Tablet PC center console
 

So I've got this sweet Tablet PC... and every now and then I think about making a docking station where the radio/vents/logicon are. Does anyone know of any good software etc to use to emulate the logicon, or display gauges?

Your going to want to check out:

http://www.mp3car.com/

http://www.mp3car.com/images/1im3.jpg

Don't phear technology.

That would be deadly for tuning if you could have a powerful enough computer in there.

Cool stuff, thanks for the link. Any information specifically related to gauge display or climate control would be greatly appreciated. I know I could set up GPS, and MP3 in about 5 minutes, and I'll be making my computer talk to whatever EMS I get to tune it whether it's dash-mount or not. I just haven't been able to find much on the other stuff.

I think my P4 tablet can handle tuning :)

you would have to program the drivers and the software for it to know wtf the logicon is etc.
So you would need a seperate box that you plugged in the wiring for, then a chip on it to decipher whats going on then a way to interface with the computer. So m thinking is that the stock wiring that normally plugs into the logicon would then be plugged into a DIY box that has a serial port/or something similar, that then interfaces with the computer. That would most likely be the easiest way. Have i seen it done? no. Is it possible? Anything is possible.
The heater blower would be easy... 0v is off 12v is full on... the rest i don't know what they are probably just on off switches, easy to do if so, but interfacing w/computer and controlling via that way... thats out of my leauge for now.

That's sort of what I was thinking. I've got 2 friends, one a quite proficient hacker and programmer, and one an electrical engineer. I figured the 3 of us could take care of that... but we're also all over the country right now, so I was hoping maybe someone saw a way to do it that I did not.

I was also thinking that I only have certain functions of it that I want. A simple switching device is all I really need (I don't NEED to hook it up to the computer, i just need it to not take up that space)... an on and off for the fan (full on and nothing), a switch between defrost, and mixed (all I've ever used), and a control for the temp. I'm talking building a simplified custom logicon connected to some of the logicon's wires, but much smaller and more easily tucked away. It would be similar I imagine to building the interface device for the computer.

A mix of the two could even be possible where the computer only has to understand part of the device (and Jeremiah CAN write a driver for... anything if you pay him enough :)) Just the parts that couldn't be controlled by a single switch would run to it. I imagine I could get him to write me software for the gauges as well, but... he's costly.

MP3Car.com is a great site and I did some more digging after reading about your PC controlled AC idea. Found this:
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/show...5&page=1&pp=15
http://www.roshanindustries.com/mp3pumphouse/Aircon.htm
I think it looks badass!
-John