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HUD Question

agwondra

Seasoned Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2011
Messages
62
Location
Medina, MN
My XLR/V(s)
2004 XLR - Satin Nickel
Does anyone know if it is possible to 'reprogram' the HUD? I would be very interested in having the tach display in addition to the MPH. Along the same line does anyone know if the Corvette C6 HUD would fit or be a usable alternative to the XLR HUD?
 
Does anyone know if it is possible to 'reprogram' the HUD? I would be very interested in having the tach display in addition to the MPH. Along the same line does anyone know if the Corvette C6 HUD would fit or be a usable alternative to the XLR HUD?

As far as I know, the short answer is no.:wave:
 
I would have really appreciated a longer more affirmative answer, but thanks for the information.
 
I'm not sure anyone will be able to supply a definitive answer, but I'll offer a few observations derived from briefly looking at the XLR and Corvette service manuals.

In terms of what it can display, the vette has many more capabilities, and there are two additional switches/controls to select which page and which mode are displayed. IF the xlr uses the same unit, it would have to be jumpered or pre-programmed to limit what is displayed. If I were a car design beancounter, that would save some money over having a whole different unit. But even if that's the case, whatever limits the functionality may not be user accessable.

Please note that much of the data displayed is received via the serial data bus. A large question would be whether the data is broadcast or is it transmitted to discrete addresses on the bus? E.g. does the ecm transmit just "here's the current rpm", or does it transmit "hey tach, here's the rpm" (and in the vette, "hey, hud, here's the rpm").

While the answers to these questions might be available inside GM, it's likely the only way the answers would be available would be to spend a sizeable amount of time both examining the two units, and examining the serial data traffic for both cars.

In other words, the long answer is Almost Certainly No.
 
After driving my XLR everyday for the last 9 days, something that I have never done before, my wish would be that the HUD Display was available on my Tahoe!

I find it to be such a joy to use. I can understand the desire for the inclusion of the tach in the HUD Display as well, though I don't drive my XLR very aggressively.
 
If some how you do manage to get the hud to work by all means report back with that info
 
I'm not sure anyone will be able to supply a definitive answer, but I'll offer a few observations derived from briefly looking at the XLR and Corvette service manuals.

In terms of what it can display, the vette has many more capabilities, and there are two additional switches/controls to select which page and which mode are displayed. IF the xlr uses the same unit, it would have to be jumpered or pre-programmed to limit what is displayed. If I were a car design beancounter, that would save some money over having a whole different unit. But even if that's the case, whatever limits the functionality may not be user accessable.

Please note that much of the data displayed is received via the serial data bus. A large question would be whether the data is broadcast or is it transmitted to discrete addresses on the bus? E.g. does the ecm transmit just "here's the current rpm", or does it transmit "hey tach, here's the rpm" (and in the vette, "hey, hud, here's the rpm").

While the answers to these questions might be available inside GM, it's likely the only way the answers would be available would be to spend a sizeable amount of time both examining the two units, and examining the serial data traffic for both cars.

In other words, the long answer is Almost Certainly No.

I guess I don't like the long answer any better than the short answer, but as you say it would probably makes sense to have just 1 HUD and limit the information supplied to the XLR. I did see a seller on ebay that was advertising alterations to the standard Corvette HUD and that prompted the question here. I may contact him to see if he has any ideas, and I will report back my findings.
 
FYI

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> Picked up my Maui Jim polarized sunglasses the other day and noticed the HUD didn’t work anymore in the XLR. I wasn’t looking forward to the cost to repair the HUD, but decided to call the service department. I took off my sunglasses to call and realized I could see the HUD now.

Just an FYI for anyone looking at new sunglasses, who would have thought.

Uintah


 
Fun With Sunglasses

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> Picked up my Maui Jim polarizing sunglasses the other day and noticed the HUD didn’t work anymore in the XLR. I wasn’t looking forward to the cost to repair the HUD, but decided to call the service department. I took off my sunglasses to call and realized I could see the HUD now.

Just an FYI for anyone looking at new sunglasses, who would have thought.

Uintah




This is a problem that typically strikes former Navy folks with Xenon Blue XLRs. Sometimes takes months to correct.

Steve
 
I contacted the seller on ebay that has advertised modifications to the Corvette HUD. Unfortunately he has only limited information on the XLR and is not sure they would be compatible. It looks like we are limited to what Cadillac has decided to give us for the HUD.
 
Yes, I discovered this as well after acquiring some very nice Ray Ban prescription sunglasses. Bummer.
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> Picked up my Maui Jim polarizing sunglasses the other day and noticed the HUD didn’t work anymore in the XLR. I wasn’t looking forward to the cost to repair the HUD, but decided to call the service department. I took off my sunglasses to call and realized I could see the HUD now.

Just an FYI for anyone looking at new sunglasses, who would have thought.

Uintah


 
Ray-Ban

Yes, I discovered this as well after acquiring some very nice Ray Ban prescription sunglasses. Bummer.

That's odd, because traditionally, Ray-Ban lenses relied on UV filtering and not polarization prior to the time that Bausch & Lomb sold Ray-Ban to Luxottica in 1999.

All my Ray-Ban sunglasses are B&L products and none of them give me any problem at all with seeing the HUD.

Perhaps the Luxottica products use polarization?
 
These are about two years old and definitely polarized. They are prescription sunglasses btw
 
These are about two years old and definitely polarized. They are prescription sunglasses btw

That would explain it. With prescription sunglasses, the frames are Ray-Ban (Luxottica), but the lenses are supplied by others and definitely can be polarized.

This is a good "Heads-up" for others to be careful about choosing sunglasses if they are planning to wear them when driving their XLR!
 

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