paulpas

Has there been any discussion of how to get that display to continue to work if I were to install, lets say, an aftermarket mp3 player? I'd hate to take the bose head unit out only to have a permanent dark spot on my display. If you cannot get track number listed there, or radio, anyway to have some cool animated thing out put to there for eye candy? What type of interface it is?

NerdKonvention

I have been wondering this my self. I believe there is away but it is not as simple as plugging in your new head unit. From what I know, you need to get an output from your headunit and somehow send that output to the CAN BUS in the right format for it to show up. Now if you were putting in a computer, it would be a bit easier. If you would like to work with me on this, I would be glad to help. There is not much info on the net, I got the main idea from http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HackTheIBus. They figured out how to basically do this in a BMW.

paulpas

(thinking out loud)
I am curious if there is an interperter between the head unit and the display. If not, then some seriously hacking will need to occur for another head unit to display up there. On another note, I'd almost me more satisifed with a cool animation on that portion, thus finding out this information will be prudent to find out how to output an approximtley 120x60 animated b&w (r&w actually) animated gif to the display. Even neater... make is sound sensitive so it beat matches. The possibilities are endless, I just need to know the interface type and any known methods of tapping into it. I'm a Computer guy who grew up with a father who is a mechanic, so I can read schematics and all that electronic stuff, plus computer knowlede to boot. I'm sure it could be done easily giving those variables are constants.

NerdKonvention

Some how the headunit sends a canbus signal to the screen. Just need to figure out how to do that.

GTakacs

I have replaced my double DIN HU with a nice Clarion unit (<A HREF="http://members.sounddomaind.com/gtakacs">http://members.sounddomain.com/gtakacs</A> for more info on my install)

The factory HU communicates through the CAN bus to the dash display. I have no idea what is the protocol and even though I have access to the tools (digital scope, logic analyzer, etc.) and expertise to decode all that I just couldn't justify the time involved to do such thing.

I wanted to display the song name and artist from my Sirius tuner there, so that would have also involved decoding the Cnet protocol Clarion uses to control the satellite tuner, and that was another can of worms I did not want to open. The Japanese manufacturer does not give out the specs, not even to their US distributors and repair facility. Why? I don't know, I think it's kind of stupid to keep it in the dark, not that anyone could do much with their propriatory data bus system.

Now the top third of my display is dark for most of the time where the radio information used to be, the only information that shows up there is if I am running low on fuel or if I exceed the set speed limit (read your manual for this feature).

Honestly I really don't care much for it.

Now to the real information! There is a german group that is developing some gadget that would hook onto the can bus and read out crucial information fron your ECU like boost, voltage, oul temp etc. and print it on the screen. From what I gathered the whole display is fully addressable and it can even display intricate graphics and such should the need arise. It will cost around $400 for the gizmo once it's available. It was supposed to be out in April but I have contacted them in August and they had absolutely no ETA on the thing. So as it is right now, it's vaporware and who knows if they will ever get it to work.

Here is a link to their webiste: <A HREF="http://www.techreactions.com/vision.htm">http://www.techreactions.com/vision.htm</A>

I am not holding my breath and at $400, I might find something better to do with my money than having a customized display in my car.

paulpas

Right, but the signal you need maybe unavailable from the head unit. Thus my pondering what type of signal the CAN BUS needs.

paulpas

That's pretty sweet. I'd rather have that info on there than track listing. I just want there to be something there all the time. Personal preference.

Igor2003

http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/buses/can/

NerdKonvention

and figure it out. I went to that site and they seem to be selling something for the can bus? What is it, do you know? I want to be able to read/write to the canbus from a computer. What do I need. Thanks alot.

NerdKonvention

and I will keep everyone updated. Thanks to Jim De Arras (SP?) in the S4 forums.