Does anyone know how to program a speedometer to connect to a pc?

[TravisB]

Hello, 

I got an old working chevy speedometer with rpm and everything and want to connect it up to a computer. I have done research but found nothing, Does anyone know how to make this possible?

[Hackentosher]

Hook it up to your  computer to do what?

[TravisB]

55 minutes ago, Hackentosher said:

Hook it up to your  computer to do what?

Be used as an actual spedo for a racing game.

[Hackentosher]

Yikes, I have no idea. Sounds like you would need an arduino, a custom program, and a script or two to figure that out. @iamdarkyoshi Any ideas?

[TravisB]

1 minute ago, Hackentosher said:

Yikes, I have no idea. Sounds like you would need an arduino, a custom program, and a script or two to figure that out. @iamdarkyoshi Any ideas?

Yea, If you got any ideas that would be great.

[TravisB]

3 minutes ago, Hackentosher said:

-Snip-

Also, I might have it just for show, cool leds and have the dials move once a while. Pretty much a display thing.

[Hackentosher]

Just now, TravisB said:

Also, I might have it just for show, cool leds and have the dials move once a while. Pretty much a display thing.

If your computer is automotive themed, you could maybe wire the needle on the spedo to your HDD activity LED pin.

[TravisB]

11 minutes ago, Hackentosher said:

If your computer is automotive themed, you could maybe wire the needle on the spedo to your HDD activity LED pin.

oooo if you know how I can find the hdd activity led let me know. I got a western digital hdd. I also got a samsung 850 evo.

[Hackentosher]

Just now, TravisB said:

oooo if you know how I can find the hdd activity led let me know. I got a western digital hdd. I also got a samsung 850 evo.

It's a pin on the front I/O header on your motherboard. Check your board's manual. I'm assuming this spedo is analog?

[TravisB]

1 minute ago, Hackentosher said:

It's a pin on the front I/O header on your motherboard. Check your board's manual. I'm assuming this spedo is analog?

Buy analog you mean?

[trag1c]

You're probably going to need an interface circuit for hooking it up to your pc as you very well could kill both devices without it. I would also recommend using a pi or arduino for controlling the speedometer. You could communicate the hdd rpm to the pi or arduino through a socket library with ease. As for the whole game thing, i wouldn't count on using it for that unless they expose an api to the engine for that specific feature. You could potentially hack the program in ram as well but you would need to be fairly knowledgeable on how memory works at an application level. As well as fluently operate a debugger/hex editor.

[TravisB]

8 minutes ago, trag1c said:

You're probably going to need an interface circuit for hooking it up to your pc as you very well could kill both devices without it. I would also recommend using a pi or arduino for controlling the speedometer. You could communicate the hdd rpm to the pi or arduino through a socket library with ease. As for the whole game thing, i wouldn't count on using it for that unless they expose an api to the engine for that specific feature. You could potentially hack the program in ram as well but you would need to be fairly knowledgeable on how memory works at an application level. As well as fluently operate a debugger/hex editor.

Alright, Do you know how I can get it to light up and turn the fuel knob to half way? Then when switches off the opposite occurs.

[trag1c]

25 minutes ago, TravisB said:

Alright, Do you know how I can get it to light up and turn the fuel knob to half way? Then when switches off the opposite occurs.

I couldn't even begin to guess as I don't have one in front of me or even any schematics/technical specifications. This is something you're going to be on your own for. You could figure this out your self with a multimeter, a table top power supply (not the computer kind) and potentially an oscilloscope depending on how it operates.

[aom]

Not to be rude, but this project seems to be out of your scope to do. As mentioned above, without a clear schematic of how that specific speedometer works, you are going to need a bit of electrical knowledge to figure it out by yourself.