MY pit room

[CAT_101st]

So I have cleaned out a room just for my pit. I plan on installing 2 projectors for a panoramic/curved view but for now I am stuch with a 22" game and a 19" other things. I prefer not to use a second screan for BS. in my pit I have 72 working switches connected to a KE72 keyboard emulator (PS2connector) and it works flawless. I have many other things that I want to do but for now this works.

I am starting a new project converting a 8.4" TFT (desined to work in a car GPS) It has a DVI2 plug that caires the USB,VGA and AV1-3 Channels. I will convert ths TFT to go in the place of the PVI-800 using TB I will have alot more use of my pit.

 

Here are pics of the pit in the room. still cleaning up a bit.

[CAT_101st]

here are some pics of the room befor and aft.

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=679429&postcount=638

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=679432&postcount=639

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

Looking awesome Cat hopefully I'll catch ya for some flying tonight, and if you want it that old proj. I have is yours to take although it runs in S-Video mode (its a short throw proj. too).

 

Hitch

[hannibal]

ok, i got bored of lock on and went back to black shark..

its been cool, i thought there would have been more people and more servers....

good times with the folks at Ka50.com thats where you can find me...

 

MY BLACK SHARK MINI PIT

 

part I

 

part II

[CAT_101st]

WOW no head tracking. you shuld at least get TrackIR or the other one.

[hannibal]

i have trackIR setup.. im not used to it yet..

for not i dont like it... maybe because the monitor is too big, and you cant mount it close enough from where i am sitting.

 

for now, the sensor is behind me, but i use it in 2 DOF mode.. 6 DOF not so go when sensor is behind head.

for black shark, i use it for the HMS.

[crazysundog]

Looking really good Cat!!

 

Do your ammo readouts work? It looks like they do...

[soup55]

I like what you have done. Inspires me to start 're-organising' (is that a word?) my pit room. Or as I like to call it-Ken's Cave! I got an e-mail from NaturalPoint yesterday. They have a brand new TrackIR out. Much higher resolution. New software also to go along with it. They claim it now works from greater distances, and, better at close-up too! You might want to check it out. I now can't imagine flying BS without it. Good stuff!!

[CAT_101st]

i have trackIR setup.. im not used to it yet..

for not i dont like it... maybe because the monitor is too big, and you cant mount it close enough from where i am sitting.

 

for now, the sensor is behind me, but i use it in 2 DOF mode.. 6 DOF not so go when sensor is behind head.

for black shark, i use it for the HMS.

 

ever since I started using FreeTrack I have never looked back. I would incuradge you to find a way to mount the TIR so that you can take full advantadge of the 6 DOF. Even if it means blocking a small part of the screan. You wont notice it after a wile.

 

Looking really good Cat!!

 

Do your ammo readouts work? It looks like they do...

 

Thanks, No it is not a working display. Just a printout to back my switch pannel. curintly DCS is not suporting export lua files for displays.

 

I like what you have done. Inspires me to start 're-organising' (is that a word?) my pit room. Or as I like to call it-Ken's Cave! I now can't imagine flying BS without it. Good stuff!!

 

I feal I have dun my job even if it only inspires one SIM pilot :thumbup: My wife calles my game room my cave as well, she learnd the term from some mars and vinus book:huh: and I agree with the head tracking. Even when testing new switches in BS, If I don't have the FT on it drives me crazy.

 

So after watching the videos above I now am compeled to make my own video of starting the BS in my pit. Hope to have it dun today for ya. And my next project has started, Converting a auto TFT (8.4") screan to work on my PC.:thumbup:

[CAT_101st]

Ok here is the quick video I made. The camera that I am using only takes 3min clips so it gets cut a little short of take off. But you guys get the idea.

enjoy

 

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

Awesome stuff guys Hannibal have you spent time setting up TrackIR I had to tweak mine to get the result I was looking for since I use a proj. as a display. And my TIR isnt really mounted differently than on a monitor so you may just have to play around a bit to get it working to your taste. The sim is not the same without 6DOF IMO!

 

LOL I have to make my own start up vid too, it will be pretty short though my camera can take 5min vids I only press Lwin+Home! I guess I could program that to one of my switches.......... just for giggles!

Edited May 2, 2009 by HitchHikingFlatlander

[hannibal]

im sure TIR is awesome...for regular size monitors... (17-24)

 

when your running it on a 46" monitor...you cant sit so close.

once you sit further than 4feet from the sensor..TIR DOES NOT WORK SO GO.

Edited May 3, 2009 by hannibal

[CAT_101st]

so move the sencer closer man :smilewink::lol:

 

problem solved. well I guss I will have the same problem when I go to a projector or 2

[hannibal]

you cant move it close. it will be in the way of viewing the monitor....

 

get a 37+ monitor, and see if you get trackir to work as great as if you were using it on the smaller monitor.

 

personally, i do not want to see the sensor in the way of the screen.

yes, i can put it out of the way, but then IT DOSENT TRACK WELL.

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

You can set up the TIR for longer distances I fly on a 96" screen! And I know you dont want to see the sensor but I see mine a little bit and its no big deal after a couple days you get used to it. But to each his own!

[rapid]

All I can say guys is well done you have done a fantastic job there.:thumbup:

[trujillostm]

I think your cockpit is very simple...

[Vekkinho]

You can set up the TIR for longer distances I fly on a 96" screen! And I know you dont want to see the sensor but I see mine a little bit and its no big deal after a couple days you get used to it. But to each his own!

 

You can place IR camera closer to your head or behind it!

 

96" screen, what's that?!!

 

Do you have any photos of how it looks like during play?!

[CAT_101st]

I think your cockpit is very simple...

 

it is simple Just takes time to build. any one can do this type of desine and switch install. I just dont have the tools to be a better job.

[crazysundog]

I think your cockpit is very simple...

 

Is that compared to your cockpit? Why not post some pics of your setup and let us judge your pit....I hope it has more than 72 switches!! :D

 

BTW, Welcome to the forums!!

Edited May 17, 2009 by crazysundog

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

You can place IR camera closer to your head or behind it!

 

96" screen, what's that?!!

 

Do you have any photos of how it looks like during play?!

 

 

You know I've never taken any in action pics or video of my setup, I'll do that and update my thread. My 96" screen is from a projector output, I have a set up that uses a first surface mirror to get a nice sized image. I'll try and take some video today if theres time!

[Mr_Burns]

Hello all, first post but long time reader, I have been using all your advice to try and set up my triple screen cockpit.

 

Last weekend I tried my 1st keyboard hack and have managed to get 12 switches up and running, I have them as the master arm sequence and shkvl zoom tv increase sixe and lock.

 

Cat your cockpit is awesome and having hacked a USB keyboard (with v.little electronic experience) and the number of wires and stuff I have for just 12 keys I can imagine what it looks like behing the switch panels, I think that post that said it was simple must have been sarcastic.

 

I think I should have ran 1 wire as a BUS with connectors to each switch, instead I ran the wire to a block connector, and had 12 outputs from that to each of the switches, any chance of a photo of your wiring?

 

What switches are you using there, I also had the idea of using the switch off my electric mirror to set up a type of hat switch to control the SHKVAL but i couldnt wire it to give 4 outputs.

 

I tried softth last night but Im still looking over some other forum posts to get a setting, blackshark did not even recoginse that softth was there.

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

Theres a lot of tricks you need to read up on to get the multi monitor results your looking for. I run one display at the moment so I can't help you there but searching these forums will get you the info you need. As for keyboard/joystick hacks they are easy for the most part (IF you're using an existing game controller). You just gotta solder some wires into the existing buttons then to some switches or buttons. The trick is having the right switches and buttons for your controller. Most game controllers use always open momentary buttons so you need to use momentary switches in those projects. There are some rules you have to follow for any hack project but for the most part it is pretty easy. I pulled my projects off with pretty much no experience whatsoever other than knowing what a soldering iron does!

 

Feel free to ask any questions you have there are a ton of knowledgeable members here!

[CAT_101st]

Im just using cheep Raido shack switchs. I have some pich posted in here

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=564940&postcount=223

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=689560&postcount=284

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=689551&postcount=16

 

Wiring is easy. Just link all the grounds to a common wire and the switchs, Use a CAT 5 cable. They have 8 wires in 1 cable, realy saves on the mess. Zip ties and tape can take care of the rest. Hitch is right, any thing you need feal free to just ask.