Date:         Sun, 17 Nov 2002 17:13:45 -0500
Reply-To:     David Brodbeck <gull@CYBERSPACE.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Brodbeck <gull@CYBERSPACE.ORG>
Subject:      Re: DIY $20 digital oil temp gauge
Comments: To: Timothy Hannink <tjhannink@YAHOO.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <20021117174430.45581.qmail@web14803.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

On Sun, 17 Nov 2002, Timothy Hannink wrote:

> You would need some kind of electronic device/software
> pakage to convert the digital or analog sender signals
> to a graphical presentation, then into a composite
> video signal. You could send that real-time video
> signal to a dash mounted LCD monitor or heads-up
> windshield video projector.

If you didn't care about a fancy display, an alternative would be to use
one of the intelligent display modules that are available from various
sources.  I've used 16 character x 2 line ones for status displays on
computer systems before, driving them off the parallel port.  They can
also be easily driven by PICs or other microcontrollers. They have an
on-board microcontroller with a simple 4-bit TTL parallel interface.
They're available up to 40 characters wide, with backlit LCD,
vacuum-fluorescent, or alphanumeric LED displays.  I'm kinda partial to
the vacuum-fluorescent look, myself, but it needs high-voltage drive for
the display and tends to me more expensive than an LCD. ;)

All of these modules are pricey normally, but they often turn up at very
reasonably prices from surplus catalogs.  I've gotten new 16x2 displays
for under $15, and I've seen used ones for under $10.

             _ _
  __ _ _   _| | |  | David M. Brodbeck (N8SRE)              Ypsilanti, MI
 / _` | | | | | |  +-----------------------------------------------------
| (_| | |_| | | | @ cyberspace.org
 \__, |\__,_|_|_| "I thought it was another false start in the never-
 |___/             ending, weird hope that within our lifetime, we could
                   actually make a robot that could potentially turn on
                   us humans and kill us.  Mankind will have accomplished
                   something when that day comes."  -- John C. Dvorak