If anyone is interested there is an IC to generate the sweeping lights thing done on the front of KITT.
The IC is a five stage Johnson counter (HEF4017B) connected to a 555 to generate the clock. I had a go at making the KITT thing on a breadboard (No, not that kind, sheesh!) and it looked rather funky.
I also have a Knight Rider lights effect on my website (Using Javascript, it speeds up and down as well), but i'm sure someone would accuse me of promoting my (Crappy) website if i posted the link on here ;-P
By Anonymous CowardPosted Thursday 26th June 2008 11:24 GMT
I'd much rather it has the ability to driver the car so you can sleep - mind you given the number of car drivers turning into rivers because their sat nav told them, I think maybe not after all
Couldn't they have replicated the hardware? I don't remember Kitt ever displaying a splash screen of the hoff. It just looks like a SatNav with a theme :-( although I can think of a few better themes! It looked really slow too, how could it possibly catch up with me?
By WarhelmetPosted Thursday 26th June 2008 12:23 GMT
I was trying to remember other talking cars, seeing if I could spot a gap in the market.
Speedbuggy, I remember that, but that's about all. And I'm not sure he said that much. Herbie didn't say anything at all. But there was always something very disturbing about Herbie. Cars DO NOT have sex. They CAN NOT reproduce. So perhapss it's good that he did not talk. Imagine the indignity of having people in your vehicle and your sat nav gets the horn over a Micra.
By Anonymous CowardPosted Thursday 26th June 2008 14:22 GMT
The "SmartST shop demonstration" on the YouTube video is a bit of a giveaway.....I've had different voices on my Navman/iPaq combo (that uses SmartST) for about 5 years....best one's are the "naughty" voices that say:
"in 400 metres, turn left and then take me big boy.....!"
Trouble is, the phrases haven't been put together that well and sound like three or four different women taking it in turns (sic) to speak the directions....
By Anonymous CowardPosted Friday 27th June 2008 09:13 GMT
an IC? pah... I just bought the kit from Maplins - granted the lights only go one way, but when you miss out the last few led's and put the wires to the middle ones, it goes back and forth ;-)
*sigh* I've just realised how sad I am :-( Still not sad enough to own this though, no matter how good the program was. At the time.
Even though you clarified the word "breadboard", I now cannot rid myself of the mental picture of a loaf of Mother's Pride with flashing red lights at one end.
"The device’s integrated randomized greetings and 300 custom names will welcome you to your navigation experience"
Nope, looks like the name is changable.
I wonder if it takes generic maps. I'd definitely like to get one off eBay and load it with local maps.
Now all they need is to include a USB host-capable device connector and I could just rig up an interface to hook it up to my junk of a Proton Gen-2, and let the device control it. Instant autocruise. And for kicks, hook it up to the car alarm as well and program it to make the alarm go off if someone decides to let his/her pooch take a piss on my car tires (@#!$#@ neighbour kids, trying to be funny/clever).
Comments on: Knight Rider satnav spied in the wild
Not buying this... #
By Adrian Jackson Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 10:19 GMT
Not buying this... #
By dervheid Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 10:36 GMT
Knight rider lights #
By Simon Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 10:46 GMT
Excellent device! #
By Eponymous Cowherd Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 10:54 GMT
The real thing #
By GameCoder Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 11:04 GMT
On the Cards.?! #
By amanfromMars Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 11:10 GMT
It's a NavMan #
By Kenny Millar Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 11:18 GMT
re: Turbo Boost #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 11:24 GMT
Time wasting exercise #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 11:32 GMT
Just waiting for.... #
By Bo Pedersen Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 11:40 GMT
Not good enough #
By Tim Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 12:09 GMT
Speedbuggy #
By Warhelmet Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 12:23 GMT
Good plan #
By John Robson Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 12:40 GMT
Is it me... #
By Johnny FireBlade Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 13:39 GMT
Do you get #
By Adrian Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 14:19 GMT
Hello Michael #
By Mike Dyne Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 14:19 GMT
But does it play... #
By Ian McNee Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 14:20 GMT
SmartST ?? #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 14:22 GMT
@Adrian #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 16:23 GMT
impvoe the voice, get rid of the hoff and give it auto cruise #
By pctechxp Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 17:30 GMT
disappointing #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 20:59 GMT
Majel Barrett #
By John Posted Thursday 26th June 2008 21:58 GMT
Greats? #
By Steve Mansfield Posted Friday 27th June 2008 07:04 GMT
@simon #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Friday 27th June 2008 09:13 GMT
@Simon #
By TeeCee Posted Friday 27th June 2008 09:25 GMT
Circumstances #
By Benjamin Ford Posted Sunday 29th June 2008 13:26 GMT
@Michael by default #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Wednesday 9th July 2008 06:17 GMT