The Knight Project

[JKnightandKARR]

The Knight Project

   This post is for the whole electronics aspect for KITT or KARR, from the front scanning light to switch pods and the dash itself. So starting off there's the KITT/KARR changing display I created sometime ago, just need the driver board, also is a general design for all of the Bargraphs/Arrays used on the dash, Fuel, Oil, Tach/Speed, and dummy displays.

   Well, here is what I am working on trying to make work. 1st version for the moment since I have 10 already made circuit boards, so for the moment, this is what I am staying with, future versions I'll consider redoing. 


http://jknightelectronics.altervista.org/Images/original_design.jpg
   This is a copy of the voice box schematics, as in the book of the same name as this thread, which was/is sold by Jupiter Electronics, Christian Forget I think is his name. Jupiter Electronics  Anyhow, when Rob Louisell in the early 90's created his first dashboard, which was based on the Seasons 1/2 dashes, but only had a single tv in it, and the only electronics available at the time, to my knowledge anyhow, was made using this basic circuit for the voice display, and for the rest of the dash, not totally sure, but I do know the LM39xx was used extensively, which to this day are still available to buy and for the most part, some sources still use this basic circuit, though in recent years, some new ideas have been introduced, such as LCD screen and I think it was Knights of England was designing ones using multiplexing. But for starting out since the LM39xx's are EOL I'm thinking Arduino to power the display, though I wish I could use coding in a way that kinda emulates the LM39xx function.


https://jknightelectronics.altervista.org/ElectImages/KITT-KARR-Example.png

https://jknightelectronics.altervista.org/ElectImages/vbmod.jpg
   I don't remember if Chris did this or quick example I did.... Anyhow, circuit example of the idea using LM39xx, pretty much at E.O.L. so different route needed.


http://jknightelectronics.altervista.org/Images/dualvb.png
   Think I did this to go from 5V signals to the P1's 3.3vsignals.


http://jknightelectronics.altervista.org/Images/dualvb_schm.png
   This is the current display board, not including the drive mode or startup leds on the sides as I ordered.



http://jknightelectronics.altervista.org/Images/my_design.png
   Idea I had for using 1 wire to select between KITT or KARR display. Guess small relays could work, but that might be space consuming.... Unless there are Solid State relays small enough for SMD designs??


http://jknightelectronics.altervista.org/Images/shift_reg.png
   Due to the Shift Registers, I know what it's for, Image Below, but U1/U3/U4 totally confused what I was doing with those.


http://jknightelectronics.altervista.org/Images/E05-0530.jpg
   What the shift Registers are for, all of the 8, 12 and 24 LED arrays/bargraphs.

[JKnightandKARR]

   I thought I had a video of my attempt of the Arduino Uno R3 used in place of the LM39xx, will have to check my old phone, but it worked, but it was VERY bad. If found, I'll post it and place it here, until this time, as far as I know, this is all of my data I saved from the Zappbots forum, so feel free to post now.

   I guess this is how I'll start this:
1) Try and locate my video of the Arduino powering the display from my PC speaker.
2) If I can't I should have the code I used and recreate it.  There is also better code I "THINK" in the Arduino library, in any case, powering the  display using audio is needed.
3) Modify the circuit as needed to control the audio display.
4) Create circuits for both the Drive Modes and the Start up countdowns, add DTMF tones somehow. I've seen existing chips still as well as I could use Arduino, P1/P2 or PBasic.

   The other half of this is for the Bargraphs/Arrays.  So can easily use the P1/P2 to do the LEDs using Shift Registers and pins to select between the different rows from only 1 set to the max of 6 rows or on the Tach board there's 2 columns and 3 rows.
https://www.jupiterstore.com/Knight-Rider-KITT-electronics--S2-with-countdown_p_117.html
   There's photos of the 2 display boards. The goal for displays of the arrays are:
1) Gauges- Fuel Level, Water Temp, Oil Press, Etc.
2) Dummy Displays- Either Scanning constantly or a Static Display, maybe it changes to a random setting at each startup, simple small switchs on the board can let them choose.
3) The ability to change the dummy displays to functional if one wishes, such as to add an Air/Fuel ratio or Turbo Boost/Vac, etc.  How this could be done by end user IDK.... So maybe they could either send board(s) in for quick update or somehow a download and update themselves.

[Chris Savage]

I don't remember if Chris did this or quick example I did....

The two schematics with the Red / Green are what I created to test the bar graphs I ordered. The first one had individual enable lines for each color. I had a switch to select color.

The second one was to solve for selecting color using a single I/O line, though I never actually implemented that one.

P.S. - I never noticed the gauge that says, "Propagation Delay". Propagation Delay is used in logic chip datasheets to signify the delay between the input and the output timing. Not sure how it is used in the world of Knight Rider.