Heads up Display?

[i_am_socket]

Originally Posted by Nevyn

Use a flexible cutting board from the kitchen dept. They're like 1 or 2 mm plastic. Use tape or something to mark off the segments, then spray it black. It'll diffuse nicely, and be opaque everywhere else - as well as cutting brightness down a little.

That sounds like a pretty good plan.

[Nevyn]

Walmart.com: Progressive Color-Coded Chopping Mats, Set of 6: Kitchen & Dining

Little pricey in my opinion. I think the dollar store here where I live has generic "white" ones.

[2003protege]

I came up with a dirt cheap option that has yielded some pretty good results.

I took my number template (attached) and secured a strip of clear packing tape (sticky side up) on top of it. Then I cut small strips of aluminum foil and progressively covered sections of the pattern. After I was done I covered the foil side of the assembly with another strip of clear packing tape.

I really wish I had a camera here because this came out really well with really crisp edges . I'll try to get pics up asap.

[2003protege]

Originally Posted by Nevyn

Use a flexible cutting board from the kitchen dept. They're like 1 or 2 mm plastic. Use tape or something to mark off the segments, then spray it black. It'll diffuse nicely, and be opaque everywhere else - as well as cutting brightness down a little.

I have a spare sheet of Plexiglas that I'm gonna sand down for a diffusing layer.

[sanarota]

[bizarrely off-topic post removed by admin]

[2003protege]

...huh?

[Eddles]

I know this is not what you all are looking to do, just giving you all a heads-up. I've got this HG100 GPS HUD in my car so I can keep a close eye at the speed at *all* times without needing to glance at the speedometer all the time. This works quite well even in the daytime, and I didn't bother using the supplied tint. This helps me to keep my speed constant, thus increasing MPG slightly. This is bright enough that they had to put in a light sensor to dim the display when dark. I brought this for about $60. This also has a bluetooth link so I can use this with other things such as mobile phones etc, and the display can be turned off. Well useful gadget, and I'm very impressed with it. Chinese designed and built, but very good quality, better than most stuff I've seen (Euro made, US made, whatever). Even the packing was the best I've seen, I felt quite guilty to put it in the recycling bin, wanted to put it on a display shelf! This originally cost $150 which *is* far too excessive, but $60 is a lot more reasonable.

Unfortunately, this doesn't have MPG info, which is what we all want, eh!

[i_am_socket]

Well, technically it works on the same principal with the hard edged diffused LED display. If you find a busted one and hook up to the Guino's serial output, you're all set :-)

[JasonG]

Instead of trying to add layers/distortion to reduce brightness, has anyone tried using a potentiometer as a dimmer switch ?
Reduce V IN and output will drop accordingly. I used to make LED annunciator panels. To get the clients attention where it was more critical we used different values of resistors. The rule is you can overdrive the LED until it gets warm safely. Run the voltage up until it gets hot(very briefly), back down until its only warm, then measure the ohms of the pot. Place a fixed value resistor of that value inline with the pot and it will prevent the hand on the pot from blowing anything.
Keep us posted !!!!

[Purple004]

Any word on the finished product and photos?