rocketeer

Have the motion platform is cool, but the switches are just some GF panels. I say the really ultimate pit will be Triggerhappy's pit of all BS panels, his super cool collective, cyclic, cut-off valves, rotor brake etc. and the motion platform. now this is then ultimate. I just have to give it to Trigger for his dedication and his superb workmanship. :thumbup:

Isn't the shkval zoom in the actual KA50 collective just a toggle switch for 7x or 23x, two positions, like the maverick zoom in A-10 also two positions. Don't we just send the desired zoom level once each time? Why is there a need for press and hold down? If you use a toggle you can set the two positions. Even if you use a lever or a push button, there should be a way to program that switch/button to toggle the two values alternatively. I don't understand the issue here.

Hi Oakes, excellent work! Did you use the SOIC to preset those values for the 7 segments when you flick those toggles? I wonder what kind of controls you have right now without the PCIP on outputs.

Hi Wags and team, I understand that the Physical Cockpit Interface Package (PCIP) will be released after black shark is released. But can we have some heads up on what it will be like? For inputs via toggles, pots and encoders, any form of keyboard emulators is straightforward, usually involves some sort of key press combinations that's all. However, for outputs for LEDs, 7 segment and LCD displays, they are dependent on inputs first, and then the sim has to 'talk' to the control boards and send the right kind of display signal. I'm just curious what features can be expect? I think one of the most powerful control boards is Open Cockpits and its SOIC. But that is still a bit complex compared to Hagstrom's for inputs. I wonder if the PCIP will be simple enough to talk to less complex control boards for output display. Right now i'm on the fence for choosing control boards depending on what the PCIP can do. Hope you guys can share some info.

Hi Dave, welcome to the group! That's an impressive list you have. Do you want to meet up when i am back in bay area next weekend? Not sure if you have build switches and interfaced them through sim boards before, but I've always wanted to talk to someone face to face about pit building. So far it's always been through forums. The stuff you have are nice, but they are off the shelf products. Connecting to switches, pots and encoders on your own is a different ball game. Cat, want to meet too b4 you head back to Sac next Friday?

>HitchHikingFlatlander< If you get the KE72 you'd also need the KE-MM6-mini cable, which is a 6 pin Male/Male PS2 cable, $5.95. >Cat< You'd also need the Rotary-5 board $49.95, to handle rotary switches. There are about a dozen in BS. each board will handle 5. You'd also need the KE-PWR5/2A power supply $24.95. It powers the rotary and relay boards. You can use a special cable and daisy chain these boards. Unfortunately all these costs add up after a while when you keep adding. But then, with the gas prices coming down to almost $2 a gallon, we get to save some $ for the pit building fund! lol.

hey cat, have u finished wiring all the switches? How about some pictures of your pit? I understand u have the KE72. That limits u to toggles and push buttons. Are u going to get the other boards for rotaries? there are quite a number of rotary switches in the BS. we'd need a couple of them. Using Hagstrom is easy for inputs, but they don't seem to handle outputs like LED and LCDs. we may have to resort to opencockpits. i know OC works for lock-on, but very few have attempted that. not sure if OC will be easier for BS. But i'm sure trigger will figure it out!

Koriel, In your first screen shot on the graphics option, the field Monitors show 1 monitor. What are the options like? 1, 2 and 3? What's the limit. And will BS automatically stretch the screen for you? I guess that is no direct option for multiple displays (not as one single stretched display) but additional display for the shkval and abris? I hope DCS has anticipated pit builders' need to separate displays and made it possible in a not too painful way.

Hey MadDog, Looking at your pit list in post #167, it's impressive, but if you've not done this before, it may be a problem. While most of us want a pit as realistic as possible, sometimes aiming too high at the start may become a stumbling block. It may cost too much, take too long etc. that you may not end up not starting at all, or quit soon afterwards. I am right now very tight on budget and time, working 2,000 miles away from home! A quick and cheap way to start building a simple pit is to not use steel ribs and wood panels etc. Use foam boards that can be easily cut using a pen knife. You can get them at OfficeMax. You can join them using small L brackets and screws and nuts. I build a few small GA panels using this method. Treat it as prototyping, so that if you screw up the dimensions, it's not as bad as the actual steel frame. Then for electronics, you can start with Hagstrom KE72. Most switches and toggles etc. can be easily hooked up to this board, which in term hooks to the keyboard. No power required. Programing the switches is also very easily, just key in the key combination. Hagstrom boards don't really support output display like LCD, LED, but for input switches, it's a no brainer. CAT is starting with the Hagstrom, I'd probably do that too. I believe I was the one who introduced it to him. There are many more impressive boards, like Open Cockpit's, where they can handle output lights, servos for analog guages etc. But it's more complex. Ask trigger the pit guru about OC. Go for the low hanging fruit first. Build something simple and cheap, and upgrade later. Meanwhile, you'd keep the cost of mistakes low and have something to enjoy sooner, which is important coz the english BS is going to be out soon! Sorry I'm assuming that you're new to pit building. If you're a guru, we'd glad to have your help! Just my two cents. By the way, where do you hail from? North or South Cal? If north, maybe we can meet up and discuss your design over beer with Cat!

hi guys, it's been a long time since i dropped in. i am again working out of state, this time, chicago, fly home to bay area twice a month. right now it's impossible for me to work on my cockpit, being away from home all the time. hoping for the US economy to recover soon and find myself a job in the bay area. cat, i see that u've made good progress. are you still working at redwood city? got to meet u one of these days when i'm back for the weekend. as for trigger, i don't even want to say. he's lightyears ahead. good job! the least i can do now is to follow up on the producer's notes and do some planning and design when my job is not killing me. i've been dreaming that my job is cockpit building, instead of ...never mind!

I'd been rolling off my project in Seattle next month. If I don't end up at another out of state project after that, I'd be able to continue working on my cockpit!

Dude, I've been out of town. Didn't keep track of your work for some time. Just saw your latest posts today. Your panel and especially the backlighting is simply awesome! Hope to catch up with mine in a month or two. Meanwhile, I'd look to yours for inspiration!

Wow, the plans for the structure alone qualifies you as hard core like trigger, besides the electronics stuff. I'd be eagerly tracking your progress. Sounds interesting. CAT seems to know much about building a PC. You could consult him for pointers.

They look immersive up close, I was there at the E for All too. But none of these are going to be within our budget for the home, even if we have the space.

Hi maddog, you are welcome to join our group. a few of us are building the black shark cockpit. three of us are in northern california, one in the East coast, one the Norway. sometimes we chat through MSN or teamspeak. lately CAT and I have been rather consumed by our day job. But the hardcore pit guru Triggerhappy is happy as ever building his fantastic pit, which is really coming into shape. Which part of CA are you from? we'd like to share ideas and experiences with you, and the crazy fun of fussing of knobs and switches.

Me too! Me too!

For the LED, luminous 2000-3500 mcd, viewing angle 80-100 deg. forward voltage 2.9 to 3.5V. forward current 35mA. http://www.unique-leds.com/index.php?target=products&product_id=1876 For the switch, it says DLAIA12V, UND. LAB INC. LIST. 7.0 AMP. 250 VAC. 1/4HP. 125 VAC. Doesn't say anything else. I bought it at Anchor Electronics in Santa Clara. They have a website. i think it costs $2.50. If they don't take orders by phone or online, I can get it for you the next time I drop by the shop.

Been busy with work and preparation for out-of-state project. so haven't been able to work on my pit, unlike trigger who is going at lightspeed. Lucky fella. I came across a big push button that is illuminated, which has the potential of making a nicer looking AP button than the one I DIYed earlier. It's light is yellow, didn't like it. And it requires 12V. And I discovered this little guy. Well, size doesn't matter. It's very bright, has a very wide angle of light, and is very cheap. Most LEDs I find, especially white LEDs, can cost $4-10 each, with only 10-20 degrees of dispersion. This guy is only 41 cents from Unique-leds.com. Model is superflux piranha. And it only needs 3V. So I put replaced the 12V lamp inside with this chap, and printed the desired letters. It has a removal cap. This is how it looks in the dark. I like it whitish, just like the ones in the AP panel. Here are the rest. Most latched push buttons are small. Even the various ones from NKK. I like this size. And for those of looking for bright, wide angled LEDs, these ones are definitely affordable and ideal for backlighting.

I think the majority owns the X52, as it is more affordable than the CH and Cougar. Making a plug for X52, if possible, will meet the most demand. Heck, if you can, make a Black Shark Cyclic plug for the X52. That would be swell!

Trigger, YOU'RE DA MAN!!!

Your picture is in very low resolution, it's hard to make out the words. The pinkie shifts are in different columns, which looks like that's what you've done. 1. Have you gotten your X45 to work before, in another version of the SST? Is this your first time programming the SST? I'm trying to isolate if the problem is with this beta2 driver and not your SST programming. 2. Have you checked the X45 in the control panel, games controllers if the pinkie button blinks when pressed? Again if it works before than the pinkie button should be fine, so should the SST recording, and maybe it's the driver. 3. Did you try unplug and plugging the USB cable, reloading the HOTAS etc. or rebooting?

At the moment, we don't know if the data in the ABRIS is exportable in BS to other systems, so like Cat I'd only make the five push buttons and the two encoders with knobs.

Ah, Hannibal, sounds great. I wish you all the best! We'd forward to your collective. As for Doggy, since you don't have much time, I suggest getting the X52, and use something like Urze's collective attachment. I have my X52 for 3 years now, still without problem. And so what if it does? It's so much cheaper than Cougar and CH. If you have to replace it after 3 years, it's already worth the money. I've heard many say the Saitek stuff breaks easily, and doesn't feel solid. I, for one, prefers Saitek over CH. I have CH yoke, which doesn't center well. I also have CH rudders, which are too narrow and loose. Then I got the Saitek pedals, which are wider apart, and you can tighten the pedal resistance. So I have a preference over Saitek, but that's just me.

Not sure if your question was directed to Cat, but here's my two cents: 1. Did you check out the one by Mike Powell? http://www.mikesflightdeck.com/simple_sim.htm 2. Or you can use the one that Urze is selling, where you attach it to your X52, X45 etc. throttle. 3. Or you can check with Triggerhappy the pit guru, who is building a detailed BS collective. 4. Hannibal built a nice chopper pit, but without the custom collective. But with his building skills, you can also check with him for ideas. http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=28370 It depends if you want to buy or build. Which ones have you build that you were disappointed?

Wow! This pedal is a really beauty. Great workmanship.