(Not just) Another CAN gauge and more

racingmini_mtl · Post by **racingmini_mtl** » Sat Jan 10, 2015 7:22 pm

I have previously posted pictures and a brief description of the first version of this unit. This is the revised version. This is a collaboration between Sebastien Giroux (93white3400z) and myself; I have done the hardware and some small specific aspects of the firmware and Sebastien has done most of the firmware and all the configuration software.

Besides the standard Teensy, all the boards are custom ones to be able to package a lot of features inside a standard 52mm / 2 1/16" gauge enclosure. The first version used a 1.3" monochrome OLED display (128x64). This was a small limitation so I decided to make my own board for this version to support a 128x128 1.5" colour OLED display; that's pretty much the largest display that can still fit inside the enclosure. The setup is still compatible with the 1.3" monochrome Adafruit display.

There are 3 boards besides the Teensy. The top board is for the display but also includes 2 LEDs at the top and there's an ambient light sensor on the left of the display. The pictures below show it populated without the display, the light sensor or the headers.

The second board is the base board. It has the 3.3V and 5V power supplies, a socket for the lithium battery that powers the Teensy RTC (the Teensy has the RTC crystal soldered to it), a buzzer with its driver, a microSD socket, a CAN transceiver, a low current driver for a digital output or PWM, conditioners for 2 digital inputs, drivers for a small stepper motor (for an analog gauge). It also interfaces with the Teensy. The pictures below show it populated except for the headers (which are numerous).

The third board is the sensor and connector board. It has a 9 DoF sensor (3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, 3-axis magnetometer), a temperature and humidity sensor, a baro sensor, and RS232 interface, and a GPS module. The pictures below show it populated except for the headers and connectors.

I also needed to create a fourth board to allow the USB cable to go out the bottom of the enclosure. This is a very small board that is used to have a 90 degree connection to the Teensy USB connector without the bulk of ready made cables. The picture below shows the board with the connector (wires will be soldered to the pads at the bottom). The size of the board can be assessed from the background; this is the 6 position connector behind it which is bigger than the board.

The pictures below show what the complete stack of boards looks like when all the headers, standoffs and connectors are in place and ready to go in the enclosure. (Click on the picture for a larger version)

The pictures below show the complete unit from the front, the back and the side. As mentioned above this is a standard 52mm gauge enclosure. There is a 10-position and a 6-position Molex connector, a USB extension cable to connect to the Teensy USB port and a GPS antenna cable. (Click on the picture for a larger version)

Jean

EDIT:
Here's a list of the people who have expressed interest in buying one. The order is the one in which this was mentioned and in which I will go through for the initial limited batch:

Manu
Zaphod
richyvrlimited
Trev16v
coizamora
Suprazz(*)
tpsretard2(*)
arran
krisr
boofhead
sanec

I have put (*) besides a couple of names because they did show interest but did not specify that they where interested in getting one. I you want your name removed let me know. If others want their name added let me know also. This limited batch is for only 8 complete units so we are already there or above.

EDIT2:
Information about price is here: http://www.msextra.com/forums/viewtopic ... 20#p427237. And we're not quite ready for taking orders yet.

93white3400z · Post by **93white3400z** » Sat Jan 10, 2015 7:30 pm

I thought a gauge like this one needed to be a very customizable device and it would take us a long time to bring the firmware to a level of customization I would be happy with so the firmware of the gauge as well as the desktop application (written in Java) and the Android application are all open source. We've tried to keep the code clean and well documented to be as easy as possible for new users to jump in and add any functionality. Users will be able to contribute code to be added in the official releases (as long as it is general, clean and efficient).

The firmware is already decently featured and uses all the sensors of the gauge to be displayed / logged. The gauge uses its own serial communication protocol for configuration that is checksum validated both ways. With the current hardware and software, the possibilities for new features and expansions are pretty much endless.

The firmware is compiled using the regular Arduino IDE and Teensyduino.

Here is a list of features and a few screenshots of the desktop application: https://bitbucket.org/SebGiroux/diyecmg ... creenshots

And the current code that hasn't yet been adapted for this second prototype (won't take much) is available here: https://bitbucket.org/SebGiroux/diyecmgauge/src

We want to hear your feedback about what you're seeing so far and are willing to answers any question you may have.

Thanks

Manu · Post by **Manu** » Sat Jan 10, 2015 11:24 pm

Brillant !!

Zaphod · Post by **Zaphod** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 12:00 am

+1 brilliant! I guess what we see at the moment is the revolution of the Megasquirt gauges... So nice.

What will be the estimated price and when will we be able to buy the gauge...
I want something like this for years now...

Sign me in for the 1st batch...

richyvrlimited · Post by **richyvrlimited** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 4:19 am

Holy crap, +1 here!

So, when can I buy one?

Trev16v · Post by **Trev16v** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 4:46 am

93white3400z wrote:I thought a gauge like this one needed to be a very customizable device and it would take us a long time to bring the firmware to a level of customization I would be happy with so the firmware of the gauge as well as the desktop application (written in Java) and the Android application are all open source. We've tried to keep the code clean and well documented to be as easy as possible for new users to jump in and add any functionality. Users will be able to contribute code to be added in the official releases (as long as it is general, clean and efficient).

The firmware is already decently featured and uses all the sensors of the gauge to be displayed / logged. The gauge uses its own serial communication protocol for configuration that is checksum validated both ways. With the current hardware and software, the possibilities for new features and expansions are pretty much endless.

The firmware is compiled using the regular Arduino IDE and Teensyduino.

Here is a list of features and a few screenshots of the desktop application: https://bitbucket.org/SebGiroux/diyecmg ... creenshots

And the current code that hasn't yet been adapted for this second prototype (won't take much) is available here: https://bitbucket.org/SebGiroux/diyecmgauge/src

We want to hear your feedback about what you're seeing so far and are willing to answers any question you may have.

Thanks

Yeah yeah blah blah whatever. Just take my money and give me one

coizamora · Post by **coizamora** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 7:45 am

Wow! I need one!

Suprazz · Post by **Suprazz** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 8:00 am

With all the features, I'm afraid that the price will be quite high but it look very nice and there is a lot of features!

I'm also interested for the price, and more updates and information (with the color oled lcd)!

93white3400z · Post by **93white3400z** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 8:59 am

I knew we would get questions about the price and availability

Jean is sorting out the list of components he used to build this one so we can have an idea of how much we can sell these things for. The case isn't cheap at all, but its the only one we could find and it's really nice quality.

The gauge is modular so if you don't want the GPS / accelerometer / temp sensor / humidity sensor / baro sensor / rs232, you don't have to buy the third board and you will save some money. The gauge will work with just the board that has the Teensy (main CPU) on it as this board also include the power supply circuit, CAN and whatever else that is needed for a bare minimum install. As Jean said, the screen board could be replaced with a cheaper Adafruit OLED display as well.

Also, the hardware is setup with extra input / output available on the main big connectors at the bottom allowing for expansion. For example, it wouldn't be too hard to add an OBD2 add-on board to connect that gauge to OBD2 (obviously you would need the firmware figured out as well). It could also work with GM OBD1 or probably any car that you can figure out the communication protocol and the hardware really. This is something we could work on in the future and also offer expansion board for other platforms.

I think a lot of people wanted something like this for years and we figured we had to make it happen for it to happen so there it is!

Zaphod · Post by **Zaphod** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 9:07 am

Please do consider to sell with or without case too, because I think a lot of people will include the gauge in the dash...

Can't wait ....

93white3400z · Post by **93white3400z** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 9:09 am

Sure, that shouldn't be a problem!

racingmini_mtl · Post by **racingmini_mtl** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 9:20 am

Zaphod wrote:Please do consider to sell with or without case too, because I think a lot of people will include the gauge in the dash...

Can't wait ....

Wouldn't you want to have some sort of enclosure even if you do put it in the dash? Or did you mean that you wanted to put it in a standard instrument cluster?

In any case, I don't see it as being a problem either.

Jean

Zaphod · Post by **Zaphod** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 9:27 am

I thought about the instrument cluster...

93white3400z · Post by **93white3400z** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 9:32 am

Yeah, I guess you would cut a square the size of the screen and make some sort of bracket (bolted to the stand offs) that would hold everything down.

In most other cases, it will be hard to omit the case I think tho.

Zaphod · Post by **Zaphod** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 10:10 am

The Miata gauge cluster (especially the first Gen. has got the perfect holes for that... ;-)))

tpsretard2 · Post by **tpsretard2** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 3:27 pm

Any idea on when this will be available.

I like this project

well done guys..

racingmini_mtl · Post by **racingmini_mtl** » Sun Jan 11, 2015 5:32 pm

I do have a few boards so I could have some units available in a few weeks (there is a relatively long lead time for some components such as the case and the display). Depending on demand, I could have more a couple of months after that.

I still need to check a few things and talk to Seb before I can give a realistic ball park price but it will be relatively expensive because many items such as the display, the sensors and the case are relatively expensive. Assembly is also not trivial. Of course, if we were to have thousands (or even hundreds) made it would bring cost down but I don't expect demand to be there for that and I don't have the cash flow to do that anyway.

Jean

cygnus x-1 · Post by **cygnus x-1** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 2:20 pm

This is really cool!

Would it be possible to have versions with a larger display? How about selling these as unassembled kits? I'm thinking it would be neat to use several of these gauge assemblies to build a totally custom modular dash. For that you wouldn't need most of I/O and such, just the CAN interface.

C|

racingmini_mtl · Post by **racingmini_mtl** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:06 pm

There is no place for a larger display in a 52mm gauge; the corners of the display shown are almost at the edge of the board. It would be possible to either use a larger gauge enclosure or use a larger display that is not in a round enclosure.

As Seb mentioned, the sensor board will be optional or at least a bare version with only the connectors will be available. I also want to have a look at having a large round enclosure that would have the current OLED display at the bottom and a large analog gauge with a stepper motor (likely for a tach but could be configured differently). But that's for later.

And I don't see this being sold as a kit other than maybe the individual assembled boards with unsoldered connectors and headers. If you want to use the firmware and software, you could assemble your own setup from individual boards from Adafruit, Sparkfun and others.

Jean

richyvrlimited · Post by **richyvrlimited** » Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:57 pm

Possibility of a larger screen would be great. Potentially I'd fit one below my radio, so have 1DIN of space.

That said I'd me more than happy with whatever size screen you've gone for.

Can't wait for this to be available!

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