A new Twizy display project

Delvecchio schrieb: I just added to my Twizy a selfmade touch-display,

In case, I could realize some pieces (only a few, because I'm just an hobbist) in the free time.

What does the words in green colour mean?
Is it necessary to do changes to the hardware?
Or will it be possible to buy the hardware online, install the software and the display will work?
I suppose that it will be necessary to manufacture a housing for the display and some mounting devices, but will it also be necessary to do modifications to the LCD, CPU and CANbus hardware?

Snorre schrieb: What does the words in green colour mean?

selfmade touch-display
: I was reffering to the entire device. Not to the touch LCD itself. May be I wasn't so clear....

Snorre schrieb: Or will it be possible to buy the hardware online, install the software and the display will work?
I suppose that it will be necessary to manufacture a housing for the display and some mounting devices, but will it also be necessary to do modifications to the LCD, CPU and CANbus hardware?

No hardware modification nor software installation nor case manufacturing. Just plug (one cable to the Canbus connector and another one to the lcd housing) and play.

Delvecchio schrieb: No hardware modification nor software installation nor case manufacturing. Just plug (one cable to the Canbus connector and another one to the lcd housing) and play.

Did I get you right?
Does this mean, that all necessary components are availiable in the internet and only the firmware is missing?
Can you provide the suppliers for the hardware components?

Snorre schrieb: Does this mean, that all necessary components are availiable in the internet and only the firmware is missing?

No, I'll give you all the components already assembled and boxed. Ready to be "plug and play".
It's not possible to make this device as a "kit" to be assembled later, because the components need to be soldered and reworked and this require time and specific competence.

Snorre schrieb: Is it necessary to do changes to the hardware?

Snorre schrieb: I suppose that it will be necessary to manufacture a housing for the display and some mounting devices, but will it also be necessary to do modifications to the LCD, CPU and CANbus hardware?

Delvecchio schrieb: because the components need to be soldered and reworked.

Okay, now there are no more misunderstandings!

As I supposed it is in fact necessary to do changes to the hardware.
But you will do these changes for the interested Twizy owners.

Delvecchio schrieb: I think the CANbus prototyte of the Twizy o'meter will not remain just an idea!.
So, stay tuned....

I'm glad to announce the CANbus prototyte of the Twizy o'meter is reality.
I tested it in these last days and works perfectly.

This version needs only to be connected to the OBD connector, nothing else.
It takes from that connector also the power supply.
Due to the fact that power line is always on in OBD connector, I added a few components to the hardware to switch off Twizy o'meter when there is no traffic on the CANbus and on when traffic is detected.
To reduce consumption in off state, the display and gyroscope module are turned off and both the ESP32 and the CANbus module are put in deep sleep mode. This reduce consumption from about 100mah (in ON state) to 18 mah (in OFF state).
Unfortunatly, the TJA1050 chip of CANbus module, also if put in silent mode (i.e. with trasmitter off) requires about 15mah to work. So 18mah is the low limit.

Another good news: two units are ready to be sent to you, and other two will be within the end of this month.
Till now I received in public/private request from this users, in cronological order:
JPB
villadsen
Snorre
Saarlodrie
TwizyCamper
I ask them to confirm if they are still interested (and for what version PowerBox BT/CANbus based), and to tell me if there are other users interested.

The unit looks like the enclodes picture.

A curiosity: I kept ESP32 although there is no need of BT/WiFi connection because I have plans to add in the future WiFi notifications (for charging state, for example) when the Twizy o'meter is in a Wi-Fi covered area, may be with a specific android app. But no promise for this!

Congratulations on such a fine piece of development. I am still interested. How much does it cost?

villadsen schrieb: Congratulations on such a fine piece of development. I am still interested. How much does it cost?

Full ack!

villadsen schrieb: How much does it cost?

You are right! I forgot an important point, may be because this is a "punctum dolens" for me.
I don't want to make business with this project, just to cover components costs plus a little compensation for the time I spend building and testing each unit.
My goal was to be able to keep price not more than TwizyPlay, but I'm not.
At the moment, for these first units and for the money I spent to buy the components, I ask 185,00 euro, plus shipping.
I understand it could be much, especialy if compared to commercial products (a budget phone costs less and it's more, more, more powerful...), but I guess you can understand that a very small hobbist production does not allow the savings of a large-scale industrial production.

I have also some disclaimers, for interested users:
- Twizy o'meter is not a commercial product. Each unit must be considered a prototype, assembled by an hobbist, for experimental purposes. So don't expect perfection, CE logo, or any other official test.
- Although Twizy o'meter is sent in working state and it "sniffs" only the traffic on CAN bus / PowerBox BT, I take no responsabilities about its installation and usage in your car. You do it at your risks!
- I cannot offer you any legal warranty. I can only ensure it does what it promised to.

After this preface I hope I didn't destroy your enthusiasm!

Delvecchio schrieb: At the moment, for these first units and for the money I spent to buy the components, I ask 185,00 euro, plus shipping.

To me, this price is okay.
I'm still interested in buying one.
But I already have a first "feature or emprovement request":
I would prefer ot have just very short cables.
In my left glove box, right now I already have a 3 in 1 OBDII splitter cable, the Twizplay cable, OVMS including OBDII cable, GPS antenna with cable and the cable of the GSM Antenna and an OBDII bluetooth dongle.
The Twizplay will be replaced by your Twizy o'meter.
But this will mean anonther plastic box (including the Arduino?) and a lot of cables (according to your photo).
I would prefer to mount the Arduino case on the back of the touchscreen and then just have a short OBDII cable leading into the glove box.
What do you think about it?
I suppose that most of the interested persons will blame this solution as ugly, but I would prefer it!

Snorre schrieb: What do you think about it?

No problem for this type of modifications.
But, I don't recommend you to mount the blackbox to the back of lcd, because you'll loose gyroscope functionality.
To respect X, Y, Z axis, the black box must be placed orrizontaly, in plane.
The cables length were thought to place the blackbox on the square tube, at the end of the dashboard plastic, and the LCD monitor on the right gloove box's cover.
In enclose some pictures, for better understanding.
The left cable is 80cm long, and goes to OBD connector. The right one is 160cm. long and has a male/famale usb connection at about 15 cm. outside the blackbox, it goes to the lcd.

Exactly where do you want to place the LCD?
If you want to install it on the left gloove box's cover, I think it would be preferable, to keep gyroscope functionality, to attach the blackbox under the gloove box's cover, managing a little to fix it in plane (on both X, Y axis).
In this case, the cables could be very short.

Another thing is to be considered to choose where place the lcd.
The lcd box's stand allows to rotate 90° the lcd backwards (not forward). When fully rotated, lcd will be 5 cm high. This could prevent the gloove box's cover to open at max opening.

Delvecchio schrieb: Exactly where do you want to place the LCD?
If you want to install it on the left gloove box's cover, I think it would be preferable, to keep gyroscope functionality, to attach the blackbox under the gloove box's cover, managing a little to fix it in plane (on both X, Y axis).
In this case, the cables could be very short.

Correct!
Actually the Twizplay ist mountet on the left gloove box's cover, an my intension was to replace it by the Twizy o'meter.
I must commit, that I didn't think about the gyroscope functionality.
This is a feature, that is not important to me.
Anyway, I don't want to loose it.
Then I first need to have a look at the circumstances in the Twizy.
I seems that the Twizy o'meter will become a fixed installation to the Twizy and not an easy removeable like the Twizplay.
So software updates need to be done in the Twizy with the laptop, because there is no fast and easy mounting/unmounting.
This is not a deficiency to me, I just want to make it clear.

What are the dimensions of the blackbox?
Could it be possible to put it on the bottom of the right glove box with correct alignment?
Probably not!?

Snorre schrieb: So software updates need to be done in the Twizy with the laptop, because there is no fast and easy mounting/unmounting.
This is not a deficiency to me, I just want to make it clear.

LCD upgrading doesn't require to be done with a laptop in the Twizy: you have to insert a microSD, from outside, in the lcd Box, with the lcd partialy backwards rotated.
Instead, to upgrade the firmware of ESP you have to connect a PC to the blackbox's USB port.
This should be done localy only if you fix firmly the blackbox (i.e with glue). I used a velcro strip, and in this way you can disconnect OBD plug and male/female plug of LCD and remove the black box. Obviously the OBD cable must be free, not fixed in some way.

Snorre schrieb: What are the dimensions of the blackbox?

about 75mm x 40mm x 20mm

Snorre schrieb: Could it be possible to put it on the bottom of the right glove box with correct alignment?
Probably not!?

Ummmm... may be. You have to consider to leave in the right side of the black box (the opposite side to cables output) enough space to insert the micro usb cable, for the upgrade.

Hello.

I'm still a bit confused about the cables, plugs and slots.



Both cables, the one with the OBDII plug and the one with the USB plug, are leading to the left side of the blackbox and are connected fix, not plugged!?
What is the USB cable for?
First I thought it is for updating the firmware, but you wrote that there is a micro USB socket on the right side of the blackbox.
Is this the connection for the display?
But the cable is too short.

I would be glad, if you could post more detailed photos of the connectors and slots of both, blackbox and display.

Thank you in advance.

Snorre schrieb: I would be glad, if you could post more detailed photos of the connectors and slots of both, blackbox and display.

I enclose a full "photo-book" .
Other pictures in the following post...

Some explainations:
- The switch on the OBD plug interrupts permanently the power supply. It's thought for very long time parking, to avoid to reduce the charge of service battery.
- The male/female plugs on display cable is intended:
1) to semplify the operations for passing/hiding the cable in the dashboard. With a little of force (not so brutal), male plug can pass through the space between dashboard and the lateral plastic cover of the window (I don't know its name in english).
2) to remove the blackbox to upgrade it elsewhere.
3) for the ones who will install the LCD upside down on the upperside of the window (some friends of mine did) it's easy to extend the length of the lcd cable using a normal usb cable extender. In this case I'll send you a specific LCD firmware with the graphic flipped verticaly.
- as wrote before, microUSB port on the right side of the blackbox is used to upgrade ESP32 firmware
- as wrote before, microSD slot on the bottom side of the LCD box is used to upgrade LCD firmware. The Lcd I use is an HIM graphical display (with resistive touch) and has its own firmware, with graphic inside.