Custom Steering wheel buttons
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 48
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From: Coastal Georgia
Custom Steering wheel buttons I was driving home this evening in the camaro, looked down at my steering wheel and had a random thought.
Has anyone not using the radio control buttons on the steering wheel converted them into some other switches? Maybe a line lock or nitrous activation button?
Its a random idea but I figured I'd ask.
Has anyone not using the radio control buttons on the steering wheel converted them into some other switches? Maybe a line lock or nitrous activation button?
Its a random idea but I figured I'd ask.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
The subject has come up before (a search would have found your answer). Basically, it is possible but not simple. That's because the switches are not on/off like normal switches. They are all wired on a common buss with different resistors in series between the individual switches. The head unit determines which switch is pressed by measuring the total resistance in the signal wire. You could use them for a single momentary on/off function but all of the switches would produce the same action. To use them individually, you'd have to build some sort of logic circuit that could do different things based on different resistances read.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Coastal Georgia
I searched it but I guess I wasn't using the right combination of words, I just didn't get any useful returns. Thanks for the info though, its for far smarter people than me I guess.
Last edited by IH8EVRY1; Feb 5, 2013 at 05:56 PM.
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 314
Likes: 0
From: Land of the Mormon's although I'm not one of them
The subject has come up before (a search would have found your answer). Basically, it is possible but not simple. That's because the switches are not on/off like normal switches. They are all wired on a common buss with different resistors in series between the individual switches. The head unit determines which switch is pressed by measuring the total resistance in the signal wire. You could use them for a single momentary on/off function but all of the switches would produce the same action. To use them individually, you'd have to build some sort of logic circuit that could do different things based on different resistances read.
Tech jargon - a simple PIC microcontroller could do this pretty easy, shouldn't be more than a day or 2 of screwing around for someone who knows programming. Or a week or 2 of someone just learning; I'm sure they have the PIC 101 basics out there that could teach you how to do this if you really had the motivation. Go grab one of the DIY robotics books, and start reading.
How does the PAC interface work? Obviously it accepts the input of various resistances...what's the output so it would control an aftermarket HU? Is it just "translating" the stock resistances to resistances recognized by the radio, or is it some other more usable output that could trigger a relay or something?
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 314
Likes: 0
From: Land of the Mormon's although I'm not one of them
How does the PAC interface work? Obviously it accepts the input of various resistances...what's the output so it would control an aftermarket HU? Is it just "translating" the stock resistances to resistances recognized by the radio, or is it some other more usable output that could trigger a relay or something?
Essentially it's doing what I described above in the technical jargon section; just instead of discrete outputs to relays or such; it's outputting a coded signal via IR that your headunit understands.
Without hacking and reprogramming/rewiring the PAC unit there's no easy way that I know of to get discrete outputs.
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Only the PAC SWI-X output IR. The more current versions use a direct connection to the aftermarket head unit but the principle is still the same - they translate the resistances into a coded signal for the HU. To have discreet outputs would require a separate wire for each switch/function (i.e. power or no power for on/off).
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