Digital Gauge Solutions

[hks_kansei]

I've been told that those items are illegal. Even been told that things like EL Dials (Which I don't think exist anymore) are illegal... It's something do to with the fact the odometer can be potentially played with.

I always thought that it was more to do with potential glare to the driver (mainly EL gauges)

Mechanical odometers are easy to adjust, a few screws and you can have any number of km.

Electronic are harder, but still doable.


Then there's the whole swapping the cluster.
My car has been wound up 10,000km give or take as I swapped my aussie cluster for a Japanese one (the jap one having higher km than mine)

[sailaholic]

I've looked at this before because good gauges are stupid expensive. Ie something with a full sweep, max memory and preferably an switched output for a warning light or buzzer. Race dash is the way to go.

My plan was to leave all the stock stuff in place and just have a mount to put the race dash infront of the normal gauges on track days etc.

As has been said, gauges lower in the center stack are ok for testing / general keep an eye while cursing / sitting in traffic but you pay no attention to them when busy.

You could also look at things like http://www.spa-uk.co.uk/Products/ViewProds/95 but put 2 in and you fast approach a race dash with out the extra functions of a race dash.

[Magpie]

Whilst it has not been tested, the front which sits flush with the front of the stock cluster. Beauty is I can swap between the IQ3 and the OEM back quickly.


IMG_0846[1] on Flickr

The back, uses the existing cluster wiring!!

IMG_0848[1] on Flickr

[beavis]

why did you pull apart a stock cluster to put a panel over the top?

you could have just made it without the white plastic of the stock cluster?

[Magpie]

Logic was so it could just be plug and play. The idiot lights will still function and the stock can be quickly put back in if there is a disagreement with main roads inspectors.

[beavis]

oh right you are still plugging in the stock harness.

[Roadrunner]

Bit left field... but a JVC/Kenwood head unit with a matching iphone, blue tooth ODBC adapter and the dash command app



http://www3.jvckenwood.com/english/car/applink/

The lightning connector units have just come out, but have no idea if all the stars align... I got three quarters of the way there with a 2013 model JVC head unit, then work swapped out 4s for 5s, so i never got to use in anger...

might work, but you would have to research if you can get the outputs you want

Don't know about JVC's implementation but pioneers is woeful. You have to jump through so many hoops just to bring up the display. It's painful.
Plus standalone will not show any obd info anyway, plus it's waaay to slow for anything other than air temps, water and volts.

One way you could implement this though is use PLX Devices for all the sensors you want to display, plugged into a kiwi wifi with adaptor will stream that data fast and live to your phone (which you could then display on the HU)
Personally I'm thinking of getting a large phone display (iphone6 or one of the big androids) run dashcommand or rev etc but install a solid as mount on the dash somewhere to mount it.
That way it's removable, and you don't have to plug the phone in or jump through warning screens trying to connect to the headunit.
The headache with this is you still have to launch the app every time you get in the car.
Something permanent like the race dash will be much better.

Edit: the other pain is compatibility issues every time apple releases a software update.
Pioneer is painfully slow to catch up

[fcruz3r]

I'm planning on running an android HU with torque pro.

After reading roadrunners comments...I decided to test my vgate icar3 adapter with dashcommand side by side with the instrument cluster...and whoa and behold the rpm is a tad laggy

check out this vid that I did

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0SdAjBc_SQ[/youtube]

However.... I did the same test with the exact same wifi adapter but running torque pro on my kids Samsung tab....and no lag?? so I think it maybe have something to do with the actual app as well and am quite confident its not the obd2 or the adapter (then again I could be bias because I sell the stuff)

Was going to do a side by side comparison with the android tab...but being an iphone user ..fumbled my way through the android interface till it ran out of battery before I could take a vid

That being said, I don't think digital gauges that hook up to the obd port can replace aftermarket gauges like defi. For one, the defi units run their own sensors ....so if the OEM one is faulty....u still have the aftermarket gauge to rely on.

only benefit of the obd2 adapters is they dirt cheap and almost a no-brainer to plug in and use.

[Roadrunner]

Did you get any further with this Wasabi?

Iv'e been looking at maxigauges from a guy in Turkey. (use google translator)

http://www.techturkey.com/forum/maxigau ... nitor.html

Completely independent of the ecu though so does double up on sensors. Gives you digital readout for the important stuff and led lights and a buzzer for user defined warnings/over temp etc. Plus you don't have to open an app on your phone every single time you turn the car on.
Not entirely sold on it, but the small red LCD might fit on top of the steering column or on the dash near the windscreen in a housing/cover, displaying Coolant/Oil temp + pressure and IAT and he said he can set up an LED to be a shift light with RPM too.

In an ideal word, it would be nice to run all sensors into the ECU (for engine protection etc) and then output from the ecu to a display like this.
Saves doubling up on sensors etc but I don't know if that is possible and i'm not very up to speed on this side of ecu things. (I believe the big race dash's are the only units capable on this?)

Big reason im seriously contemplating this LCD, is glare should be very minimal in a convertible. There is times were I cant see anything on my headunit for the glare.
I did also consider Redarc gauges in the centre airvents (not ideal location in summer)
http://www.redarc.com.au/products/categ ... auges_-_GL
Up to 3 inputs on one gauge, but again as its a full digital display the glare will be killer.

I'd like something thats a permanent installation. Not having to fluff around on a phone opening apps to show the gauges.

[wasabi]

Digging thread up a little, but yes a solution has been located:

http://www.haltech.com/gaugeart-can-to-vga-adapter/

From memory this came out about 6 weeks ago. Not cheap, but as it gets the data from the ECU & can be customised, it's pretty well exactly what I've been searching for.

Only thing stopping me a present is that this will effectively form part of my stereo upgrade which I'm yet to get my head around.

Have to admit, it's somewhat disappointing there aren't more digital gauge options in the market. Apexi have a great one which takes up a single DIN, but has it's own set of limitations.

[Magpie]

Again the issue is that you need to look down to see it, effectively taking your eyes off the road. It would be better if it was in your peripheral vision or did something to draw your attention to it.

You could just go for a full display dash instead of the VGA type, however if it is just for the passenger to see what is happening then it is a good option.

If you have an adaptronic ECU you could look at http://mx5cartalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=765031#p765031

GaugeArt supports a few ECU's http://gaugeart.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=425

gaugeART Serial Video Gauge Adapter
•AEM Series 1 EMS (all models)
•AEM Series 2 EMS (all models)

gaugeART CAN Bus Video Gauge Adapter
•AEM Series 2 EMS (all models)
•AEM Infinity (all models)
•ProEFI (all models)
•Vipec & Link (G4 and G4+ ECUs only)
•Haltech Sport, Sprint, & Platinum Pro models (available exclusively from Haltech - http://www.Haltech.com)

in development (please inquire for details):
•Hondata KPRO 4
•Motec

[wasabi]

^^^

Am not phased about the whole gauges not being in your eye line issue. From my point of view, I'll feel when something isn't right. At that stage, I'll want to be able to see what may be the problem.

The way I've trained myself for track driving (For better or for worst is another thing) is that I'm constantly scanning. This is because I'm generally running in time attack / lap dash style events where I don't want to be holding up a faster car for example. Now... All that being said I am now investigating the whole Race Dash style option as it does have other benefits like - aside from being in your eye line - shift lights, etc.

The only issue is the final price tag. Given the cost of the Gauge Art plugin & the fact I would need to buy a screen head unit (So still not cheap overall), the rough costs I've been given to do a full custom dash including the IQ3 do work out to be more expensive. Damn near double if I wanted to logging version of the Race Pak unit!

Basically each option has their pros & cons, which is very frustrating on my end as there is no clear perfect way to go especially when you've got other items on the list.

[madjak]

Have a look at Race Capture Pro... I run one in my track car and connects to the Haltech via the CAN bus. I use a Nexus 7 tablet as the digital display which connects via bluetooth. I use it on the track to display various ECU sensor data like flex sensor etc... but the most valuable part is the accurate live timing and live delta from your PB as well as the analysis post event. The Haltech CAN script is the one I wrote for my car but it's fully customisable as to what data you wish to display and log.

They are fairly cost effective compared to other digital dashes and very powerful.