Alright guys here is a taste, this is a picture of the last frame of the video render that finished super late last night. I will be posting it to YouTube today then re-posting it here to the forum so keep a lookout!

http://www.the370z.com/members/asorg...ess-so-far.jpg

Wow! I like it. Looks great. I'd like to have a mod like that for my Z.

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I bet a lot of people would rather have this than almost anything else on the market right now, it doesn't seem like there's an easy streamlined way to do it. With that said, please don't charge an arm and a leg to people if you decide to starting selling these :)


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Here is a very short video showing the dash part in full 360 degrees!

Hey man that's the goal by the time that I finish this for my car I'm hoping that people love this as much as me and want something like this for their Z as well. My goal is to make this the best that I can and as affordable as possible to! Hell I'm building for me and I like getting the best for my dollar why wouldn't everyone else. :ugh2:

Let's do this and make it happen for everyone!

Subd

This is an awesome idea!

OP - what's the source for the tablet here? Was it a custom touch-panel with a mini-itx running in the background?

No tablet here, I'm going to be using a Mini-ITX based computer running an over-sized 15.6 widescreen monitor laid portrait style similar to the Tesla command center. Everything will be concealed behind the monitor except for USB and AUX ports. I'm also going to include a DVD drive bay. Most people don't seem to use them in cars anymore but just in case. It keeps me from having to redesign to add if people request it.

Ive got all my scan files to load into solidworks from the point cloud files. I can save them as whatever now. Did you take your point cloud then save it as a .obj file to begin editing?

I did save it out as a .obj those files seem to play nicer in 3ds MAX. But because the scan saves all the individual polygons as Tris instead of easier to work with rectangles I decided to overlay a plane on top of the model and morph it to the shapes I needed for ease in modifying to fit the screen.

I'm nearly done recreating the original but now the hard work comes into play in the redesign. The good news is since I took the model down from 3 million polys to about 2500 right now. I added modifiers to smooth it out bringing the count to about 50,000 but still substantially better than before. I can also turn on/off that modifier to make it easier to change as needed.

Could a PS4 be tied in ?

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It's very possible but as I am myself a pc gamer I just have to throw this out there. Since the PC runs on Windows you can install steam and play games directly on it even using your Xbox controller for it with no extra hardware or software. You could even play COD multiplayer over WiFi if you wanted.

The PC is set up for multiple video inputs so I am hoping at a later time to be able to replace all of the analog gauges with digital gauges or mini screens that can run off of and display custom data. Such as digital speedo in front of the steering wheel and different inputs on the dash gauge cluster above the radio.

the funny thing is i am not an audio/videophile by a long shot, but this setup makes me smile more and more as you continue to develop it. I WANT IT!!

Hey how about instead of a 2nd USB port have an HDMI port? People can buy a USB expansion anyway right?


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OP - you mentioned 15.6" screen - is that a touchscreen?

Other options would be like a surface tablet where everything is already all in one - look at the Yoga2 - 13" and everything built in. Just a thought :)

HDMI input or output?

An input brother! Plug in that freaking Xbox or play station haha :D


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OP covered that...


Use the gaming service "Steam" on a computer and you can use an Xbox controller to play w/o a mouse

Hahaha I am a total tech nerd so I'm gonna be honest I'm jonesing just to get my hands on this too lol!!

So I would be able to play Xbox on it basically?


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Yeah Had been thinking about a tablet and I am still going to look into it as an option for a final product. But at least in the beginning it is far cheaper to build a PC and buy a monitor than it is to get a surface. It also allows me to get two other things that I want. And that is to utilize more of the space available at the same time providing a much larger screen. It also allows for for more modibility later as needed.

Yes games offered on Xbox are typically offered on steam as well. something else to think about is the monitor I am looking into right now has multiple outputs so you could run your own HDMI behind the dash and hide the cord. Plug it in as needed to do Xbox/Playstaion instead of the PC. The same way as switching your TV inputs. That may be best because most people might never use the HDMI if it was on the dash... That's my thought anyway, what do you all think?:ugh2:

No new real design updates today, instead last night I went out to look at a new place in D.C. It has a lot more room than my current apartment, but the most important thing it had was working shop area! So if I can get this place I will have an area to start the molds and prototyping when I get to that stage. Which seems to be coming faster than I expected might I add!

Out of curiosity what monitor are you looking at, and I believe this was covered elsewhere but what kind of power situation would you hope to achieve, Can a car battery handle that type of power being pulled without causing issues?

Very nice, a workshop in the apartment complex? Never heard of that around here

This is what I have been looking at but I am still trying to get a better deal from the vendor or find another much cheaper monitor option.
VSL150-HW 15in widescreen LED metal enclosure touchscreen open frame monitor, VGA monitor screen touch, touch screen display planar elo microtouch

There are other cheaper options but their quality is lacking too (i.e. doesn't support enough touch points, lower resolution, no HDMI, etc.). So its a tough battle deciding which way to go lol.

Well I'm looking to get out of the apartment scene so I looked at a house rental instead. However in Annapolis there was an apartment complex that offered 1 or 2 car garages for an additional rent.

So I was throwing an idea around with my GF over dinner last night and she liked it so I wanted your opinions before I start making things more complicated for myself.

OK here it is, I tossed out the idea of making the monitor be able to come out of the dash a little and rotate so you can use the widescreen portrait style for movies games etc. Anyway what do you all think?

http://www.the370z.com/members/asorg...sla-screen.jpg

Eh, not sure how I feel about that. Even watching it on a vertical screen will be pretty decent...a standard 15.6" screen has decent dimensions when watching it vertically right?

Also, you never mentioned where this screen is coming from, is a touch-screen from a laptop or a standalone touch panel?

The other idea I had to throw at you was the "mouse" that most cars with nav have these days. My wife's lexus has this "mouse" which is VERY useful - I prefer it over the touch!
http://cdn-static.cnet.co.uk/i/produ...x330-mouse.jpg

I had posted a link to the monitor I have been looking at so far, its a standalone industrial touchscreen here's the link:
VSL150-HW 15in widescreen LED metal enclosure touchscreen open frame monitor, VGA monitor screen touch, touch screen display planar elo microtouch
Like I mentioned earlier still looking around for a better or cheaper solution and working with the vendor on pricing as we speak.

The "mouse" I should definitely look into especially at least as an accessory. It may be a good idea instead of to reduce cost if necessary. And yeah in vertical mode the clarity will still be great at the size. Esentially you will still have at minimum a double DIN sized screen for viewing (7"+ widescreen styled) and still have the lower half for controls etc.

I totally didn't answer your question Array. As far as power is concerned the PC doesn't pull nearly as much as a full home PC or gaming PC would. Most mini-ITX boards don't come with or even require fans to cool them down. Essentially the power drain ins't substantial. There are many DC-DC power supplies out there to power and not damage your car or system (Home PC's covert AC-DC for the components).

I worked on the dash design last night for a few hours. I manage to rough out the most of the back paneling. I only have the driver vent and push button start left to model and refine. Then I get to add the mounting tabs. Almost ready for the redesign and screen fit! Now the fun really begins!

Thats what I had thought, I am a techy guy myself however have never dealt with an ITX. The idea of throwing a good machine into the Zs console gives me chills, with the power of a computer it can give a lot more value and even more ideas can bloom from this, but this is really turning out to look good and thought through.

Do you have an expectation on completion or a rough goal?

Also! good luck on the home searching!

Been watching this, and on the topic of PC, why not look at things like Raspberry Pi & its competitors?
You do not need a ton of processing power for most things, and it is small & lightweight enough for the area it needs to fit.

Hey thanks man, I appreciate that. I spent nearly the first 6 months researching and looking for existing products. So I tried to give it as much forethought as possible. I hope when I finish this that others can push this farther than I've dreamed up!

Right now if everything stays on my schedule I expect to have the Alpha design installed in my car and testing in about 3 months from now. I nailed down the place with shop space yesterday so I'm very excited to have that soon as well.

I had thought about the Pi in the beginning and it's a great product. But for everything I want to do (i.e. multiple future screens, integrated climate controls, gaming, etc.) it is too limiting. After pulling out the cubby, radio, and climate controls you could nearly crawl around (not really... but seriously). The whole Mini-ITX case enclosure will be the size of the stock head unit so there will be plenty of space available to accommodate the build IMO.

I made a test today of importing my progress from 3ds MAX into Inventor to more accurately check measurements and assemble later with my other 3d models. I took a screenshot with a clear mesh from the front so you can see what is left in the lighter area. And another from the rear to show the progress I've made. What do you think?

http://www.the370z.com/members/asorg...-7-10-2015.jpg
http://www.the370z.com/members/asorg...-7-10-2015.jpg

on the topic of the screen pulling out and rotating, i tend to agree with darkphantom.
Looking at the screen dimensions, and running some basic numbers, it seems you'd have two 10" displays in the car in the current portrait mode. given the fact it's a two-seater and you are going to be close to the screen seems like this is more than enough.

You are pretty close based on the dimensions given to me by the vendor it would actually be about like two 7" x 7" screens since its a 16:8 aspect ratio (found a different monitor today lol). I'm beginning to agree with you two though. I think when it spins it will end up hitting the steering wheel. Plus you would have to go to windows settings just to switch from portrait to landscape view. A lot of effort just for that...:shakes head:

Ok, now I am interested. Looks cool. Keep working it.

Hey just a quick thought... Though it sounds like it won't happen or won't be able to be done... How about those curved screens? Since it's gonna be sitting in the center having a curved screen would allow the driver/copilot to be able to see everything better/easier?


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LOL! Thanks jpkirk for giving it a look through!