Building my first MPGuino: Help?
 

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This thread was originally made to help me troubleshoot building my own mpguino but has now turned into my mpguino install thread. Hope you enjoy.




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You have all the parts right. The wiki has a link to some out of date software about 75% down, says something like "You must use version 0011 or it won't fit", but that isn't applicable for your Uno R3 because it has a bigger ROM (atmega328 vs 128). You could use it and it would work fine, but there's newer code available. This is a link to the latest code:

http://opengauge.googlecode.com/svn/...no/mpguino.cpp

To install it on your device, download the arduino software from here:

Arduino - Software

Once you have it open, copy and past the code into your empty sketch. You'll need to change a few lines because the prebuilt MPGuinos are 20mhz instead of 16mhz like the Uno, which will skew all of your numbers if not corrected for. If you scroll down just a bit in the code you'll see the following:

"//" means the line of code isn't used, so add "//" to the 20mhz lines and remove them from the 16mhz lines so they look like the 20's did, or change the 20mhz section's values to be the same as the 16mhz section's. (that's what I did)

Make sure under "tools" you have the Uno selected as your board, and the right port (might take some trial and error if you have a bunch) and then hit Upload.

Thank you very much Ecky, i was actually hoping you would be the one to reply because you seem to be the person who has most recently build and troubleshooted one of these. I will follow you directions to a T as soon as i get my parts. Will post pictures and maybe even make a tutorial for the forum if it would be helpful. Thanks again.

No problem, I look forward to seeing your finished product!

Got everything and soldered it all up, one row of the 16x2 screen has black boxes.. powers up good tho? That ok?

I tried uploading the code to it and it verifys fine but just keeps uploading?? Like forever.. :/ The RX and TX led's aren't flashing like the tutorial said it would either. HELP!!

I know you probably have, but check your wiring again. Black boxes can be a result of one of the wires to the screen having a poor connection. I have a poor connection somewhere in mine and I get a line of black boxes if I drop it while it's plugged in.

What gauge wire did you use? If they're really small, I suppose it's possible that your poor connection lies not in your solder points but where you plug your wires into the arduino board.

As for uploading the code, you should be able to do it with a bare arduino board, you won't need the screen or wires to flash the ROM. I'll bring mine upstairs in a bit and see what it does when I flash it.

Either it just keeps uploading or i get this error code..

avrdude: stk500_recv(): programmer is not responding


Yeah i took EVERYTHING off and just tried uploading the basic blink code and it wont. So discouraged. Idk what to do now? I chose the correct board and input..

I seem to remember seeing that error code and I got past it somehow. In your device manager, make sure that when your Arduino is plugged in, you have a device called "Arduino UNO R3 (COM3)" under "Ports (COM & LPT)". If not you may need to install the drivers which are in the arduino folder.

In the Arduino program please check the following: under Tools->Board have "Arduino UNO" and Tools->Port "COM3" (unless yours is COM1) selected.

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/6007/arduino1.png

Under "Sketch" when I click "Verify/Compile", it says:
Binary sketch size: 17072 bytes (of a 32256 byte maximum)

^ Which is good. When uploading the sketch, try hitting File->Upload, rather than File->Upload using Programmer.

So i got it all together and it works great! Only one problem, the first line of my 16x2 display is blank. So say the x's are what i want, this is what it looks like.. [ ]XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX The box is where its blank.. nothing shows up there nomatter what i do.

Im hoping its a defective lcd? HELP!

Possible, but I'd be more inclined to check for a poor solder point or a wire not in the right place before ordering another.

:( i checked almost everything. Its actually half of the first row.. so it cuts off just half of the first letter.

Im about to say f this whole thing.. i've spent 10 hrs soldering this thing trying to get it to work and theres always something wrong.

I know well how you feel. I'm not entirely certain what wire carries what signal but my common issues when assembling mine were quarter-screen blank/corrupted, half screen, or whole screen, which leads me to believe that each quarter probably has its own dedicated data wire.

If you're tired of fooling, it seems while you were working on yours JellyBeanDriver finished manufacturing a ton of really good looking premade MPGuinos. I'm tempted to retire mine for the smaller form factor his has and just use my arduino to reprogram the flash chip when updates come out to the code.

Bought one from jellybeandriver, he does amazing work.

Currently running the wires through my car, have them all installed but now my radio won't turn on :b. guess i have some wiring to work out lol. Will post pics and such when its all put together. I think im doing something with the install i haven't seen before :)

Some new pics of how the install is going:

Injector signal:
http://s13.postimage.org/7figbaxev/photo.jpg

Where i ran the injector signal through the firewall:
http://s13.postimage.org/4myfirbtz/photo_1.jpg

VSS:
http://s13.postimage.org/47ikc00iv/photo_2.jpg

Power and ground from my stereo:
http://s13.postimage.org/82lyekjon/photo_3.jpg

How i "hid" my injector signal:
http://s13.postimage.org/m1e2dajl3/photo_9.jpg

Mess of wires:
http://s13.postimage.org/cn84ti3dz/photo_4.jpg

Phone jacks cut:
http://s13.postimage.org/imvvx5o6f/photo_5.jpg

Planning...
http://s13.postimage.org/f200dxjmv/photo_6.jpg

Planning...
http://s13.postimage.org/x3j5bqdnr/photo_7.jpg

Almost done:
http://s13.postimage.org/o78d7sn1j/photo_8.jpg

Made some progress on the case today. Everything looks realllllly good :)

Phone jack in case:
http://s19.postimage.org/mcby7033n/photo_1.jpg

How i cut it to fit:
http://s19.postimage.org/tqwolmzlf/photo_2.jpg

Fan hole, there will be a screen added to keep dust out:
http://s19.postimage.org/6znlz8ek3/photo.jpg

And finally the screen hole, fits like a glove :)
http://s19.postimage.org/7doxytynn/photo_3.jpg

Why do you need a fan?

I don't NEED one, I wanted one. But unless I can find a switched ground it might not be worth the extra effort and I'll just use that as a vent hole. Believe it or not these black cases suck up some heat in the summer.

If you want power to fan only when ignitiuon is on, then it is easier to use 12V from ignition (or use fuse box and locate fuse which is powered when ign. is on) and ground. I doubt you'll find switched ground.

I'd rather not start cutting into my ignition harness, I already have enough wires going everywhere. Might just use a switched 12v fuse source.

I see now why you were asking for a +5V supply.

I don't recommend adding the fan. All you'd end up doing is adding more heat to the unit via regulator power dissipation. High heat on the LCD display itself may cause the image to darken, but it is reversible and true for all LCD's in the hot sun.

Thanks for the advice, i will add a screen where the fan would have gone to allow some heat to dissipate.

Long story.... but i had the mpguino working and in the box and i took it all out because the hot glue melted all over because it was sitting in the sun. I've since built it into my tach gauge and it looks great. Just need some new tact switches.

Bummer. Yeah, hot melt inside a car doesn't work well if the item is in the sun on the dash. Epoxy works well but isn't very reworkable.

No worries, I'm much happier with the new install anyways. Pics will come when I get my switches in.

Well i haven't got my switches in yet but heres a couple snapshots of the install. :) Comments are appreciated. I kind of copied another member who did it on his 94 civic coupe, but i think i did it a little cleaner. No light shines from around the display at night. Works great!

http://s19.postimage.org/4lsuta6cz/photo_4.jpg

http://s19.postimage.org/ncus3g0xf/photo_5.jpg

Wow! Looks great!