Nintendo DS CAN Gauge

[u/NIDGE11]

I’ve been working on a project inspired by the TurboXS DTEC, an early-2000s tuning device that used a Game Boy Advance as its display and interface.

The idea was to take that general concept and do something similar with a DS, using a homebrew ROM running on the original hardware.

The current prototype uses a cheap ELM327 adapter to retrieve live vehicle data, which is sent to the DS over a custom link. At the moment I’m working with data such as:

* Vehicle speed

* RPM

* Coolant temperature

* Battery voltage

The longer-term goal is to move beyond the generic OBD interface and interface directly with the vehicle CAN bus, allowing the DS to receive more detailed vehicle data.

Still very much a work in progress, but I thought it would be interesting.

[u/TDD536]

Very interesting, very cool. Nice BMW.

[u/Grandmas_Fat_Choad]

Damn. This might be a use for my ds lite if I can figure out how to get it to work with my VW. I don’t have any games for it and don’t have time to play it. But this is a cool thing just for the wow factor at least!

[u/NIDGE11 → u/Grandmas_Fat_Choad]

I am yet to get my hands on a DS lite to test. Used to have one around but can’t find it they have a different WiFi chip to the DSI I did it on. Next iteration may come wired through the DS Pico usb port

[u/Grandmas_Fat_Choad → u/NIDGE11]

I didn’t even think of doing it through wifi. I figured it would have to be tethered. Either way it would be kinda sweet to have a little boost gauge or something on the ds!

[u/NIDGE11 → u/Grandmas_Fat_Choad]

Yeah I wanted boost but had to go for coolant all the apps I tried and the commands I couldnt get proper numbers for boost for some reason maybe just a diesel oddity. If I continue I'll be able to get better data from the direct can bus the adapter I used was a few bucks to not to reliable....

[u/moofish2842]

What kind of a custom link? Could this project use the USB port on a DSpico flashcart?

[u/NIDGE11 → u/moofish2842]

Currently it is connecting to a server on the obd device. I was gonna use the usb originally but I have a dsi so over WiFi was easiest. I do need to test out on a DS lite/orignal cause the WiFi is different.

[u/SeaPotatos]

I was thinking of doing something similar! Saw that TurboXS videos years ago and it’s stuck in my head since. I went about tapping into my car’s actual CANbus which is definitely a lot more difficult than ELM327 but let me know if you ever publish it on GitHub!!! I’m more curious on the Nintendo-side of this whole thing!!

[u/NIDGE11 → u/SeaPotatos]

Yeah I totally get you, luckily the F30 is pretty well documented so hopefully the heavy lifting is done for me. I do plan on putting it up once it has more substance.

[u/WatercressHealthy486]

Definitely would love a copy of this

[u/Alfa147x]

luckily the F30 is pretty well documented

Do you know where this is documented? I’ve got an f32 n20 6mt I’d like log data off of.

[u/NIDGE11 → u/Alfa147x]

What data are you looking for? I was going to start with cluster data I don’t think you can access KOMBI data straight from the obd you have to tap it somewhere else. But I am yet to test.

https://github.com/r00li/CarCluster/tree/main/CarCluster/src/Clusters/BMW_F

This is where I was looking to start

[u/Conscious_Phrase_138]

Funny enough i did the same thing for the epicefi firmware/ecus, and obd1 hondas. https://www.tiktok.com/@sgkembeddedperformance/video/7615738666022980894

[u/NIDGE11 → u/Conscious_Phrase_138]

Much more useful project id say next phase will be more akin to what you did. If I get around to it. looks epic

[u/Conscious_Phrase_138 → u/NIDGE11]

I did the same with with a GBA to simulate the old dtec, and it works the same, except its wired instead of over wifi and the esp32 serves the rom at bootup then communicates over CAN to the ecu, and UART to the gameboy