Any Monitor Options for the Nav Pod besides the SOS

Anyone know any Monitor options for the Nav Pod besides the SOS unit? I am looking to run the gaugeART adapter to display my gauges and want a clean factory look.

I am running AEM EMS Series II serial which will connect to my gaugeART and there's a VGA out that will need to go to the monitor.

Here are the inputs I needed.
* VGA
* Composite/RCA video

Requirements:
* Able to fit inside the nav pod with out any crazy modifications
* Able to plug in a rear view backup camera

Would be nice if it was a 7" display.

I don't know about dimensions but I would see if this fits:
http://www.adafruit.com/products/1931

Looking at the datasheet, the display area is 150.7x94.2 mm, so it would fit within the Navpod opening, which SOS shows as 184.25x101.6 mm. The housing of this display is 161.2x105.5 mm, so it would need some frame. There is also a version of the display with a housing, which is 180x130 mm. That would fit within the Navpod housing, which SOS shows as 199.4x126.5 mm. Depends on what you want it to look like in the end.

Why don't you want the monitor that SOS provides? I have it and its awesome. I run my AEM dashboard through it via the Digital Logic app and I've never had a problem with glare, etc.

cptnsx said:

Why don't you want the monitor that SOS provides? I have it and its awesome. I run my AEM dashboard through it via the Digital Logic app and I've never had a problem with glare, etc.

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Are you running a gaugeART adapter? How is it connected to the display from your AEM EMS?

There are issues with the adafruit. I have one in my hand RIGHT NOW I have been testing for weeks and it doesn't like fluctuating voltage AT ALL.

TURBO2GO said:

There are issues with the adafruit. I have one in my hand RIGHT NOW I have been testing for weeks and it doesn't like fluctuating voltage AT ALL.

Click to expand...

Interesting to hear. You're not powering it straight with car voltage are you? I would certainly use a voltage regulator to supply good power, particularly since I believe it takes a wide range of voltages.

Do you know of a better display? I'm sure they exist.

Interesting. I just PM'd another primer asking this same question. Carry on

A regulator can only cap the voltage but if it drops it can't bump the voltage. I have been having some issues with my shorai battery so I'm suspicious of that though. This thing seems stable at home on a tightly regulated power supple only, it's a massive piece. The other issue is this is truly a raw unit and it's just too small for the housing. I think it has its uses but for what the op wants the SOS is a drop in solution. I'm trying to run a 1080 SDI camera which needs an HDMI or SDI in, he is running a low res VGA signal and honestly the resolution that piece needs won't benefit from what this display can do. I would try to get as native as possible because with VGA you have a high probability of running into an issue and having the image not be centered or fill the screen. The adafruit really prefers to see a digital signal. Like I said am sure it can be made to work but it's not a plug and play for what he wants. I've looked at many other displays and think the SOS one is a good one for its purpose. There are more on amazon though if you want to try something different. Almost all have buttons on them.

I hear what you are saying about screen resolution if one is using a low-res source. I would want a screen to be able to accommodate higher-res inputs down the road, and I want to be using HD cameras.

For the voltage regulator, why not just regulate down to 8-9V or so? The display supposedly takes 5-12V.

Definitely true also that this is far from a plug-n-play solution. Seems like you would want to have a trim ring cut by one of the laser-cutting places like Ponoko.

Appreciate your input on the various options; it's great to have someone who tries things and reports to the community.

I tried lower voltages and am losing brightness. Shouldn't be but I am. Clearly something is going on here but I don't think this was engineered for a 12V environment. Yeah and he would need a plate cut and the unit builds some fair amount of heat, I would be worried about it in a navpod and try to make the bezel something that can help dissipate heat. I'm trying to resolve all these issues again not saying it's unusable just saying it needs work.

Interesting. Why not use a buck-boost regulator to maintain 12V regardless of the input voltage?

LOL well like I said there is a solution to everything. But at some point it would have been easier to just get the SOS piece.

For whatever it's worth I spoke (Via email) with SOS (Bryan) yesterday and they have a new version of their screen coming available in October. It is supposed to be upgraded with IPS (whatever that is). Something to consider.