Head up display

Heethers
Heethers Forum Participant Posts: 641
500 Comments
edited November 2019 in Motorhomes #1

Has anyone got one of these.

l have changed to a motorhome 6 months ago, l have a real problem reading the speedo on my Ducato due to the high driving position, the problem starts around the 30mph its hard to read without looking down, even then its difficult, it helps if l turn the lights on. l can fetch the speed up on the computer directly in front of me on the Ducato instrument panel, but if l require any of the other menus it means changing.l have not yet tried it with the mph menu but will today. Back to the Head up display units his anyone using them and are they reliable l have seen the one in  Halfords for £40 but have seen others on the market that don't require putting the reflective screen on the window screen. what l have seen on youtube seems to be the answer but would rather be convinced by any of you on here who have experience of them. Would love to here your thoughts.

Regards

Heethers

 

Comments

  • Whittakerr
    Whittakerr Club Member Posts: 3,472 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited November 2019 #2

    HUD is a factory fitted option on my car and it's brilliant. There are options to choose what is displayed, i normally have current speed limit, current speed and SatNav directions (If using the SatNav), and what the cruise control speed is set at (if using it).

    Controls on the steering wheel allow me to bring up a list of radio stations to choose from or a list of tracks from my music on the hard disk. It displays any incoming telephone calls and i can call up the contacts in my phone to make a hands free call.

    The position of the display on the screen can be adjusted as can the brightness.

    There is really no need to look at the dash at all. The only problem is because i never need look at the dash i forget to keep an eye on the fuel level. It can come as a shock when the warning message comes on telling me i've only got 50 miles of fuel left. embarassed

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited November 2019 #3
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  • Heethers
    Heethers Forum Participant Posts: 641
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    edited November 2019 #4

    Thanks Whittakerr, the ones l am after are self fit and what to know which ones are best. Some l have seen also show the fuel level are you sure yours doesn't it may be in you menu somewhere

  • Heethers
    Heethers Forum Participant Posts: 641
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    edited November 2019 #5

    Doset Diver yes l can use my sat nav for that and the speed, on the Ducato instrument panel l am sure you can set only one ie 30 or have l missed something

  • QFour
    QFour Forum Participant Posts: 442
    edited November 2019 #6

    HUD available on Amazon & EBay. Fitted one to my last Ducato and it worked really well. GPS based one right down at the front near the screen. I wired mine in so it came on immediately when turning on the ignition.

    I now have a 8” Android Tablet on the right side of the dash with IGO software which has a large speed display. You can also get a free app that does the same so you could use any Android Tablet that had GPS to do the same thing.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,300 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2019 #7

    Yes I agree the speedo isn't the easiest to read, particularly when it is very bright outside. I tend to use the fixed Pioneer Satnav a lot for speed. At a quick press of the screen it changes from the map view to a large speedo, (filling much of the screen) which can show mph, or kph when over there. If using it for navigating you still get direction arrows / countdown to next change, as well as the audio instructions. Or switch back to map view, which still has a small speedo at the side. In both modes the speeds glow red if you exceed the posted limit. That of course is only as good as the mapping, so not 100% accurate.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited November 2019 #8

    there is a software upgrade available on the Ducato to have the dash/speedo illuminated all the while the ignition is on....same as turning lights on.

    i had this done, it is better but not perfect.

    i also have a tomtom positioned bottom right of the screen (A-class) and its easy to read the speed on this....along with its colour change if speed exceeded.

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
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    edited November 2019 #9

    Not familiar with HUD, but have exactly the same problem with reading the speedo. I got a little gps speedo of eBay, about £70 I think which just clips into the vent alongside the instrument cluster. Works brilliantly, very clear, quickly ‘tunes in’ when switching ignition on, rarely if ever loses satellite signal (apart from tunnels) and easily switched between mph and kph. Probably the most useful bit of kit I’ve purchased for my MH yet.  I could use the satnav of course, but don’t always have that set up if I know roughly where I’m headed, and the gps speedo is always there.

    Changing vehicle settings on illumination display made very little difference for me.

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,300 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2019 #10

    I think they are doing this when manufactured now BB. Ours certainly came with speedo lights always on. I find it OK on a cloudy day, but still difficult to read if bright and sunny. Looking at it when parked up with no lights, it is difficult to comprehend why any designer ever thought it a good idea. Perhaps they thought that white van man rarely used the speedo.😂

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
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    edited November 2019 #11

    Agreed, it’s such a elementary requirement to know what speed you’re travelling at. It’s shocking that you can pay £50k+ for a new vehicle and not be able to do that with ease!

    Internet forums are full of diy fixes for this problem which go from taping an led strip to the display with a bit of foil to dismantling the instrument binnacle to install additional lights to paying for the installation of a specialist after-market product. All of which should be completely unnecessary. As far as I can see Fiat don’t seem to acknowledge there is a problem.

    My Demon Tweeks gps speedo solves the problem for me, but I shouldn’t need it.

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited November 2019 #12
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  • Heethers
    Heethers Forum Participant Posts: 641
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    edited November 2019 #13

    Just been to my dealership to pick somethings up, 2 spotlights dimminal  with USB and 240v sockets ( never seem to give you enough), going to fit later this week, couldn't get the speed up on the computer instrument panel. Called at Halfords they do a Scocche Head up display for 40 quid, the instrument panel light seems a good idea but how much would it cost, read the reviews on the Halfords WEB some good some not so good. l will need to know if its compatible with the Fiat OBD port. Those l spoke too were impressed with theirs.  Hoping someone  on here can give a more unbiased assessment before l take the plunge.

    Thanks all for your input

    Heethers

  • Heethers
    Heethers Forum Participant Posts: 641
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    edited November 2019 #14

    Having trouble witch port to use their seems to be two on mine, it's located in the dash just below the right hand side, removed the two screws removed the cover. Their l found two connections both a pale yellow colour but don't no which one is the obd2 has any one fitted the Scosche one, any help appreciated before l buy

  • QFour
    QFour Forum Participant Posts: 442
    edited November 2019 #15

    Using the OBD2 port will just repeat what your speedo is saying and not give you an accurate MPH / KPH reading. Using a GPS version that just needs 12v will give you a better reading. The GPS version will be more accurate normally the same as the signs on the side of the road that give you your speed. Speedo shows you are going faster than you are. So at 54mph you are actually doing 50mph.

    A cheap Android tablet with GPS will work with a Speedo App. You can also use it as an EReader with the Kindle software. If you have a smart phone then you can also get an app for that as well but it does need built in GPS.

    I use a Huawei mounted on the right hand side of the dash running IGO Nextgen navigation software that has a very large mph / kph display in the middle of the screen.

    One of the biggest problems with the FIAT display is its angle. The seats in all the MHs have been raised by adding a swivel mechanism this adds 25mm to the seat height. If you remove the top of the instrument cover by removing the two screws under the front you will find the cluster is held in by two screws. It maybe possible to tilt the speedo up slightly for a better view. Not tried it yet as not had the time.

  • Heethers
    Heethers Forum Participant Posts: 641
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    edited November 2019 #16

    Q four l believe you can set the speed up or down on the Scosche by checking it on my sat nav, l can overcome the problem by using the sat nav and reading the speed their. l want it for short journeys where l don't require the Sat, thanks for you input it was greatly appreciated will try a speedo app on my Samsung and see how that goes

  • Heethers
    Heethers Forum Participant Posts: 641
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    edited November 2019 #17

    Well l took the plunge and invested in one, bought the Scosche from Halfords. It took me ten minutes to set up, took it down the the duel carriageway where we live and checked it against the Garmin caravan sat nav we have and against the speedo, trialed it at 20mph, 30mph 50 and 60 mph in all cases it was reading 1 1/2 miles faster against the sat Nav and dead on with the speedo. From my estimate of the trial l should never get done for speeding with the heads up display as  when l am doing 30 l l am actually doing 28 1/2 mph l can in crease that on the Scosche by another 1mph if so desired but at the moment l will leave it as it is, unless someone tells me different. l think that well known youtuber gadget john has his set like l have. love watching his videos. Up To now well pleased with my purchase only time will tell if it was worth it

  • Heethers
    Heethers Forum Participant Posts: 641
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    edited December 2019 #18

    Took the motor home to our dealership yesterday for some internal work, set off 7am what difference the head up display as made. l have mine set at the offside bottom corner always in view but not enough to be intrusive, the real difference was on the way back where its hard to read the speedo in daylight, no such problem with the head up display. At first l tried it without the plastic film it was ok until the sun caught it, fitted the plastic film what a difference really clear. Now l don't need to look down and try and see the 40 mph and above its right in front of me has clear as day. Fully recommend an HUD, which one entirely up to one's choice

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
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    edited December 2019 #19

    Good to hear it does the job - would be interested to know which of the 2 ports you used and where located? Pic would be great.

  • Heethers
    Heethers Forum Participant Posts: 641
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    edited December 2019 #20

    Actually when l looked again l found the OB2 port it had blanking plug in that's why l missed it,pull the plug out in reveals the yellow connection,l googled it. what the other connections are l don't really know. It was very easy to fit plugged it in the cable is flat so you can hide it quite easy

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
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    edited December 2019 #21

    Thanks. It’s a shame we can’t buy direct from USA without excessive duties as the HUD2 is half the UK price or less and Scosche European outlet doesn’t seem to supply them. Also, interested to note you can purchase OBD port locks as they’re implicated in vehicle thefts!

  • Yorkshire Swan
    Yorkshire Swan Forum Participant Posts: 12
    edited December 2019 #22

    I'm a convert this is exactly what I was looking for. So easy to fit as Heethers said 10 minutes from opening box to installed and working. 

  • Cushie
    Cushie Forum Participant Posts: 36
    edited November 2022 #23

    I have fitted the M7 OBD2+GPS unit as advertised on  Amazon and demonstrated on YouTube. Takes 5 minutes to fit and a lifetime to understand the instructions, so here is my rewritten short version. I have a full version if you need it.

    The projection on your windscreen is bright, clear  and fully adjustable. Had no problem fitting on Fiat Ducato 2.3 multijet 150 Automatic Diesel manufactured 2017.

    M7 HUD setting

    Watch the image reflected on windscreen to make adjustments.

    Vertical long press 5s to enter the menu setting,

    Push right or left to make a menu choice (1-11)

    vertical press inward (1s) to enter parameter,

    push right or left to do a parameter adjustment, press inward( 1s) to return to the main page;

    press inward (5s) to save adjustment.

    Menu Function Range Description Default

    1 Speed 50-100 Adjust left/right to correct 107
    2 Rpm Alarm 10-75 Alarm at RPM 75
    3 Alarm stages 0-1 0=Off 1+60,80,100.120km.h 0
    4 Overspeed Alarm 30-199 Icon will light uo at 150km/h 150
    5 Display Mode 0-2 0=High>80 1 displays all info 2 speed 1
    6 Brightness 0-11 0 =Auto 1 =Darkest 11 =Brightest 0
    7 Speed units 0-1 0=km/h 1=mph 0
    8 Temperature 0-1 degrees C/F 0
    9 Starting Volts 0-15 If auto off set 13.2V 132
    10 Shut down secs 20-199 For start/stop system use 180 secs 20
    11 Restore setting 0-1 To set 1 push button Right then
    push Down 5 secs to save
    Note: manually turn off the HUD when you not used for more than a week.
    OBD equipment under power, the standby current is about 20mA, it is recommended to unplug the OBD device if your car will stand time.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited November 2022 #24

    Can you not drop the drivers seat down ,on its adjustments surprised 

    Some friends had that problem with their Bailey on a Boxer base and had not realised the drivers seat had up and down adjustment wink

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,135 ✭✭✭
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    edited November 2022 #25

    Deleted User by self. 

    I found we've been replying to a 3 year old post which seems pointless. 🤷🏻‍♂️