What does your ideal digital display look like

[Jean-Sebastien Stoezel]

If you had the ability to build and customize your own digital display, what information would you be displaying onto it? In what format?

A few months ago I built an LCD based display that I intend on using in my FV. I'm at the point where I need to program it. For now I've only replicated the information that I would get from the different gauges on my dashboard: cylinder head temperature, battery voltage, time left in session, RPM, oil temperature and oil pressure.

For now I haven't spent much time making the display look good. I thought the programming and the definition of the screens would be easy, but I am getting rather indecisive on what I should display.

If you had access to the best a logger can give and a 3" screen, what would you display, and how?





Thanks,
Jean

[Evl]

Cool project!

Best lap time, predictive lap time, number of laps run, and time in session.

Then if anything is wrong with the engine, blink some lights and display the offending parameter.

[JRMarchand]

i'm liking this one

I'm sure you could custom fit your screen to my dash, and get the aim data through it, would that work for ya

[David Ferguson]

JSS -- how can a guy that complains about the cost of a $75 EGT probe, make his own custom circuit board?

While driving -- I think your display should show most recent minimum corner speed and lap times, perhaps a session time and lap number. The LED shift lights should be programable for gear dependent RPM ranges.

Alarms should used to display other data, only when you need to see it. For example, high temperatures, low pressure or voltage, or maybe brake bias only when stopped and the brake are applied.

When stopped, the lap time should switch to show the best lap of the session so far...

[Jean-Sebastien Stoezel]

Thanks for the input. I will program a screen like this tonight and will post a picture.

Are you the fellow that has a RT DL1 mk3, that published a utility a few months ago to create track files from Google maps? I haven't been able to save predictive lap information on my DL1 (though the feature is there) and might need RUN files to test this on the display. I'm about 5 months until I get to the track so for now I can only exercise the display with telemetry data I've collected over the past few years.

Thanks,
Jean

Cool project!

Best lap time, predictive lap time, number of laps run, and time in session.

Then if anything is wrong with the engine, blink some lights and display the offending parameter.

[Jean-Sebastien Stoezel]

Hi JR:

What type of information is displayed on your dash? Do you have a picture of it while operating?

The display I built has both a CAN bus and an RS232 interface. In theory it can connect to an AIM logger, which is CAN bus I believe. I don't have an AIM logger so I haven't been able to reverse engineer the protocol. It shouldn't be too hard to do though.

Thanks,
Jean

i'm liking this one

I'm sure you could custom fit your screen to my dash, and get the aim data through it, would that work for ya

[Jean-Sebastien Stoezel]

Hi David:

I'm not sure what you mean. So far I have spent $20 to get the printed circuit board built, which actually got refunded because of manufacturing issue (hence the yellow wires fix). All in all I have spent about $40 in parts, components in small quantity tend to be expensive. So I'm $60 into it (less if I take into account I got refunded for the PCB). I did solder the components on my coffee table at home so I saved on assembly. And I don't charge for the PCB design or the programming .

So yes to me $75 for a single sensor is a lot of money when I can build a processing unit for less.

Your idea of latest corner speed sounds like a great idea. The logger I use outputs distance into lap and GPS coordinates. Inside the display I could define markers at each corner exit, the markers would be a given distance into lap (easier to deal with than GPS coordinates). Once the markers would be reached the display would be frozen for say a couple of seconds.

About the shift lights: last season I built and raced with a programmable LED shift light (picture below) and had programmed the LEDs to turn on at given RPM levels. I'm reusing the same code for this display. It would flash red when the RPM would be too low, then would turn solid red at the beginning of the power band, then green 200 RPM before the shift point, blue at the shift point. It would also flash blue on over revs.









In fact I reused the code I had written for an earlier display I had built: http://youtu.be/4QFHFsN2xbM

I do have CHT and oil temperature sensors but I do not have brake sensors. I don't have a brake bias sensor either so I can't display these features.

I will compile your suggestions with EVL's and will program a screen tonight.

Thanks,
Jean

JSS -- how can a guy that complains about the cost of a $75 EGT probe, make his own custom circuit board?

While driving -- I think your display should show most recent minimum corner speed and lap times, perhaps a session time and lap number. The LED shift lights should be programable for gear dependent RPM ranges.

Alarms should used to display other data, only when you need to see it. For example, high temperatures, low pressure or voltage, or maybe brake bias only when stopped and the brake are applied.

When stopped, the lap time should switch to show the best lap of the session so far...

[David Ferguson]

Hi David:

Your idea of latest corner speed sounds like a great idea. The logger I use outputs distance into lap and GPS coordinates. Inside the display I could define markers at each corner exit, the markers would be a given distance into lap (easier to deal with than GPS coordinates). Once the markers would be reached the display would be frozen for say a couple of seconds.

The minimum corner speed function is common in many dash/logger systems. It's just done as a local minimum. Here's an algorithm that should get you started to find both local minimum and maximum speeds:

Set current maximum to 0.

If current speed is greater than maximum, update maximum speed.

Arm your minimum search (reset the minimum value) when the current speed is less than some small hysteresis amount (say 3-5mph) from the most recent maximum. BTW - you've found a new maximum speed -- update the display if you want this shown.

Keep updating the minimum as long as the new speed is less than the current minimum.

When the speed is greater than the minimum + hysteresis amount, you have found a new minimum -- update the display.

Start looking for a new maximum speed.

Sounds like you are quite skilled at making & programming devices. Very impressive.

[Evl]

Are you the fellow that has a RT DL1 mk3, that published a utility a few months ago to create track files from Google maps? I haven't been able to save predictive lap information on my DL1 (though the feature is there) and might need RUN files to test this on the display.

That's me!

From what I remember they do the predictive timing in their dash based on the distance/time info. Let me know if you need any run files, I can send you a recent one.

-Chris

[Jean-Sebastien Stoezel]

I've created this screen based on Chris and David's suggestions. We only run timed sessions (even races) so I'm not displaying the number of laps run.

I was able to simulate the screen with data I collected last summer. The delta time I had to fake since I have yet to understand how to log it.
The top row is the delta time from a reference lap (my logger provides this delta time with reference to the best lap run in the session), mid section, left is minimum speed (km/h), right is maximum speed, bottom section on the left is the best lap time, while the right is reserved for alarms.

I have basic fonts available and they are not optimized for the size of the screen. I think it might help to add lines around each section to try and make the display easier to read. I was also thinking of replacing the top reading (delta time) from a value to a slider, centered in the middle of the screen. A bit like the indicator you would get in iRacing.

Thanks,
Jean

[Jean-Sebastien Stoezel]

Your method is a much simpler way of doing than trying to figure out where you are on the track. I could configure user variables on the logger and implement this algorithm, without the need to program the display.
The only limitation for this algorithm is if there's not enough of a speed difference between 2 consecutive corners, like in esses. In this case you would only get a minimum and maximum speed for the section.

Thanks,
Jean

The minimum corner speed function is common in many dash/logger systems. It's just done as a local minimum. Here's an algorithm that should get you started to find both local minimum and maximum speeds:

Set current maximum to 0.

If current speed is greater than maximum, update maximum speed.

Arm your minimum search (reset the minimum value) when the current speed is less than some small hysteresis amount (say 3-5mph) from the most recent maximum. BTW - you've found a new maximum speed -- update the display if you want this shown.

Keep updating the minimum as long as the new speed is less than the current minimum.

When the speed is greater than the minimum + hysteresis amount, you have found a new minimum -- update the display.

Start looking for a new maximum speed.

Sounds like you are quite skilled at making & programming devices. Very impressive.

[Jean-Sebastien Stoezel]

Hmm, I have yet to parse this packet out of the serial stream of data from the logger, but I believe it is directly available from the logger (not the displays).

Here's the definition of the packet:
http://www.race-technology.com/wiki/...dSectorChannel

Bytes 7 and 8 define the time slip. I had enabled the logging of this packet but can't find it in any of the logs I've collected. At this time I'm not sure it's because the logger couldn't relate to the track file I had stored on the card, or maybe the logger does not save this packet on the memory card (even though the GUI allows you to enable it), or if this packet is only sent when a display is connected, or...?

For sure the analysis software is able to calculate the time slip when I offload the data to my computer.

Thanks,
Jean

That's me!

From what I remember they do the predictive timing in their dash based on the distance/time info. Let me know if you need any run files, I can send you a recent one.

-Chris

[Tiago Santos]

Sounds like you are quite skilled at making & programming devices. Very impressive.

You have no idea Jean has surprised me over and over with his projects and things he comes up with. Every time I have an idea and I'm feeling all proud cause I think I'm smart, I shoot him and email and he replies with pictures of something similar he did like 10 years ago. Ugh..

[Steve Davis]

Not only that, but he also appears to be able to drive the 'P' out of a race car .. not to mention fathering children

Steve, FV80

[Jean-Sebastien Stoezel]

Hmm Tiago I don't remember those ground breaking projects you are referring to.

Either way Steve and Tiago, your checks are in the mail .

[JRMarchand]

Jean

I have no idea what sort of info is goes through the bike dash but this one has two screens, the dash is really important and bike engine ecu will not run without it. I dont think I would like to deal with the harness to the moto dash going through the whole center of the car, many wires, so it might get zipped tied to the chassis.

[Jean-Sebastien Stoezel]

Speaking of ultimate displays, this is the PCU-8D module that is being used in some of the 2014 F1s:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsOQWbJZ9mY&feature=youtu.be