Boltz

Anyone else with some ideas? I'm starting to look at getting a GTX 770 4GB with the possibility of adding another in SLI at a later date. Would a GTX 780TI be better than 2x GTX 770 4GB's for multi-monitor gaming?

Very nice! Looks like an amazing multi projector setup. More pics please :)

I have tested an Uno and I see no reason why a Nano will not work. Just upload the same sketch and test it. I am interested to know if it works on other Arduinos as well as Mega and Uno.

For the Master Caution Push and other UFC commands you can find them in the "config.xml". Take a look through there and it should make some sense, I hope. As for the LEDs I only have the Master Caution in use at the moment but Devon Custard recently posted all the exports on the wiki (http://deadfrogstudios.com/warthogpit/index.php?title=Reference_Data.) If you use the Caution Panel, MIP Annunciators and others which are only on and off then you will be able to get them running now. In the config.xml just copy the master caution line and change the pin number and "404" to a new value. Radios and other exports will require additional components to display them. When I have some time I will look at the radio exporting next but be prepared to create some circuits :smartass:

I know Helios sends data back but I have never used that function of it. I know the feeling when you just want to do something to prove you can do it. Been there many times myself :)

I don't have much time at the moment but I will try to write something. UDP works for broadcasting which is why it is used for exporting from DCS. For importing data you really need to use TCP especially if you are only sending in changes like A2DCS does. I used a variety of documents from the web and a couple of books to learn the lua language and implementation with DCS. To do anything with imports and exports you have to dig into lua programming and set up sockets in DCS with exports and imports at the correct time. Basically just use TCP :) I have no experience with UDP and DCS so I don't know how it works in any great detail but Helios and most other add on programs for DCS use UDP. Most likely because they are only reading exports and not sending anything back into DCS. I also want to say that the lua socket information on the main DCS page is entirely wrong and I think it has been misleading to many people. My guess is that it is from an old beta test and has never been updated. Now it is not so simple to establish a connection since you have to code the connection into the export.lua.

As for my pit. It is now flyable and the first software release is finished so I will be upgrading my PCs in the near future and will spend some time this Summer flying and enjoying the pit. I will also look at building panels and implementing every input and output so back to soldering it will be.

A2DCS Released! I have now released my A2DCS software at http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=120386 I hope you all enjoy it and please let me know your thoughts and ideas for improvement. Boltz

A2DCS Released! Finally, the time has come for me to release my work. My original post has been edited with the releases for x86 and x64 as well as the setup instructions. A2DCS can be used either on the same PC as DCS (has to be 64 bit for DCS) or on a separate networked PC which can be 32 or 64 bit. Remember, what works for me may not work for you. Boltz

The GT640 is able to run at a steady 23-25 fps on medium settings at 3286*1080. I was surprised at that myself but there is no way it can handle 4 monitors.

My pit is now in a flyable state and software work nearly done so it's on to flying for me. I bought 3x 42" TVs for the outside view and I have a 19" (1366x768) screen for exports. My current rig was put together about 18 months ago for FSX on a very tight budget but I have now realised that I need a lot more to get serious peformance out of DCS. My budget is up to £1000 but it is to be an upgrade not a complete new system to please certain people Current system: CPU - AMD FX 4170 @ 4.2GHz CPU Cooler - Akasa AK-968 X4 MOBO - Asus M5A78L-M/USB3 Graphics Card - GT640 RAM - 16GB 1333MHz Storage - 240 GB SSD PSU - Corsair CX750M Case - Corsair Carbide 300R ATX I'm thinking the first part to upgrade is the graphics card. I was looking at a 780TI but then noticed that for that price I could run dual 770 4GB, dual 7970 or 3x7870. What would you hardware people recommend to run my 4 screens?

I don't have an release date yet. Still more testing, memory optimisation and crash fixes to do. There are a couple of people who will be testing it soon and from there I will tidy everything up for a release. Depending on work it could be here within the next 2 weeks. I have decided not to include everything in the first release but just to get something done and later on in the year release V2.0 with all the updated features and that will be it completed.

Wow! Excellent work. I will try to add what I can to this. It will be great to have the heaps on information here kept in an organised manner.

These all exist in DCS World. You just have to know where to look. I don't use any of the joystick mapping but tap into the export.lua which allows you to control everything and read everything. DCSW uses what are called Controller IDs, Event IDs and values for input and then Argument IDs for output. I agree with metalnwood about them not documenting anything like this. I have to search through many files and folders to find what I need and often just end up looking through log files. I am slowly adding them to a document. The UFC is done and can be found at http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1938088&postcount=14 in the attachment. The Master Caution Light is event 404 IIRC. It's difficult to explain fully how it works and how to use it since you need to edit a lot and create an entire program (hence A2DCS.) I will document all these as well as part of the program. Everything I have found I had to make up by myself since the very little info I found on the subject seemed to work nothing like it did for me. Edit: And there's also an attachment there which shows how the interface to DCS works. That might help a you a bit.

Schematics I'll update this post as I create the schematics. Please bear with me as this is my first time using Fritzing. UFC built with an Arduino Mega. LED's Vf is 2.5V so no need for a resistor. If your LEDs' forward voltage doesn't add up to 5V then a protective resistor will be required. All the switches shown are "Direct Switches" without a matrix. The switches can be connected to the Arduino in any order but this is how I have done it and how the example will be.

My numbers were for a Mega and it sounds like you have an Uno. I have 1 Uno in use for testing at the moment and even still with it you get a lot of switches. The analogue pins can all be used as digital, they really just have different letters in that case. There is no way to get A2DCS yet. I am still working on it and am away the last 2 weeks with no arduino :( I will see if I can put together some schematics to show how it works. Will download Fritzing now and see what I can put together.

A2DCS doesn't use EOS or Helios. It is a completely separate system. For the switches with A2DCS you can either connect them directly between a digital or analogue pin and ground (except pin 0, 1 and 13) which is 68 switches. Alternatively it can be used in a "matrix" setup, which is how computer keyboards work, which theoretically allows 1156 switches to be used on a single Arduino. The following is a good diagram of a matrix but it is for a MIDI keyboard Imagine each of the 6 sets of switches there as a separate panel. It shows that a lot of switches only take up a very small number of pins.

@ mr.john_doe: The Keyboard commands are good but only if you have one of the newer and more expensive Arduinos. If you want everything as cheap as you can get it, like me, then you need to find another way which is why I started this. @ doveman: Don't know if you quite understood my previous post but there is no need to change all the switches to match up with the sim. Simply start by running through you cockpit checks in the hardware to ensure everything is off then either click a "Reset" button on the software or have it in hardware and that will cycle through every switch and match them all up in the sim. If you are doing hot starts or starting in the air then you will get a good idea as to what switches will already be on so simply a 20 second check to ensure everything is correct is all that is required. That sort of check would be completed anyway to check what systems are started and to ensure comms and weapons are set correctly. One of the great benefits of DCS is that the input commands have a different value for each state rather than just sending out a single command that changes an in-game switch state. it therefore removes a lot of the logic that I had to use for FSX. The "profiles" idea was one of the first things I built into A2DCS so your dream is not too far off. Once I have all the IO's working I will move on to incorporating other sims as I can get them.

@doveman: I must have missed your post in my hours of forum sweeping. There is no need to use momentary switches and LEDs instead of regular locking toggle switches. Locking toggle switches will show what autopilot switch position is selected for example. No switches should get out of sync with the sim but if they do then there is a "Reset" button that can be pressed which will resync everything. As for building in X-Plane support there is a possibility it will happen but it will require an entire new interface and a lot of reading up on how to connect to X-Plane. It's quite doable just I have to get X-Plane first :) Shouldn't take too long to create the actual interface. For the screen you would need to decide if you wanted to solder 18 7 segment displays and whatever you decide to use to drive them. I soldered 20 in my first radio project and that took weeks to do. A small screen would be much easier. Something like a 4x20 LCD would give you 4 lines of text but they are not as nice to read.

The software is still an ongoing task. Each time I come near to a release I keep changing something or adding something that needs to be tested but that is the nature of these things. I took a break from the electronics to take advantage of a spell of nice weather and get the rest of my pit up to speed. The next step is to go back to IO so hopefully there should be some developments here. I'm working away a lot as well witch is limiting the time I can spend on this. What time I do have usually involves drawing it out in a notepad but I have a lot of ideas for this now.

Welcome back Glider. It's great to have you here. I look forward to seeing some pics of your work :)

Hi DC. I'm interested in a full set of panels.

Wow! Nearly 3 months since my last post here. A lot has changed and I have been focusing on the construction mainly. I have "finished" my seat, but like everything in this hobby it will never truly be done. I have a lot of details still to add and of course Deadman's excellent stickers to mount. Since my last update I have also built the sides and a 30 cm platform built in 2 parts to raise everything up. Also it has now moved around the house (again) and I have scored it half the office :D Due to the cable location on the TMWH I had to mount it 180 degrees and then simply inverted the x and y axis in game. Makes no difference to gameplay at all. One of the small details I have built for my pit. This time it's the Chart Light which is switched on and off by the Emergency Flood Light switch on the Electrical Power Panel. Hopefully I will have some more pics for you all as I add more to it.

I'm looking for a full set of A-10C panels if anyone is making them at the moment.

My handles and stickers arrived today. Excellent packaging and the quality of them all is very high. Now I just have to work out how to incorporate them in my pit.