Tablet/PC for the NSX - help me choose

[RYU]

It's a bunch of crap data I don't need. It's slow, and it tells me nothing about fuel pressure, EGT, AF ratio, AIT's, oil temp, nothing. It tells me RPM thats 2 seconds late and tells me what gear I am in. Woohoo...

I can't run a full stand alone because it will never pass... that's why I wish my car was old and junky like yours. :biggrin:

At least you can read your ltft and stft to make an fic work flawlessly.

I'll trade you.

 

[TURBO2GO]

At least you can read your ltft and stft to make an fic work flawlessly.

I'll trade you.

what are those?

 

[RYU]

what are those?

Short Term Fuel Trim and Long Term Fuel Trim all ECUs have but you can't read it easily with an OBD1.

This might be TMI but its a fantastic piece of education video. If you understand this then you can understand why the F/IC can be made to work perfectly for what it is.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oRX2V6_a3dc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[RedWings]

Ryu - you could setup one of these rugged embedded PCs mounted behind a seat with a touch screen of your choice mounted in the nav pod, connect your engine management, datalogger, BT stereo adapter, BT mini keyboard with roller ball, 4G data fob for Internet, WiFi, GPS, and video recorder for your racecam
Control it with stylus, finger, rollerball

http://www.aaeonusa.com/products/list/?item_id=1624

specific for transportation market:
http://www.aaeonusa.com/products/details/?item_id=1542

I think they run about $1000 without display, storage, cables, etc

Could probably put it together for $1500-$2000

This touchscreen display should fit in the nav pod and uses a USB cable for power and signals to/from the PC, its $250
https://www.xenarcdirect.com/product.php?productid=16208

Simple connection and scalable resolution-
Only one single USB connection is required to provide power to the monitor and to provide display and touchscreen interface with the PC.
The built-in scaler means the unit can display many different resolutions between 640x480 and 1920 x 1080
-
Here's a wallpaper for the desktop
http://static.desktopnexus.com/thumbnails/7861-bigthumbnail.jpg

 

[RYU]

thanks! ^^^

I've been kicking around the idea of a car pc. I never found it viable because even if I could mount a touchpad or trackball on the center console I hated the idea of carrying a wireless keyboard (I may still have to use one for advanced functions) but this touchscreen 7" is VERY interesting!

 

[bngl3rt]

If there was enough demand for it, I could see starting a side business based around pre-loading those machines with a custom Linux environment that ran the AEM stuff etc under WINE and had a nice easy button-driven GUI for touch screen use...

 

[bngl3rt]

If there was enough demand for it, I could see starting a side business based around pre-loading those machines with a custom Linux environment that ran the AEM stuff etc under WINE and had a nice easy button-driven GUI for touch screen use...

* IF the Xenarc USB screen works with Linux at all. If not the plan is shot

 

[Juice]

It is one thing to want to be able to tune the car on the fly; it is another to just want to be able to monitor your data. AEM offers neither. You would think that with iOS and Android becoming so prolific that most major companies would be looking for ways to get their product on the most accessible platform in people's pockets.

Not bashing; just seems like a no brainer.

 

[RedWings]

* IF the Xenarc USB screen works with Linux at all. If not the plan is shot

no Linux driver

• USB Displaylink Drivers for Windows
• Touchscreen drivers for Windows and Mac OS

Anyways, you would have to be able to pass calls into the AEM software from a nice easy button-driven touch GUI... this sounds like a feature request to their R & D / development team at this link : http://forum.aempower.com/forum/index.php?board=85.0

-
@Juice - take a look at this link, not sure which features you would want on IOS or Android... this is an IOS thing
http://www.aemelectronics.com/wideb...wifi-wideband-uego-controller-egt-monitor-34/

 

[bngl3rt]

[*]Touchscreen drivers for Windows and Mac OS

I guess to use a Mac (those Mac minis make great carputers) the Xenarc screen also has a VGA in?

 

[RedWings]

I guess to use a Mac (those Mac minis make great carputers) the Xenarc screen also has a VGA in?

The Xenarx screen seems to have a single USB supporting power, video, touch controls. Suppose you could use a Mac mini since they have a driver available... but how ya gonna power it ?

 

[RYU]

ironically my brother just gave me his Mac Mini. Would be inefficient to use a 110V power inverter just for this I suspect.

Great discussion gents.

 

[bngl3rt]

ironically my brother just gave me his Mac Mini. Would be inefficient to use a 110V power inverter just for this I suspect.

The Mac mini is one of the most popular carputers out there, plenty of solutions for powering it right off 12v DC without inverting exist. Go cruise any carputer forum (it's been years since I had a carputer so I don't know where the community is, I used to be on mp3car.com) and you will find them.

 

[RYU]

The Mac mini is one of the most popular carputers out there, plenty of solutions for powering it right off 12v DC without inverting exist. Go cruise any carputer forum (it's been years since I had a carputer so I don't know where the community is, I used to be on mp3car.com) and you will find them.

oh, that's interesting. i'm not familiar with Apple PCs at all but if I recall the power supply of the Mac Mini is all built into the case. In any event, it's not high on my list since the programs I need run on Windows. I also like the Android tablets better than the iPad. With that said, I would love to see someone try this.

 

[bngl3rt]

You can put Win 7 on a Mac mini. They're just intel boxes these days.

I was looking at the huge rear speaker/center console thing on the rear firewall in my car today and wondering if it could be gutted to house a computer and possibly some other electronic bits.

 

[RedWings]

How to convert MacMini to 12V DC
http://mikegyver.com/gyverisms/files/DIY for Mac Mini in Car.html


Voltage regulator - very good idea and nice features
http://store.mp3car.com/Carnetix_CNX_P2140_185W_DC_DC_Regulator_p/pwr-026.htm

 

[dablackgoku1234]

The Mac mini is huge and way overkill for a carputer. I'm thinking of an Android mini PC for $80 and add a screen. But honestly, for that price, the Nexus 7 looks a lot better.

 

[RedWings]

The Mac mini is huge and way overkill for a carputer. I'm thinking of an Android mini PC for $80 and add a screen. But honestly, for that price, the Nexus 7 looks a lot better.

Main design constraint for RYU is the support of AEM software
and that product currently (2012) requires a Windows or Mac platform

The flexibility and future adaptation with an embedded WinPC might be the best option given the design requirements. The secondary value-added features like Music, GPS, Trackmapping, Telemetry, Nav, Video storage, Internet, 3G/4G data, Bluetooth, Wifi, etc are relatively easy to implement at decent price points.

Honestly, if you roll your own and put it together in the $1500-$2000 range.. thats a lot of bang for the buck given the design and form factor requirements.

 

[TURBO2GO]

Will the AEM software work on an iPad? I am currently fiddling with the install of one and I think I have it figured it out. I can use either my iPhone or iPad if this works. It's super trick, and don't ask me I can't quite spill the beans yet. :biggrin:

 

[foundry3]

Hello everyone,

I am relatively new to this forum but I've been lurking for some time whilst NSX shopping. I purchased a 91 this weekend and couldn't be happier!..I am kind of a hybrid nerd/motorhead as I'm a sofware engineer who also happens to design/fabricate manifolds and headers during my spare time.

Some of the fab work can be seen here: http://lude-technica.com

I have been working on a Windows based datalogging UI that will monitor AEM, and various other CAN interfaced tuning solutions. I'm waiting for Intel builds of Windows 8 tablet to go live and I will be offering a full solution as the Intel boxes will have a boot SLA of 2 seconds which is acceptable for in vehicle.

Additionally I have found a way to control the HVAC unit via Netduino so the PC's will be able to control the entire center console region discounting the stereo. Additional G-Meter's and GPS will eventually be incorporated for additional monitoring and playback. Audio playback/control is likely also a possibility.

The only concern I have currently is allocating an acceptable form factor to fit the OEM nav pod. Hopefully there will be an Intel build of Win8 in the 7" form factor.

My first iteration of this is based off of Honda OBD1, so I will need to implement the AEM CAN interface.


Here is the UI logging a popular Honda OBD1 codebase, and a few of its skins I've made thus far. Everything is configurable, even the power band meter.

This is something I've been working on for some time and I hope to offer this to coincide with the launch of Win 8.

Hello everyone,

I have been working on a Windows based datalogging UI that will monitor AEM, and various other CAN interfaced tuning solutions. I'm waiting for Intel builds of Windows 8 tablet to go live and I will be offering a full solution as the Intel boxes will have a boot SLA of 2 seconds which is acceptable for in vehicle.

Additionally I have found a way to control the HVAC unit via Netduino so the PC's will be able to control the entire center console region discounting the stereo. Additional G-Meter's and GPS will eventually be incorporated for additional monitoring and playback. Audio playback/control is likely also a possibility.

The only concern I have currently is allocating an acceptable form factor to fit the OEM nav pod. Hopefully there will be an Intel build of Win8 in the 7" form factor.

My first iteration of this is based off of Honda OBD1, so I will need to implement the AEM CAN interface which from what I see in the spec will be much easier than the cryptic Honda obd1 code base.


Here is the UI logging a popular Honda OBD1 codebase, and a few of its skins I've made thus far. Everything is configurable, even the power band meter.

This is something I've been working on for some time and I hope to offer this to coincide with the launch of Win 8.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx4tS7-VAvY

Its also worth noting, AEM likely won't ever support iOS, or Android for much more than a channel or two of data logging. AEM is written off Windows based technology called the .net Framework and iOS and Android are not able to run or emulate .net.

 

[bngl3rt]

Additionally I have found a way to control the HVAC unit via Netduino so the PC's will be able to control the entire center console region discounting the stereo. Additional G-Meter's and GPS will eventually be incorporated for additional monitoring and playback. Audio playback/control is likely also a possibility.

This sounds pretty awesome. Is it a commercial endeavor, or would you consider sharing the source code so that interested parties can port it to Mac/iOS/Android etc?

 

[RYU]

F0oBot - wow! very impressive work so far both in your metal working skills and software thus far. Please, please, please.. get a hold of SR5guy here on NSX prime. He's cracked the OBD1 ECU but has not had the opportunity to build the front end to properly display the data, say..., on an Android device.

I look forward to your progress on the AEM and possibly also the OBD1 with SR5Guy. Great post!

Edit: this is a thread that may be of some interest to you.
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php?t=143407

 

[bngl3rt]

Alternatively, you could sell Netduino boards running your proprietary firmware, and document your wire protocol. I'd definitely be interested in that.

 

[foundry3]

Thank you everyone! I will reach out to SR5guy.

The only issue with porting to any of the mobile devices is the datastream foundry. The stream is a serial connection and neither iOS or Android will allow anything serial related without some serious trickery through the headphone jack, another way around this is to use serial protocol over bluetooth 2.1 and 3.0 however it is too slow and lags nearly a quarter of a second in comparison to straight serial connections.

Cracking the obd1 code base is fairly well documented, the board simply needs a few resistors removed if datalogging is all you are after...decoding variables is farilty straight forward and values exceeding 256 bytes requires a standard convention algorithm called big endian little endian.

AEM uses a CAN interface which is far more intuitive and actually more linear. The obd1 streams are very difficult to read via the naked eye at the inbound speed if a weighted average is not taken, so a considerable processor is mandatory to actually make use of the data.

I would offer a full plug and play solution that would mount directed into the OEM nav housing, the solution will also have the ability record the AEM datalogging file type assuming they didn't do anything insane to their file architecture. HVAC control will also be an option and its worth noting the solution will require pretty good hardware...I'm really looking forward to the next gen of Win8 hardware on the horizon as the boot time of current hardware is what ruins the feasability of the solution currently.

Alternatively, you could sell Netduino boards running your proprietary firmware, and document your wire protocol. I'd definitely be interested in that.

I will open source the HVAC control codebase as it is fairly straight forward voltage switch logic.

 

[bngl3rt]

The preferred way for homemade accessories to communicate with iDevices has been an ad hoc wifi network. I know many of the OBD readers that people use to make track day video overlays stream data over wifi.