one word...Defi

 

Got the G-top HG100 GPS HUD bought on Ebay in the mail today and it was a very easy install. The kit comes with a mounting bracket, reflective films, 3M tape to secure the bracket, and an instructional CD. The power cable is more than long enough, I managed to tuck almost all of the cable under the weather stripping and under the steering wheel. The unit itself is easy to use, took a quick test drive around the neighborhood and the speed reading is very accurate. Will try the unit on the freeway tomorrow for the higher speed readings. For $70 it's a really cool gadget, will have to wait and see how useful it is at night. Only issue is that it might take some time to get used to having the reflective film on the corner of the windshield. Here are some quick pictures I took after the install.

<a href="http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u124/TonyG35DG/?action=view&current=CIMG1361Medium.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u124/TonyG35DG/CIMG1361Medium.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u124/TonyG35DG/?action=view&current=CIMG1354Medium.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u124/TonyG35DG/CIMG1354Medium.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u124/TonyG35DG/?action=view&current=CIMG1358Medium.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u124/TonyG35DG/CIMG1358Medium.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s167.photobucket.com/albums/u124/TonyG35DG/?action=view&current=CIMG1357Medium.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u124/TonyG35DG/CIMG1357Medium.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

^ looks good, Tony.

 

Took the car on the freeway this afternoon. The speed reading is very accurate at any speed. So accurate it made me realize that I have been reading the speedometer the wrong way for the past 4 years. What I thought was 1mph on each of the small notches are actually 2mph increments. Have no idea how I missed it all this time, guess I was only looking at the large notches with numbers. Only wish the digits are displayed in green, still think green would be easier to read. Would recommend this type of device to people that drive on freeways often or does a lot of night driving. The unit is made in Taiwan, turned out Taiwan makes a lot of the aftermarket parts, including many of the well known Japanese brands, but the manufacturers are not allowed to sell the parts in Taiwan....... unless you have connections and the parts will come without any markings/logos. Will definitely look more into the aftermarket parts industry next time I'm in Taiwan.

 

is it legal? can cops pull you over and say u tinted ur windshield with that film lol

 

I have also purchased one of these. I plan to take the unit apart to see if I can get the HUD unit and GPS Antenna to work outside the box (like we do with Radar Detector LCDs). If this is possible, I want to make this more of a Stealth install. The project is on the back burner, but I have always wanted a HUD in my G.

 

^+1, make sure you take pics and do a DIY if possible

 

I'm okay with the device sitting on the dash for now, but eventually it'll probably get on my nerves and start pondering a stealth install myself. I'm planning to visit the company in Taiwan in December to check out new products. It's located in my family's home town so access should be no problem, and the tech park it's located actually turns up some of the newest car gadgets out in the market.

 

OK Tony, talk to these people and tell them you represent a driving club in the States that would purchase this unit more so if the HUD and GPS were external. I'll know more about the BOX once I get it on my bench at work. Maybe by December we will have a working prototype with pictures you could show the company.

I am legally blind in my left eye with impaired center vision, so I have to install this box almost directly in front of me, or a little to the right. I am presently looking for the part number of the piece of the dash that covers the gauge cluster. Once I get that, I will cut it apart this piece to incorporate this unit. Anyone have a junk yard with a G in it located near you? I love projects like this. A HUD is the only thing this car is missing to be perfect for me.

 

Talk to Down_Shift or LeeMik, I know one of them has one and can shed more light on the subject.

 

I personally do not want to go the DEFI, I believe, route like Down_Shift and have to tie into my ECU. I want to go the GPS route as I do not need RPM on my HUD.

 

I agree the HUD is the only missing from the G. It's one of those things that you didn't know what you're missing out on until you tried it. That's how I felt when I first drove the new G35 sedan loaner with the keyless entry and push button start.

I believe the Defi model is out of production, will also look into it when I visit Tokyo in on the same trip in December. But I think it's a ECU based system and needs careful calibration to reduce the discrepancies, GPS based ones are simply plug and play.

 

Tony, did the post office try to get you to pay $34 for customs? I'm thinking of denying the package....

 

I got it off Ebay, was shipped from California, I believe the shipping was about $8

 

OK, it was only owed 34 cents for postage, I gladly paid it.

I have already taken the unit apart. As I had hoped the unit is two parts with a 16 pin micro connector connecting the boards
My blog has all the pictures of the unit apart, but I am currently trying to find a 16 pin micro ribbon cable. The 16 pin female connector inside the unit is .42 inches long, or 106 MM.


I am going to search the digikey website for pre-made 2 foot cables with a male/female connector. Then we can run the cable down into the dash, and hide the power board. I will also move the power switch.

With this cable we can slim this unit down drastically. Here is the part that will be left on the dash.

Also, one could change this gTop unit to be any color you wanted, they are just SMD (Surface Mounted Diodes)


I plan to put black electical tape over the compass inside the unit, I only want the SPEED, none of the other lights.

Also, the power cord converts the 12V to 5v needed by the unit. I will move this circuit with the power board.

So, can anyone find a micro ribbon cable that the female connector is only 106mm?