Main > Driving & Racing Cabinets
Real Instrument Panels
Fursphere:
oops, double post.
Fursphere:
I was thinking of doing this to my cab. I wouldn't be directly related to game play, but at least it wouldn't be a static sticker....
Apparently this guy figured it out...
And this guy...
Howard_Casto:
I think the cost really depends upon what kind of cluster you use.
There are three Saturn clusters on ebay right now for 30 bucks with free shipping. Many might say things like "that doesn't go past 100 mph, ect." but it would be virtually free to scan the display and print out one that goes higher.
Your real cost is the interface.
Certainly a serial connection isn't a requirement, but the gauges have to at least be digital.
Here's my train of thought on this one..... The avr route is certainly a good one, but the more complex the signal you have to send the more custom programming you have to do which makes it offputting for other people (trying to get a system in place for everybody, not just something for a personal project). Store bought AVRs certainly make things easier, but as you pointed out, it really ups the cost of the project.
So a parallel port interface would be cheapest. I know you are thinking that's outdated tech ect, but they do make usb adaptors like so:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/150938418139?hlp=false
Yeah that costs a whole three bucks.
Even if the entire harness isn't serial, so long as the individual instruments are, it should be more than sufficient. I know for a lot of speedos/odos you simply "flicker" a pulse to the gage.. the faster the pulse, the higher the value. So essentially you need one data line per gage.
The parallel port has 8, so that's enough for:
Speedometer
Odometer
Rev Light
Temp Gage
Fuel Gage
Left Turn
Right Turn
And one bonus. Or if you want a simpler setup you can just do the speedo/odo and a rev light and have 5 outputs left over for vr buttons and a start button.
Of course all the gages have to operate at low voltages. If it's a 12v signal system, that complicates the build to the point of where symprojects stuff seems more cost effective.
Also if you want a shift number indicator that isn't enough outputs, but I never got that anyway. Can't you tell what gear you are in by looking when you shift?
So what I'm really needing is a source of cheap instrument clusters that everybody thinks looks nice and have low voltage digital controls. I'm not very knowledgeable in the auto parts department so I can't look at a random dash on ebay and say "yup that will work".
If we go for this very generic implementation I can probably make things universal with a simple calibration routine (adjust this setting until your rpm reads 10x100 ect...)
Fursphere:
So.. for 12v, I would think the PC power supply is more than capable of providing enough to drive the gauges (maybe not a shift light... but maybe with a capacitor?)
And for digital guages...
http://www.summitracing.com/search/department/gauges-accessories/part-type/gauges-digital
Race cars generally don't have clusters - they have individual gauges. Summit is expensive - probably find them cheaper elsewhere.
Howard_Casto:
I think you are confused as to what I was asking.
You linked to gauges with digital DISPLAYS. I mean a gauge with a digital INTERFACE (the gauge display can still be analog or you can go with digital, your choice).
Also by low voltage, again, I mean the voltage to the interface, not the lights/motors/ect on the cluster. In other words the signal to control the gauges needs to be in the range of around 5v. Some of the older ones probably work on a 12v system so they wouldn't work without relays and/or transistors.
Yeah I know that race cars generally have individual gauges, but you've just upped the cost of your project by a factor of 4 if you go that route. I guess you guys are thinking GT, I'm thinking outrun. ;) Anyway, most cars have individual gauges in their clusters, you'd just have to pull/cut them out and maybe put a trim ring around them. Of course if you can find an aftermarket "racer" replacement it would work with the interface as well.
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