- Thu Apr 16, 2015 11:07 pm
#181287
Hello, all. I am new to Arduino and am waiting for my Sparkfun starter kit to arrive, but in the meantime I have a few questions.
My eventual goal is to create open-source Arduino-driven gauges for boats and homebuilt aircraft with a standardized display applicable to multiple types of gauge. The data I want to display--airspeed, altitude, climb/descent, GPS course/speed, water depth, wind direction, compass course, etc.--could be displayed with almost any technology so I am open to almost anything but the display must be simple and rugged, readable in direct sunlight, and fit within a 2" or 2 7/8" circle to suit standard 2 1/4" and 3 1/8" aircraft gauge sizes.
I was initially planning to use something like this mockup with the .54" alphanumeric display from another supplier inside a 24-neopixel ring to combine a digital readout with an analog indication, but the LED module is just little too big to fit.
Sparkun has .39" 7-segment displays that will fit, though letters for menus will be awkward. There are also some small LED matrixes that might work (two 8x8 to make 8x16) and some small monochrome OLED graphic displays as well. I am diappointed about the alphanumeric displays, which seemed to me to be the best compromize between flexibility, simplicity and readability.
I would love to hear from other folks with experience with sunlight-readable displays--which types, what colors work best, any luck with anti-glare filters, etc. as well as any thoughts on alternative digital/analog combinations.
Matthew
My eventual goal is to create open-source Arduino-driven gauges for boats and homebuilt aircraft with a standardized display applicable to multiple types of gauge. The data I want to display--airspeed, altitude, climb/descent, GPS course/speed, water depth, wind direction, compass course, etc.--could be displayed with almost any technology so I am open to almost anything but the display must be simple and rugged, readable in direct sunlight, and fit within a 2" or 2 7/8" circle to suit standard 2 1/4" and 3 1/8" aircraft gauge sizes.
I was initially planning to use something like this mockup with the .54" alphanumeric display from another supplier inside a 24-neopixel ring to combine a digital readout with an analog indication, but the LED module is just little too big to fit.
Sparkun has .39" 7-segment displays that will fit, though letters for menus will be awkward. There are also some small LED matrixes that might work (two 8x8 to make 8x16) and some small monochrome OLED graphic displays as well. I am diappointed about the alphanumeric displays, which seemed to me to be the best compromize between flexibility, simplicity and readability.
I would love to hear from other folks with experience with sunlight-readable displays--which types, what colors work best, any luck with anti-glare filters, etc. as well as any thoughts on alternative digital/analog combinations.
Matthew