Well I've been working with some other Megasquirt guys on developing a LCD dash/gauge cluster. The LCD screen will be purchased, but the controller needs to be designed and built. My role in all of this was to turn this drawing:



into something practical.

And here is the result.




There'* still a lot of room at the top of the PCB. There are still a couple of inputs on the processor to fill in with .... something. Maybe a speed sensor circuit for a speedometer or something. Also, this board runs on 5V which is currently set up to be supplied by the Megasquirt. I think it would be a good idea for it to have it'* own power supply circuit.

check it out, it runs on AA cells!

also, a 5 volt regulator is easy enough to integrate into nearly any design...

Nah, those are backup for the clock/calender. Its a PCF8583. It wasn't my idea to use two AA batteries. Honestly, on my board, I'll just use an old cell phone battery.

Jon.. just an idea. On pinball machines etc they used to put AA batteries on the PCB'* for memory etc like in your case. Over time or jostling around the batteries would sometimes leak and corrode/destroy the pcb. With all the work you've done, I'd hate to see that happen. A cheap RS plastic battery tray with wires running to the pcb can be a wonderful thing when batteries leak.

I agree with you. I don't understand why it'* even necessary in the first place. I mean, the car has a battery. But it'* not my design...

RevB



I think it will be called MegaLCD, but we haven't decided on a name. We dropped the rechargeable batteries and the charging circuit. Also dropped the onboard switches and put a header for an external rotary wheel with pushbutton for menu navigation. Still no onboard power supply, but I'll get them to change their minds...

I'm liking those changes.

Just ordered:

http://www.atpturbo.com/mm5/merchant..._Code=ATP-OIL2

and

http://www.atpturbo.com/mm5/merchant..._Code=ATP-OIL2

NOW I think I will finally have everything I need to install this turbo.

Also, I was able to get a supply circuit added to the MegaLCD. Also, the calender chip will dropped and a calender will be implemented in code instead. We are also cutting out the pullup resistors because we 'think' that the chip will be able to do without. This REALLY simplify the board and shrink it down some more. More on that this weekend after the circuit is redesigned.

This should do it...

Hopefully the turbo will be under the hood this weekend.

Awsome write-up!!