YouTube - Prototype 1- New Animations

Scrolling animation. Funky color scroll.

pic micro controllers are so much fun. I wish I had the time to do stuff like this again. Damn you real job!!!!!


Edit:
never mind I just read the whole thread and realized you used a Arduino board for this. No matter still just as fun.

Ok in a few minutes there will be a mock up video of the matrix actually in the fog light assembly. Vid and more detailed write up to follow. Stay tuned...

Ok major milestone today. I set up a mock run of the matrix in the stock fog light assembly of my Z. And by mock.. i mean a lot of black tape and hook up wires.

I followed the guide to take out the fog light assembly. Then i followed the z fog light guide to rip apart the front red lens. Once in there, i black-taped the matrix to the back of the lens and taped the lens back onto the assembly. I didn't want to seal it shut yet.

I put the fog light assembly back in place, screwed it, bolted it, and fastened it.

Passing the wires out a hole in the back of the assembly, i hooked it up to my arduino, powered the arduino off my usb port on my eeepc and enjoyed the sight.

I changed all my animation to use either white or black. Needed to do this to penetrate the heavily smoked lens. Once i can find a way to get a clear lens on this thing, i can put back all the pretty colors. I left the matrix in the assembly for now. Got dark. I hope it dones't rain.

Anyways here is the short vid... to bad i don't have a real video camera.

YouTube - Prototype 1- Mock Up

^^ okay Raj, your showcasing in HIN 2010! lol i love the creativity! props again! :tup: funny u texted me while i was watching your video haha! take it easy bro! good luck with the Clear Lens! i'm sure you'll find a way ;)

Thanks dude. I still have a lot of work to do to get to HIN showcase status. And im sure with the collective intelligence of this forum an awesome clear lens solution will surface.

Looks great Diablo.. Def car show material. +1 for creativity :tup: and congratulations on your Z. as for clear lens, that will be a tough one to find.

Thanks AK. I think that's my first +1. Nice.

Nice work, i'll give you your 2nd +1 :tup:

Hey Thanks guys. Ok so here is the dilemma. I was thinking that going with a non clear lens would make more sense.
1. It will stay as OEM as possible.
2. I avoid any legal issues due to blue lights. I hear that can be a bi**h.
3. I can then fab an led board with just Red LEDs and design the contoller board for it. This would eventually be cheaper.
4. If i dont run the animations while i drive, i can still just leave it on to act as a fog light.

Any thoughts. And if anyone has PCB fab experience, care to PM me. Thanks.

Raj

Raj,

Here are my thoughts. Why not have the multi color LEDs do RED and White that way you get the Brake light and Reverse light. i.e. Have your controller pull the signal from the Brake lights and Have it also pull the signal from the reverse lights. Well lets call it Sequence A and Sequence B. When the controller receives a signal from source "Brakes" it runs Sequence A but when the controller receives a signal from source "reverse" it runs Sequence B.

By Doing this you could have several modes including a show mode giving you the best of all worlds. ;) trust me I already had plans to do something like this and talked to an electrician :D we were planing to animate the tail lights along with my headlights.

Yeah I think this is exactly what you should do. No colors just red LED's.

Also, just so you know, if there is animation while you are driving it is also considered illegal reguarldess of color. Its considered a 'distraction' on the road. Same thing happend with the LED message rims that came out a few years ago. People spent 15k on some rims that they couldn't even use on a public road.

If I were you by defualt I would connect to it to the speed and brake wire and only have it animate the message when the car is not moving and the brake is pushed. At the least only have it animate when the brake is pushed.

Then have an a couple buttons in the cabin to over ride and display a message any time you like when you know the coast is clear.

kdoske, yea i think i will be going this route. Its the most cost effective, and easisly DIY-able for others. Ill get back working on this project in a few days.

and not to mention easiest if you plan on making your own controller board for the LED matrix!

:tup:

Good luck, can't wait to see the finished product.

im going to install prototype one today. I want to rock this thing as soon as possible. Prototype 2 will be the custom led matrix, controller combo. I should get that one done by next month. Its getting pretty bz with work.