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Old Jul 22, 2010 | 09:03 PM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Dazzlme603
Does anyone know in a 1997 corvette what the plastic cover is called beside the ignitition??

My b/f has a hole to the left of the iginition and I want to buy him the cover that is missing. It looks like it could have been an upgrade but never was one installed.

I have a Black one that I removed from My Car...I changed the Colors of My interior It Was all black...Now It is Shale and Black...

OR gmpartsdirect OR ebay...
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Old Jul 22, 2010 | 09:12 PM
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Originally Posted by D4rKpas
I have the HUD out of a C5[?] Corvette and I am having trouble making it turn on... What else do I need to do in order to make it turn on (other than putting +12v and ground to it)? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

SO...Are you wanting to put this into a C5 Corvette That did Not come with One???

IF So...I put one in my 1998...Which was NOT ever an Option in 98 ...

#1...You will need either another dash...OR...Cut yours and Buy a Trim Bezel...The Underside of the dash has a place for it...Just Need to cut it out...

#2...A HUD Ready Instrument Cluster...

#3...The little Wire Harness to go from the Cluster to the Projector...

You will have a Code for the air bag system which will read something like...No Communication...
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Old Jul 22, 2010 | 09:35 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by BlownVette67
SO...Are you wanting to put this into a C5 Corvette That did Not come with One???
Didn't read through the posts, huh?

He trying to install in into a BMW. Major undertaking.
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Old Jul 22, 2010 | 09:47 PM
  #24  
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I am having the hardest time ever figuring out how the display works. It is either a LCD or a VFD...
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Old Jul 22, 2010 | 10:54 PM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by D4rKpas


I am having the hardest time ever figuring out how the display works. It is either a LCD or a VFD...
Go back to the schematic I posted. It notes VFD....
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Old Jul 22, 2010 | 11:30 PM
  #26  
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The drawing from post#8 clearly states that it is a VFD.

Originally Posted by D4rKpas


I am having the hardest time ever figuring out how the display works. It is either a LCD or a VFD...


If you REALLY want to make a circuit to interface to this, I would suggest utilizing the existing VFD driver circuit, and program a microcontroller board to interface with it.

Do you have any experience with this sort of thing?

Last edited by lespaulr0cker; Jul 22, 2010 at 11:32 PM.
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Old Jul 23, 2010 | 02:41 AM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by Blue 92
Didn't read through the posts, huh?

He trying to install in into a BMW. Major undertaking.
Well Duh I did I did not see the BMW in the on quote...Even though I read it two times...

SO...Are you planning on swapping in a LS motor and computer along with all the necessary components for this to work...

Kinda like trying to convert a MAC to a Dell or HP...OR Atari...Something about being compatible...

JUST BUY A CORVETTE...Stop Dreaming...
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Old Jul 23, 2010 | 02:42 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by BlownVette67
JUST BUY A CORVETTE...Stop Dreaming...
Don't need to dream. My dad has one and he lets me drive it.

VFD makes it somewhat easier because I have a faint idea of how to interface with them (old microwave VFD). And, screw the driver chip. It is a GM specific chip that has been covered with epoxy. Btw, the pins from the VFD run straight to the chip, no driver circuit. I just have to figure out what voltage the element runs at and what voltage the 'pixels' run at. I'm guessing 3.3v for the element and 5v for the 'pixels'.

As for the microcontroller... I'll just use an arduino mega and an acer aspire one with an OBD-II to USB cable

An LS series engine in my car would be cool but I like my 3.0 I6 just fine.
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Old Jul 23, 2010 | 06:20 PM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by D4rKpas
Btw, the pins from the VFD run straight to the chip, no driver circuit.
My guess is the VFD chip IS the driver circuit, with a built in microcontroller receiving data from the IPC perhaps. Is there a clock crystal nearby the VFD IC?

Originally Posted by D4rKpas
I just have to figure out what voltage the element runs at and what voltage the 'pixels' run at. I'm guessing 3.3v for the element and 5v for the 'pixels'.
Sounds right, to start with I'd put 3V across the filament, 5V on the grids, and 5V on the segment pins and see if anything lights up. Raise the grid and segment voltages as needed.
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Old Jul 24, 2010 | 03:53 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by lespaulr0cker
My guess is the VFD chip IS the driver circuit, with a built in microcontroller receiving data from the IPC perhaps. Is there a clock crystal nearby the VFD IC?
Yes there is a crystal next to the chip. But I think that it is just for the microcontroller to run (like an arduino).

Originally Posted by lespaulr0cker
Sounds right, to start with I'd put 3V across the filament, 5V on the grids, and 5V on the segment pins and see if anything lights up. Raise the grid and segment voltages as needed.
Yeah, I'll do that once I figure out how to get both of my regulators running at the same time (sparkfun items).

Time to break out the soldering iron... Again.

The way that VFDs work is that power has to be put on two segmant pins at the same time to light up one area (like a matrixed keyboard, just in reverse).
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Old Jul 24, 2010 | 01:06 PM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by D4rKpas
The way that VFDs work is that power has to be put on two segmant pins at the same time to light up one area (like a matrixed keyboard, just in reverse).
Perhaps this may be helpful...

http://www.noritake-elec.com/vfd_technology_an.htm
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Old Jul 24, 2010 | 07:44 PM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by D4rKpas


Please refrain from threadbashing me. It is immature and provides no usable help for me. Thank you.
Crying wolf is immature- we save 'major help' for a guy stuck with an issue stopping him from using his Vette.

I'm surprised you're getting the help you're getting........and don't try to tell me what to post- next time, title your thread appropriately
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Old Jul 24, 2010 | 08:30 PM
  #33  
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I'll see if I can find a VFD specialist. Thanks for your help.
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