UPDATE: 04/06/2017
I am moving ahead with option 1. I've made considerable progress on the hardware and software design and should have prototype hardware within next few weeks. Feature set looks like this:
So that's the good news, the bad news is that after receiving a clock from the pre-facelift dashboard and taking it apart, it turns out that they are completely different internally and at least for the first production run, I'm only going to be offering units for 80 series with the newer dashboard. Sorry guys. I thought they would be similar even though they looked different but it's completely different and on the older design there is even less room for components, and it's very tight to begin with.
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One of the things I've noticed that's missing from the 80 is an outside air temperature guage, I've researched a bit and I'm not crazy about any of the options being a stickler for OEM look for things like that, I've been toying with a couple ideas....
1) A replacement for the factory clock, which in addition to working as the factory clock, you would be able to hookup, let's say 2 temperature leads to and then you'd be able to use the button to select what to display and maybe there would be a scan mode or something. This would reuse the actual clock display and buttons so it will look EXACTLY as the OEM module does, I would just be replacing the electronic guts. Because the clock module is such a small area, I think it would have to reuse the existing clock display so it would be pretty basic from a user interface standpoint (as there are only 3.5 digits). I am guessing that this would be $100 or so + your clock module. It would plug in to factory harness and then you'd have to run your temp sensors to wherever you want them to go.
2) A larger display that would include a custom bezel that would fit where the 'pocket' is above the radio. This could be a larger display with a couple lines. I think to keep the costs inline it would be a backlit LCD (like the radio display) but it would be a dot matrix with a couple of buttons (kind of like Scan Gauge 2), but would fit properly in the pocket. This could display voltage, have a couple leads for temp sensors, maybe some other features if folks want, this would look a little nicer, but I think this would be a bit pricier, let's say $200-250.
Any interest? Things you'd like to see? Option 1 or Option 2? Good idea? Bad idea?
I am moving ahead with option 1. I've made considerable progress on the hardware and software design and should have prototype hardware within next few weeks. Feature set looks like this:
- Clock w/ Date (12 or 24 Hour Time)
- 3 Temperature Inputs (Compatible with ALL VDO Sensors), F or C
- 4 Digit LED Display, the actual readout will be slightly larger than OEM, color will be pretty close.
- Full support for factory dimming + ability to override brightness (dimmer or brighter)
- Altitude, Compass and Inclinometer (opt)
So that's the good news, the bad news is that after receiving a clock from the pre-facelift dashboard and taking it apart, it turns out that they are completely different internally and at least for the first production run, I'm only going to be offering units for 80 series with the newer dashboard. Sorry guys. I thought they would be similar even though they looked different but it's completely different and on the older design there is even less room for components, and it's very tight to begin with.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of the things I've noticed that's missing from the 80 is an outside air temperature guage, I've researched a bit and I'm not crazy about any of the options being a stickler for OEM look for things like that, I've been toying with a couple ideas....
1) A replacement for the factory clock, which in addition to working as the factory clock, you would be able to hookup, let's say 2 temperature leads to and then you'd be able to use the button to select what to display and maybe there would be a scan mode or something. This would reuse the actual clock display and buttons so it will look EXACTLY as the OEM module does, I would just be replacing the electronic guts. Because the clock module is such a small area, I think it would have to reuse the existing clock display so it would be pretty basic from a user interface standpoint (as there are only 3.5 digits). I am guessing that this would be $100 or so + your clock module. It would plug in to factory harness and then you'd have to run your temp sensors to wherever you want them to go.
2) A larger display that would include a custom bezel that would fit where the 'pocket' is above the radio. This could be a larger display with a couple lines. I think to keep the costs inline it would be a backlit LCD (like the radio display) but it would be a dot matrix with a couple of buttons (kind of like Scan Gauge 2), but would fit properly in the pocket. This could display voltage, have a couple leads for temp sensors, maybe some other features if folks want, this would look a little nicer, but I think this would be a bit pricier, let's say $200-250.
Any interest? Things you'd like to see? Option 1 or Option 2? Good idea? Bad idea?
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