For Sale Prototype Mods

I will receive some sample PCBs that I designed with in the next few weeks. I will assemble the boards and fully test them on the bench and in my personal Prius. Since I had to order a small quantity of each PCBs, I will have no use for them after testing them. This sale depends on the successful bench test and in my Prius test. If any part of the test fails, I will discard this sale.

Here's your chance to be one of the first on Prius Chat to own and test my mods before they're available in PC Shop. I have built many proof of concepts. These are the semi-finalized products.
What I am offering

V1V-R2.1 - Navigation bypass with ON OFF switch $100 This allows you to have full access to the headunit while driving.
V3V-R2.1 - Navigation bypass with ON OFF Timed switch $110 This allows you to have full access to the headunit while driving plus an adjustable timer to auto turn off the bypass.
TSRCA-R2.1 - Turn signal reverse camera activation $100 This uses the turn signal to turn on your reverse camera and on demand. Hazard light will not trigger the reverse camera.
PWR-R2.1 - Default Power Mode $100 Enters PWR mode automatically when you power up your Prius.

What I am asking prototype testers in return.

The mod cannot be installed by a shop. You must perform the installation yourself. You may ask friends for help. I'll try to help as much as I can.

A full write up on the step by step installation with as many clearly focused pictures as possible in a word or PDF format. If Word format, it must be readable on Office 2003. If PDF format, text must be highlightable and copyable.

Picture requirement - Avoid using cellphone cameras. They are blurry and can't capture details. DSLR is encouraged. I will need all the original pictures you've taken during your installation including the ones you didn't use for your installation write up. Please take as many pictures as possible. Selfies and groupies are welcome if you don't mind me sharing them. I won't, but there's a chance.

After installation, please provide installation issues/problems, feedback, improvements and suggestions. An operation/function review is welcome as well.

Once I received all of the above (within 30 days of you receiving your mods), I will give you the following refund for providing the instructions and pictures.

V1V-R2.1 - $20, final price $80
V3V-R2.1 - $30, final price $135 V3V-R2.1 - $20, final price $90
TSRCA-R2.1 - $20, final price $80
PWR-R2.1 - $20, final price $80

These are what I'm looking for. Sorry I cannot combine the mods. There's no enough to go around.
V1V testers who owns 2010-2011 Prius 7"
V1V testers who owns 2012-2014 Prius 6.1"
V1V testers who owns 2012-2014 Prius 7"
V1V testers who owns 2012-2014 Prius c 6.1"
V1V testers who owns 2012-2014 Prius v 6.1"
V3V testers who owns 2012-2014 Prius 6.1"
V3V testers who owns 2012-2014 Prius 7"
V3V testers who owns 2012-2014 Prius PiP 7"
V3V testers who owns 2012-2014 Prius v 7"
V3V testers who owns 2012-2014 Prius c 6.1
TSRCA testers who owns 2004-2009 Prius with reverse camera
TSRCA testers who owns 2010-2011 Prius with reverse camera
TSRCA testers who owns 2012-2014 Prius v with reverse camera
TSRCA testers who owns 2012-2014 Prius PiP with reverse camera
TSRCA testers who owns 2012-2014 Prius c with reverse camera
PWR testers who owns 2010-2011 Prius
PWR testers who owns 2012-2014 Prius
PWR testers who owns 2012-2014 Prius
PWR testers who owns 2012-2014 Prius v
PWR testers who owns 2012-2014 Prius v
Some quick FAQ
These mods are not plug and play. You'll need to cut wires to make connections and use T-Taps.
All sales are final so if you don't like the mod, you can sell it to anyone you like.
You won't get the partial refund if you don't provide the installation write ups, pictures, feedbacks and reviews within 30 days of receiving your mods.
There's no guarantee that you'll be chosen to receive the mod as there's 1 or 2 mods per vehicle trim combo. Currently there're enough prototypes to go around so everyone's welcome.
I won't ask for payment until I have tested the mods on my end which could take weeks. You're welcome to back out if you want.
Please contact me which one you're interested in testing or for more details.
--------------- Added on 3/28/14 Updated on 4/08/14

Estimated time line​

3/28/14 PCB shipped out from manufacturer
4/4/14 Received PCB
4/4-4/7/14 Inspect PCB
4/7/14 Received Aoyue Soldering Station
4/8/14 Assemble test PCB and components
4/8/14 Bench test

V1V Pass
TSRCA Pass
PWR Pass
V3V Failed - The ON-OFF bypass portion passed but the timee feature failed. I couldn't get it to time more than 5 seconds. I'll cut my losses and solder the components to allow the ON-OFF to function and sell it as V1V. I have decided completely scrap the V3V testing due to the failed timer. No one signed up for it anyway plus the installation is the same as V1V. The V3V will be on the market once I iron out the timer issue.​

4/10/14 Vehicle test all passed
4/16/14 Assemble all PCB and components
5/9/14 Bench test all passed
5/10/14 Vehicle test all passed
5/10/14 Waiting on blank switch fillers
7/3/14 Gave up waiting on blank switch fillers from plastic fabrication shop.
7/9/14 3D printing the blank switch fillers.
7/31/14 target shipping date or before.
6/4/14 Choose test candidates
7/19/14 Contact test candidates on details and payment
Receive payments from test candidates (point of no return)
Shipment begins
Receive documents from testers.
Send incentives
Concludes test

 

Estimated time line
3/28/14 PCB shipped out from manufacturer
Received PCB
Inspect PCB
Assemble test PCB and components
Bench test
Vehicle test
Assemble all PCB and components
Bench test all
Vehicle test all
Choose test candidates
Contact test candidates on details and payment
Receive payments from test candidates (point of no return)
Shipment begins
Receive documents from testers.
Send incentives
Concludes test

 

TSRCA does have a 3 position switch. ON(turn signal activated)-OFF(stock)-ON(turns on the rear camera while driving)
HTML is fine as long as I can copy the text.

 

I received the PCB.

 

So you want to trigger on the rear camera when you turn on the hazard light?
Here's the reason why I didn't include hazard trigger. Hazard trigger is not as time critical as turn signal. When you're changing lane, it's a split second decision. You don't have the time to turn on the rear camera then turn it off. Getting the rear camera to come on takes about a second from the time you activate the turn signal to the time the video pops up and about 2 seconds after turn signal turns off. During that time it can feel like forever. Once you're done changing lanes, you don't want the screen to stuck on rear camera view if you're on the navigation screen.
Hazard trigger is not time critical and likely to be kept on for a long period of time. You can always manually turn on the rear camera with the switch. People don't use hazard that often. If demand is high, I will redesign the TS-RCA to include hazard trigger. Keep it mind, it could delay production also raise the price. If Hazard trigger is more important than turn signal trigger, you can always leave 1 side (either left input or right input) not hooked up. Just hook up the side that you have more trouble with blind spot.

 

Instead of inspecting the PCBs, I've spent the last 2 days redesigning the TSRCA to have 3 trigger settings, turn signal only, hazard only and turn signal+hazard. 3 settings are selectable by changing 7 jumpers. The TSRCA is already a hard sale as it is. Adding the selectable triggers will add extra components increase the board size and production cost, and therefore increase final cost to the V3V range. Also, if jumpers are not set correctly, it could damage the electrical system. It's just not worth it to produce.

 

Just adding the ability to change settings will increase price to V3V range even if its 2 settings instead of 3, doesn't matter which combination of the 3. Adding front camera will not affect the TSRCA operation. It just won't switch between front and rear. It only activates the camera screen. If you want Hazard trigger only and no turn signal trigger, I can modify one of the sample PCB for $10 more. Keep in mind, it's permanent and won't be able to go back to turn signal trigger. Installation process is still the same.

 

Everything matched the gerber files except for a few silkscreen misalignment. I just hope that I didn't make any mistakes on any schematics even though I checked it over and over.
Just received the Aoyue 738H soldering station I ordered last week. No more junk soldering iron. Hopefully this one is easier to use.

 

Just an update. I've bench tested all the mods. So far only the V3V didn't pass. So far, no one signed up for it anyway. The speedlock bypass still works. The timed circuit failed. I couldn't get it to time more than 5 seconds. I'll cut my losses and solder the components to allow only the ON-OFF to function and sell it as V1V. V3V will go back to the drawing board.

The PWR mod is a bit tricky to call. In order to pass, the PWR must pass 2 tests. The delay and the pulse. Let me start with the pulse. A pass would have the mod pulse the relay just long enough to enable the PWR. Once the mod has activated the PWR mode, you as a driver can deactivate the PWR later if you want to during the same drive cycle. A fail would have the relay latched and not released. When this happens, the mod will activate the PWR mode but you as a driver can't deactivate the PWR mode if you want to. The pulse test passed.

Now, on to the delay test, the tricky call. There's a delay from the time you power up the Prius til the time the ECU will accept the PWR button input. I don't know what the delay is. I can only estimate about 1.5-2.5 seconds. If I build the mod with the wrong delay, the mod will not activate the PWR mode. With that in mind, I made the PWR mod to have adjustable delay from 0 to about 5 seconds. This is necessary because I don't know exact time the ECU will accept the PWR mode activation once you power up the car. If the delay is adjusted to activate too soon, the ECU will ignore the PWR button input. If the delay is adjusted to late (max is 5 seconds delay), you'll probably stare at the dash wondering when the PWR mode will kick on.

Nearly every initial test after adjusting the delay, the mod will activate the pulse without delay (this is a fail because the ECU will ignore PWR button input). After that, the pulse is delayed according to the adjustment. Once I have adjusted the delay correctly, it has worked every time. I have been vehicle testing the PWR mod for a week now it hasn't had a single failure to activate. With that result, I am calling it pass.

I am assembling all the PCB and components.

I'm still waiting for the switches to arrive. Once they've arrived, I'll goto the plastic fab shop and order the blanks to house the switches. Last time it took about a month for them to make all the blanks.