Techie upgrade for your MFD - GreenHybrid

Schwa · #1 (**permalink**) 02-19-2006, 03:12 PM

My friend is going to get one of these puppies soon, totally kick-*** for any tech-heads out there that want some real data on the MFD rather than the simplified dumbed-down Toyota screens:

http://www.hybridinterfaces.ca/

Luckily the guy lives near us, so it's just a short road trip to go pick it up (and see it in action). I can't wait!

It will also allow us to hook up the computer with a serial interface to capture data, as well as (with an adaptor) allow a video device to show on the screen either automatically when in reverse, or manually for a DVD player or video game.

PriusGuy04 · #2 (**permalink**) 02-19-2006, 03:18 PM

Looks ugly, Im sure its cool but looks like the old IBM computers.
this screen does not tell me anything I cant get from the old one.
I guess if your running a pre-04 its maybe an upgrade.

The other screen looks like a bunch of mumbo jumbo to me & a safety issue for those who like to watch the screen.. lol
I guess anything to make some extra cash off of the consumer is worth it afterall its the american way..

************************************************** *********

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schwa

My friend is going to get one of these puppies soon, totally kick-*** for any tech-heads out there that want some real data on the MFD rather than the simplified dumbed-down Toyota screens:

http://www.hybridinterfaces.ca/

Luckily the guy lives near us, so it's just a short road trip to go pick it up (and see it in action). I can't wait!

Schwa · #3 (**permalink**) 02-19-2006, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PriusGuy04

Looks ugly, Im sure its cool but looks like the old IBMs .

I completely agree, but engineers tend to have pretty bad artistic/graphic design abilities. That said, I could care less what the graphics look like because the data is all that we're really after, and there's data a plenty:

The background can be made black, either automatically when the headlight are on, or manually. The code for the 3 processors (CAN bus, IE bus and Video) can be re-flashed so if it gets a makeover or new features in the future it can be updated.

bwilson4web · #4 (**permalink**) 02-19-2006, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schwa

I completely agree, but engineers tend to have pretty bad artistic/graphic design abilities. That said, I could care less what the graphics look like because the data is all that we're really after, and there's data a plenty:

The background can be made black, either automatically when the headlight are on, or manually. The code for the 3 processors (CAN bus, IE bus and Video) can be re-flashed so if it gets a makeover or new features in the future it can be updated.

The battery voltages look like "Classic" values. Did I miss something?

Bob Wilson

Schwa · #5 (**permalink**) 02-20-2006, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

The battery voltages look like "Classic" values. Did I miss something?

I agree, and that is strange because this obviously won't read data from a classic since there's no CAN bus, although they are compatible enough to passthough video to the screen. Maybe the program is mis-calibrated to the classic Prius voltage specs? I'm pretty sure the data does not specify an exact voltage, but rather just a value that can be scaled to the real voltage, also he mentions that when the battery is charging it has a high float voltage that rapidly drops when it's not charging, but I thought the nominal voltage on the P2 was ~200V... I can ask him about that next weekend when we go to pick it up. Hopefully it will be done by then.

flare · #6 (**permalink**) 02-22-2006, 07:17 AM

I'm an engineer and I think its ugly

plusaf · #7 (**permalink**) 02-23-2006, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flare

I'm an engineer and I think its ugly

you're right!
i'm ex-engineering and ex-marketing [retired] and recognize good and bad user interfaces and displays when i see them.

that's bad... but a nice start.

thank you for helping me discover and publish Falk's 32nd Law:

http://www.plusaf.com/falklaws.htm#32nd

"Wait for Rev. 3.0"

Schwa · #8 (**permalink**) 02-26-2006, 03:13 AM

In blue background mode it sort of reminds of a C64...

But in the 'native' black mode, it's not too bad. Basic, but that's all you need, and it's not like we're locked into this software, it can be flashed when it improves. The latest code allows the selection of any CAN data (even mystery signals) to be displayed as a graph, so even without a computer logging all the CAN data, you can discover new data of interest to monitor.

Voltage appears to be monitoring correctly with a low of 167 and high of 273. First gen Prii would probably reach 350V during a good downhill charging. It stays higher than ~200V, but then again so do "12V" lead acid batteries.

3 MB XViD (MPEG4) .avi video clip of it: Right-click and save it.

CAN-View-action.avi

Use VLC Media Player to play it if you can't seem to view it in Quicktime or WiMP.

More Photos: http://intdata.homeip.net/gallery/dansprius/

plusaf · #9 (**permalink**) 02-26-2006, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schwa

In blue background mode it sort of reminds of a C64...
<snipping...>

But in the 'native' black mode, it's not too bad. Basic, but that's all you need, and it's not like we're locked into this software, it can be flashed when it improves. The latest code allows the selection of any CAN data (even mystery signals) to be displayed as a graph, so even without a computer logging all the CAN data, you can discover new data of interest to monitor.

Voltage appears to be monitoring correctly with a low of 167 and high of 273. First gen Prii would probably reach 350V during a good downhill charging. It stays higher than ~200V, but then again so do "12V" lead acid batteries.

3 MB XViD (MPEG4) .avi video clip of it: Right-click and save it.

CAN-View-action.avi

Use VLC Media Player to play it if you can't seem to view it in Quicktime or WiMP.

More Photos: http://intdata.homeip.net/gallery/dansprius/

hey, i take it back! that IS cool!

i like the + and - amps and liters/hr consumption.... will there be a button for "english measure" too?

and pardon my heart palpitating for a few seconds until i realized "104" was kilometers per hour, not miles per hour!

good work!

Schwa · #10 (**permalink**) 02-27-2006, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plusaf

hey, i take it back! that IS cool!

i like the + and - amps and liters/hr consumption.... will there be a button for "english measure" too?

and pardon my heart palpitating for a few seconds until i realized "104" was kilometers per hour, not miles per hour!

good work!

Currently the only setting for units of measure is the temperature setting, and when you change from F to C it also changes the fuel flow from USg/hr to L/hr, but the MPG does not change to L/100km. I assume most of his customers are in the US, so that's probably why it's mostly US Imperial, but we will ask for a L/100km measure, and I'm sure if there's demand it would be no big deal to implement the UK Imperial measures, but yeah, so far there's none.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PriusGuy04

Looks ugly, Im sure its cool but looks like the old IBM computers.
this screen does not tell me anything I cant get from the old one.
I guess if your running a pre-04 its maybe an upgrade.

First of all, the pre-04 had about the same data on the MFD, however it doesn't work with pre-04 models as they do not have a CAN bus to monitor. It also does not work with the 06 model other than the stripper since the 06 uses a digital LCD connection, not analog RGB. Secondly, you certainly do not get data about the battery voltage, current, or watts, the only thing from that screen you get is the SOC, but this thing shows you the true SOC, not the 40% = empty scale that shows on the stock MFD. The stock display also does not tell you what the ICE is doing. You can customize any of the screens with the data you want, and there are 3 screens of graphs that you can cycle through with the button in the lower left corner, so you don't even have to look for the button.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PriusGuy04

The other screen looks like a bunch of mumbo jumbo to me & a safety issue for those who like to watch the screen.. lol
I guess anything to make some extra cash off of the consumer is worth it afterall its the american way..

Correction, we Canadians be money makin' too. Yes, some of the screens are not suitable for use while driving, but that doesn't mean the passenger can't use them. Once you learn how to monitor instrumentation without being distracted by it, it's not a big deal. Think about pilots, and all that instrumentation, on top of the much more critical job they are performing... It's a matter of knowing how to deal with it, some people never can, so they also will never be a pilot and should consider turning off the MFD if it's a safety issue for them.