In-Car Computer

[theduck]

So I mentioned before in my thread about winter mods that I wanted to build an in car computer for the hood. Well, it is now complete and ready to be installed.

 

This fabulous little thing will allow me to record and review data logging from my megasquirt ECU, as well as allow me adjust all tuning paramaters. In normal running though I will have it display a custom dashboard. I've made a short video of it loading into the custom dash display and then running a gauge demo which I have shared below

 

[philshelton]

Have thought about having a tablet computer as dash, also having it as immobiliser. Take your dash with you and car made impossible to start without

[theduck]

I imagine you could do that with this and a script to switch a relay on start up. I have an immobiliser already and some plans for that as part of the reworking in doing for the megasquirt and raspberry pi installs

[nelmo]

Looks great - have you got more detail of how it works? Where is the Pi in that setup? What did you build to connect Pi to ECU, assuming you've had to do that?

[theduck]

I'm using the raspberry pi official screen and case so it's all integrated as one unit. The megasquirt connects using a serial to USB adaptor (ftdi chipset is important!). You then use a registered version of the tuning software for megasquirt called tunerstudio and dash can all be customised from there.

[nelmo]

I'm using the raspberry pi official screen and case so it's all integrated as one unit. The megasquirt connects using a serial to USB adaptor (ftdi chipset is important!). You then use a registered version of the tuning software for megasquirt called tunerstudio and dash can all be customised from there.

OK, gotcha - never realised the Pi had a screen option.

 

Have you seen the MSDroid app for Android (http://www.msdroid.com) ? Looks to do a similar thing but for any Android tablet...

[theduck]

I have, their are a few downsides to it though. Bluetooth introduces a certain amount of lag, the software is no where near as tried and tested as tuner studio and doesnt offer anywhere near the same level of functionality, and a good quality android tablet runs to the same if not more than the pi setup costs.

 

You can of course buy a cheap tablet and not worry about the lag and if you just want a dash you can always use shadow dash which is by the same people who write tuner studio. For me though, the fact I can have access to my full tuning software anywhere, and have the dash function made the pi a no brainer.

[nelmo]

I mentioned it because I happen to have a spare Android tablet hanging about

 

Problem is, I have an Emerald ECU and there doesn't seem to be any software apart from their own... don't suppose you know of of anything?

[theduck]

Afraid not. Only things I'm aware of other than the MS stuff is dor OBD2 equipped cars.

[nelmo]

Yes, thanks Richard, I did find that exact post eventually and I've checked with Emerald and they confirm that Torque app will work - they also kindly sent me a link to buy their specific cable for it as well

 

Looks to be a promising post-IVA project...

[Longboarder]

Can you knit me one if I supply the wool?

 

Nigel

[fry61]

Long gone are the days when I sat at the kitchen table polishing the inside of dashpots for my 1.5" S.U's because of ultra light springs -- all looks to be smoke & mirrors now & hopefully the only smoke is from the exhaust.

[theduck]

Funny you should say that bob, as I was only saying recently how much simpler this is to me than carbs and distributors!

[fry61]

Tuning in those days was -- does it sound right & does the exhaust smell right -- just a tad back from sweet smell should do it. Only got 18/19 mph from a 998cc lump which was ported, polished & balanced --- power ran out around 7.2 which was 110 & revved to 8.

[Bob Tucker]

Ive tried Google Translate.......but it has no idea what language that was....

 

& that from someone who made a handsome living from IT until just after the Millennium......

Things have moved on rapidly...