HUD

[alecw35]

Ive been thinking of converting a bike computer into a Head Up Display. Like you see on Fighter planes and BMW cars.

I have seen this video where Jeri Ellsworth. The woman that designed the Commodore C64 DTV joystick. She has converted an LCD clock into a projector clock, that beams up onto the ceilling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nR9DuOVoYI

I have seen on a British TV show called The Gadget Show, they built a HUD with a laptop computer. But I cant see that old clip on there You Tube site.

I remember that theres supposed to be a 45 degree angle on the veiwing screen.

Ive got an old bike computer that had a broken case. So its getting experimented on.

Any thoughts on how to make this?

[Radical Brad]

I have made projector LCDs by carefully removing the glass to peel off the silver backing. you can then beam light through to make somewhat of a projection system. For your project, you will need to alter the focal length rather than project so your eye can focus onto the digits at a close range. Gutting an old camcorder viewfinder will yield perfect optics for this.

.... Jeri was one of my inspirations for starting my retro computer project!

Brad

[alecw35]

I got the computer out of its case and wired to normal AA battery pack, was from a dancing coke can. I wired proper push switches to it. I did that a while ago, before i had the idea for a HUD.
But the display panel has a metal surround holding it to the circuit board. Dont know if it can have a light behind it.
Ive been on projector TV websites and they put a light in the box with the display. Not shining through it. Might try that first

[savarin]

I use a reflex sight on my astronomy telescopes.
This works as a HUD.
a light source, red led, shining up through a small lens, onto a thin plastic or glass flat sheet at 45', the resultant red circle and cross hairs are projected into the sky. The stars etc can be seen through the thin sheet.
In this case its only 1" square.
In daylight its almost impossible to see unless its at full brightness.
If you can get the bike comp to a decent brightness it should be possible to use these ideas
some how to's here
http://www.geocities.com/kendurkin/AstronomypagethreeAReflexSightone.html
http://www.gcw.org.uk/1xsight/finder.htm