I've been wondering, what would be involved in having a computer interpret
and display gauge readings.

By this I mean something such as having a laptop receiving inputs from the
various gauge sending units such as oil pressure, engine temp etc. and then
displaying them in some way.

I don't believe this is something I would actually do, it's just I was on a
long drive yesterday and it got into my head and I would really like to
figure it out.

I've googled unsuccessfully (I'm ashamed to admit) so if anyone can point me
in a direction ...

I have been thinking along similar lines. I think one of the problems is
that all the different analog gages one might encounter would need some sort
of intelligence between them and the computer to convert their measurements
into something the computer could understand. Most likely a microcontroller
and and Analog to Digital Converter (ADC). The microcontroller would handle
the gathering of the digital data and forwarding it to the main computer in
some sort of "standard" format such as a NMEAlike string. I am kind of
thinking a on-board LAN might work. There is some software out there that
does this with NMEA talkers already.

Anyway, it is doable but at what price?????

HTH

Vic

--
__________________________________________________ ______

Victor Fraenckel - The Windman
vfraenc1 ATSIGN nycap DOT rr DOTcom
KC2GUI

Home of the WindReader Electronic Theodolite
Read the WIND

"Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long
and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival."
- Winston [Leonard Spencer] Churchill (1874 - 1965)

Dost thou not know, my son, with how little wisdom the world is governed?
-Count Oxenstierna (ca 1620) to the young King Gustavus Adolphus

|

I have been thinking along similar lines. I think one of the problems is
that all the different analog gages one might encounter would need some sort
of intelligence between them and the computer to convert their measurements
into something the computer could understand. Most likely a microcontroller
and and Analog to Digital Converter (ADC). The microcontroller would handle
the gathering of the digital data and forwarding it to the main computer in
some sort of "standard" format such as a NMEAlike string. I am kind of
thinking a on-board LAN might work. There is some software out there that
does this with NMEA talkers already.

Anyway, it is doable but at what price?????

HTH

Vic

--
__________________________________________________ ______

Victor Fraenckel - The Windman
vfraenc1 ATSIGN nycap DOT rr DOTcom
KC2GUI

Home of the WindReader Electronic Theodolite
Read the WIND

"Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long
and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival."
- Winston [Leonard Spencer] Churchill (1874 - 1965)

Dost thou not know, my son, with how little wisdom the world is governed?
-Count Oxenstierna (ca 1620) to the young King Gustavus Adolphus

|

There are many many ways a hobbyist could do this ... if you are serious, I
suggest you head down to your local college, discuss your intent, and get
yourself into the appropriate evening course(s).

If it was me, I'm thinking all the required leads come up front. There they
could be multiplexed by an appropraite analog to digital converter, read by
your program and displayed by your program. If it was me, I'd do up the
drivers in assembler with the application in Visual Basic.

I prefer the look of guages on board ... okokok ... except for my fishfinder
.... I won't even consider a car that has a digital dash ... but I can see
that digital could be a cost saver.


"Paul" wrote in message
gers.com...
I've been wondering, what would be involved in having a computer interpret
and display gauge readings.

By this I mean something such as having a laptop receiving inputs from the
various gauge sending units such as oil pressure, engine temp etc. and
then
displaying them in some way.

I don't believe this is something I would actually do, it's just I was on
a
long drive yesterday and it got into my head and I would really like to
figure it out.

I've googled unsuccessfully (I'm ashamed to admit) so if anyone can point
me
in a direction ...

There are many many ways a hobbyist could do this ... if you are serious, I
suggest you head down to your local college, discuss your intent, and get
yourself into the appropriate evening course(s).

If it was me, I'm thinking all the required leads come up front. There they
could be multiplexed by an appropraite analog to digital converter, read by
your program and displayed by your program. If it was me, I'd do up the
drivers in assembler with the application in Visual Basic.

I prefer the look of guages on board ... okokok ... except for my fishfinder
.... I won't even consider a car that has a digital dash ... but I can see
that digital could be a cost saver.


"Paul" wrote in message
gers.com...
I've been wondering, what would be involved in having a computer interpret
and display gauge readings.

By this I mean something such as having a laptop receiving inputs from the
various gauge sending units such as oil pressure, engine temp etc. and
then
displaying them in some way.

I don't believe this is something I would actually do, it's just I was on
a
long drive yesterday and it got into my head and I would really like to
figure it out.

I've googled unsuccessfully (I'm ashamed to admit) so if anyone can point
me
in a direction ...

Maybe cruise on over to ... rec.boats.electronics ... and start a thread
there.

"bowgus" wrote in message
. rogers.com...
There are many many ways a hobbyist could do this ... if you are serious,
I
suggest you head down to your local college, discuss your intent, and get
yourself into the appropriate evening course(s).

If it was me, I'm thinking all the required leads come up front. There
they
could be multiplexed by an appropraite analog to digital converter, read
by
your program and displayed by your program. If it was me, I'd do up the
drivers in assembler with the application in Visual Basic.

I prefer the look of guages on board ... okokok ... except for my
fishfinder
... I won't even consider a car that has a digital dash ... but I can see
that digital could be a cost saver.


"Paul" wrote in message
gers.com...
I've been wondering, what would be involved in having a computer
interpret
and display gauge readings.

By this I mean something such as having a laptop receiving inputs from
the
various gauge sending units such as oil pressure, engine temp etc. and
then
displaying them in some way.

I don't believe this is something I would actually do, it's just I was
on
a
long drive yesterday and it got into my head and I would really like to
figure it out.

I've googled unsuccessfully (I'm ashamed to admit) so if anyone can
point
me
in a direction ...

Maybe cruise on over to ... rec.boats.electronics ... and start a thread
there.

"bowgus" wrote in message
. rogers.com...
There are many many ways a hobbyist could do this ... if you are serious,
I
suggest you head down to your local college, discuss your intent, and get
yourself into the appropriate evening course(s).

If it was me, I'm thinking all the required leads come up front. There
they
could be multiplexed by an appropraite analog to digital converter, read
by
your program and displayed by your program. If it was me, I'd do up the
drivers in assembler with the application in Visual Basic.

I prefer the look of guages on board ... okokok ... except for my
fishfinder
... I won't even consider a car that has a digital dash ... but I can see
that digital could be a cost saver.


"Paul" wrote in message
gers.com...
I've been wondering, what would be involved in having a computer
interpret
and display gauge readings.

By this I mean something such as having a laptop receiving inputs from
the
various gauge sending units such as oil pressure, engine temp etc. and
then
displaying them in some way.

I don't believe this is something I would actually do, it's just I was
on
a
long drive yesterday and it got into my head and I would really like to
figure it out.

I've googled unsuccessfully (I'm ashamed to admit) so if anyone can
point
me
in a direction ...

"bowgus" wrote in message
. rogers.com...
Maybe cruise on over to ... rec.boats.electronics ... and start a thread
there.

Thanks, that seems to have been a good idea.

"bowgus" wrote in message
. rogers.com...
Maybe cruise on over to ... rec.boats.electronics ... and start a thread
there.

Thanks, that seems to have been a good idea.

Arguably electronics can be made as reliable as anything else these
days, EXCEPT FOR LIGHTNING STRIKES. Reports here and on private lists
suggest that any "near" strike takes out about 90% of all electronics
around it. There are exceptions, but they are not consistent and most
people report all electronics on board get totaled, often right down to
and including the batteries.

For this reason, you may want to factor the possible loss of _all_
electronics into your systems planning. Hi-tec requires trade offs for
most of us: Eg. between time spent learning morse code or signal flags
and that needed for assembling hi-tech electronics; the money spent on
flares, fog horn, bells, and really good ground tackle as opposed to
that spent for digital equipment. Time sailing and learning boat
handling vs. time drawing up flow charts.

I would suggest that it's a mistake, from the standpoint of
seaworthiness, to put too many resources into hi-tec stuff if you short
change the equally expensive but less toy-like basics. And once you
acquire the basics, the hi-tec gizmos seem much less relavent or
important. Learning _and practicing_ good coastal navigation is not
trivial - but once you can do it, a GPS is optional. If you want hi-tec,
get radar - _then learn how to use it properly_. The latter is time
consuming and seriously non-trivial.

Rufus


Paul wrote:
I've been wondering, what would be involved in having a computer interpret
and display gauge readings.

By this I mean something such as having a laptop receiving inputs from the
various gauge sending units such as oil pressure, engine temp etc. and then
displaying them in some way.

I don't believe this is something I would actually do, it's just I was on a
long drive yesterday and it got into my head and I would really like to
figure it out.

I've googled unsuccessfully (I'm ashamed to admit) so if anyone can point me
in a direction ...