Navi vs non-navi display...carPC help
09-18-2004, 03:42 AM
#41
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When ANYONE decides to open up the dash and remove the LCD, etc, please take PICS and teach us how to do it. Even with the manual I am a little scared of scratching the trim when I take it out. I will probably be buying this, just to be on the safe side.
http://thetoolnetwork.com/panel_popp...l_company.html
http://thetoolnetwork.com/panel_popp...l_company.html
09-20-2004, 08:26 AM
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Originally Posted by whatacar
ITL Check your PM.
Here is my train of thoughts:
1. It is best to leave the HVAC LCD controller connected (Moahdib is right)
2. However move it out of the way behind the graphic LCD. There is space.
3. Snoop on the communication bus. The TL still thinks it has the HVAC intact
4. Use the snooped data to write to the graphic display
5. There are two buses to decode. The B-CAN and the GA-NET II
6. Both need a monitor. I could build it once I know the format for sure
7. The monitor will output to a PC the string of characters received by the HVAC LCD
8. Monitor the character set and correlate it to events (buttons,radio,HandsFree etc)
9. Either use the PC serial port to decode the info for display to the graphic screen OR
10 Build an interface to directly output video to the screen.
Easy?? Nope, but can be done. It is time and effort. If not anything, it should be fun to do.
Here is my train of thoughts:
1. It is best to leave the HVAC LCD controller connected (Moahdib is right)
2. However move it out of the way behind the graphic LCD. There is space.
3. Snoop on the communication bus. The TL still thinks it has the HVAC intact
4. Use the snooped data to write to the graphic display
5. There are two buses to decode. The B-CAN and the GA-NET II
6. Both need a monitor. I could build it once I know the format for sure
7. The monitor will output to a PC the string of characters received by the HVAC LCD
8. Monitor the character set and correlate it to events (buttons,radio,HandsFree etc)
9. Either use the PC serial port to decode the info for display to the graphic screen OR
10 Build an interface to directly output video to the screen.
Easy?? Nope, but can be done. It is time and effort. If not anything, it should be fun to do.
Those ideas sound very feasable. I like 10 better than 9 b/c I want my solution to be self-sufficient. If my PC goes down, or I have it out of the car for upgrades/repairs, or just don't want to boot up the PC, I still want to have my HVAC display. What kind of hardware would this require?
09-20-2004, 03:37 PM
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Originally Posted by ITL
Those ideas sound very feasable. I like 10 better than 9 b/c I want my solution to be self-sufficient. If my PC goes down, or I have it out of the car for upgrades/repairs, or just don't want to boot up the PC, I still want to have my HVAC display. What kind of hardware would this require?
1. Read in the serial data from the HVAC LCD
2. Decode the data and format the information for the graphic display
3. SYNC signal generation for NTSC video (horizontal,vertical,retrace,blank etc)
4. Character/pixel generator for displaying graphic data
5. Base band video generation.
6. Analog circuits for interfacing to the video output connector
This is an over simplified version of what needs to be done. This kind of thing has been
done before. Just to give you an idea, here is a link to a simple video generator somebody did for a video game using a PIC micro controller. The above job is more complex of course. remember you will need a graphic LCD that supports a VGA port for the PC as well a video input.
By the way I am having the hardest time removing the upper panel above the HVAC display. Any suggestions?
http://www.web-ee.com/Schematics/PIC.../PICTetris.htm
09-20-2004, 08:32 PM
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Whatacar: Check out page 20-83 to remove the vents. And what kind of tools are you using to pull the aluminum trim?
There are obviously two separate graphical LCD screens, once the Display Control Unit is removed and opened, I bet you can get both the LCDs out, which would make them much smaller to be installed elsewhere by extending the data wires along with the power. Decoding the BUS and writing a whole new app to output that on a screen might take a while... I have a xenarc 7" TSV screen just sitting here waiting for a new home and a friend ready to make a fiberglass mold. Just waiting for my trim tools to arrive and finally have a look at that display unit on the inside.
There are obviously two separate graphical LCD screens, once the Display Control Unit is removed and opened, I bet you can get both the LCDs out, which would make them much smaller to be installed elsewhere by extending the data wires along with the power. Decoding the BUS and writing a whole new app to output that on a screen might take a while... I have a xenarc 7" TSV screen just sitting here waiting for a new home and a friend ready to make a fiberglass mold. Just waiting for my trim tools to arrive and finally have a look at that display unit on the inside.
09-21-2004, 07:01 PM
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Originally Posted by moahdib
Whatacar: Check out page 20-83 to remove the vents. And what kind of tools are you using to pull the aluminum trim?
There are obviously two separate graphical LCD screens, once the Display Control Unit is removed and opened, I bet you can get both the LCDs out, which would make them much smaller to be installed elsewhere by extending the data wires along with the power. Decoding the BUS and writing a whole new app to output that on a screen might take a while... I have a xenarc 7" TSV screen just sitting here waiting for a new home and a friend ready to make a fiberglass mold. Just waiting for my trim tools to arrive and finally have a look at that display unit on the inside.
There are obviously two separate graphical LCD screens, once the Display Control Unit is removed and opened, I bet you can get both the LCDs out, which would make them much smaller to be installed elsewhere by extending the data wires along with the power. Decoding the BUS and writing a whole new app to output that on a screen might take a while... I have a xenarc 7" TSV screen just sitting here waiting for a new home and a friend ready to make a fiberglass mold. Just waiting for my trim tools to arrive and finally have a look at that display unit on the inside.
I tried what the manual had to say. That thing with the hook like tool to pry out the panel just did not work. I made a tool identical to the one shown. I was able to open it up a bit by using a strong plastic flat section on the side of the panel. I have not checked to see if I can open that way fully. I used the same tool to pry out the trim. That came out real easy.
09-25-2004, 06:43 PM
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Well I took some time to remove everything and show you guys how the screen looks like on the inside.... Like I thought, this is highly integrated and need I say much?
The pictures speak for themselves.
One big plus is that my xenarc fits perfectly inside =) I just gotta find a way to move that whole panel elsewhere tho =(
Looks like a big job nonetheless.
The pictures speak for themselves.
One big plus is that my xenarc fits perfectly inside =) I just gotta find a way to move that whole panel elsewhere tho =(
Looks like a big job nonetheless.
09-25-2004, 11:40 PM
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To pull the vent I started prying from the top portion and just pulled it out slowly.. once the pins popped out from one side, the other came right off.
I also took appart the compartment console section to see if I can fit either the OEM LCD or my Xenarc screen.
I also took appart the compartment console section to see if I can fit either the OEM LCD or my Xenarc screen.
09-27-2004, 09:17 AM
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Originally Posted by moahdib
To pull the vent I started prying from the top portion and just pulled it out slowly.. once the pins popped out from one side, the other came right off.
I also took appart the compartment console section to see if I can fit either the OEM LCD or my Xenarc screen.
I also took appart the compartment console section to see if I can fit either the OEM LCD or my Xenarc screen.
09-27-2004, 11:29 AM
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Originally Posted by ITL
I'm guessing the compartment is too small for either of those screens.
moahdib, thanks for the pictures. Very tightly integrated. This will take some work. The LCD segments are directly driven by a Sanyo (Sharp makes them too) LCD controller. So there are two possible ways out, One is to decode the communication bus as I have said before. The other way is to tap into the Sanyo controller. Both involve a lot of work. I have started looking at the LCD controller spec now to see how I can tap into it.
I managed to open up the top vent as well. From what I can see there should be place for a graphic display. I am trying to get hold of a HVAC LCD display module. I can then take it into my lab.....
09-27-2004, 11:37 AM
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Well here is what I am currently thinking of doing:
1- Remove the double compartments below the radio and put the OEM LCD there. I checked the size and it should fit after some cutting and shaving. Of course I would lose both compartments which I don't really care. I have to make some kind of casing for the front of that board which should not be too hard. Perhaps some fiberglassing / bondo work.
2- The xenarc LCD will go on the OEM LCD location. The xenarc is such a perfect fit, I will probably not even make the tiny holes for the buttons. Instead I will extend the wires for each button and hook up to a board with momentary switches somewhere else. That way I won't have to cut the plastic up and keep the stock look.
BTW, the compartment is definitelly small for the Xenarc, but not for the OEM LCD. THough the size of both are about the same, the OEM LCD doesn't have to sit flush against the front of the compartment. Just throw it somewhere in the back and make a cover for it. Since it doesn't have to be messed with once installed. Plus looks a lot nicer to have the xenarc up on top than on the bottom.
Now i gotta go buy lots of wires and extend 47 wires long enough for the LCD to go below the radio. LOL
I have a pic of the compartment and my photochopped version of what im gonna do which I'll post when i get home.
1- Remove the double compartments below the radio and put the OEM LCD there. I checked the size and it should fit after some cutting and shaving. Of course I would lose both compartments which I don't really care. I have to make some kind of casing for the front of that board which should not be too hard. Perhaps some fiberglassing / bondo work.
2- The xenarc LCD will go on the OEM LCD location. The xenarc is such a perfect fit, I will probably not even make the tiny holes for the buttons. Instead I will extend the wires for each button and hook up to a board with momentary switches somewhere else. That way I won't have to cut the plastic up and keep the stock look.
BTW, the compartment is definitelly small for the Xenarc, but not for the OEM LCD. THough the size of both are about the same, the OEM LCD doesn't have to sit flush against the front of the compartment. Just throw it somewhere in the back and make a cover for it. Since it doesn't have to be messed with once installed. Plus looks a lot nicer to have the xenarc up on top than on the bottom.
Now i gotta go buy lots of wires and extend 47 wires long enough for the LCD to go below the radio. LOL
I have a pic of the compartment and my photochopped version of what im gonna do which I'll post when i get home.
09-27-2004, 11:41 AM
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Originally Posted by whatacar
moahdib, thanks for the pictures. Very tightly integrated. This will take some work. The LCD segments are directly driven by a Sanyo (Sharp makes them too) LCD controller. So there are two possible ways out, One is to decode the communication bus as I have said before. The other way is to tap into the Sanyo controller. Both involve a lot of work. I have started looking at the LCD controller spec now to see how I can tap into it.
I managed to open up the top vent as well. From what I can see there should be place for a graphic display. I am trying to get hold of a HVAC LCD display module. I can then take it into my lab.....
I managed to open up the top vent as well. From what I can see there should be place for a graphic display. I am trying to get hold of a HVAC LCD display module. I can then take it into my lab.....
http://www.acuraparts247.com/sunnysi...All&vinsrch=no
09-27-2004, 12:34 PM
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Originally Posted by moahdib
I would love to get my hands on just the plastic portion of that Center Module.. but unfortunatelly you can only get it TOGETHER with the LCD unit...grrrrrrrr $397 + shipping for that!!!! Maybe we can work a deal and you can get the LCD and I can get the plastic??
http://www.acuraparts247.com/sunnysi...All&vinsrch=no
http://www.acuraparts247.com/sunnysi...All&vinsrch=no
I like your idea. Good luck with it. Keep me posted. I want the HVAC LCD to reverse engineer the LCD controller as well as the plastic cover to put my graphic LCD in. I am looking at the same solution as you are in terms of using the plastic cover plate. I don't want to use the one that is in the car for fear of damaging it.
Anyway, keep me posted and I will as well on my attempts at reverse engineering the LCD. I looked at the specs for the LCD controller. (There is one for each LCD) There is a three wire interface from the CPU that carries all the information for the LCD display. I could tap that and map that information to the graphic LCD. Lot's of work....
09-27-2004, 11:45 PM
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I got busy and started cutting plastic. =)
Got GREAT news, after cutting the plastic where the OEM LCD fits, i trimmed the plastic on the inside and threw in the xenarc. Lo and behold, it fits PERFECT. Even the aluminum cover provides the easy mount for the LCD lol...
Now onto putting the OEM LCD in the compartment area...
First pic is a mockup of what I am trying to do...
xenarc perfect fit.
back of the unit with the xenarc inside and the aluminum cover to secure it in place.
Bottom compartment where the OEM LCD is gonna go.
Got GREAT news, after cutting the plastic where the OEM LCD fits, i trimmed the plastic on the inside and threw in the xenarc. Lo and behold, it fits PERFECT. Even the aluminum cover provides the easy mount for the LCD lol...
Now onto putting the OEM LCD in the compartment area...
First pic is a mockup of what I am trying to do...
xenarc perfect fit.
back of the unit with the xenarc inside and the aluminum cover to secure it in place.
Bottom compartment where the OEM LCD is gonna go.
09-28-2004, 08:40 AM
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Wow moahdib....that (your mockup) really looks better than I anticipated.
Whatacar, I'm not sure what you're thinking, but I really don't want to lose the compartment storage. I don't care to cut on the TL that much, either. I cut up my last car (Accord) for custom modifications and don't really want to go that route again for several reasons. Also, I wouldn't want to extend all of those wires because of all the soldering and the sheer space a bundle of wires that size would take up.
Leaving the stock LCD hooked up and just burying it in the dash is a perfectly acceptable solution for me. I am impressed at the fitment of that 7" Xenarc! woohoo!
moahdib, your mockup picture has the buttons and edges of the screen showing...yet, your picture of the fitment does not- which makes for a much cleaner install; yet you lose the functionality of these buttons (unless, like you previously stated, you relocate these controls).
Which model number is that Xenarc? It IS a touchscreen, correct?
Whatacar, I'm not sure what you're thinking, but I really don't want to lose the compartment storage. I don't care to cut on the TL that much, either. I cut up my last car (Accord) for custom modifications and don't really want to go that route again for several reasons. Also, I wouldn't want to extend all of those wires because of all the soldering and the sheer space a bundle of wires that size would take up.
Leaving the stock LCD hooked up and just burying it in the dash is a perfectly acceptable solution for me. I am impressed at the fitment of that 7" Xenarc! woohoo!
moahdib, your mockup picture has the buttons and edges of the screen showing...yet, your picture of the fitment does not- which makes for a much cleaner install; yet you lose the functionality of these buttons (unless, like you previously stated, you relocate these controls).
Which model number is that Xenarc? It IS a touchscreen, correct?
09-28-2004, 10:01 AM
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Moahdib, great work! Hope you get it working soon. This is going to make one hell of a console system. It even makes the console look better. Good luck. Keep us posted with pictures
09-28-2004, 10:12 AM
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Originally Posted by ITL
Wow moahdib....that (your mockup) really looks better than I anticipated.
Whatacar, I'm not sure what you're thinking, but I really don't want to lose the compartment storage. I don't care to cut on the TL that much, either. I cut up my last car (Accord) for custom modifications and don't really want to go that route again for several reasons. Also, I wouldn't want to extend all of those wires because of all the soldering and the sheer space a bundle of wires that size would take up.
Leaving the stock LCD hooked up and just burying it in the dash is a perfectly acceptable solution for me. I am impressed at the fitment of that 7" Xenarc! woohoo!
moahdib, your mockup picture has the buttons and edges of the screen showing...yet, your picture of the fitment does not- which makes for a much cleaner install; yet you lose the functionality of these buttons (unless, like you previously stated, you relocate these controls).
Which model number is that Xenarc? It IS a touchscreen, correct?
Whatacar, I'm not sure what you're thinking, but I really don't want to lose the compartment storage. I don't care to cut on the TL that much, either. I cut up my last car (Accord) for custom modifications and don't really want to go that route again for several reasons. Also, I wouldn't want to extend all of those wires because of all the soldering and the sheer space a bundle of wires that size would take up.
Leaving the stock LCD hooked up and just burying it in the dash is a perfectly acceptable solution for me. I am impressed at the fitment of that 7" Xenarc! woohoo!
moahdib, your mockup picture has the buttons and edges of the screen showing...yet, your picture of the fitment does not- which makes for a much cleaner install; yet you lose the functionality of these buttons (unless, like you previously stated, you relocate these controls).
Which model number is that Xenarc? It IS a touchscreen, correct?
The xenarc is the 700TSV with highbrite option which i bought on mp3car.com forum for $450 used.
I will be working on a smoked plexiglass piece to cover the bottom area.
Losing the compartments for me is no big deal since i got that huge armrest storage area =)
09-28-2004, 10:16 AM
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Originally Posted by ITL
Wow moahdib....that (your mockup) really looks better than I anticipated.
Whatacar, I'm not sure what you're thinking, but I really don't want to lose the compartment storage. I don't care to cut on the TL that much, either. I cut up my last car (Accord) for custom modifications and don't really want to go that route again for several reasons. Also, I wouldn't want to extend all of those wires because of all the soldering and the sheer space a bundle of wires that size would take up.
Leaving the stock LCD hooked up and just burying it in the dash is a perfectly acceptable solution for me. I am impressed at the fitment of that 7" Xenarc! woohoo!
moahdib, your mockup picture has the buttons and edges of the screen showing...yet, your picture of the fitment does not- which makes for a much cleaner install; yet you lose the functionality of these buttons (unless, like you previously stated, you relocate these controls).
Which model number is that Xenarc? It IS a touchscreen, correct?
Whatacar, I'm not sure what you're thinking, but I really don't want to lose the compartment storage. I don't care to cut on the TL that much, either. I cut up my last car (Accord) for custom modifications and don't really want to go that route again for several reasons. Also, I wouldn't want to extend all of those wires because of all the soldering and the sheer space a bundle of wires that size would take up.
Leaving the stock LCD hooked up and just burying it in the dash is a perfectly acceptable solution for me. I am impressed at the fitment of that 7" Xenarc! woohoo!
moahdib, your mockup picture has the buttons and edges of the screen showing...yet, your picture of the fitment does not- which makes for a much cleaner install; yet you lose the functionality of these buttons (unless, like you previously stated, you relocate these controls).
Which model number is that Xenarc? It IS a touchscreen, correct?
Having said that, this is going to take time. I will post details of my progress as I have them. I will need to host that on a web site rather than crowd up this forum with technical stuff.
09-28-2004, 11:12 AM
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Originally Posted by whatacar
ITL, The more I look at the board and identify some of the components, the more certain I am that I can reverse engineer the LCD. So I am still taking that route. I now understand how the radio communicates with the LCD panel. The HVAC part of the LCD is quite simple, the radio is the harder one.
Having said that, this is going to take time. I will post details of my progress as I have them. I will need to host that on a web site rather than crowd up this forum with technical stuff.
Having said that, this is going to take time. I will post details of my progress as I have them. I will need to host that on a web site rather than crowd up this forum with technical stuff.
Let me know if you need somewhere to host it. I could possibly come up with something in the near future.
09-28-2004, 11:52 AM
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Originally Posted by whatacar
ITL, The more I look at the board and identify some of the components, the more certain I am that I can reverse engineer the LCD. So I am still taking that route. I now understand how the radio communicates with the LCD panel. The HVAC part of the LCD is quite simple, the radio is the harder one.
Having said that, this is going to take time. I will post details of my progress as I have them. I will need to host that on a web site rather than crowd up this forum with technical stuff.
Having said that, this is going to take time. I will post details of my progress as I have them. I will need to host that on a web site rather than crowd up this forum with technical stuff.
How about moving this whole thread to mp3car.com? =)
09-28-2004, 01:40 PM
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Originally Posted by moahdib
How about moving this whole thread to mp3car.com? =)
09-28-2004, 11:53 PM
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Go here for continuation of this thread.
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...157#post278157
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...157#post278157
10-19-2005, 06:14 PM
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finally got off my ass and posted a thread with pics from the project 
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