digital-car.co.uk http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum digital-car.co.uk The UK Car Pc forum en Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:35:33 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/images/misc/rss.jpg digital-car.co.uk http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum Streetview !!! http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12304&goto=newpost Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:41:29 GMT Don't know if anyone has noticed yet, but Streetview has gone National this week........
So anyone who may have been miss-behaving themselves last Summer had better watch out !!! :poster_oops: ]]> Off Topic wizz http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12304 Nissan cube build thread http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12299&goto=newpost Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:14:57 GMT Hello, I'm new here. :salute:

I've joined as I've fallen into the carPC world almost by accident as I wasn't happy with my attempt at using a TomTom in an OEM look dash.

Thought I'd post an intro thread about my car, what I've done so far and what my plans are. All the work completed is by myself with the exception of paintwork as I don't have the skills or tools in that department.

It's a long one so grab a cuppa and settle down...

How it looked shortly after purchase (only work by me at this stage was the front plate on the grill, previous owner had smoothed the bumper and fitted the alloys) ...





Most of the work so far has been building up some decent sounds ...



Posted this so you can see the standard dash / door panels ...



Sub...



Fitted (hidden under seat when seats are fitted) ...



Jap anime roller blind ....



Custom mesh grill and headlight tints ...



Next step was to get the dash parts painted ...



Latest work saw me removing the dash and retrimming the standard grey plastic from this ...



and this ...



to this ...





Custom iPod fabricated and hidden in cup holder so that you can't see it when closed ...



All back in and fitted ...



(You can see the MDF sat nav build that I spent ages on but just wasn't happy which led me here. :) )

I bought the following from a member at talkaudio.co.uk ...

Quote:
Casetronic Travla C134 Mini ITX Case for
Very small, approximately head unit size & shape
4 USB Ports, 2 front, 2 rear
Front access USB, Firewire, Audio
Ventilated
VIA EPIA 1 Ghz
256 meg Memory
60 gig Hard Drive, with Roadrunner Car-PC software
Slimline DVD Drive
In-House Power Supply Brick
10/100 Network

Meaty 12 Regulator Unit
Weatherproof Metal Housing
All required wiring included

Infomap Navigator 4 Software package, and SiRf Star USB GPS Module
I arrived here after searching for car pc forums to find out the best options for an OEM look double din screen.

I found the details of the bybyte.com ABS double din mounts and decided to buy one of those and a Lilliput 629GL, as luck would have it Raggy on here had the same kit for sale. :)

Raggy's screen is now in the car, need to upload the photos yet.

Work left now is to mount the power supply and PC in the car and connect it all up.

And then I'll need to get a fascia for the screen fabricated to tidy it up.

After that I'll be retrimming each door panel in the same vinyl as the dash and fitting black vinyl seat covers tailored for the cube.

And then I can enjoy it all or start over again. :D


Please be patient with my various future questions and I'll try to help out whenever I can. :) ]]> Fabrication cubed http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12299 Current Cost Envi http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12298&goto=newpost Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:39:38 GMT I'll put all the dev work I do with mine in this thread but others feel free to add with your own meters.

My one is the Current Cost Envi: http://www.currentcost.com/products.html Installation takes less than 5minutes and it updates ~4-6 seconds. It shows a bar graph for the usage divided into night day and evening. Total cost, total consumption, temperature of the room, time, energy now and cost per day based on current usage levels. It can also read individual appliance sensors which I think are on there way....

The device has a transmitter that wrapps around a single core power cable that goes into your meter. And the receiver/display has an AC cord attached. Can't say anything about range...I'm in a fairly new house.

I'm currently working on a computer interface to get, read, retieve and monitor usage. The device connects through a special USB cable. It plugs into the back via a RJ45 jack and has a USB connector the other end. The USB connector is mounted to a circuit board that contains Prolific USB->Serial adapter suggesting the device outputs serial data as standard. Haven't worked out whether it's true RS232, 5V TTL or 3.3V levels.

This contains info on the pinout: http://www.techtoniq.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=385

The device comes up in device manager as a virtual COM port and as standard the protocol settings are 57600,8,N,1. These seemed to be fixed and older version run at 9600.

The device outputs a string every 6 seconds:
Code:
<msg><src>CC128-v0.11</src><dsb>00027</dsb><time>19:55:10</time><tmpr>21.3</tmpr><sensor>0</sensor><id>04064</id><type>1</type><ch1><watts>00326</watts></ch1></msg>
<msg><src>CC128-v0.11</src><dsb>00027</dsb><time>19:55:16</time><tmpr>21.3</tmpr><sensor>0</sensor><id>04064</id><type>1</type><ch1><watts>00325</watts></ch1></msg>
<msg><src>CC128-v0.11</src><dsb>00027</dsb><time>19:55:27</time><tmpr>21.2</tmpr><sensor>0</sensor><id>04064</id><type>1</type><ch1><watts>00324</watts></ch1></msg>
<msg><src>CC128-v0.11</src><dsb>00027</dsb><time>19:55:33</time><tmpr>21.3</tmpr><sensor>0</sensor><id>04064</id><type>1</type><ch1><watts>00324</watts></ch1></msg>
<msg><src>CC128-v0.11</src><dsb>00027</dsb><time>19:55:39</time><tmpr>21.3</tmpr><sensor>0</sensor><id>04064</id><type>1</type><ch1><watts>00323</watts></ch1></msg>
<msg><src>CC128-v0.11</src><dsb>00027</dsb><time>19:55:45</time><tmpr>21.3</tmpr><sensor>0</sensor><id>04064</id><type>1</type><ch1><watts>00324</watts></ch1></msg>
<msg><src>CC128-v0.11</src><dsb>00027</dsb><time>19:55:51</time><tmpr>21.3</tmpr><sensor>0</sensor><id>04064</id><type>1</type><ch1><watts>00323</watts></ch1></msg>
<msg><src>CC128-v0.11</src><dsb>00027</dsb><time>19:55:57</time><tmpr>21.3</tmpr><sensor>0</sensor><id>04064</id><type>1</type><ch1><watts>00323</watts></ch1></msg>
<msg><src>CC128-v0.11</src><dsb>00027</dsb><time>19:56:03</time><tmpr>21.3</tmpr><sensor>0</sensor><id>04064</id><type>1</type><ch1><watts>00326</watts></ch1></msg>
Which breaks down to:


//start of message
<msg>
//device ID
<src>CC128-v0.11</src>
//unknown
<dsb>00027</dsb>
//time on device
<time>19:55:10</time>
//room temperature in C
<tmpr>21.3</tmpr>
//sensor number (3 phase has multiple sensors on each phase)
<sensor>0</sensor>
//sensor ID
<id>04064</id>
//phase number
<type>1</type>
//current power consumption
<ch1><watts>00326</watts></ch1>
//end of message
</msg>

The device also has a history function that supports the download of the past few days of data stored in the device. So you can leave it running, then connect up your computer and get all the data. Instead of having 6 second accuracy though it drops down to bi-hourly.



I'm currently experimenting with my own software. Although you can buy/download software from the Current Cost website:

http://www.currentcost.com/software-downloads.html

VB6's MSCOMM control can't read from the port without crashing the program however .net doesn't seem to have this problem.

I'm currently using Tera Term's log function which takes all data from the serial port and saves it to a text file. I then use the following Excel Code to read the text file line by line.

Code:
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' ImportTextFile
' This imports a text file into Excel.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Public Sub ImportTextFile(FName As String, Sep As String)

Dim RowNdx As Long
Dim ColNdx As Integer
Dim TempVal As Variant
Dim WholeLine As String
Dim Pos As Integer
Dim NextPos As Integer
Dim SaveColNdx As Integer

Application.ScreenUpdating = False
'On Error GoTo EndMacro:
'MsgBox ActiveCell.Row
'MsgBox ActiveCell.Column


SaveColNdx = 4 'ActiveCell.Column
RowNdx = 3 'ActiveCell.Row

Open FName For Input Access Read As #1

While Not EOF(1)
    Line Input #1, WholeLine
    If Right(WholeLine, 1) <> Sep Then
        WholeLine = WholeLine & Sep
    End If
    If InStr(1, WholeLine, "hist") <> 0 Then GoTo end2
    ColNdx = SaveColNdx
    Pos = 1
    NextPos = InStr(Pos, WholeLine, Sep)
    While NextPos >= 1
        TempVal = Mid(WholeLine, Pos, NextPos - Pos)
        Cells(RowNdx, ColNdx).Value = TempVal
        Pos = NextPos + 1
        ColNdx = ColNdx + 1
        NextPos = InStr(Pos, WholeLine, Sep)
    Wend
    RowNdx = RowNdx + 1
end2:
Wend

EndMacro:
On Error GoTo 0
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
Close #1
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' END ImportTextFile
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
End Sub
'Since ImportTextFile takes input parameters, it should be called from other VBA code:

Sub DoTheImport()
ImportTextFile FName:="C:\Users\Gepard\Desktop\teraterm.log", Sep:="|"
End Sub
Once in the worksheet you have the whole string which needs the relevent data extracted. You can do this with the MID function:

Power: =MID(<<string>>,141,4)
Time: =MID(D3056,50,5)
Temperature: =MID(D3056,71,4)

The text value that that gives needs to be converted to a numerical value for plotting using this nested functions:

=VALUE(TRIM(CLEAN(<<cell>>)))

This can then be used to give you a graph:



The whole process is done using a timer function:

Code:
' *********************************************************************
' Excel VBA Timer Example v1.00
' Copyright ©2002 by Sebastian Thomschke, All Rights Reserved.
' http://www.sebthom.de
'*********************************************************************
' If you like this code, please vote for it at Planet-Source-Code.com:
' http://www.planet-source-code.com/vb/scripts/ShowCode.asp?txtCodeId=34409&lngWId=1
' Thank you
'*********************************************************************
' WARNING: ANY USE BY YOU IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. I provide this code
' "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied,
' including but not limited to the implied warranties of
' merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose.
'*********************************************************************
' You are free to use this code within your own applications, but you
' are expressly forbidden from selling or otherwise distributing this
' source code without prior written consent.
' *********************************************************************
Option Explicit

Dim timer_enabled As Boolean
Dim timer_interval As Double


' *********************************************************************
'  your code goes into this Makro
' *********************************************************************
Sub Timer()
    ' output the current time to cell D13
    'Range("K11").Value = CStr(Time)
    Tabelle1.DoTheImport
End Sub


' *********************************************************************
'  internal timer methods
' *********************************************************************
Sub timer_OnTimer()
    Call Timer
    If timer_enabled Then Call timer_Start
End Sub

Sub timer_Start(Optional ByVal interval As Double)
    If interval > 0 Then timer_interval = interval
    timer_enabled = True
    If timer_interval > 0 Then Application.OnTime (Now + timer_interval), "Timer_OnTimer"
End Sub

Sub timer_Stop()
    timer_enabled = False
End Sub

Code:
' *********************************************************************
'  internal timer methods
' *********************************************************************
Sub timer_OnTimer()
    Call Timer
    If timer_enabled Then Call timer_Start
End Sub

Sub timer_Start(Optional ByVal interval As Double)
    If interval > 0 Then timer_interval = interval
    timer_enabled = True
    If timer_interval > 0 Then Application.OnTime (Now + timer_interval), "Timer_OnTimer"
End Sub

Sub timer_Stop()
    timer_enabled = False
End Sub

The interval is set to 5 seconds. So the data/graph is near enough live. ]]> Off Topic Gepard http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12298 <![CDATA[LinITX 7" Transflective - Light sensor?]]> http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12294&goto=newpost Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:01:21 GMT Hi everyone,

I'm nearly at the stage of putting my carpc and lcd into the car! I just need to relocate the light sensor....

However I have a few questions:


1.Has anyone sucessfully lengethened the wire that the light sensor is connected to?

2.Is it a simple case of cutting the wire, solder/heatshrink in a longer length, voila?

3.Will a longer wire somehow alter the resistance/light sensing abilities of the sensor?

4.Should the wire match the same gauge or is slightly thicker recommended?


The sensor looks like this:
http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/a...4&d=1255384377

Any help greatly appreciated,

Cheers. ]]> Displays Carerra http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12294 Steering wheel remote controller USB converter - CarPC JoyCon EX http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12293&goto=newpost Sun, 07 Mar 2010 15:26:17 GMT CarPC JoyCon EX is the next version of CarPC JoyCon. CarPC JoyCon EX converts steering wheel remote controller into USB keyboard and HID remote... CarPC JoyCon EX is the next version of CarPC JoyCon.

CarPC JoyCon EX converts steering wheel remote controller into USB keyboard and HID remote controller.

You can control MediaPlayer, Winamp or front-end(ex. CentraFuse) with your steering wheel remote controls.





Hardware feature
- Converts resistance-output steering wheel remote controller into USB HID keyboard and HID remote controller.
- Works same as standard USB HID keyboard and HID remote controller by hardware.
- 24V tolerant 4 channel resistance input.
- Supports 28 physical buttons, 52 programmable logical buttons.
- 2 logical button for one physical button, up to 5 simultaneous key strokes by one button.
- 2 programmable LED port.
- Remote wake-up(resume PC from sleep with steering wheel remote controller).
- Temperature range : -40 ~ +85°C

JoyCon Explorer aided feature
- Preset change by Preset up and down buttons.
- Speech and OSD when preset is changed.
- Application link(application launches and popup with preset changing).
- Speech when application launches and a button is pressed.
- Online firmware update.

- No external power or driver installation needs.
- Available OS : Windows 7, Vista, XP, 2003
(JoyCon Explorer supports Windows XP and the later version.
JoyCon Explorer does not support Linux.)



App Link enables to launch application with steering wheel remote control's button and switch application when preset is changed.


http://www.changjack.com/software/Je...XP(100303).exe
http://www.changjack.com/software/Je...n7(100303).exe

Connect two wires of CarPC JoyCon EX’s input channel to the remote controls, and connect USB.


This is the typical resistance-output steering wheel remote controller's circuit.
You can put additional buttons like green box below by DIY, if you want.


You can control two external LED.


UserGuide
http://www.changjack.com/user_guide/...rGuide_eng.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IrQShX8YV0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtzPmfz6J4o ]]> Input fashionad http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12293 urgent help needed - motherboard speaker clicking. http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12292&goto=newpost Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:51:52 GMT Hi everyone

I have a via epia mII12000 motherboard and when I try to boot up most of the time i'm getting a clicking/stuttering sound from the motherboard system speaker. Then i just get a disk boot failure, please replace disk and press enter.

I've checked the hdd on another machine and it's fine and can boot no problem.
I've reset the bios and that didn't change anything either.
I can't boot from cd as it just goes to a black screen when it's supposed to go to a blue one.

Any help would be great because I'm stuck and need this working for a big show next weekend.
Cheers
Baz ]]> digital-car Chat Bazmcc http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12292 Bit of VB programming help needed... http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12289&goto=newpost Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:59:47 GMT I'm developing some HW (pic based) at the moment that is connected via usb with a virtual comport.

problem i am having is serial data flow control.

I have been using some terminal programs and all seem to buffer data and handle there flow control invisibly, i dont know if its being done by the terminal, or by windows, or by the virtual comport driver!

thing is I dont care whats doing it, but i do know if I go into a command window in xp and copy a text file of commands to it, it misses all but the first letter....

so, no flow control or buffering in a command window....

now as i want this HW project to work with some common front ends, I need to know whats going on, so, to help me fathom this out, can anyone supply some software to :

1) display say 3 or 4 buttons on screen

2) when a button is clicked send a string to a com port (selectable, my fav is 6 lol)

3) maybe, not essential, show whats come back from the com port

oh its the usual 9600 8n1 but would like faster just to try see if its still handling it

I'd like on the buttons

1 P (or any single char, a-z only mind) (without CRLF)
2 ATZ (+crlf)
3 the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog (+crlf)


PReferebly in VB but not essential - dont want the code or the source really just an executable to see if it will work with something other than hyperterminal (which it woprks fine with, oddly) ]]> Misc lez http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12289 Suggest some tools...something you really find useful... http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12288&goto=newpost Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:50:02 GMT Got fed up with trying to bleed brakes so going to buy myself a vacuum bleeding kit but instead of paying postage thought I would get a few extra... Got fed up with trying to bleed brakes so going to buy myself a vacuum bleeding kit but instead of paying postage thought I would get a few extra bits to get up to the £50 free postage limit.

So far I have in my order one of these for doing the brakes and it can test master cylinders etc (£30):


set of these - magnetic and claw one fro £3 - as there have been a few times when I wished I had some:


One of these as I don't have one (£8):


and one of these as I thought they were pretty cool when I saw one in the shop and I am always wishing I had something to help see where the damn socket is going (£9):


Any other suggestions? Just something in the <£10 range that is really useful.

I have a fork type ball joint splitter which I don't like...the other types any good?

Anti freeze tester - anyone actually use one?

Hub puller? Or can you just use 3 legged pullers as I keep meaning to buy a set.

I am sure I am missing something that I will never know I couldn't live without before I had it.... ]]> Off Topic Scouse Monkey http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12288 How can you tell if your buying a genuine m2-atx ? http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12287&goto=newpost Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:10:25 GMT hey ! i,m just curious how you can tell if the m2-atx is a genuine one or just a cheap copy cause looking at the pics they all look... hey !

i,m just curious how you can tell if the m2-atx is a genuine one or just a cheap copy cause looking at the pics they all look alike and theres a few on ebay but obviously if its going into my car i,d like it to be safe etc ?

and also is there a proper manufacturer for the m2- atx that i should be looking for ?


thanks ! ]]> Power moj http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12287 Mission accomplished! http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12285&goto=newpost Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:10:57 GMT Hallelujah!

I have finally send of my report for this "3 months work" I took on for a large Aircraft manufacturing company last January.

It was supposed to be 3 months work...then it got extended to 4....and things were going very well and I did some extra work on and off but from mid January I have been stuck into writing the report every minute I can - around working part time jobs to pay the bills.

Well this afternoon I compressed the 132 page, 123mb word document down to 7mb and sent it off to the clients and their patent lawyer.

If I added the extensive background and literature sections it would be PhD size and quality - a PhD worth of work in 14 months!

Now I can get back to my proper PhD....but a bit of this first: :burp: ]]> Off Topic Scouse Monkey http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12285 VIA ART-3000 embedded PC suitable fr Car PC use? http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12283&goto=newpost Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:01:18 GMT I suspect it will cost quite a lot and it doesn't sound too powerful. I'd like to see another photo so you can get an idea of the size though.

http://www.liliputing.com/2010/03/vi...or-nettop.html ]]> PC miraclemaker http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12283 why use itx ? http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12281&goto=newpost Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:39:51 GMT most peeps seem to use mini itx is there any reson i could not use a micro atx mother board ? also whats the largeist hard drive i can run off it i... most peeps seem to use mini itx is there any reson i could not use a micro atx mother board ?

also whats the largeist hard drive i can run off it i have a spare 1 TB hard drive but will the power supply manage ?

richard ]]> PC sparky_19 http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12281 Azomit Skin for iGO8 http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12278&goto=newpost Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:13:36 GMT I'm searching for this iGO8 Skin


It must be one of the Azomit Skins, but every Azomit version that I've downloaded so far has a transparent HUD not this nice one above. :eusa_think:

Can you tell me where I can find this skin at best in a 800 x 4XX resolution.

Greetings from Germany
Ucla ]]> GPS Ucla http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12278 wanted - driver for creative 24 bit external soundcard. http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12277&goto=newpost Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:06:01 GMT As title, anybody got a cd or do i have to download it? looked for a decent download over the weekend with no joy! As title, anybody got a cd or do i have to download it?

looked for a decent download over the weekend with no joy! ]]> General Audio legacygtb http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12277 Digital Pub - March 2010 http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12282&goto=newpost Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:02:32 GMT ---Quote (Originally by lez)--- oops phone call... ---End Quote--- Incoming.... ---Quote (Originally by Gayno)--- Good to go then!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by lez (Post 263568)
oops phone call...
Incoming....

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gayno (Post 263576)
Good to go then!!

Fancy coming round to give my hedge a trim?? ;)
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Fast (Post 263577)
French or Brazilian?
I'd ask male or female first! ]]> Off Topic Gepard http://www.digital-car.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=12282