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Re: Arduino CAN Colour Dash Display

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2017 6:14 am
by Tim
Hi,

It's a pretty simple science when communicating with the display, both the Nextion and 4D displays have Arduino libraries freely available.

- https://github.com/bborncr/nextion
- https://github.com/4dsystems/ViSi-Genie-Arduino-Library

You basically create the controls inside either the Nextion or 4D systems development environment software, then send values over a serial connection to those controls.

I'm fairly handy in photoshop, and have an eye for good UI (or so I think), I quite enjoy designing the displays look and feel. I believe my designs are a step up from what you'd normally see in a home brew display (Just take a look on YouTube at what others have done).

There are some really cool looking displays for racing Sims, they use a similar technology, but rather than displaying values from an ECU using CAN. They just display values from a game using Serial. SimHub is the software tool people seem to use, I have no experience of using it, but my hours of research lead me down that path.

As for my project, I'd hoped to have updated this thread a little sooner, but getting the rev counter working at a acceptable speed has been very challenging. I'm getting close to a point where I'm happy with how it works, so hopefully I'll get an update out in the next few days.

I've been busy labeling and removing all the wiring from my car this weekend. Now I'm happy with the basics of the dash, I need to prioritise getting the car to a running state to do some proper testing.

Re: Arduino CAN Colour Dash Display

Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2017 5:16 pm
by Cpur
Wow,
Pretty interesting,

The truth, i was building my own traction control using the UNO, but knew that eventually i would have gone the DTA way later on. I used DTA already and i loved it and will choose DTA a million times more. But doing your own dash is a another experiment i will do using the Ard.

I already have installed an old stack dash but a diy dash is my next experiment.

Great work...

Re: Arduino CAN Colour Dash Display

Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 1:42 pm
by Tim
[youtube][/youtube]


A little update.

The rev counter was a real pain the neck to get working, but the 4D Systems guys were great offering help.

Re: Arduino CAN Colour Dash Display

Posted: Sun Dec 10, 2017 1:51 pm
by Cpur
Great work again,

Can the RPM bar be coded to start blinking in red , going faster as it approaches the upper limit?

About 4 months ago, i installed stack dash which i really like, but now after seeing this, I think i will buy a very big screen to cover the stack hole of will have to make a new dash panel.

Where is this software available and the screen?

Cheers
Cpur

Re: Arduino CAN Colour Dash Display

Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2017 5:55 am
by Tim
I bought my screen from digikey, the rest a combination of eBay and Amazon. The software for designing the layout can be downloaded from the 4DSystems website, I then use the Arduino IDE for everything else. There's a parts list on Page 1.

My code isn't available to the public, I'm not sure it ever will be, sorry. I can offer a sketch to get people started, but can't dedicate any time to the technical support of it.

There could be scope for offering this as a kit, or a full product in the future. But I need to make sure it will work in the car, and I'll also need a reliable method of updating the firmware of both the screen and also the micro controller, and I'm a way off that yet.

Re: Arduino CAN Colour Dash Display

Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2017 5:50 am
by steverandle
Hi Tim

Great Project, and a lot cheaper than after market displays.

I was looking at doing a similar project using a smaller type display.

I am struggling with what to code in the arduino for the CAN side of things. Would you share with us the basics of your sketch? for This. Or point us in a direction for obtaining the libraries.

Thanks

Steve

Re: Arduino CAN Colour Dash Display

Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2017 6:32 am
by Tim
Hi Steve,

No problem.

The Teensy 3.2 which I'm using has an on-board CAN controller, you still need a CAN transceiver, I use a Waveshare one. I did try a Chinese knock-off from eBay, but it only half worked, half working stuff is infuriating!

I use the FlexCan library (https://github.com/pawelsky/FlexCAN_Library)

I'll post up a little sketch later on that will output a CAN stream to the Serial Monitor using a Teensy, hopefully that will get you started.

Tim

Re: Arduino CAN Colour Dash Display

Posted: Mon Dec 18, 2017 4:59 pm
by steverandle
That would be brilliant. Thank You.

Re: Arduino CAN Colour Dash Display

Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2017 6:17 am
by Tim
I forgot!

Might struggle this evening, as we're hosting the in-laws. But I'll get something to you in a couple of days.

Re: Arduino CAN Colour Dash Display

Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2018 4:41 pm
by ignitionautosport
Very nice!