If you squint you can make it out.

As for your problem. It's not 'rolling' so v-sync is ok. hsync is probably out of whack. and/or the screen resolution settings aren't exactly right (remember the screen shot of powerstrip, the signal is sent wider and taller than what is actually displayed).

Are you using power strip for the above? or the german one you found?

You guys have phenominal knowledge, patience and im sure a little bit of cash to go with it.

Either way, im impressed with your work and ideas. Keep it up, one day ill come into the some knowledge, patience and hopefully cash and will be revisiting these threads for some work of my own.

Now now, stop saying stuff like that, it goes to our heads.

This has all been done before though. And there are ways to make this work better - such as with an ArcadeVGA video card - but the sacrifice is having to make it bigger.

Other types of name-brand full-size video cards also seem to work well.

But the trick here appears to be getting either S3 based VIA mini-itx systems to work (which they don't) or the Intel based systems with low-power passively cooled ATOM CPU's.

I just got back today from jaycar with all the bits i need to build a proper hsync+vsync to csync converter with polarity correction. So that'll be the next step... this step is also missing in the Fordmods ICC integration tutorial so if it works it might be something that needs to be retrofitted to the doc. I'm going to power it from the 5V and GND pins from a USB port. Wish me luck.


Lukeyson

Luck

Luck

Bingo!!!!!


Lukeyson is happy to confirm that the Intel 945 based chipset used in the new Intel Mini-ITX motherboards CAN be used to generate a 640x480 15.7kHz Horizontal 60 Hz vertical INTERLACED RGB output.

It worked fine with the hsync and vsync twisted together, but I will still assemble my csync combination circuit for safety.

I also noticed that the Video interface for the ICC has a 5V supply pin. Now that's convenient for a hsync + vsync to csync conversion circuit now isn't it....! I'd wondered what the heck that was there fore and now I know!

I do have an artefact at the bottom of the screen so some of my timing settings might not be quite right.

But get this. The way I had to do this was to download the 92M Intel IEGD Driver Creation toolkit, then download another 72M of the free Watcom C/C++ compiler, and COMPILE my own custom drivers for the 945.

It was pretty easy actually truth be told, but boy, I had to recompile the bastard 20 times before I got it just right.

That's the biggest barrier out of the way - I can now make use of the 3rd Video INput on my carconverters unit!

Now to acquire the hardware and make myself a mount.


Lukeyson

 

 

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Did you have to change code? or just compile from the code you downloaded?

If so, why doesn't the regular driver work?


Congrats BTW.

Well, it was obviously an interlaced issue. The 'Standard Resolutions' available for the GMA driver didn't include any interlace resolutions down there. Soft15khz could set the right Modelines but it appeared to ignore the Interlaced value.

Generating a new driver was really quite easy - these tools are supplied by Intel for creating 'Embedded' Drivers and Video Bios' for the intel chipsets. It was just a matter of compiling a new driver that had interlaced enabled for the refresh rate and resolution I was after.

I'll do a how-to if there's any great interest. But I'm putting my order in for a D945GCLF2 and enough bits to get it going today.....

Next is a case+ps, mounting it right in the GPS spot, cabling, touch-screen overlay and Centrafuse.

Game on!


Lukeyson

The sync converter has evolved - for the better actually, to make my life easier and to make the horrible mess of twisted wires and resistors on the end of my VGA to ICC cable go away.

I'm going to put together a prototype on Veroboard that takes a VGA in on one side and puts out the ICC input on the other. That way we can use a pre-made VGA cable to link it, and the smarts we need are in the black box between the cable and the ICC.

So it will do everything - set the GND return pins for the VGA so the PC can detect that something is connected, take 5V out of the ICC for power, and do the hysnc to vsync conversion. That way anyone will be able to do it.

I'm struggling to find anything other than 'good prices in other countries' or 'local suppliers who know how to mark-up with style' sources for the VoomPC2. I was keen on that unit mainly for the ability to do built-in DVD.

I've started looking at the cases from Mobile Computing Solutions and was initially turned off by the idea of having an external DVD drive.

But then I got to thinking. If I have a 4-Port USB Hub in the Tissue Box, I could use that to power the Touch-Screen, have a localised DVD Drive in the tissue box as well, and also have the ability to, say, plugin a USB stick. Maybe I'll need one of those leather XR 'flaps' to cover it over. Hmmm


Lukeyson

Last edited by Lukeyson on Sat Jan 17, 2009 10:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Try find one of the older 'slot load' PC DVD drives, source one in black (or remove and paint the bezel) and you'll be set.

Already ahead of you, but not by much...... http://store.mo-co-so.com/index.php?mai ... ucts_id=32

Those are the guys that also do the case that's more rugged than the VoomPC2. http://store.mo-co-so.com/index.php?mai ... x&cPath=17

They're also up on eBay: http://stores.ebay.com.au/The-Mobile-Computing-Solution

To be honest though, those drives aren't cheap. And I have access to some surplus tray-units, so to be honest I might be more inclined to go this way: http://store.mo-co-so.com/index.php?mai ... ucts_id=70


Lukeyson

just a suggestion - a cheap EeePC

if your creative, you wont need a pwr transformer and you wont need a ups as you can get software to make the battery relise whats going on and hibanate

The Tissue Box tray doesn't look to be anywhere near deep enough for a USB optical drive. If it's going to happen, it will have to happen with a hack-saw and a steady hand.

A quick look around the back of a Tissue Box and Power tray I have to hand makes me think that this might actually be possible. From there it will depend on how much space there is behind the tray itself in the car.


Hmmm.


Lukeyson

A cheap what?

Eee PC - google / wiki it.

very very cheap laptop. they can run cut down versions of xp (or even pirated ones like mirco or tiny that boot super fast) very small and saves mucking around with ups and inverters