Well, with Oliver Scholz's permission, I've finally finished getting some boards made. I have 2 pictures of the board I built last night:
It works "on the bench", but my Fiero is 50 miles away and buried in snow at the moment, so I can't install and test it in a car soon. So, I'm looking for 1 person to do a "beta test" for me. Requirements are: You have to be willing and able to install this in the next week or so, and report back (to me, and to the list if you'd like) if it functions as its supposed to, and how you like it. Right now it has no case - the processor and display board are seperate, and not in any type of case. (might put it in one before sending it out...) I haven't decided how to do the finished one that will be for sale: whether people would rather have it in one box, that you run 3 wires to, or 2 smaller boxes, one would mount inside the inst. cluster, the LED board would mount outside it, to reflect in the windshield. OR... the same processor board can be used with a straight-wired LED board, as a digital speedometer that can be mounted wherever. Hence, having the LED board on a cable... Aaaaanyway, the first person that responds to this post, and can guarantee that they'll be able to install it, and report back, I'll send this one out to for free. You can keep it if you'd like, and use it. Just need some feedback! Thanks for looking!!

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Bob Williams
Multi-colored '87 GT, a work in progress! (Got my 3800SC, installation to start very soon!!!)

[This message has been edited by Riceburner98 (edited 11-10-2003).]

sure - I'll try it out
gotta pop the dash out anyways to fix a burnt bulb
is it just the speedo? or is there a tach also? (which i'd like more)

[This message has been edited by Pyrthian (edited 12-06-2002).]

Nope... Just a speedo. Didn't think of a tach... Do you mean have a digital tach along with the speedo to reflect in the windshield? Could be an interesting upgrade.....

I'll buy a couple of boards from you. I have the pics and everything else. Any chance?

How much for completed units?

I'll test it two if you need someone else.

Terry

[This message has been edited by TK (edited 12-06-2002).]

If Pyrthian is unable to for any reason, I would be willing to help out. I also have electronics experience and would be able to fabricate a small box to install the display and control cpu into.

It looks like the completed units (with case and shipping) are going to go for $55. An unassembled kit would be $50. (But the surface mount parts are TINY) Just the Atmel chip would be $20 from me or Oliver. Just the 2 circuit boards would be $15. (I have a parts list if you'd like) Unfortunately I can't give out the program for the Atmel chips, so a programmed (read protected) chip would have to be bought from either Oliver or myself. I'd like to give more out for testing, but the parts and boards aren't cheap! Hopefully these will be for sale in the coming weeks, but may be Jan. before everything is finalized.. I still need to design and have produced the seperate LED boards.. (the one in the pictures was scavenged from another circuit) I think these are pretty cool!! (edited because I keep saying "PIC".. supposed to be Atmel AT89C2051)

[This message has been edited by Riceburner98 (edited 12-06-2002).]

Sounds like a great idea. But if I read your post correctly you are only charging $5 extra for assembled unit? I think your time is worth more than that.

LOL... yeah, I kind of didn't want to price it above $55... Maybe I should? I dunno... There's a few $$ profit in the programmed Atmel chip, which kinda covers the labor.. I haven't found a box for it yet though, so the price may go up to $60 if I have to get one custom made or something... I hope not though! I think I'll be able to find something suitable, especially if I leave the 2 boards seperate. Then they should fit into some really small enclosures, like car-remote cases or something..

This is kind of off topic but do you think you could design a circuit to make the Fiero fuel gauge run backwards?

That is, the current gauge reads full when there is 90 ohms on the sense lead and empty when there is 0 ohms. Do you think you could design a circuit to reverse it? I need this for my custom dash application. If not then I need to find a new gauge.

Now that's a new one... I'm sure I could, the A/D converters in the PIC I'm starting to work with (for a thermometer circuit) should be quite nice for that. In fact, I need to basically make one of those for each gauge on my dash.. I'll be using either a Mitsubishi or Saturn cluster, which I'm sure will be totally different resistances than stock senders have, especially the 3800's sensors.. The question is, when would you need it? Kind of busy working on designing the thermometer circuit (getting paid to do that one, woohoo!) and assembling other circuits for the same guy, in time for the christmas rush.. That and some day I have to work on my Fiero swap.. I have to pull a tranny on Sunday.. One thought though - couldn't the guage's inputs be reversed to make that work? Like, leave the sensor input to it the same, but change it's +12v input for the GND one.. Not sure how they work, but that's a possibility.. Or do you not want to modify the gauge's circuit board? Anyway, I'll give it some thought, and if you let me know how soon you'd need it, I may be able to get that going..

If you don't need any more beta testers, I'd be interested in a final unit once you are ready to sell them.

Ken S.

I tried reversing the polarity of the wires and all that did was move the needle 180 degrees out of phase, which isn't what I need.

I need the actual needle movement to run backwards. The reason is that in the Fiero the fuel gauge is upsidedown and in my car the gauge will be right side up. It still would work, but the needle deflection is the opposite way.

I was just curious how difficult it would be to design and build such a circuit. I'm in no particular hurry, (after Christmas would be fine). But if you are wanting some extra work I would pay you to build the circuit I described.

Aaah, I get ya.. Shouldn't be that difficult, it would probably be a very similar program to the thermometer one I'm doing. (takes a resistance from the probe, turns it into a digital value, looks it up in a table, and sends out the proper voltage to drive an analog meter) Just have to change the lookup table really.. Besides, I have to get something like this working for my sake too!

Let me know on the final price. I might as well just get them completed. I've been sitting on two of Oliver's pics for a year. It's unlikely I'll actually build them any time soon but I'd install a completed one pretty quick.

Let me know.

Terry

That HUD sounds cool. I can't wait until the feedback is posted. A tach would be a great add-on! Let us know how it turns out. I want one.

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'87 2.8v6 5spd

Yes I would be interested too... Lets us know when you have some to ship. I am doing my tach real soon so it would be a good time for the install

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LS1 in and running :)

http://ls1swap.tripod.com/

you can count me in on that one for sure.

Cool, good to know people want them! I spent a few $$ buying all the parts to make all 48 already... Those things add up when you order 100 at a time!! lol

put me down for one, and hey a tach one would be bad ass

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I'd be very interested in this item, as long as it could also read in km/h. I would definitely purchase a fully assembled one if that was the case. I think all in a small box that can be mounted in the gap between the guage cluster and dash. Just like the one in this picture:

And here's some pics from another thread of it lit up at night. This is one of the units produced by Oliver


Hope this helps,
Tim

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1985 RHD GT
No Fear?...You haven't been in my Fiero

[This message has been edited by Fiero_Tim (edited 12-06-2002).]

For everyone looking for a tach option, how would you like that displayed? There's the 3 .43" tall digits for the speed display, but I'm not sure how to do the tach.. 4 smaller digits underneath, or beside the speedo digits for RPMx100? Or...? Ideas would be appreciated!! I would assume I'd make it switchable between 4, 6, and 8 cylinders.. It would most likely be a seperate module however, who's display could be placed in the same box as the speedo, (or even on the same display board, just connecting to a different CPU board..) because I can't combine them really.. The speedo logic can't be modified, so I'd have to do it that way really, with another price tag for that part.. Probably around $100 or so for both.. Some ideas of displays would be appreciated!!

Speedo at .43", Tach roughly 1/2 - 3/4 of that size.... 4 digits for Tach. Located on right hand side of dash cluster for reflection in windshield.
IF at all possible, you may want to consider doing a linear segmented LED, or even a round setup for the higher end kits that lights up each LED sequentially as the tach rises, or speed increases...

Edit:
Also, one other feature you may want to consider installing...

On at night. Basically, the system can operate continuously, but, if you install a few DIP switches for various options... My idea is, add a function for dash dimming. That red light reflecting off the windshield may be difficult to look past in certain situations. Minor circuit installed for dimming with dash lights would be optimal. Also, one of the switches should be for the ability to have the HUD LEDs light up when your park lights go on. This way, it won't be a distraction during the day (If at all) and, yes, LEDs can and will burn out over time. Save some wear and tear on the system by using the switch to change the LED power up option to be dependent on headlights and park lights.

[This message has been edited by Synthesis (edited 12-06-2002).]

**waving hands frantically**
I want one! I want one!

PM me w/ Details

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My karma ran over your dogma!

Visit my L67 swap page

Does the unit run through a switch, so you can turn it on and off when you dont want to see it?
I think a smaller row of led's below the speed led's would be good for tach option...

I'd love to be a beta tester, put me in line if there is one hehe.

i think just the RPM # would be awsome for a tach somthin like the speedo, but with 4 digits slightly smaller in size but still as bright,

i second the idea of being able to shut it off that would get anoying on lonnnnggg road trips or a date

I WANT ONE

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Ok... The wires to connect are power, ground, and the speedo input. The current draw is very low, so it should be able to be attatched to just about any powered circuit. So, if you connect it to the "hot with park lights on" circuit, then it would only be on with the park lights. Or, you could connect it to the "hot in run" circuit, so it would be on when the car is on, or, put a switch inline with the "hot in run" circuit, that way it would be on when the car is on, but you could shut it off with the flip of a switch. There's no memory or anything that needs to be always powered or anything... The dimming idea is a good one, but that would require changing the programming of the HUD chip, which isn't possible at this time.. That and the circuit boards for the processor have already been manufactured. I will take a look at the circuit though, and see if I can do an "add-on" dimmer.. I have an idea that could work... And as for the tach, I think I have a good idea of how to do that, but it won't be available for a while. What I can do is make the LED boards with holes for both the tach LEDs and the speedo LED's, so that the tach can be added later by those who specify that type of board at time of order.. Probably a couple $$ extra up front for those kind of LED boards, because of the extra size of the boards. But sounds like a plan!

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Bob Williams
Multi-colored '87 GT, a work in progress! (Got my 3800SC, installation to start very soon!!!)

That sounds awesome. I like the idea of adding in a tach readout with it, that sounds sweet. Obviously, a speedometerand tach combination unit with led bar graphs for speed and rpm would be awesome. But what you've done is preetty sweet! When you get them ready, I'll take one. Oh yeah, one moree thing, can you get different color readouts? like blue or green?

Green should be no problem with the speedo LED's, not sure about the smaller ones though. Blue on the other hand, might be a bit expensive.. I've never used them, so I'm not familiar with them. I know some blue LED's take a higher voltage than other LED's, but not sure on the 7-segment number displays.. I'll check it out and see how the pricing would change... Good idea - I forgot to mention that earlier!

quote Originally posted by Synthesis: Also, one other feature you may want to consider installing... On at night. Basically, the system can operate continuously, but, if you install a few DIP switches for various options...

Good ideas Synthesis,
and yes,... I definitley want one

Tina

I WANT ONE , PUT ME ON THE LIST, THANKS

quote Originally posted by Fiero_Tim: I think all in a small box that can be mounted in the gap between the guage cluster and dash.

I'd prefer this kind of mounting as well since it probably wouldn't be very noticible sitting in this location (for those that show their cars at shows and so on).

I also like the auto dimming idea....

Ken S.

How accurate is the system going to be for those of us with 120 MPH Speedos and 85 MPH Speedos? As well as those of us using the original Speedo wire and aftermarket guages?

Basically, what I want to know is, can you install a potentiometer in line on the Speed Sensor wire of the module so people can calibrate it to match what their guage says? Once the POT is set, it should never have to be adjusted again.

The POT is a generalized idea of a circuit that would alter the speedo signal going into the module only, not into the dash cluster.

Find out how accurate it is during beta testing, and if there is an issue, and a POT will fix it, be prepared to send out the POT fix or an addin board that will allow adjustment and calibration.

Well, it will be as accurate as the tranny is.. Doesn't matter which gauge you're using, it will just report the speed that the tranny is sending out.. It just reads the 4,000 pulses per mile, and calculates the speed. The only thing that will throw it off is if you have very different tires, or something like that, but that would throw off any speedo..

That is what I am wondering...

120 MPH Speedos have a different crystal in them than 85 MPH Speedos...

As long as the pulse rate never changes in the tranny system (Keep in mind, different sized factory tires resulted in different gear drives on the speedo, if I remember correctly)

The Pulse rate may never change on the wire going into the speedometer, BUT, the crystal calibration in the speedo may be different for whatever reason... Not trying to overcomplicate... Just want to make sure this is as plug and play as possible.

that's soooooooo cool, i'd love to get one..keep me posted on the idea.

-Coop

...any thoughts of one that is switchable between mph and kph for us in Canada?

Tim

There's a jumper on the circuit for that. Shouldn't be any problem.

[This message has been edited by TK (edited 12-08-2002).]

Bump To The Top...
Don't wanna let this thread die.

I would damn sure like to have one. Cost for the parts? When you gonna order next?
Do you assemble them?

Not a stranger with a soldering iron, but wondering if I can do it?

Phil

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GTDude
OVER 25 years GM experience

Somewhere around 6 posts down I did a little price breakdown.. $55 for a completed one, shipping (in the US anyway..) included. You can definitely buy a kit, but you gotta see these SMD resistors! They're tiny.. I've got all the parts to build 45 or so of them, except for the cases and the LED boards, which I'd like to get ordered before Christmas, but it will likely be after before they are ready. The tach will take some more time, looking at a few months for develpment.. But it will be add-on, for an extra $5 on the HUD setup I'll make the HUD board have the holes for the tach LED's. The tach LED's will have to be soldered in at a later date, and will be part of the Tach upgrade kit. Seeing the interest in these, I think I'm going to offer them on Ebay or something, because I believe they will work with many other cars.. Looks like the 4000 pulse per mile signal from the tranny is a very common one.. I know it worked in my '94 Mitsubishi.. Probably sell them for big $$ on Ebay too.. But same price to the Forum guys!

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Bob Williams
Multi-colored '87 GT, a work in progress! (Got my 3800SC, installation to start very soon!!!)