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Homebrew MTC


scott_fx

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another update for everyone. Been talking with the creator of the usb-io device i was considering and he seems to be onboard and willing to help. suggesting even a custom solution for this purpose. He is willing to do the coding on the plug in for the touchscreen (i'll handle the design) as well as maybe even a custom piece of hardware that will be tailored to our purposes (he is even designing an led light control interface which some of you guys would probably get a lot of use out of). he is also one of the 3 main developers of the 'riderunner' car computer program. I think I'll be jumping ship from centrafuse to riderunner.

this is his website:

http://www.rush2112.net/mkportal/modules/oscommerce/product_info.php?products_id=43

I've updated the ideal design goals of this portion of the build. here was my suggestion:

button A: opens ballast menu

--linked to usb-io boards 1 and 2 (6 relays)

----controls all pumps

button B: opens 'lights' menu

--linked to usb-io board 3 (relays 1,2,3)

---controls nav, interior and dash lights

button C: opens 'systems' menu

--linked to usb-io board 4 (relays 1,2,3)

---controls bilge pump, amp turn on, engine bay vent fan

button D: directly toggles relay 4 on board 3

--opens up the camera view (or if possible opens the dvr plugin instead)

---controls rearview camera/dvr setup

button E: directly toggle realy 3 on board 2.

--ideally it would check input 1 on board 4 for a signal from an aux rfid board and check input 2 on board 4 that would be hooked up to my tachometer signal wire. if the rfid signal is present but there is no signal from the tachometer then it would switch the icon to an 'active' icon. pressing it for 2 seconds would crank the engine and stopping as soon as it got a certain value from the tach signal wire.

--then it would monitor the frid signal. if the rfid signal goes low, then it would toggle relay 4 from board 2 (turning off the engine). another 2 second press of the engine icon would also toggle this relay as well

i will also add a breakout box to manually (pc independent) control the bilge and nav lights as well as leaving the stock key as an override to start the engine.

Edited by scott_fx
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V03 of the design phase of the project.

a few screen grabs of what im working on. have a lot to do but i feel this looks the best out of all of them so far

735.jpg

24b.jpg

these two are a lot rougher, just playing with layout

the buttons on the right are going to have 'artist', 'album', and 'song' and i think i should widen the list box too.

93f.jpg

would like to have the video feed larger. not sure how to play with the layout on this one

725.jpg

Edited by scott_fx
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Very nice work. I may have to look at playing with this stuff as well. Keep the updates rolling in.u

please do! i'd love to collaborate with someone else :)

i've decided to scratch all of the designs i've done so far and make something far more simple. I found a nice clean skin that someone has already created:

0c2.jpg

i've decided; at least for round one, that i'll base my interface off this skin. modifying it only slightly. this will drastically cut down the amount of work that i'd have to do while still looking like it was a factory unit. I'll swap out the icons for ballast fill and empty icons, replace 'elite' with the malibu text logo. and replace the buttons below the icons with a 'fill all', all off, 'empty all' buttons.

I as for the hardware just ordered a linedriver/volume control to bump up the usb dac (think... soundcard w/no frills. i have one that i use on my headphone tube amp at work. i'll use that one initially and will keep it unless it's degrades the sound quality in any way. cost of these are about $50) output voltage to 5v and also provide an instant and tactile solution for volume control.

91a.jpg cost was $53 from a diyaudio forum member.

Also, im planning on adding a transom remote control for the computer as well as an aux control for my passengers (or if i'm a passenger) to control the system.

615.jpg

ordered these for $19/ea. mitch; the designer of the usb-io device i ordered is going to modify one of the inputs on his board to be able to decode the remote key strokes. then i can simply link them to the appropriate functions in riderunner (the front end software i'm using)

thats where im at right now. I'm going home tonight to load up the newest version of

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  • 2 weeks later...

so i got my monitor back from the manufacturer (thought it was broken.. it was a faulty cable :D)

i have a couple more weeks on this gig then i can start fabricating the new gauge cluster. I have the pc up and running and i'm testing out the plugin for the i/o controller (this is what will control the ballast) I have pretty much all the components now or they are being shipped.

here is the latest mockup on the new command center skin (modified elite 1.6)

6a9.jpg

206.jpg

and here it is up and running:

e24.jpg

Edited by scott_fx
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i tore out the gauge cluster this weekend and; work permitting, i should have some time to start fabricating the replacement panel this evening. I decided; since having a perfect pass, to delete the tach and speedometer from my cluster.

I wanted to see the guts of the perfect pass display so i tore it open and noticed that the membrane button on the front of the gauge were connected to the board via a commonly available 5 pin header.

87b.jpg

I am going to integrate the buttons into my pc and have them controllable via the touchscreen. The multi line display is going to be mounted flush with the dash (well recessed a bit).

I had 10 minutes at work so i roughed out how i want to lay everything out.

87b.jpg

Edited by scott_fx
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edit: PLEASE if you have any creative input or just dont like the direction im going, let me know. Im an artist by trade so i'm not sensitive to getting critiqued. I'm shooting for clean not ultra futuristic (i.e. the new mastercraft dashes)

started with the gauge cluster mod last night. first thing i had to do is make the gauge 'pods'

first thing was to separate the abs trim from the gauge:

168.jpg

I got four 3" abs couplers from the hardware store and cut them at a a 15 degree angle

168.jpg168.jpg

im not sure if i want to have them recessed at an angle or extruded like my mock up. here is what it looks like extruded:

168.jpg

here is another mock up (you can see the new abs panel 'blank' at the top of the pic.. that is what i'll graft the lcd screen and gauge pods into)

168.jpg

it's hard to visualize but it'll look seamless when im done. here is a radio surround i did when i had my corvette:

before:

http://onfinite.com/libraries/482107/album/540/405/ec5.jpg

after:

http://onfinite.com/libraries/481175/album/540/405/b31.jpg

Edited by scott_fx
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a little more progress last night. The joycon exr arrived last night.

1c0.jpg

after a very simple hook up I started to map the buttons of my transom remote.

1c0.jpg

some cool features. besides being able to control the media/music. a long press of the 'source' button will turn on/off the perfect pass. a long press of the 'volume up' and 'volume down' buttons will fill and empty all ballast tanks respectively. a long press of the 'off' button will turn off all ballast pumps

oh... and all of the commands have an audible confirmation. ("perfect pass enabled", "fill all ballast tanks", "empty all ballast tanks" etc..) im sure it'll get old but it puts a smile on my face whenever i hear it.

Edited by scott_fx
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All I can say is WOW! You have some great skills man. If you don't mind me asking, do you have an approx cost of how much actual cash this will end up costing? I am sure there are lots of people on here watching, waiting, hoping you will build and sell retrofit kits for the older boats!

:woot::notworthy:

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thank you. I do plan on making this as open source as i can. I'd love for this to be a community collaboration. hopefully it'll grow into something even better then what i started with. I'm also using a lot of open source programs so i wouldn't feel right charging for it. :)

i could look into seeing if we could get bezels built. if it's something we could do with a 5 axis machine i could get deep into the design and model up something really nice (not like that crappy mock up i did in 10 mins) .... all of this is new to me but i'd love to learn. also could look into vacuum forming from a mold too.

i'll have to itemize it all. the most expensive thing is the touchscreen. you have to get an optically bonded transreflective screen in order to view the screen in direct sunlight. I actually had one laying around from a car pc install i had in my corvette (before i sold it). they run between $500-$700 (there was one on ebay that was about $450 and he says it's optically bonded... but im not sure)

let me do a rough breakdown

mobo -$120

sshd - $130

ram- $ 20

automotive power supply $65

case -$45 (you could build your own)

sony remote: $20

joycon exr: $50

ballast/light/acc integration:

usb-io-1

$55x4 - $220

10 pack of relays/sockets - $15

pushbutton start:

Directed Electronics 551t - used...~$45

vandal resistant switch $20

dash mod:

1/4" abs plastic sheet ~$35

abs fittings/couplers $10

this doesn't include sound. that all depends on your current setup. i have a usb dac going to a jl audio line driver and volume controller.

ill try to add to this as i go along. im sure i probably have forgotten some things but it looks like it can be done for around $1200 with the monitor. It could be possible to dump the lcd screen and create something using a more simple and a lot cheaper character display.

http://store.mp3car.com/picoLCD_256x64_graphic_auxiliary_display_with_Vist_p/com-139.htm

you could also, i addition to that character display use just the touchscreen panel from an lcd monitor (really cheap) and create a static touchpanel control that would be perfectly smooth on the front and be backlit.

something like this:

Atmel-qtouch-top.jpg

or

buttons.jpg

Edited by scott_fx
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Looking great, and I'll be following with great interest.

Have you considered carbon fiber for the surround? The guy that helped me fabricate my carbon fiber gauge cluster also creates molds and custom parts for cars, snowmobiles, etc. Once the mold is made, he can also do thing in fiberglass if cost is an issue. This would certainly give it a more modern, OEM look.

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thanks for the suggestion. i actually looked at your gauges for some ideas/inspiration when i first started the project. very nice outcome.

i have thought about carbon fiber, fiberglass and aluminum (cnc routed). for my initial build i'm going to go with the abs route. it's easy for me to work with using basic tools. I have also looked into plastic chrome plating which is also an option, but i may just go with a black textured paint.

I've also started talking to the guy who builds the i/o device about designing a a capacitive switch interface (that can be easily modified to have any layout you want). This can be stand alone (no pc required) and/or tied into the computer. think about removing all of the switching on the dash with a flat piece of black plastic that; when backlit, will show your ballast, aux, blower, even a start button.

Edited by scott_fx
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nothing really new to post a.t.m. been slammed with work and all my free time has been spent with the upholstery project (removing panels etc...).

my one update though, gotta scrap the work i've done on the gauge bezel mod... but that is good news. i just got a sick deal on the dash panel from an 04 vride.

782.jpg

ordering up a gauge surround to graft too. so that part is on hold till it comes in.

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They Didnt make the Vride in 04 and that looks like a dash for an 06-07 (maybe 08 with MUX Switches) VLX.. I could very well be incorrect though... Looks Great though..

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They Didnt make the Vride in 04 and that looks like a dash for an 06-07 (maybe 08 with MUX Switches) VLX.. I could very well be incorrect though... Looks Great though..

oh... hmm maybe i was mistaken about the year, but i think that dash is common with one of the vrides. im working on a capacitive panel for where the mux switches go, trying to figure out the appropriate water friendly hardware (planning on making this an easily customizable piece of hardware; no PC involved, so that i can design layouts for any year boat and any button configuration. not sure about how much it's going to cost, but it'll be a lot cheaper then the $15/ea oem switches that it'll replace) in the meantime i'll just make a plastic blank for it and mount some toggles there

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Off by one year, it's from an '05-'08 vRide, that's not too bad. Biggrin.gif

:) i got an all black piece and i think it's literally the cheapest thing i've purchased for this whole upgrade.... well the ram was a little cheaper.

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  • 2 weeks later...

so my time has been split among a bunch of projects so this one is going a bit slower right now. The vride dash wouldn't fit so i had to scrap that idea and go back to my original dash piece

the boat is ready for a complete rewire of the ballast pumps and future led wiring:

16b.jpg

here is the recessed monitor facade:

0ff.jpg

The monitor will now sit about 1" back from the gauge panel

here is the really rough mock up (not filled/sanded) of how it'll look in the dash

0ff.jpg

i hit a wall with gauge placement though. im not sure if recessing the gauges will make it harder to read, yet i'm not really feeling having them surface mounted like they were originally on the boat.

im also not sure if i want to have 3 small gauges on the left and then the perfect pass 3" gauge on the right or two small gauges on each side of the monitor and seeing if i can sneak the perfect pass multi line display below one of them.

im leaning toward something like this (but not having the gauges pop out as much)

0ff.jpg

if anyone has any design ideas (no matter how off the wall) please chime in. im at a stand still on this

Edited by scott_fx
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  • 2 weeks later...

got some more geek time in today.

here is the usb-io-1's hooked up to some heavy duty relays.

ddd.jpg

well mostly wired up at least. still need to run power and ground and need a distro block. the yellow and blue wires that are just hanging there are for a future pump if i ever decide to add a bow bag. I will be making a plastic cover for it to protect and hide all the wiring as well

the big white wire looms on the left go to the ballast pumps. each set has four wires. the blue wires will be connected to a fused constant 12'v. the yellows are connected to the + leads that attach to the pump. the white wires go to the usb-io and will switch the relays, the black is ground

here is another gauge cluster pic. this one shows the ultimate layout and some more of the filling/sanding of the screen:

afb.jpg

i decided to go with a recessed gauge, in the end i think it looks the cleanest

ddd.jpg

still need a few more rounds with the sanders but it's getting closer.

you're looking at the raw abs right now, the monitor's housing is made from a light gray abs and i've been sanding the crap out of the whole piece so that's why it has that dirty matte look and the different colors

here are the stock gauges just placed in there. im contemplating installing them behind the holes instead of on top, but the way they are now allows them to be easily replaced:

ddd.jpg

i still need to add the perfect pass multi line display and a depth finder display

it's hard to photograph it and make it look good in this state, but up im pretty happy with the progress so far

Edited by scott_fx
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