**NEWBIE** Need help or guidance on simple project

[abomboldskool]

I'm trying to put together a little project for my car and am looking for a little help or guidance. I know my cars circuitry well, as well as intermediate computer circuitry but unfortunately I missed the generation of the circuitry I'm trying to set up. I have basic knowledge of circuitry components and such. I attached a crude drawing of what I am trying to accomplish. I know this is newbish but please don't flame and I have been studying ways to accomplish this sparingly and a microcontroller seems like the best way unless you guys have alternate ideas.


View attachment 68405

 

[dr pepper]

looks sensible to me.

Might be a bit complex for a first project.

If I was to tackle that I'd search google for something that talks to a pc using the keybaord input, there are various projects of that nature, then if presumeably your using a laptop or similar in the car you could connect the device to it and send keyboard shortcut values to it to control your mp3 software.

Maybe use something like the popular pic16f628 for this, it has 2 serial controllers.

 

[abomboldskool]

good idea on the keyboard input the other problem for button one is the biggy

 

[abomboldskool]

I think I found my answer to solve 2 problems...https://www.electro-tech-online.com/custompdfs/2012/11/tr-7_instructions_010505.pdf

As far as pc input thats easy I can hack up a cheap game controller or some **** and splice the buttons and use xpadder or something to change the input

 

[DirtyLude]

If you just want to get this done and aren't looking at making something fancy or plan on serious microcontroller work, I would just chalk this up as an Arduino project. Buy an Arduino and a FT232 USB UART breakout board from Sparkfun or wherever. I'm sure you could find a kaypad breakout as well. You can talk to the PC over USB using the FT232 breakout, though you would need to make the program that takes the input and does what you want. FTDI has drivers for this and some linux distros have support built in. There are plenty of Arduino tutorials out there for you to follow to read buttons and send data over the UART and that's about all you need.

You'll need a transistor to drive the relay with a flyback diode for protection. It wouldn't surprise me if there was a simple breakout for this somewhere as well.

Arduino doesn't really have proper power protection for automotive work, but I've seen plenty of them used without issue.

If you don't want to use an Arduino and want to use a regular microcontroller, you have some work ahead of you. Pick a microcontroller and try doing some beginner tutorials first to get into it at least.

 

[be80be]

He don't even need a FT232 the Arduino can talk to PC using the U8 as a bridge USB to serial

 

[()blivion]

There is no sensible reason to go through the large undertaking of programming one computer... just to make it talk to another a few inches away.

WinLIRC is probably the answer you want. $20-$50 and you're set. And you can still DIY if you really have too.

 

[dr pepper]

Could you explain that a bit more be80, I'd like to build a usb to serial converter.

 

[be80be]

The uno use a uses a atmegta 16U2 as serial to USB some even use the FT232 .
So if use a Ardunio UNO you have one on board so you can send serial data at will to a pc.

I use one to send the temp outside to my PC.