markk

iTrader: (2)

Im nowing seeing loads and loads of little tablet type computers for fixed or moveable mounting. 4.8" tft - even touch screen.
not that I would need to touch it once in car. for less than £200

What is there to stop you using them as a dash display from your ecu ?

i.e load your mapping software on it, set yourself a dash screen as you like then hey presto !

now im no computer expert, but this sounds a little too easy, so im sure someone will put me right here and tell me it cant be done right ?

tiny2white

iTrader: (2)

Depends what you want it to display! I've just had a Link ECU fitted and I have I 11" tablet that I've connected to the ECU and will be fab'ing a mount/bracket to attach to dash will show all monitored parameters and will have to use GPS for speed unless I work out a way to pick up wheel speed.
There's loads of programs for pc and iPhone that will connect to OBD and show everything you'd ever want to see on a dash so defo possible

M K

iTrader: (9)

Only thing I think will be an issue could be harsh vibrations etc from a rally car/race car and tablets and palm pc's are not built
To withstand them conditions

ossie cossie

interesting idea. Im not good on puters but will be watching this thread.

ECU Monitor Enthusiast

iTrader: (1)

Mark,

I have had some excellent results with a Tesco Direct £180 E-Machines windows XP Notebook.
The screen is easily removed and remoted a few feet and its quite compact and performs well.

However, powering it from 12 volts is another issue as is the long term reliability from vehicle vibration.

I can recomend you a "proper" industrial PC with a 10 to 15 inch screen option powered from 12 volts and rated for severe mobile vibration levels and ambient temperatures/humidity/dust ingression.
Prepare to pay £2000 +......

markk

iTrader: (2)

less than that price buys you the screen buit for the job simon!

Just for those who are intrested, my car has no OBD but has CAN and RS232 data stream.

for less than £200, you could use it and throw it away every year !

Power it from a permanently wired inverted in the car !

ECU Monitor Enthusiast

iTrader: (1)

Mark,

Which price £180 or £2000 ? lol

And is the cheaper unit you mean a true PC ?

markk

iTrader: (2)

yeh £2k, just bin it after a year lol

the cheaper one spec, i dont really know tbh, I was just asking a few questions, and the answers are pretty much what i cam across myself.

If the device is maybe loaded with an adroid type software, why could we not send into that - or load my software to it ?

foreigneRS

how would you propose to interface to CAN and rs232? usb converters? as presumably a tablet does not have pcmcia slots?

markk

iTrader: (2)

yes, the ecu manufacturer supply one they have tested to be reliable.

Karlos G

iTrader: (4)

IMO If you have hard or hardish suspension and are using a pc of some sort (netbook/laptop) you would have to have a solid state HD or it will get shaken to bits in no time.

markk

iTrader: (2)

yep looked at the solid state hd's

tiny2white

iTrader: (2)

That's rubbish my note book is a swivel screen hp, it's used daily while driving (not by me but my apprentice) while I'm driving. If it's Ridged mounted I can see that causing problems but suspension mounted ie on tight elastic or some sort of floating mount it will be fine.
Just might be a lot of effort for what gains you will get

markk

iTrader: (2)

its for a gravel rally car pal

tiny2white

iTrader: (2)

Forget my idea then

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Simon, get the tesco one and swap the disk for a solid state one would solve a lot of the reliability issues?


Im planning on running this dashboard in my clio on a 8" touchscreen:



Im going to just slide a whole (closed!) laptop with a solid state disk under one of the seats and mount it there though rather than take the screen off it, as then when I am mapping I can just pick it up and use it rather than trying to look at a screen mounted into the dashboard, the weight of an extra screen is naff all.

As for powering from 12V, you could always mess around by going to an invertor and then back to a normal charger, long way round but very reliable.

My ecu does USB so no need to limit myself to a 9 pin old laptop or having to run pcmcia cards etc

Icurus

Chip, what screen are you using for the dash? any links?