custom gps navigation in sun visor
Apr 23, 2010 gps navigation
We got this custom made GPS embedded sun visor project from R. Barrios’ site. It is done really well. It keeps the power connection, and windshield mount out of the way, and more importantly you don’t have to worry about break-in’s since thieves would have no idea you have a GPS navigation system inside your sun visor.
This was done for a Mini Cooper and keeps the original look of the car. There are also no buttons to mess with. Power on off is done via deployment of the visor (is this a good idea?), external roof mounted GPS antenna for better reception, and built in speaker for the best embedded GPS navigation system we’ve seen so far.
You think this is easy to do? Think again. Here is excerpt from the instructions:
Programm a PIC processor to drive a NPN transistor after power-up, so that the GPS unit turns on by a electric press of the ON/OFF switch each time the unit receives power (the turn-off is handled by a TomTom firmware setting).
… see the LCD assembly, motherboard and Li-Ion battery. They’ve been rearranged and mounted with three small screws that allow for dis-assembly if necessary. On top of the PCB is the PIC processor, getting power via the red cable connected to the 5V from the mini-usb socket. Next to the PIC 16f875, also connected to the 5V is the 100uH coil that powers the external antenna via in the PCB. The tiny SMD DC blocking capacitor is on the other side of the PCB, where the little patch GPS antenna was and the new coax was connected.
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July 27th, 2010 at 4:22 am
Thanks for posting this: I’ve been trying to figure out a design to do just this on a 1974 Shadow.
In some respects it’s easier because a) the visor is almost vertical when it is up so the GPS can be seen without folding it down and b)it’s quite a thick visor so no need to disassemble the unit.
It is a soft padded visor so I’d like to work out a sliding door cover – like the ones they use on visor mirrors – this would also hide the unit from those curious enough to peer up on the inside through the window.