Warhog

I see great minds think alike Tekkx. I have already built a device that includes a bunch of LEDs to simulate running lights and the strobe. They are driven with a Pro Mini and a couple of mosfets as the LEDs are of the high current type. The Pro Mini has a sketch uploaded to it that simulates the flash pattern of the running lights as well as the A10C's strobe. I spent half a day trying to get each flash pattern synced to the A10C's pattern and it's now damn close to the sim. Soon as I get out of the hospital, I can email the sketch to you if you like. After that it's just a matter of Ian revising DCS-BIOS to include the external lights for this airframe. Hopefully he will be able to include the air brakes as part of the rewrite and then I'll add my own special indicator to show the position of the air brakes. Ian is an excellent programmer so I anticipate he'll solve that issue without breaking a sweat. I would also like to add some WS2812B LEDs at the edge of my peripheral vision to simulate a bright explosion behind me and then a simulated engine fire behind me as well. :thumbup: Isn't immersion a wonderful thing?:pilotfly: John

That's an interesting coincidence as I had my wingman crash into me on landing last week. Totally unexpected, not to mention it has never happened in the hundreds of hours spent flying the A10C. He (it) was very lightly damaged but I had to eject with just seconds to spare or die in a fireball on the runway. In fact it actually happened just 30 feet above the runway. Needless to say I was rather pissed at the accident. I was finishing up a 30min flight to blow up a bunch of crap outside Krasnador and I had already taken some damage making landing somewhat problematic. It must have been funny to see me jump a foot off my seat when it happened.:music_whistling: Damned AI..:mad:....:megalol:

Yes it is (1080 x 5770), but there appears to be an issue with registration of the graphics vs the actual touch points on the screen.

What Deezle is using is DCS- BIOS to interface with DCS. The GPWiz is an HID device. DCS-BIOS was not designed to work with a device like that. You néed an Arduino board where you use pre made code and paste it into a sketch that is then uploaded to the Arduino board. If you wish to use the GPWiz, the best I can suggest is to read the manual for it. They are really very easy to use. Also do a quick search on this forum and you should be able to find what you need in more specific detail than described on the GPWiz site. If you want to use DCS- BIOS and an arduino, go to the DCS-BIOS web site and read the users guide for it and all your immediate questions will be answered.

This is an interesting technique. http://mazda626.net/topic/39309-making-custom-gauge-faces/

Why not print it on an acetate sheet? The clear sheets they used with overhead projectors many years ago. That could work. John

You take a piece of clear acrylic and paint it black on the inside surface. Then you can engrave the lettering on the inside cutting through the black paint. The lettering, of course, has to be a mirror image of what you want to show in the front or outside view of the indicator. Last thing is to paint the inside housing black. Always use FLAT black for these type of components so you minimize any reflections. With no lighting on you can barely make out any lettering and with the lighting on you get... If you wish to remove any sign of lettering whatsoever you need to add a piece of smoked acrylic and place it at the very front of the indicator. Also make sure to attend to any light leaks which has not yet been done in the pic above. They really detract from the overal affect.

If I wish to click on something in the menu areas, it appears I have to move the cursor down and to the right (actually right off the button) before the button in question gets highlighted to pick. Is this "GUI variable" issue causing the miss alignment I am experiencing?

Nice beginning Anton. I think a 2 screen experience is still going to be breath taking. If I might make a few suggestions which you have probably already planned for... install a remote for your room lights so you can turn them off when your seated comfortably and ready to start. If your going to fly while the sun is up, the window blinds will not be enough to block ambient light. Even a small amount of light will ruin the image on the screen. I have black foam core cut to the exact window size. It's just a press fit but when I push it in to place it does an excellent job at blocking 99% of the light. Ambient light is a projectors worst enemy. When I was buying my projection system, I had the opportunity to see the quality of five different projectors almost at the same time. They had a bank of projectors setup so you could switch from one to another with a simple remote. I was able to see the differences quite easily. What was more enlightening was their screens. They had several motorized screens to compare quality while you sat in their theater room so you could see half of one and half of another. It was then that I saw what a huge difference screen quality made. I tell you all this because it made choosing a system much easier but most important, you could immediately see the differences from system to system. Until you actually see what a good screen can do you won't know what your missing. I would rather have a good screen and mediocre projector then the other way around. It's just something to keep in mind when you start shopping. This is going to be an amazing cockpit when it's finished my friend. Good idea to start a new thread Anton. Looking forward to more progress pics. John

SO......... where are the pictures????????:P We want pictures. Most of us can't read so we need pictures. :lol:

Pappavis, the best thing I can recommend is for you to learn how to solder. It is an easy skill to master and once you've learned how to solder you will never forget it. Its something that will always be there when and if you need it. To put it into perspective, its way easier to learn soldering than learning how to flying a DCS aircraft. Two years ago I started here, much as you are now doing . I had little to no experience with soldering and when I did solder something, it was crap. I just couldn't do it. :doh: A fellow I met here on this forum introduced me to a series of YouTube videos. That was all it took. My soldering went from crap to "OMG,:shocking: Did i Do That?:clap:". One thing about these video's, this guys voice is...well... I'll let you see (hear) for yourself. :music_whistling: Its a multi part tutorial. Spend a bit of time watching the tutorial and also look into purchasing a good soldering station. You can't do a good job soldering if you have substandard equipment. Being able to adjust temperatures and have it stay at a set temp is rather important as you will learn in the video. [ame] [/ame] Pappavis, I guarantee you, it will be time well spent. Good luck . John

That excellent work Gadroc. I LIKE it. :thumbup: I'm still working on mine. As a matter of fact its actually on the bench as I write this. I'm not sure if I mentioned it but, I took a different approach using stepper motors so we will see how that works out. I am hoping to integrate my HSI into the cockpit without having to retrofit it with my own drive system. I would really prefer to leave it intact if at all possible. I assume you are planning to do the same??? I wouldn't mind having a chat with you later, when I'm getting closer to preparing the HSI for use. Was the overall cost to drive it that way very much? John

You are exactly right Anton. :smilewink: That was very perceptive on your part. :) As for providing back lighting, I decided that since I don't actually build proto circuits in the dark, I wouldn't really need it. :smilewink: Yes, I know you were kidding :megalol: And for the panel meters, it was a conscious decision to go with red. I didn't want to get confused when the lights are off and I'm working with cockpit parts which of course are all green. I get confused easily now a days. Old age I think... :huh: But overall it does give my work area a kind of Christmasy feel with the all the red and green lights. I may actually get the LEDs to blink as well...just over Christmas mind you and then back to normal.:doh: :megalol: Thanks guys, glad you enjoyed it.

I know what you mean Anton. I never was too good at organizing my work space. :music_whistling: I have loads of storage bins and drawers and shelves and you name it. All my parts are super neat and all cataloged and labelled for quick, easy access. But my desk is a different story. There is crap all over my desktop. Sometimes have to dig under several layers of tools just to find that resistor I need. :megalol: But I wouldn't have it any other way.:smilewink: @ Gordy... Thanks mate. Yes its a real good tool for testing and prototyping. It just makes it soooooo much easier to do stuff. :)

It's Monty Python time......... No it isn't. Just something different for a change. Here's my mess. Desktop PSU by John Wall, on Flickr[/img] Its divided into 3 obvious sections, 12v, 5v and 3.3v. Each section has 5 pairs of dupont pin headers for power, 5.5mm jacks, banana plug outlets, USB outlets and clamp type connectors for bare wires. That should handle most situations. Each section is further divided into several separately switched circuits with a green LED for each circuit indicating that circuit is good to go. When you activate a circuit the LED for that particular outlet lights up indicating the outlet is now live. There are additional outlets with built in 470, 330 and 150 ohm resistors and an outlet for powering IR emitters at both 5v and 12v. But the "piece de resistance" is yet to come. 2 large red JEWEL pilot lights (circa 1945) that will sit on top and beside the main power switch. I love those pilot lights and have never been able to incorporate them into anything I was building. But not any longer. I just thought I would show you this project as something a wee bit different than we normally look at. Hope you like it and maybe get some inspiration to try something different for yourself. You know what they say "A change is better than a break"

Of course its in mm. :doh: The rough conversion places it on a 4'x8' sheet of plywood with virtually no scrap left over from the cut. Shawn, use a metric to imperial calculator (mm to inches) and it will become apparent. Also... what Weeb said.

End????? There is no end. Sorry but nobody has found a cure for this so you will just have to make the best of it. I"m starting to gather data on my next pit and my A10C isn't even 75% complete. It could be worse. Just think about the guys who are building two pits at at at the same t t t time.:cry: :helpsmilie:

Very nice indeed. I started out almost exactly that way... ... ... ... :music_whistling: You're so right Hans. There's no going back....:doh:

You know Tekkx, I don't think it's a problem to mix and match whatever works best for you based on your skill set or even how are building your cockpit. For instance, I could use DCS-BIOS to export the information from the DCS CDU screen to my CDU screen but I don't want to do it that way. For one, I don't know how but I do know how to export the info via a graphics card. So thats what I am doing. When I build my MFCD's I intend to use MMjoy and a matrix. I see no point in using all of those pins (Arduino pins) for 40 odd buttons when I can use a matrix and reduce the number of pins I need. If you new how much I have had to learn just to get this far you would fall over. No one would expect that I should learn everything I need to make all this happen and thats why we have a forum. We get to draw from a wide variety of expertise just so you don't have to learn everything. BTW, when you mentioned attaching stuff to the sides of the monitor... this is what I started with before I decided to build a complete cockpit. Its a touch screen monitor with indicators on the top and radio controls and some other commands at the side and then an X-Keys 16 key key pad on the bottom. This mostly runs off a Bodnar BB32 board and a Phidgets board and a mix of some other stuff. Its a little dark as I wanted the backlighting to show but save it and zoom in to see the detailing. More here...http://s221.photobucket.com/user/MRAR15/media/A10%20Cockpit%20Panels/LR-4.jpg.html?sort=3&o=350

Hi Tekkx I'm not sure what it is you are wanting to do and what DCS-BIOS isn't doing for you. Could you describe what you would like to see happen. Try and be rather specific as if you were sitting in your cockpit when its all done. :) John

Hi Peter Not sure what you mean...as in creating color for the indicator? ... like using green LEDs or Red...? or colored acrylic? Are there specific indicators your interested in? The reason I ask is that I use several different techniques depending on... John

Hi Lars The technique I had discussed with Clay was to create the top panel first and then draw over it to create the mid panel and then to draw over top of those two to create the back panel. That way it ensures you have all your pockets/drill holes, perimeters, etc. in perfect alignment. They should each be on their own layer. That way you can turn on just the top panel and select the machine operations you need, create the g-code, turn off that layer, turn on the mid panel, select the machine operations...and so on. Stacking all the panels like this makes for a great final check before you cut. But the drawings you have created are in 3D so I don't know how that will affect things. I do not work in 3D. I work in what is commonly referred to as 2.5D. Thats what my g-code creator prefers. John

Clay are you pocketing the letter or engraving it? If you are pocketing it, CamBam will not allow a tool path that ultimately cuts beyond the perimeter of the area to be pocketed. In other words, if you have a 2" long x 0.1" wide pocket and you try to pocket it with a .125 end mill CamBam will not allow it as that end mill would cut beyond the limits of the outline.: John:)

Thank you Doveman. The front panel is made up of three components, the engraving plastic (Front) and 2 sheets of acrylic behind it. The white box is attached to the back piece of acrylic. with hot melt glue. Boy, that stuff holds like .... I also use Super glue. Both work well. Anyways, yes the back part of the box it is screwed on as seen below... (sorry but I removed the screws for the pic but the holes are still there.):doh: This is mostly to keep all the wiring out of sight and clean looking. But it also serves to reflect and soften the backlighting. This is before I glued it into place. Its the very last thing I do because working on the internal wiring is a "bear" with those sidewalls in the way. And when I have more complicated panels I tend to leave the wiring inside and install the MCU on the outside so I have easy access for reprogramming or whatever. And one last point, I add a number of 1/8" diameter holes on the sides for air flow. It does get rather warm in there but not to the point of causing problems. I have had it run for 12 hours just to be sure.

Anton, that is most impressive. Where did the knobs come from. Did you make those? As for PCB's, after some major issues I had, I finally figured out how to make them so they present with almost zero problems. The solution was to remove as much copper as possible. See pic below. By removing that much copper, my boards no longer had shorts from tiny bits of copper and no longer would I get overlap when soldering. It works really well. I was so happy to be able to have confidence in my PCB's. Give it a try. It easy to do as I just do several .005" offsets from the original trace outline and engrave along those lines as well. Takes longer but definitely worth it..:) https://farm1.staticflickr.com/588/23077153645_5d7b6d7068_b.jpg' alt='23077153645_5d7b6d7068_b.jpg'>IMG_0752 by John Wall, on Flickr[/img]