat..?? That's my next project..!

Luv Chrisie.. xx

[cyclicscooby]

So.. Just got this done before bedtime..

I did power it up and test it, still via the controller tho, then shut it all off before thinking to take a pic..

Using a heat gun and the edge of the table, I bent a strip of perspex over the wheel, and screwed it to the base board at sides..
I actually wanted it an inch or so higher, but this came together perfectly square, on the first attempt, so I went with it..

A 'Drivers' eye view..



I'm happy with all, but the warning lights. They won't go anywhere that's not symmetrical, and I quite like them behind the wheel, but they're too big..
So, I'll redo them shallower and in a semi circle to fit around the circular bit on the servo, behind the wheel..
For now they actually fit under the perspex, which looks OK. .



The Oled is just foam taped on. I wanted the gear indicator symmetrically opposite the rev counter, so had to build a ledge for that. The rev counter uses the standard mount with 4 screws holding it on..

Still needs tidying up, I literally just finished screwing it together...

Tomorrow I'll get some working pics and a video. .



Luv Chrisie.. xx

[Fil140]

All I cansay is wow! That is great work! Im so impressed. I love modding my rig with everything and anything to add emersion, does this mean that its now possible to get an analogue rev counter up and running through plug and play? I would really like to hear more about this project in laymans terms if you have the time?

[cyclicscooby]

Here it is...

Sorry the video isn't very informative, I got camera shy and forgot what to say...




Luv Chrisie.. xx