>
> Nuno Pedrosa wrote:
> > <snipped>
> > Anyway. I have a problem. I'm using five, 2cm, 7seg displays. They're
> > fine, most of the time. But this for a 4x4 "car", and when the sun
> > shines on the digits, they shy away... 8)
> > <snipped>
> > For visibility sake, I'll have to use the big ones, but there's a little
> > problem... How do I drive them???
> >
> > My problem is seeing the numbers when light falls on them. If someone
> > has an idea, cheap to use, I'd love to hear it!
> >
> > Thank you!
> > Nuno Pedrosa.
>
>   Can you put a sunshade on there so that the sun cannot get AT the face
> of the displays?  I'd think that should help (If practical in your
> situation - I don't know all the details here <G>)  Same situation when
> the sun hits this computers' monitor, it's unreadable - I block the sun,
> instead of trying to make the monitor brighter.  If I had a sketch or
> something I might be better able to brainstorm on this <G>
>
>   Mark

>
> A sunshade? Well, yes. I could use a sunshade...
>
> But... I know that this might sound foolish to some:
>
> It must look "cool"! 8)
>
> You see, this is for a specific "market". It's a bunch of people who own
> 4x4s, either old or new, that like to join together, drive through mud,
> and have a big dinner!
> I'm included, BTW. 8)
>
> There's a product in market, the TerraTrip, but their counters are
> _waaaay_ expensive. I'm not looking to compete with them. I would just
> like to provide a bunch of friends with a cool-looking, feature packed,
> affordable, meter counter. 8)
>
> Putting it in C:
>
> if !(too_much_trouble)
>   use(LCD_approach);
> else {
>   stick_with( 7seg_LedDisplays);
>   use( sunshade);
> }
>
> I've also thought of a graphic LCD. I bought one, 122x32. But with so
> little memory available, it might get tricky, to use it... It's also a
> little pricey, but not that much.
>
> Nuno.
>
> Mark Willis wrote:
> >
> > Nuno Pedrosa wrote:
> > > <snipped>
> > > Anyway. I have a problem. I'm using five, 2cm, 7seg displays. They're
> > > fine, most of the time. But this for a 4x4 "car", and when the sun
> > > shines on the digits, they shy away... 8)
> > > <snipped>
> > > For visibility sake, I'll have to use the big ones, but there's a little
> > > problem... How do I drive them???
> > >
> > > My problem is seeing the numbers when light falls on them. If someone
> > > has an idea, cheap to use, I'd love to hear it!
> > >
> > > Thank you!
> > > Nuno Pedrosa.
> >
> >   Can you put a sunshade on there so that the sun cannot get AT the face
> > of the displays?  I'd think that should help (If practical in your
> > situation - I don't know all the details here <G>)  Same situation when
> > the sun hits this computers' monitor, it's unreadable - I block the sun,
> > instead of trying to make the monitor brighter.  If I had a sketch or
> > something I might be better able to brainstorm on this <G>
> >
> >   Mark
>
> --
> ----  ~~~~~~~  -------  Nuno Filipe Freitas Pedrosa
> --  ~~~~     ~~  -----  SIEMENS S.A. Portugal       TEL: +351 1 4242454
> -  ~~~~       ~~  ----  Nuno.PedrosaKILLspamicn.siemens.de
> -  ~~~~       ~~  ----  "MSWindows - Best run on a SlideShow"
> =======================================================================

>
> Oh, now I get the application (I'd misunderstood, thought MODEL
> cars?!)
>
>   Worst case, simplify the use of the graphic LCD (using a "7 segment
> font" that lets you paint 7 segment-like bars for your 5 digits, should
> save on code and lookup tables.)  I'd think I/O pins on your PIC would
> be more of a problem than memory?  Just an extra 2 pins would let you
> tack on a 24LC65, should solve your memory shortage <G>
>
>   Price raises always get passed on to the customer <G>  Realistically,
> a $10 piece of hardware that makes the software $20 easier to write, can
> be a GOOD investment in the long term.  For low production items,
> anyways.
>
>   Mark
>
> Nuno Pedrosa wrote:
> >
> > A sunshade? Well, yes. I could use a sunshade...
> >
> > But... I know that this might sound foolish to some:
> >
> > It must look "cool"! 8)
> >
> > You see, this is for a specific "market". It's a bunch of people who own
> > 4x4s, either old or new, that like to join together, drive through mud,
> > and have a big dinner!
> > I'm included, BTW. 8)
> >
> > There's a product in market, the TerraTrip, but their counters are
> > _waaaay_ expensive. I'm not looking to compete with them. I would just
> > like to provide a bunch of friends with a cool-looking, feature packed,
> > affordable, meter counter. 8)
> >
> > Putting it in C:
> >
> > if !(too_much_trouble)
> >   use(LCD_approach);
> > else {
> >   stick_with( 7seg_LedDisplays);
> >   use( sunshade);
> > }
> >
> > I've also thought of a graphic LCD. I bought one, 122x32. But with so
> > little memory available, it might get tricky, to use it... It's also a
> > little pricey, but not that much.
> >
> > Nuno.
> >
> > Mark Willis wrote:
> > >
> > > Nuno Pedrosa wrote:
> > > > <snipped>
> > > > Anyway. I have a problem. I'm using five, 2cm, 7seg displays. They're
> > > > fine, most of the time. But this for a 4x4 "car", and when the sun
> > > > shines on the digits, they shy away... 8)
> > > > <snipped>
> > > > For visibility sake, I'll have to use the big ones, but there's a little
> > > > problem... How do I drive them???
> > > >
> > > > My problem is seeing the numbers when light falls on them. If someone
> > > > has an idea, cheap to use, I'd love to hear it!
> > > >
> > > > Thank you!
> > > > Nuno Pedrosa.
> > >
> > >   Can you put a sunshade on there so that the sun cannot get AT the face
> > > of the displays?  I'd think that should help (If practical in your
> > > situation - I don't know all the details here <G>)  Same situation when
> > > the sun hits this computers' monitor, it's unreadable - I block the sun,
> > > instead of trying to make the monitor brighter.  If I had a sketch or
> > > something I might be better able to brainstorm on this <G>