How to get a Heads Up Display (HUD) in your car for 5 cents
While doing a bit of traveling recently, I printed out some directions curteousy of Yahoo! Maps and placed them on the passanger seat. I found that looking over while driving probably wasn’t the safest option. I then decided what my Saturn LS needs is someway to project the text of the paper on my windsheild. Here is an extremely low tech way to avoid the dreaded reading while driving connundrum.
First: When you print your online directions (or anything you need while driving) be sure you use the available “Printer Freindly” option. This ensures big text and a big map.
Second: When you get the print friendly version on your browser scroll to the part you need. If you are using windows hit the print screen button, if you’re using a Mac, buy a new computer, or use Apple+Shift+4.
Third: Paste the text (as an image) into your favorite image editor.
Forth: Flip the image vertically. Different programs do this differently. In MS Paint hit Ctrl+R and then select “Flip vertically”.
Fifth: Print.
Sixth: When you get in your car place the paper on your dashboard. The reflection should make the directions visable in your windsheild.
I understand that not every car may be properly designed for this, and that the trick may have some problems when the sun goes down. But you’ll save big bucks from a navigation system, and get a decent alternative for the cost of some ink and paper.
(pictures soon)
[tags]HUD, MS Paint, travel tips[/tags]
June 29th, 2006 at 4:00 pm
MacGyver Tip: Heads up display with a reversed paper map…
College student Sean Blanda has a neat trick for keeping your eyes on the road AND your map while you’re driving. Make your paper map printout reflect off the inside of your car windshield for a cheap and easy “heads……
June 29th, 2006 at 5:43 pm
[…] Of course this will only work in the daytime, and maybe only on some cars. Sean promises photos of this in action soon. I can’t wait! — Gina Trapani How to get a Heads Up Display (HUD) in your car for 5 cents [College v.2] […]
June 29th, 2006 at 8:18 pm
When its dark it should work even better if you add a small flashlite to te setup. One of those little LED-lights ducktaped so it shines onto the map should do the trick.
If your windshield does not reflect enough you could stick some mor reflecting foil to it.. but i think thats a little too much don’t you?
so lon
madmud
June 29th, 2006 at 10:40 pm
As long as the cost is cheap, no rig can be too much.
June 29th, 2006 at 11:10 pm
“If you are using windows hit the print screen button, if you’re using a Mac, buy a new computer, or use Apple+Shift+4”
AH HAHAHAHAHAHA! Comic gold! Stupid Mac users are just like XBox fanboys. Everyone knows PS2 RULZ!
Actually it’s CMD+Shift+4 for the select cursor, after which you have to drag to select what you want. Hit the spacebar and then click in the window you want to capture and you’ll get just that window. It’s an extra keypress but you won’t need any cropping and resizing in the end result.
Cool tip, though.
June 30th, 2006 at 9:32 am
One issue though for this working better in the sun is if you wear polarized sunglasses. They remove the glare/reflection on the windshield… so you would have to get a non-polarized pair to wear when you’re lost.
June 30th, 2006 at 11:03 am
To save a few steps with windows just print the map (Ctrl+P) but when the printer dialog box comes up click the properties button, most printers have a “Mirror Image” option.
June 30th, 2006 at 3:32 pm
KG – I tried to find one on mine but no dice.
July 2nd, 2006 at 7:27 pm
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July 7th, 2006 at 10:50 am
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