CAN-view sales

[eflier]

Both CAN-view versions are now available. I will be building them to order, and will limit orders to those I can reasonably expect to ship in a 3 week maximum period, which initially means a limit of ~20 units.
Version 1 (basic) displays CAN messages on the MFD and costs US$225+shipping.
Version 2 (enhanced) displays CAN messages on the MFD, has an external RGB socket for an optional NTSC-RGB converter, has serial touch screen O/P, serial input for an optional BOBIII text-to-video card and another connector for a modified Pioneer AVIC-88 navigation unit. It costs US$275 +shipping.

For much more detailed information, go to www.hybridinterfaces.ca

Both these units are ONLY for the 2004/5 Prius without factory NAV or backup camera. If you have a Classic Prius, or either Prius with factory NAV, please do not order at this time.

If you have read all about them and are ready to buy, send an email to eflier@telus.net and I will respond as soon as I can.
regards, Norm (eflier)

[eflier]

Update as of Nov 19th. I set an initial estimate of time-to-build at 3 weeks. That has proved overly conservative. With the experience gained from the first 10 CAN-view units built and shipped, I now expect to ship either version within 1 week of receiving an order. Just send your request to eflier@telus.netwith your address and I'll respond within 24 hours with a couple of shipping options.

[windstrings]

Both these units are ONLY for the 2004/5 Prius without factory NAV or backup camera. If you have a Classic Prius, or either Prius with factory NAV, please do not order at this time.

Let us know when it works with NAV.. or a reasonable eta would be good.

[eflier]

Originally posted by windstrings@Nov 25 2005, 08:44 PM
Let  us know when it works with NAV.. or a reasonable eta would be good.

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A reasonable question deserves a reasonable answer.
Here is the status about CAN-view with NAV. According to Frenchie, the version 2 unit he has basically works with his factory NAV. There is an issue with screen time-outs to resolve. But the main reason I have said nothing is that he had to splice into his NAV connector wires in order to install, a messy procedure which he does not advise.

Finding the correct matching Toyota connector pair to make up the required 4-way wiring harness to let an unmodified CAN-view work in a plug-and-play way, is a big stumbling block. There are a couple of samples coming via Frenchie but no guarantees of more. And because you cannot buy the connectors alone, the parts you have to buy mean an unacceptable end price perhaps US$90 on top of the version 2 price. Frankly, I don't know how Coastal or VAIS acquire the connectors they use.

Perhaps if I were making 100 of them, a custom solution would be possible. This may open a can of worms, but the reality is I know of only 4 people who might commit to a with-NAV version. So I'll pose this question:
If a with-NAV version could be provided within 2 weeks, cost just $20 more for a partial harness but require splicing into their NAV cable (with possible warranty issues?), how many people would still want to do this?
If a with-NAV version with full plug-and-play harness could be provided within 3 weeks, but cost US$90 more, how many people would still consider this?

Finally, is there a Prius-with-factory-NAV owner, on the west coast of Canada, who would consider doing some local testing to help resolve this?
replies to eflier@telus.net

[efusco]

If the "splicing" was simply using taps to splice I'd pay $20 extra for the CAN-View. perhaps add a connector to the wires that splice in so the CAN-View could, if desired, be detatched.

I don't think there are major warranty issues and I'm mostly out of warranty anyway.

[joelparks]

Originally posted by eflier@Nov 26 2005, 01:47 AM
A reasonable question deserves a reasonable answer.
...
.  So I'll pose this question:
If a with-NAV version could be provided within 2 weeks, cost just $20 more for a partial harness but require  splicing into their NAV cable (with possible warranty issues?), how many people would still want to do this?
If a with-NAV version with full plug-and-play harness could be provided within 3 weeks, but cost US$90 more, how many people would still consider this?

I hope I'm still on your list of 'want it when it's ready' buyers. You can count me as willing to spend the extra but either way is fine.

I'm not anywhere near out of warranty, but I've already bolted on a receiver hitch and installed the coastal EV widget, so I guess I'm on the slippery slope...

JP

[windstrings]

A reasonable question deserves a reasonable answer.
Here is the status about CAN-view with NAV. According to Frenchie, the version 2 unit he has basically works with his factory NAV. There is an issue with screen time-outs to resolve. But the main reason I have said nothing is that he had to splice into his NAV connector wires in order to install, a messy procedure which he does not advise.

I think if you make the harness available, that folks will spend the money.. not all but many.. it does seem a bit expensive.. maybe startup costs?.. I think it would pay for itself because I would venture to say that most of the people that would apprecate the info and readout the can-view delivers are the same type of folks that also have the NAV installed...

In other words.. I think your sales would really skyrocket if the harness was a bit more reasonable?
It seems about 5 bucks in material... If you can find an efficient way to assemble them, they will be worth it.

When I get my 2006.. I have no prob paying the extra to have a clean job that I don't have to worry about connections working loose....
But many may not.......

[rminch]

This is slightly off topic, but for those of us with NAV I (and I'd bet many more people) would be interested in any NAV-related enhancements that may be possible. For example, I'd guess that the NAV system might be capable of calculating altitude, speed, etc. as many hand-held GPS units do. It would be nice if we could display this sort of information on our MFD. I'm not sure whether this has ever been discussed in this forum, but a search for "altitude" returned no results . . .

[windstrings]

Originally posted by rminch@Nov 26 2005, 01:25 AM
This is slightly off topic, but for those of us with NAV I (and I'd bet many more people) would be interested in any NAV-related enhancements that may be possible.  For example, I'd guess that the NAV system might be capable of calculating altitude, speed, etc. as many hand-held GPS units do.  It would be nice if we could display this sort of information on our MFD.  I'm not sure whether this has ever been discussed in this forum, but a search for "altitude" returned no results . . .

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I agree... I used to have that function on my watch....and it was very handy when out in the boonies traversing the mountains. Very simple addition.... I used it also to tell how much farther I had to the summit when going over passes.... or how close I was to sea level.

[chrisek]

eflier, I've got Nav on an '05, and you can count me in. In your last e-mail (reasonable reply) you state you don't know how VAIS gets their connectors. I'm planning on getting the VAIS to hook up our iPod. So my question is, can these co-exist? If I get the VAIS, and it has extra connectors built into IT, could you use those to connect in? Am I making sense?

In any case $20 or $90 over, if it is clean I'm game and please PM me when available.