Can You Drive A Car With a NV Rig?

[Entropy]

Re: Retrofit A Caddy IR System On My Car ?

[ QUOTE ]
Saaby said:
A) I doubt the dealer just happens to have a spare NV system on hand
B) Even if they did I doubt they want to sell it to you.
C) If you find a wrecked/totalled Caddy--it COULD be a roll over, but, remember here it's a $45,000 totalled car, what are the chances it's a bad frontal crash that's rendered the NV system...useless.

Maybe again in 10 years or so...

[/ QUOTE ]
Rollover is not the only way to total a car that doesn't kill the front. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Most common source of junkyard engines and transmissions are not rolled cars, but T-boned cars.

The Caddy NV system is likely not thermal, but near-IR (a la Sony NightShot).

 

[Ken_McE]

Re: Retrofit A Caddy IR System On My Car ?

A) I doubt the dealer just happens to have a spare NV system on hand

(K) Hey, if they sell the car, they've got to sell spare parts for the car. Even on a $50,000 (US) car things will break.

B) Even if they did I doubt they want to sell it to you.

(K) I agree. That's why I mentioned it as an obstacle. A social engineering challenge. I thought people here might have suggestions. You know, the ol' "I broke that night light thing on the middle of the grill on my uncles car, you gotta' sell me a new one" routine.

C) If you find a wrecked/totalled Caddy--it COULD be a roll over, but, remember here it's a $45,000 totalled car, what are the chances it's a bad frontal crash that's rendered the NV system...useless.

(K) The car in your example would be no good for the sensor, but I might be able to get the HUD unit or the fittings off the wiring system, or at least a close look at how the HUD unit was set up.

 

[Ken_McE]

Re: Retrofit A Caddy IR System On My Car ?

[ QUOTE ]
Entropy said:
The Caddy NV system is likely not thermal, but near-IR (a la Sony NightShot).

[/ QUOTE ]

Entrophy, it is a thermal IR sensor, its sensitivity peaks around 100 degrees farenheight, mammal body heat range. $2,000 (US) is actually quite inexpensive for thermal IR gear.

 

[Saaby]

Re: Retrofit A Caddy IR System On My Car ?

Ken...I admire your enthusium /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

 

[Ferrous]

Re: Retrofit A Caddy IR System On My Car ?

Sure you _can_ drive on NV, but I wouldn't advise it. Police are likely to assume that you're smuggling something. Local citizens may assume that you're a gangster looking for someone to kill to prove your meddle. Fellow motorists won't be able too see you until their headlights illuminate you.

 

[Sharp]

Re: Retrofit A Caddy IR System On My Car ?

Suuure...as Ferrous said, anyway, there are some "retrofits." However, if you wish to try, I'd advise to replace or add an IR Illuminator as car's headlights.

 

[PsycoBob[Q2]]

Re: Retrofit A Caddy IR System On My Car ?

If anyone can get an IR system, you can leave the normal headlight in there, and just drive with the HUD. The normal headlights shouldn't interfere with that, and they DO have uses...

They show other drivers where you are, illuminate the reflective road-signs, and most importantly.... they keep you from getting pulled over for not having your headlights on. (I think that admitting the reason why your lights were off will get you in MORE trouble- so LEO's are either bored or paranoid, and will wonder WHY anyone would think headlights suck... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif If they're really curious, they'll start looking for things, wanting a way to keep you long enough for the drug-dog to get there.)

 

[Sharp]

Re: Retrofit A Caddy IR System On My Car ?

I'm not sayin replace your headlights with an IR apparatus. I'm sayin add at least one IR illuminator to you car. shouldn't that be better? Plus, you could replace you headlights with very low powered ones just to make other people spot you and not gettin police pulling you over.

 

[Ken_McE]

Automotive NV Systems

Bendix has a general purpose thermal IR system for vehicles out. It includes a HUD unit and the camera looks like the one Raytheon uses in the Cadillacs.

http://www.bendix.com/products/XVision.shtml

The Cadillac DeVille has a factory-installed thermal IR option (Raytheon) that sells for $2 or 3 K.

http://www.cadillac.com/cadillacjsp/models/deville/nightvision.html

There is a military issue NV system for the Hummer that I haven't paid much attention to 'cause hell will surely freeze over before a civilian gets one.

www.patrolcctv.com/military.html

There is a civilian issue Hummer Thermal IR system called "Nightdriver" that runs $5k installed.

http://www.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=43372&a=a&bt=night%20vision

I'm thinking about buying the Bendix one, which I think is the same as the Caddy one, except its available as a retrofit kit. I think all the thermal IR units trace back to Raytheon.

http://www.raytheoninfrared.com/transportation/index.html

The strategy behind the product:

www.raytheoninfrared.com/admin/file/SPIE4360-211finalauto.pdf

Has anyone here any experience with any of these type products?

 

[DieselDave]

Re: Retrofit A Caddy IR System On My Car ?

[ QUOTE ]
Ken_McE said:
Hi Bright One,

The NV option seems to add around $2,000 (US) to the price of the new car so I assume the parts are somewhere around that price to "replace" at the parts counter. I could afford it, but I've got to think it through some. I'd hate to blow 2K on useless hardware that I couldn't make work or destroyed the first time I ran 12 volts through it....
It's an interesting challenge, no?

[/ QUOTE ]

If it's a $2,000 option I would bet it would cost you around $4,000 to buy it through the parts dept. I have been down this road with other things. A rear seat for a Suburban, $1,800 unassembled. It's a $1,000 option. All the parts will be sold separately. Mark-up on every part and doubly the cost. Good luck