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Basically they will make you custom gauges, with your choice of colour, scale, pointer, font, logo, etc...
Nothing further came of this from my side.
Adding gauges via an Android system (what Sean did) is a different thing altogether....
Thank you Cambo, appreciate the update.
So the Android system - does that put them on your phone? What I'd like is a solution that puts the display on my screen - just like in the picture. Is that possible? And is there a "how to" anywhere? I did see one (might have been on this thread) but I recall the parts were not available - some cable I seem to recall. Any help much appreciated, thinking this could be a nice indoors winter job - here in the UK there won't be much else to do with the restrictions going in place!!
And to far out out of your line of sight to be safe to use unless you are stationary
Absolutely not. Well maybe if someone is so slow they need to take their eyes off the road for dangerously long periods in order to assimilate information, I guess. I imagine those people also have a problem glancing at the satnav too, for example?
But most of all, if Ferrari can put gauges in that sort of location, it's good enough for me I doubt if those gauges are meant to be used only when stationary. Also not heard of hundreds of Ferrari drivers crashing when checking their instruments.
Important gauges ie speedo etc and warning lights are always in a position to see without taking your eyes of the road you might think looking down and taking your eyes of the road dont take long but at 70 mph in the time it takes to look down at the gauges you will have covered quite a bit of road distance, just saying like
The display is actually black - my cameraphone makes it look red for some reason.
Thank you for this. I wasn't keen when I saw it mentioned (found it a couple of days ago) but now its growing on me. I imagine most people won't be starting at this information,it would just be nice to have access to it, just to know all is well, at the moment we have access to nothing until a warning light appears.
This is certainly a neat looking solution, and well thought out in that nothing is lost besides the ashtray. I smoke occasionally (well throughout my trip to Le Mans every year) but never put ash or cigarettes in the ashtray, so it really is completely redundant.
I will study this further when I get some time, probably the most likely way to go.
I haven't properly studied the thread but I'm hoping getting them made won't be difficult, and the cost seems to be very cheap.
Thank you for this. I wasn't keen when I saw it mentioned (found it a couple of days ago) but now its growing on me. I imagine most people won't be starting at this information,it would just be nice to have access to it, just to know all is well, at the moment we have access to nothing until a warning light appears.
This is certainly a neat looking solution, and well thought out in that nothing is lost besides the ashtray. I smoke occasionally (well throughout my trip to Le Mans every year) but never put ash or cigarettes in the ashtray, so it really is completely redundant.
I will study this further when I get some time, probably the most likely way to go.
I haven't properly studied the thread but I'm hoping getting them made won't be difficult, and the cost seems to be very cheap.
The full instruction manual for making one, along with all parts etc, is on @Cabrio Bob 's website. Plus he is a super-helpful guy if you have any questions. I have only had mine installed for a few days but I wouldn't be without it now. I don't feel any need to stare at the coolant temperature or volts, thus taking my eyes off the road for more than a fraction of a second, and as you say, just having access to the information is reassuring.
Important gauges ie speedo etc and warning lights are always in a position to see without taking your eyes of the road you might think looking down and taking your eyes of the road dont take long but at 70 mph in the time it takes to look down at the gauges you will have covered quite a bit of road distance, just saying like
Sure, I get that. But we take our eyes off the road all the time to check gauges, radios, satnavs etc and to adjust heater controls, light controls and so on. The art of good driving is to know when it is safe to take your eyes off the road momentarily and when it is not. An occasional and rapid glance at an instrument isn't, IMO, a safety hazard. If it concerns you as much as it seems to, then probably the only solution for you is a Heads-Up display. I have seen these for cell phone displays and you could use one in conjunction with an OBD II reader and Torque Pro app - set the display to coolant and volts and you can have the info right in your line of sight all day long.
Thank you Cambo, appreciate the update.
So the Android system - does that put them on your phone? What I'd like is a solution that puts the display on my screen - just like in the picture. Is that possible? And is there a "how to" anywhere? I did see one (might have been on this thread) but I recall the parts were not available - some cable I seem to recall. Any help much appreciated, thinking this could be a nice indoors winter job - here in the UK there won't be much else to do with the restrictions going in place!!
The parts are readily available. It will cost you roughly $250 US. The thread is a few years old so price adjustments are downward. You save the most by buying a low end Media Box. Here's the Concept:
Jaguar uses an ancient technology for the screen display. It was going out of fashion when they adopted it. It's called GVIF (Gigabyte Video Interface). So to make something display, you add a GVIF interface which just allows you to use HDMI from the media box and transfer that image technology through GVIF to your screen. You buy the media box hook it up to your tv, purchase and download Torque Pro from the google play store. Set up the gauges like you want to see them once you install in your car. I also have the app on my phone if I want to look at boost or fuel trims, but the two gauges I wanted available to me are coolant and voltage so that's why mine is set up that way. Cee Jay added Boost to his and also changed the background.
Then follow the install instructions. It takes a couple hours to do the power wiring if you're not experienced and maybe a couple more for the entire install.
Torque Pro is an app on google play so download, set it up in the comfort of your living room and when you install it, put it in a place that can be easily removed in case you want to change the look or the gauges. You also download a free app called "auto start" so when you start your car, the media box starts too and automatically launches Torque Pro.
What I initially did was expand the media box to add maps, then voice and then touch but the touchscreen bits are no longer available which is fine. The maps I don't need and I don't need voice command
As the first person in the world (soz Barnsie) to have the ashtray display I must to say that:
1) glancing at it in intuitive a lot easier than selecting dynamic mode or (if you were a smoker and used the ashtray) using the ashtray..
2) Switching between functions doesn't require you to look down...you get used to the cycle evsn in under a week.
3) It can be hidden by sliding the ashtray lid back
4) It isn't as garish and expensive as the torque pro solution (which allows you to do lots of things I can do on my andriod 4/5g phone).
5) It doesnt display needless duplicate info your car does already like range and mpg (which torque pro does) although I appreciate you can customise torque pro to your requirements.
5) This was actually designed by an x150 owner and enthusiast...which as a romantic at heart got me.
6) It can be completely removed in 10 seconds flat.
I actually drive my Jag more because of the new addition...but with 3 cars I've spread my 12k annual mileage over them so far...I think that'll change
The full instruction manual for making one, along with all parts etc, is on @Cabrio Bob 's website. Plus he is a super-helpful guy if you have any questions. I have only had mine installed for a few days but I wouldn't be without it now. I don't feel any need to stare at the coolant temperature or volts, thus taking my eyes off the road for more than a fraction of a second, and as you say, just having access to the information is reassuring.
Thank you for this, very much appreciated. I need to work out my plan, i think this will be plan B at the moment but it is a neat solution and a good back up
The parts are readily available. It will cost you roughly $250 US. The thread is a few years old so price adjustments are downward. You save the most by buying a low end Media Box. Here's the Concept:
Jaguar uses an ancient technology for the screen display. It was going out of fashion when they adopted it. It's called GVIF (Gigabyte Video Interface). So to make something display, you add a GVIF interface which just allows you to use HDMI from the media box and transfer that image technology through GVIF to your screen. You buy the media box hook it up to your tv, purchase and download Torque Pro from the google play store. Set up the gauges like you want to see them once you install in your car. I also have the app on my phone if I want to look at boost or fuel trims, but the two gauges I wanted available to me are coolant and voltage so that's why mine is set up that way. Cee Jay added Boost to his and also changed the background.
Then follow the install instructions. It takes a couple hours to do the power wiring if you're not experienced and maybe a couple more for the entire install.
Torque Pro is an app on google play so download, set it up in the comfort of your living room and when you install it, put it in a place that can be easily removed in case you want to change the look or the gauges. You also download a free app called "auto start" so when you start your car, the media box starts too and automatically launches Torque Pro.
What I initially did was expand the media box to add maps, then voice and then touch but the touchscreen bits are no longer available which is fine. The maps I don't need and I don't need voice command
Thank you Sean, this is really helpful and the cost is agreeable.
Im handy technically and mechanically, good at soldering etc, just my theory knowledge is lacking where electronics is concerned. With enough information however I can tackle this
As the first person in the world (soz Barnsie) to have the ashtray display I must to say that:
1) glancing at it in intuitive a lot easier than selecting dynamic mode or (if you were a smoker and used the ashtray) using the ashtray..
2) Switching between functions doesn't require you to look down...you get used to the cycle evsn in under a week.
3) It can be hidden by sliding the ashtray lid back
4) It isn't as garish and expensive as the torque pro solution (which allows you to do lots of things I can do on my andriod 4/5g phone).
5) It doesnt display needless duplicate info your car does already like range and mpg (which torque pro does) although I appreciate you can customise torque pro to your requirements.
5) This was actually designed by an x150 owner and enthusiast...which as a romantic at heart got me.
6) It can be completely removed in 10 seconds flat.
I actually drive my Jag more because of the new addition...but with 3 cars I've spread my 12k annual mileage over them so far...I think that'll change
09-16-2020, 05:20 AM
I doubt if those gauges are meant to be used only when stationary. Also not heard of hundreds of Ferrari drivers crashing when checking their instruments.
