Black Beauty Project Build - 06 Ford F-250 Super Duty **1/27/18 - New pics starting on page 41**

[scooter99]

Me too. I'm pretty pleased at the results so far. Few things I'd like to clean up, but I want function right now. I'll think about something better in the future.

[bigmizzle99]

I think the hdmi opening will be easier to fine tune in Aluminum vs mdf, it won't tear and will be more precise. Looks good so far....how much smaller do you think it can get? It looks pretty small already

[scooter99]

Yeah i was thinking about that too. I'm going to pick up a couple of other files, a triangle one that's smaller and some other ones too.

As far as the the size, the more I look the less I'm sure I can get it smaller. If I could find a way to get the HDMI port on a board, without the screw in connectors, and then make my own board with the knobs then I'm sure I could cut down on a little bit of size. But probably not much. It's about 3 x 3 now. Once it's actually mounted, it won't be any bigger than a bit one remote or something like that. Deeper obviously, way deeper, but as far as the face and what I see, won't be much at all.

I had an idea pop in my head today, but it's crazy over my head so it will take a shitton of research and thinking and testing etc to figure out.

My idea is, a single knob, much like the bit one, and a switch, or even 4 switches, that would switch the signal to allow one knob to operate my different selections. Like right now, I have 4 knobs, one for main volume and what would be the front as well, then I have the rear separate, and then the front console sub, and then the rear subs. So my idea is, the main volume in, and then somehow I don't know how it would work, but there would be 4 buttons. The second button would be for the rear. Hit that button and then turn the knob to adjust that level. Third button would be the center console sub, hit that and turn the knob and it adjusts that. Same for the last button for the subs. Then when you're done with adjusting whichever one you are adjusting, then hit the first button and it goes back to the main volume. What would be even better than that would be some kind of timer, that in 4 seconds or something like that, it goes back to main volume. I know, crazy and I don't know if it would even work. But if I was able to do all that, I would love to try and get an lcd screen in there to show volume level. I don't know how to do any of that, but have the level 1-60 (or whatever, I went with that because pioneers mostly go to 60+), and that would show you where your level was at.

I have nutso ideas! I just don't know how to make them work. For now, I'm just going to plug away with this one, and get it up and operational. Then I'll worry about changes.

[scooter99]

So it happened again! The ADHD got the best of me again! LOL

I'll be finishing this the way it is. That way I can work on this idea afterwards. But this is ultimately what I want to do. I basically want the remote of an Audioson Bit One/Ten/Ten d without the processing abilities. And I want to do it on my own, like DIY style, not buy it off the shelf.

Here's a little list of what i'm after:

Single knob (rotary encoder – w/ push button) -

Short push – mute

Long push – power on/off

LCD screen -

Volume notification – 0-60 (?)

Selection adjustment notification

Single buttons for each adjustment selection -

Main volume

Rear volume

Center sub volume

Rear sub volume

How I want it to work -

"Volume" always on screen with numerical level monitor or a bar is fine too.

In general mode –

Main volume default – screen shows “Volume” with numerical level

Volume raised and lowered by knob

Screen shows all button names over the buttons

Push knob to mute – Screen flashes “MUTE” and output signal is muted

Push knob to unmute – “MUTE” goes away on screen and output signal is unmuted

Selection names above all buttons (Main, Rear, C.Sub, R.Sub)

All names above buttons indicates in Main/Default Volume mode.

Pushing a volume selection button –

Knob controls that selection level when button is pushed

Screen shows selected button name. i.e. rear volume would show “Rear” above button.

Others selections disappear from the screen, showing only the selection chosen.

10 second default back to main volume. – When a button is pushed (rear in this example), and not used for 10 seconds, the mode goes back to Main Volume as default.

All other button selections re appear on the screen.

Or, after an adjustment is done I can press the "Main" button and it will go back to default.

On/Off - I want to be able to long push the knob and the unit turns off or on.

Small Remote Size –

Want the main pieces (encoder/knob, lcd screen, buttons) in a small case for up front mounting.

Want the brains of what makes it all work to be in the SDU Case in the back.

Small remote connection line between SDU Remote and SDU. Currently using an HDMI cable and breakout boards, fine with that size.

So that's an idea. Just have ZERO CLUE how to get started with it. This is a realm of the world I'm not familiar with! LOL So if anyone has any knowledge in this stuff, I'm happy to hear your suggestions, or if you can put me in touch with someone who knows some stuff, or whatever. I'd be grateful. Otherwise, to the internet i go to do research in my free time! HAHA

I'm going to see about getting some more done tonight btw. I'll see about getting the inputs and outputs all soldered up on the boards for the remote. Maybe get the HDMI breakout board connected as well.

I'm off tomorrow so maybe I can get the front and back panels done and the remote finished up. Then I'll be onto the Unit itself.

[bigmizzle99]

That is ambitious. Sounds like youll need to program some logic to get all that to work if you go DIY, I don't think it's a matter of mechanical switches anymore.

Great idea, though, and would make a killer accessory for any one in car audio who wants that kind of control. I think the original design will be desirable, too, once it's up and running. Keep the updates coming.

[scooter99]

Yeah I agree. I'm already getting very overwhelmed, but I'm going to try and break it down for myself. Little bits right? lol

Full on finishing this though. I'll get some more done tonight for sure.

Thanks!

[scooter99]

Ok so I did more last night. Not extremely happy with the results, but it'll work for now.

Preparing to wire up the rest of the boards.

Wire one of many. Starting with all of the ground wires.

The top of the boards. I looped the grounds between boards.

The bottom looks like this where they're looped. I wanted space enough to not touch the inputs and outputs.

Then I flipped it over and installed the inputs and the main output that goes between all of the inputs. Recall I have the main input, and then main output. The main output goes out back to the SDU for the front stage, and then it loops to all of the other knobs so the main controls all of the volume between all the knobs.

Here's the looped inputs. Does anyone see where I messed up? LOL. The color is switched on the main inputs. I fixed this. Oops! LOL

Got the rest of the outputs done. So all are wired up now, inputs, outputs, grounds.

and snipped off the excess to clean it up. I'm not overly pleased with how the boards look. I wanted it cleaner. But it tests fine, so I guess it's fine. Maybe it's just me being too much of a perfectionist. I don't know.

Got them both in the case, so I could figure out how to wire the HDMI port up. I did kind of cut myself short on this. I should've made the wires much longer. But I made it work.

Decided the signals would be on one side and grounds on the other side. Started with the signals.

I think it looks pretty clean here.

[scooter99]

Shot of all the signal wires in place.

Then I got all the grounds done on top. I didn't like they way they were laying, so I took care of that.

Cleaned up and looking better. They don't react the same way as the signal wires which are covered wire when they are bent around. These seem to want to come unwound when they're moved around. Makes life a little difficult. Still learning these things as I go.

Put the back panel on. I need some panel nuts to go between the back panel and then board. That will be my next step today is finding some of those.

Swapped the top and bottom covers. This way the signal wires are visible to see in this picture. So it's all one unit now. I think when it put it together, I'll put it on the front panel, screw the nuts down on the knobs, and then slide it in. When I get the panel nuts on the HDMI board, I'll drill holes through the back panel. Then I'll have two screws which will hold he HDMI panel the to back panel and hold it all into place.

Next up, panel nuts, and making the front and back panels out of aluminum. Hopefully I can get these done today.

[tboorn]

many very tedious and very clean!

[scooter99]

Well, I said I'd get the remote finished on Wednesday, and that did not happen. I had to make a run to Fry's, it's the only electronics store in town now, and the one I used to go to which was a smaller mom and pop type store closed. But I had to get some stuff to make life easier for continuing on this project. The unfortunate part is, it's about a 45 minutes to an hour drive for me to get there. So, between that 2 hours, the hour and a half we were there, and the home depot trip on the way back, I kind of killed my time. I did manage to get a new template made for the front face, the wider one for mounting, and I got the aluminum cut that I'm going to use for the front and back panels.

The next thing I need to do, hopefully tonight or tomorrow, is run them over the router, and then on the drill press. After that, those should be done. I managed to pick up the panel nuts and some screws for the HDMI port, so that will be done as well. I'll put it all together and see how it feels and works, and then maybe I'll throw some paint on it. I'd like to figure out how to get some silk screening on it, to identify the knobs, but I'll worry about that later. I know what's what so for this run, I should be fine.

I AM WORKING ON, in between working on this and not, a version 2 and a possible version 3 already. We'll see how it goes. I have the parts laid out, and how it should work, but I have to figure out the other parts of it which means trying to learn some coding and using an Arduino Uno board. This is a way off project. Again, this is in between working on this current version and life. So it's slow going, but I'm making some progress. It's amazing when you think you know something and all of a sudden you find out you don't know shit about what you think you know. Oh well, should be fun to try to learn. Either fun or extremely frustrating! LOL.

Ok I'll update more this weekend sometime.