Digital Dash Commander option for the 818

[ehansen007]

Hey guys,

I've been working with the creators of the original digital dash systems and they just formed a new company called Dash Commander. I'm wondering what the interest level would be in something like this. Price point would be $1500 and up. I realize it's not cheap but it gives you a ton of options to consider over the stock gauges and I'm working on some neat things like a track package that can give you telemetry, speed, lap times, etc. It also controls many, many other functions. What features would you like to see? Using your constructive feedback I would work to get a standardized package put together as we don't need things like window switches and air controls (at least not yet). This would be something designed to fit into the existing center console and they also do custom billet frames, etc. I think what would make the most sense is a removable tablet vs. an onboard PC for security reasons but it's still up for discussion. Here is some information from their site.

Dash Commander is a unique product for Road Racing, Pro-Touring, Kit-Cars, Restorations and more...

What makes Dash Commander different from a normal Infotainment system is Dash Commander can be used for Switching devices on/off in your vehicle. So not only do you get GPS Navigation, Backup Camera, and all the features of a infotainment system like MP3 player, Internet Radio, CD player but you can also use the screen to switch on/off devices in your vehicle.
Use Dash Commander to control devices like Power Windows, Lights, Actuators, Power Door Lock and Trunk Poppers and more...

Are you using ISIS? The use of Dash Commanders wiring harness allows for a plug and play connection with ISIS.. Then Dash Commander you just touch the console screen to turn the devices on/off.

These are just a couple of samples of design for other cars.

http://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac177/ehansen007/818/dashcommander2_zpsecf5583a.jpg (http://s897.photobucket.com/user/ehansen007/media/818/dashcommander2_zpsecf5583a.jpg.html)

http://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac177/ehansen007/dashcommander3_zpsc666b53d.jpg (http://s897.photobucket.com/user/ehansen007/media/dashcommander3_zpsc666b53d.jpg.html)

http://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac177/ehansen007/818/dashcommander1_zps3d46bd8f.jpg (http://s897.photobucket.com/user/ehansen007/media/818/dashcommander1_zps3d46bd8f.jpg.html)

[Xusia]

I was planning to do something similar myself. Your solution is probably priced out my budget, but I love the idea and hope it works out! :)

[RSxx]

I was planning to do something similar myself. Your solution is probably priced out my budget, but I love the idea and hope it works out! :)

I had a similar idea but using an Ipad. what if without the ipad, no luck turning on the engine. something like a battery cuttoff or used as a kill switch. Unfortuantely I don't have the knowledge to do it. ofcourse the ipad would also be great for nav, music and maybe used with a rear facing camera.
the price for the above solution seems a bit pricey but maybe worth it.

33Machine, do you think an ipad integration si doable with your digital dash?

[Turboguy]

Price point would be $1500 and up. I realize it's not cheap but it gives you a ton of options to consider over the stock gauges and I'm working on some neat things like a track package that can give you telemetry, speed, lap times, etc.

I can already get this from RacePak and others at under $1K, including GPS, logging and telemetry. Ditch the logging option, and it's under 7 bills.


http://www.racepak.com/images/iq3dash.jpg

[ehansen007]

The point is it that this solution also controls the radio, lights, brights, navigation, accessories as well. As you can also see, it's presented in a customized, digital graphics format that can be matched to the theme of your vehicle. We all know about racepac and what it does. Dang, I knew I should have underlined the word "constructive" in my post :)

[Benji]

There is a discussion about this over the at RCR forum, it was formally called MiMod and while it seems awesome I'd personally like to know how stable the company is.

Also note that this is not to be confused with 'DashCommand' from Palmer Performance Engineering.

My main question is, *how* is it getting the data for the gauges? Standard (i.e. non-CANBus) ODBII ports are just too slow to react and would be annoying. For gauges to be effective and replace the main gauges, they would have to be smooth in movement and respond instantly.

[ehansen007]

Actually Mimod is still in business but the main programmer who developed it has left and started his own company. He took one or two of the core guys with him I guess. We talked about ODBII ports and their responsiveness and they are working around that right now. I know it can be done via standard sending units directly to their PC board but that may not be we want. I'll get some more detail for you on that. Thanks for the feedback.

[mspice]

I am writing an Android app to serve as a center mounted display to be run on a commodity tablet center mounted. The primary features will be (1) gauges (2) air conditioning control (3) GPS (just reusing google's here) (4) and some custom ideas that I'm still cooking up. I'm planning on mounting a nexus 7 or nexus 10 as the physical device. To interface with parts of the car, I'm developing custom hardware. I'd be happy to collaborate if anyone else is interested and has the skills.

[ehansen007]

Yes, I would be interested Mike, just give me a call. I'm not married to these guys. I just know they've done some really cool cars in the past for SEMA and other shows and they seem to know what they are doing. Again, I'm trying to get constructive feedback to help develop something new and different for FFR.

[Benji]

Actually Mimod is still in business but the main programmer who developed it has left and started his own company. He took one or two of the core guys with him I guess. We talked about ODBII ports and their responsiveness and they are working around that right now. I know it can be done via standard sending units directly to their PC board but that may not be we want. I'll get some more detail for you on that. Thanks for the feedback.

Yeah directly wiring sensors may be the only way but then what is the ECU going to use? It will be interesting to see what they say! Thanks for getting in contact with them.

ODBII isn't 'bad' if you only have one or two gauges but it's still not something I'd want to live with.


I am writing an Android app to serve as a center mounted display to be run on a commodity tablet center mounted. The primary features will be (1) gauges (2) air conditioning control (3) GPS (just reusing google's here) (4) and some custom ideas that I'm still cooking up. I'm planning on mounting a nexus 7 or nexus 10 as the physical device. To interface with parts of the car, I'm developing custom hardware. I'd be happy to collaborate if anyone else is interested and has the skills.

Awesome, there needs to be a better 'Centrafuse' like interface for Android for a centre console, in my opinion that's where they went wrong as they should have developed something for Android a LOOOOOOOOOONG time ago.

If you weren't going the MiMod/Dash Commander solution, something like that paired with a cheapo 7inch tablet (there are plenty of good ones for $99-149) running Torque or DashCommand could be used for gauges.

[mspice]

ehansen007, what I'm working on is just a hobby project to hack on. If someone else building an 818 were also into Android software and embedded electronics they might have fun playing with me. For anyone looking for something off the shelf that "just works", it sounds like what you are working on is really the way to go.

[Benji]

Not to rain on your parade but I completely forgot about CarHome for Android which is at the moment the most popular front end for Android in cars:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=spinninghead.carhome&hl=en

[Turboguy]

The point is it that this solution also controls the radio, lights, brights, navigation, accessories as well. As you can also see, it's presented in a customized, digital graphics format that can be matched to the theme of your vehicle.

Unfortunately, none of those features are really required on an 818R track car ;)

As per the quote in my reply, my response to your original post was directed at your suggestion of developing a "track package" variant. For track use, it's going to be pretty hard to beat Racepak and the others who already own this market segment -- especially given they come in at a much lower price than you are projecting -- some as much as 60% less. You can take that as constructive criticism or not -- your choice.



This type of dash could make for a nice addition for something like a road-going GTM -- especially if you can add Lexus LFA-like animation to it. That car is just screaming for an instrumentation solution of some kind.



I just can't see it in a track application, or in a kit car that's targeted at a sub-$10,000 price point.

[Benji]

To be honest if you're talking about the 818R then really all you need is a rev counter WIRED to the car.

The rest can pretty much be done by a tablet that's temporarily mounted to the car and it would cost a LOT less than one of those dashes and probably do a LOT more..... just throwing it out there.

[Highway Star]

I think you are looking at the wrong market for this. Pitch this to the RV manufacturers. I could see a large RV using two or three of these.

[Benji]

It has got HUGE potential in the kit car industry, it's just a little expensive for people's taste although given the hardware and what you do get, it's actually a bargin.

There are alternatives as mentioned above that cost less however, not necessarily as polished.

[OCCPete]

Yeah directly wiring sensors may be the only way but then what is the ECU going to use? It will be interesting to see what they say! Thanks for getting in contact with them.

ODBII isn't 'bad' if you only have one or two gauges but it's still not something I'd want to live with.



Awesome, there needs to be a better 'Centrafuse' like interface for Android for a centre console, in my opinion that's where they went wrong as they should have developed something for Android a LOOOOOOOOOONG time ago.

If you weren't going the MiMod/Dash Commander solution, something like that paired with a cheapo 7inch tablet (there are plenty of good ones for $99-149) running Torque or DashCommand could be used for gauges.

For my next project I was considering using a tablet for the primary display, so I bought a Nexus 7, PLX Devices Kiwi, and the Dash Commander and Torque apps to try it out. My conclusion - no way will this work for a primary display as there is just too much lag.

Pete

[ehansen007]

Thanks for the input guys. So the gauges are out of the picture for now. I'll probably just focus on the center console. The tablet is definitely the only way to go.

[C.Plavan]

Just an FYI- the new Cobb Accessport V3 that came out last week allows you to moniter gauges. You can pick the ones you want. I'm going to have one for my 818R, so why not use it in conjunction with other gauges. That's my plan. (Traqmate display for MPH, RPM, Shiftlight,data logging- Cobb for boost, Air/Fuel, possibly temps)

[timmy318]

I was thinking of doing something like Tesla has in some of their cars. The screen wouldn't be nearly as big as Tesla's but it would be kinda similar. An iPad mini or something in the center console to replace most if not all the buttons, nav system, etc...
20233

[PhyrraM]

I would think that real switches, with real tactile feedback, would be preferred in a driver's car like the 818? Don't soft switches require you to take your eyes off the road to 'locate' the switch, and then again to 'see' if it worked (i.e. red-to-green, or icon-up to icon-down)?

Where appropriate I love the tech, especially for entertainment and GPS (where your looking away anyways).

[carbon fiber]

i'm using the speedhut gauges that came with the gtm, but i'm using a tablet in the center for in car functions/media player/gps. I wish some one made individual round/conventional sized lcd gauges that could be custom programmed.

[OCCPete]

i'm using the speedhut gauges that came with the gtm, but i'm using a tablet in the center for in car functions/media player/gps. I wish some one made individual round/conventional sized lcd gauges that could be custom programmed.

Someone does:
http://www.plxdevices.com/product_info.php?id=MULTDM100OBDII

http://www.plxdevices.com/product_info.php?id=MULTDM100TOUCH

I don't have one of these, but I played with the display model for a bit at SEMA and it was really cool. A bit smallish though.

[rjh2pd]

I agree with phyrraM, i like the physical switches over touch screens. This one looks really neat, and looks like it can do a lot, but it isn't for me. As for the torque app, i highly recommend this for anyone with an android (maybe apple stuff??). It's only $5 for the paid version, and there is a free version to test it out. the full version has the ability to read CELs and give you all the info that that the ecu sends out. the only other thing you need is a bluethooth obd2 adapter - i got my off ebay for $25. the gauges on it do lag a bit so it probably work as good as this for an instrument cluster, but it is worth having.

[wleehendrick]

Just an FYI- the new Cobb Accessport V3 that came out last week allows you to moniter gauges. You can pick the ones you want. I'm going to have one for my 818R, so why not use it in conjunction with other gauges. That's my plan. (Traqmate display for MPH, RPM, Shiftlight,data logging- Cobb for boost, Air/Fuel, possibly temps)

That's great! (and it comes with a mount) The plan for my 818 is KISS (keep it simple, stupid) but my inner geek wants moar data. The new Accessport looks perfect for having the ability to monitor boost, etc... without a huge array of gauges.

[wleehendrick]

I agree with phyrraM, i like the physical switches over touch screens. This one looks really neat, and looks like it can do a lot, but it isn't for me.

Same here... Both BMW (iDrive) and Ford (MyFord Touch) have taken huge flack over their touch-dominated interfaces. They both have been, or are being redesigned to add physical controls back to the dash for basic functions.

[Benji]

Thanks for the input guys. So the gauges are out of the picture for now. I'll probably just focus on the center console. The tablet is definitely the only way to go.

It may well be possible if the ECU has CANBus to the ODBII port, though I'm not knowledgeable on with Scoobies would have started using CANBus....

[C.Plavan]

Just wait for this. It's coming from Auto Meter for use in NASCRAP with consumer models too... Looks great, just can't seem to find the price anywhere.
http://youtu.be/13-w4Mw8ydU

[Benji]

Just wait for this. It's coming from Auto Meter for use in NASCRAP with consumer models too... Looks great, just can't seem to find the price anywhere.
http://youtu.be/13-w4Mw8ydU

Nice, the brightness is the interesting point although I'm not sure how much that's need in such recessed gauge pods, on the centre console sure!

Unfortunately I bet you won't get any change from $1k for that thing alone...

[carbon fiber]

2027820279still not what i'm looking for. the square screen in a round pod looks ugly. I've seen the autometer stuff already too. maybe soon someone will offer something with the quality of lcds in production cars.