Color LCD Stereo Dash Control Replacement
03-09-2001, 04:04 AM
#11
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At first I liked the idea, but they're easy to use in taht you dont have to look at them, just feel around for the right one. Now I DO really like it digital engine information screen, but where would you put it? How about on a 6.5" screen in the sun visors? I putting two of those in for my dvd and ps2 (eventually).
03-09-2001, 05:17 AM
#12
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Wow, I never imagined everyone would be so attached to a physical start button...I guess pushing a button is more enjoyable than touching a screen to most. Well, so far no one seems very excited about such a product, especially if it removes the start button. Well, that's why we do marketing studies 
If anyone can come up with a reasonable solution to leaving the start button and getting a large enough display without slicing up the dash, I'm all ears.
Ivs2k: Official unofficial title is "Wavelet-Based Digital Image Watermarking Using Embedded Processors". I'm using a TI 'C54xx DSP to do the job.
Everyone else: I have tried to address the tactile issue by using a large enough screen with the controls widely separated at the far corners of the display. Since one could still find the edges of the screen by feeling the LCD's bezel, I put the most used controls in the corners. The control shouldn't be too complicated since you shouldn't be looking at it when driving anyway, but it offers the same functionality as the current controls and can be expanded. I personally think it will work, tactile-wise, just as well as the stock controls...but that's just my opinion.
So, unless interest picks up, it looks like Michelle will be the only girl sporting this kind of interface.....mmmm, I can't wait to install a nitrous controller on the right side
If anyone can come up with a reasonable solution to leaving the start button and getting a large enough display without slicing up the dash, I'm all ears.
Ivs2k: Official unofficial title is "Wavelet-Based Digital Image Watermarking Using Embedded Processors". I'm using a TI 'C54xx DSP to do the job.
Everyone else: I have tried to address the tactile issue by using a large enough screen with the controls widely separated at the far corners of the display. Since one could still find the edges of the screen by feeling the LCD's bezel, I put the most used controls in the corners. The control shouldn't be too complicated since you shouldn't be looking at it when driving anyway, but it offers the same functionality as the current controls and can be expanded. I personally think it will work, tactile-wise, just as well as the stock controls...but that's just my opinion.
So, unless interest picks up, it looks like Michelle will be the only girl sporting this kind of interface.....mmmm, I can't wait to install a nitrous controller on the right side
03-09-2001, 08:12 AM
#13
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I really like the idea, particularly if it is a very flexible controller so that individuals, with a little work, might control just about whatever they wanted through the interface.
On the downside I would miss the tactile nature of the current controls and I would be reluctant to lose the start button. Maybe the start button could be moved/replaced? The blank on the right of the steering column comes to mind.
I'm definitely interested in hearing more...
On the downside I would miss the tactile nature of the current controls and I would be reluctant to lose the start button. Maybe the start button could be moved/replaced? The blank on the right of the steering column comes to mind.
I'm definitely interested in hearing more...
03-09-2001, 12:28 PM
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Very creative, but it just sort of goes against the "theme" of the car, IMO. Now if you could come up with a really good clock (something which knowone else has been able to do), that would be another matter -- but guess there are not many wavelet-based solutions for that.
03-09-2001, 12:55 PM
#15
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I'm with the others who would like to replace the Mode button with something more useful. It could go as far as having up, down, left, right, rotate, push, and pull.
The most annoying thing about the current dash audio controls for me is changing radio stations, which I do a lot of during my commute. Having to press the Channel button five times to go down one station is less that optimal.
If I could just press the new Mode button/joystick left, that would be a major improvement. I would leave the Volume and Mute controls alone, and maybe find a new use for the Channel button. Combine this with a hard-wired harness to connect to other head units, and I would be very, very interested.
Anyone else?
Ted
The most annoying thing about the current dash audio controls for me is changing radio stations, which I do a lot of during my commute. Having to press the Channel button five times to go down one station is less that optimal.
If I could just press the new Mode button/joystick left, that would be a major improvement. I would leave the Volume and Mute controls alone, and maybe find a new use for the Channel button. Combine this with a hard-wired harness to connect to other head units, and I would be very, very interested.
Anyone else?
Ted
03-09-2001, 01:02 PM
#16
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In my opinion...
leave the start button there...
leave the radio controls there...
just an idea...because I like your idea with the lcd screen..
y not have the lcd screen in the middle of the dash, kinda like the japanese navigation dash that shows the clock...the radio station/cd its on..
also, it can be adjusted to show different statistics and other displays that would replace physical gauges... maybe you could put the g-tech technology in there?
..a display that is flexible enough to show what the user would want to show would be good too. i.e. not just limited to the clock and the radio station. showing the clock the station, the boost gauge, maybe a display to show when the vtec engages...
...lastly, all this plus the function of being able to display dvds, navigation systems..
..o yeah...if the display had something like ALARM ON or something blinking on and off when the alarm is armed...that would be cool too
hehe...maybe i'm dreaming .. i have no knowledge in how to fabricate anything like this... but maybe you can.
i'd buy something like this...
leave the start button there...
leave the radio controls there...
just an idea...because I like your idea with the lcd screen..
y not have the lcd screen in the middle of the dash, kinda like the japanese navigation dash that shows the clock...the radio station/cd its on..
also, it can be adjusted to show different statistics and other displays that would replace physical gauges... maybe you could put the g-tech technology in there?
..a display that is flexible enough to show what the user would want to show would be good too. i.e. not just limited to the clock and the radio station. showing the clock the station, the boost gauge, maybe a display to show when the vtec engages...
...lastly, all this plus the function of being able to display dvds, navigation systems..
..o yeah...if the display had something like ALARM ON or something blinking on and off when the alarm is armed...that would be cool too
hehe...maybe i'm dreaming .. i have no knowledge in how to fabricate anything like this... but maybe you can.
i'd buy something like this...
03-09-2001, 01:42 PM
#17
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Lets' see if I can put together everyone's feelings so far, and answer several of the current questions in one post... (for those of you who MIGHT be interested)
Issue: Most would like the push-style starter button to stay in some form, most of THOSE would like it to stay where it is.
Problem: No problem at all if people want to relocate the button...I would consider that a done deal and the LCD could be installed as I originally envisioned. If the button were to remain in place, there would not be enough room to place an LCD of any considerable size.
Issue: It has been suggested to relocate the LCD to the center of the dash and make it larger.
Problem: I would like to make this product as plug-and-play as possible...this means no cutting of large holes in the dash. I would like the customer to receive a new panel (the odd-shaped metal piece) with LCD installed and wiring harness hanging off of the back. The customer would replace the stock panel (a few screws) and wire as per Pinky's mod. While I consider the larger LCD for navigation, DVD's, etc. a nice idea, they already exist in a form better than what I could provide at a reasonable cost.
Issue: Some have raised a concern about loss of tactile sense in button placement.
Problem: I personally see no more of a problem with the LCD than with the stock switches. Think of it this way...how does the average user tell which button his fingers are on without looking at the display? Generally, it is by the button's spatial relationship to the other buttons...in other words, I know my finger is on the CHNG button because I feel the MODE button to the left and the MUTE button towards the bottom. The LCD will be small enough so that the user may easily find the bezel edges of the screen, and since the major controls are placed at the far corners of the screen, you know where to press without looking. However, the LCD will be large enough to provide a large area for each button...none of the "I wanted to press the OTHER button" problem (how many have hit CHNG instead of MUTE by accident, or vice versa?). I do not believe it will take any longer to get used to these controls than it did for the stock controls.
Issue: Requests have been made for a multi-function display (MFD) to show various bits of data, whatever they may be.
Problem: Hmmm, not much of a problem with this one. I would be more than happy to do this type of a product, I just thought more were interested in changing their stereo's and therefore would need a new controller. I would have eventually created something for myself to go in the right-hand panel. I wanted it to replace the controls there, but to also display anything I added to the car...engine/coolant/exhaust temp, air/fuel mixture, boost pressure, nitrous level, VTEC engagement, hell, even a clock! I suppose with enough development time, I could even provide some PC tools so that anyone could design their own displays and how to use the info they're inputting to the sensors...but I think you can imagine how much more I will charge if it takes me 6 months just to add reprogrammability into the unit. I would do my best to provide a wide range of setups (your comments/suggestions are most welcome), but at some point development would have to be stopped and the product shipped.
Fellow S2k owners, this project would be as much mine as it would be yours, I just get bridled with the task of creating the darn thing...you have to tell me what's right and what's wrong. If you're interested in this project, please say so in the open forums here, not in private messages. For those on the edge, a few "I want that" comments may sway them. For those who aren't interested, sorry I can't provide what you're looking for...maybe my next project will interest you (I'm keeping them a secret, for now
)
Enjoy!
Issue: Most would like the push-style starter button to stay in some form, most of THOSE would like it to stay where it is.
Problem: No problem at all if people want to relocate the button...I would consider that a done deal and the LCD could be installed as I originally envisioned. If the button were to remain in place, there would not be enough room to place an LCD of any considerable size.
Issue: It has been suggested to relocate the LCD to the center of the dash and make it larger.
Problem: I would like to make this product as plug-and-play as possible...this means no cutting of large holes in the dash. I would like the customer to receive a new panel (the odd-shaped metal piece) with LCD installed and wiring harness hanging off of the back. The customer would replace the stock panel (a few screws) and wire as per Pinky's mod. While I consider the larger LCD for navigation, DVD's, etc. a nice idea, they already exist in a form better than what I could provide at a reasonable cost.
Issue: Some have raised a concern about loss of tactile sense in button placement.
Problem: I personally see no more of a problem with the LCD than with the stock switches. Think of it this way...how does the average user tell which button his fingers are on without looking at the display? Generally, it is by the button's spatial relationship to the other buttons...in other words, I know my finger is on the CHNG button because I feel the MODE button to the left and the MUTE button towards the bottom. The LCD will be small enough so that the user may easily find the bezel edges of the screen, and since the major controls are placed at the far corners of the screen, you know where to press without looking. However, the LCD will be large enough to provide a large area for each button...none of the "I wanted to press the OTHER button" problem (how many have hit CHNG instead of MUTE by accident, or vice versa?). I do not believe it will take any longer to get used to these controls than it did for the stock controls.
Issue: Requests have been made for a multi-function display (MFD) to show various bits of data, whatever they may be.
Problem: Hmmm, not much of a problem with this one. I would be more than happy to do this type of a product, I just thought more were interested in changing their stereo's and therefore would need a new controller. I would have eventually created something for myself to go in the right-hand panel. I wanted it to replace the controls there, but to also display anything I added to the car...engine/coolant/exhaust temp, air/fuel mixture, boost pressure, nitrous level, VTEC engagement, hell, even a clock! I suppose with enough development time, I could even provide some PC tools so that anyone could design their own displays and how to use the info they're inputting to the sensors...but I think you can imagine how much more I will charge if it takes me 6 months just to add reprogrammability into the unit. I would do my best to provide a wide range of setups (your comments/suggestions are most welcome), but at some point development would have to be stopped and the product shipped.
Fellow S2k owners, this project would be as much mine as it would be yours, I just get bridled with the task of creating the darn thing...you have to tell me what's right and what's wrong. If you're interested in this project, please say so in the open forums here, not in private messages. For those on the edge, a few "I want that" comments may sway them. For those who aren't interested, sorry I can't provide what you're looking for...maybe my next project will interest you (I'm keeping them a secret, for now
)Enjoy!
03-09-2001, 04:28 PM
#20
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Thread Starter
Originally posted by AusS2000
Pinky's mod install is a bit simpler than that. you don't touch the dash panels at all. You simply connect it to the radio harness and then to the back of the new radio. This had me confused at oe stage too.
Oh, and on the subject of the big LCD and ODBII stuff. My thinking here was that you then had a solution which could be sold for all modern Japanese cars. Bigger market, lower cost, more profit. [/B]
Pinky's mod install is a bit simpler than that. you don't touch the dash panels at all. You simply connect it to the radio harness and then to the back of the new radio. This had me confused at oe stage too.
Oh, and on the subject of the big LCD and ODBII stuff. My thinking here was that you then had a solution which could be sold for all modern Japanese cars. Bigger market, lower cost, more profit. [/B]
Aus,
Sorry, I suppose that sentence can be read two ways. I didn't mean to suggest the entire panel was replaced with Pinky's mod, as well. I only meant to suggest my mod would replace the panel, but the WIRING would be done a la Pinky-style.
I'm not sure what is involved with the ODB-II stuff, but I've always wanted to learn. It's been a craving of mine to tune my engine MY way, not someone else's chip way. But blowing up my engine with the wrong data has always stopped me. If you can provide info on the codes/setup for ODB-II I would love to hear more...although considering all I've heard on it, no one outside of Honda has decoded it all yet...YET!
