Hi, my name's L.A. and I'm currently designing my new rig. Been hording the money for this project for long enough and now I want to get cracking at it.

The theme is something along the lines of nuclear power/industrial machine, but there's something I'm running into a snag with. I want two temperature gauges (one for CPU temp and one for Ambient temp) mounted on the front of my case. I really don't care about having fan controllers or any of that, I'd just as soon leave them on, but I want two gauge displays for temperature, possibly something around 2 inch diameter for each one.

Now, I HAVE found a few that are LCD screens and stuff like that, but this is going to look allot more oldschool, just white background with a black needle and numbers. I'm really stuck in a bind with trying to find a setup for this, without having to solder and attach the readers onto my heatsinks/CPU. I'm hoping for something electronic to use the on-board temperature readers, but display it with old school needle gauges. The closest thing I can give you an example of is this picture.

If anyone knows of any products, or any guides on such a project, I would really appreciate the help, thankyou in advance.

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There was a guide in a magazine I read recently that told you how to do this, using the sound output from your PC. I think what it does is play a constant tone that varies in pitch with CPU usage, and then the gauges interpret that into moving the needle. Can't find it online but might be able to give you a rough run down of what to do and what software you need.

EDIT: Oh...and welcome

I think with some simple screwdriver skills and a can of paint you could easily mod something like this to suit your intended style.

Welcome to PCApex!

I appreciate the comments so far, but it's not quite what I'm looking for. I really don't want a fan controller on the rig (especially after reading that review) and just want a pair of temperature gauges. Feel free to post anything more, I'm still looking.

I thought this might take the help of some DIY electronics and a microcontroller but DAMN I didn't know it would be this much work. Show PC stats on analog gauges - DIY Life

You'd think SOMEBODY would make a prepackaged controller for these things

Maybe that guy would build one for you at a cost, couldn't hurt to ask

Quote: Originally Posted by SexyPants You'd think SOMEBODY would make a prepackaged controller for these things

Yeah, it baffles me that nobody's made a kit for this. Also, the owner of that PC is unknown, and I have no idea if those gauges even accurately work or are just for show. I only references it for the look of the gauges.

Quote: Originally Posted by LASture Hi, my name's L.A. and I'm currently designing my new rig. Been hording the money for this project for long enough and now I want to get cracking at it. The theme is something along the lines of nuclear power/industrial machine, but there's something I'm running into a snag with. I want two temperature gauges (one for CPU temp and one for Ambient temp) mounted on the front of my case. I really don't care about having fan controllers or any of that, I'd just as soon leave them on, but I want two gauge displays for temperature, possibly something around 2 inch diameter for each one. Now, I HAVE found a few that are LCD screens and stuff like that, but this is going to look allot more oldschool, just white background with a black needle and numbers. I'm really stuck in a bind with trying to find a setup for this, without having to solder and attach the readers onto my heatsinks/CPU. I'm hoping for something electronic to use the on-board temperature readers, but display it with old school needle gauges. The closest thing I can give you an example of is this picture. If anyone knows of any products, or any guides on such a project, I would really appreciate the help, thankyou in advance.

Coolermaster sells a panel with 3 needle gauges in it. I don't recall the name roght now, but I'll see if I can find a link.

That is the CoolerMaster Musketeer! It is a Drive Bay panel and it looks like you could mod it to measure whatever you want!

*Please Note: ONLY Compatible with Gigabyte ODIN GT series power supplies!
Gigabyte GZ-PGAPB-01R Visuals External USB Gauge for Odin GT Power Supplies

Quote: Originally Posted by LASture Yeah, it baffles me that nobody's made a kit for this. Also, the owner of that PC is unknown, and I have no idea if those gauges even accurately work or are just for show. I only references it for the look of the gauges.

I've done 8 yrs in Naval aviation as a maintenance man. The gauges you want are the gauges that you will find in the ****pit of older warplanes. They can also be found in some industrial settings. Unless you find the exact gauge and mod it to your own needs you probably will have to settle with a gauge cover and some non functional junk inside it that will pass for what you see in your photo. I'll look around and see if I can find some vintage gauge covers for you, at least.

I appreciate it. I'm really hoping to get a working gauge setup, but if that doesn't pan out, I could probably replace the needle and back of some of those fan controllers with a vintage gauge.

Thanks for the help, but like I said, I find it really weird that there hasn't been a kit for this made somewhere. :/

You do have a good point. They make everything else! I searched imitation aircraft gauges and found a few pics. Imitation Industrial gauges turned up model railroad gauge pics and some other stuff, but I'll keep looking around. Theres got to be something out there in the www!

Quote: Originally Posted by LASture I appreciate it. I'm really hoping to get a working gauge setup, but if that doesn't pan out, I could probably replace the needle and back of some of those fan controllers with a vintage gauge. Thanks for the help, but like I said, I find it really weird that there hasn't been a kit for this made somewhere. :/

Hey, I found a site that supplys custom gauges for Trick My Truck type mods! They have an application that lets you design your own gauge online!. They also have a design team that will design gauges for you. I'm pretty sure that they could duplicate what you have in mind. Probably only limitation is $$$ you want to spend.

Oh, the site is auroragauges.com.

I think you kind of misunderstood me. That website can make custom gauges, sure, but that's not really the problem here. The problem is getting a gauge to work with the digital information on my computer's onboard temperature detectors for the CPU.

It's not a big deal that I can't find old-school looking gauges, I can retrofit a gauge to look oldschool, but the problem is most of these come with either too small a gauge, or they come with a bunch of buttons for fan control. I dont want a fan controller, I just want a temperature readout.

The best find so far has been the analog gauge that SexyPants had a guide for. Unfortunately I was hoping for a pre-made kit (like the chip he's using that plugs into the USB port, where could I get one pre-made?) instead of having to do a bunch of crap like that myself. >_<

Thanks for the help though, appreciated.

Quote: Originally Posted by LASture I think you kind of misunderstood me. That website can make custom gauges, sure, but that's not really the problem here. The problem is getting a gauge to work with the digital information on my computer's onboard temperature detectors for the CPU. It's not a big deal that I can't find old-school looking gauges, I can retrofit a gauge to look oldschool, but the problem is most of these come with either too small a gauge, or they come with a bunch of buttons for fan control. I dont want a fan controller, I just want a temperature readout. The best find so far has been the analog gauge that SexyPants had a guide for. Unfortunately I was hoping for a pre-made kit (like the chip he's using that plugs into the USB port, where could I get one pre-made?) instead of having to do a bunch of crap like that myself. >_< Thanks for the help though, appreciated.

Not sure this would be the right thing....
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Quote: Originally Posted by LASture I think you kind of misunderstood me. That website can make custom gauges, sure, but that's not really the problem here. The problem is getting a gauge to work with the digital information on my computer's onboard temperature detectors for the CPU. It's not a big deal that I can't find old-school looking gauges, I can retrofit a gauge to look oldschool, but the problem is most of these come with either too small a gauge, or they come with a bunch of buttons for fan control. I dont want a fan controller, I just want a temperature readout. The best find so far has been the analog gauge that SexyPants had a guide for. Unfortunately I was hoping for a pre-made kit (like the chip he's using that plugs into the USB port, where could I get one pre-made?) instead of having to do a bunch of crap like that myself. >_< Thanks for the help though, appreciated.

You're welcome.

oh crap, we almost got there and I didn't realize the obvious. Yeah, you'll have to mod your computer to use the gauge, but the easier way is to mod the gauge! I found this today while messing around with my make controller and thought of this thread: http://blogs.msdn.com/coding4fun/arc...8/1378305.aspx

This can be done just as easily with a cheaper microcontroller such as an arduino, which is $35 or so. Rather than figure out how to get that gauge to flactuate according to it's own rules, craft your own gauge and attach a needle to a servo motor. The downside is that servos can sometimes be jerky and loud. Maybe you can find a nice one that wouldn't be.

http://www.surplussales.com/Meters/MtrDCUA.html

I think this is the link to Retro Dials. Been years since I went to this site and it only has dials for sale; couldn't say anything about getting them to work. Hopefully the site will be up soon.