Another Black Shark Pit project

[BaD CrC]

Status April 2012:

 

A brand new video with a joint operations with me and another crazy pit builder from my Squad. Hope you like it.

 

Status December 2011:

Video with BS2 and new features added in my pit. All the best to you guys for 2012!

 

 

Status November 2011:

Upgrade to BS2 and now the NVG bug in multiscreen is corrected (and NVG itself much improved), it was time for my pit to get also slightly upgraded for night flights!

 

 

Detail on the right panel where I used an array of 12V blue leds strip:

 

 

Status September 2011:

Switched from BSVP to Helios from SC Simulations. This allowed me not only to get rid of my secondary networked PC, but also to display all gauges on the front panel as well as a working EKRAN.

Eventhough only one PC have to run 6 screens at the same time, I am still getting 30+ fps with SIOC still running in the background to manage the leds (thanks to Gadroc for his help on this).

 

New demo video:

 

 

And one picture:

 

 

 

Status March 2011:

All leds now working in game. Cougar replaced by Warthog stick. Aluminum plates added for the floor. Better integration of the collective. Complete re install of DCS BS increased fps from 15 to 30. Don't know why, but that's really cool. New video added.

 

(The copyright free version)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pit status on the 9th of August 2010.

 

Hi BS fans and pit builders.

 

I have been working for some time now on this project since BS has been available. This is my first pit and I though BS was the perfect sim to work on. First it is extremely realistic, secondly the Ka-50 cockpit is still very analogic oriented and as such, a little bit easier to build than a latest generation cockpit with fully integrated avionics and such. Finally, having the possibility to assign almost every single switch to a joystick button and being able to display ABRIS and SKVAL on separate screens proved that ED was clearly pit builder minded when they developped this fantastic sim. I had though to bet on the future of this sim, as, although inputs are easy to implement, there is nothing about outputs yet (leds, parameters and so on). I do hope that the dev will keep their word by allowing some easy data export in a future patch or dev package release.

I want my pit to be as realistic as possible, but I wont go as far as Triggerhappy for example and CMC machining parts and buttons. This will be far too expensive and I have no talent for this. So I had sometimes to make some tradeoffs as I couldn't get everything I want for the parts in electronic shops.

 

Talking about Triggerhappy, many many thanks and all credits to him for the blueprints and drawing he posted on this forum. It was extrmely precious for me to start this project.

 

First of all, I started to build the left console:

 

 

Every buttons and lever are functional but some switches for the ADF as I used Leo Bodnar's USB board for the wiring and it is limited to 32 inputs. This limitation keeps bugging me by the way and I still have to sacrifice some switches that I don't use for the sake of this limitation.

I used some MON-OFF-MON switches for the radio frequencies (could'nt find anything looking like the real thing). As for the display of these frequencies, I have some other plan to display them.:D

Edited April 23, 2012 by BaD CrC

[BaD CrC]

Second part I start to build was the PVI-800:

 

 

 

As you can see, I used a USB LCD display from Matrix Orbital that was taking some dust on my shelves. I kept the build in keypad as I intend to use this display not only for the PVI 800, but also to display other things like radio frequencies, oil temp and pressure or other things, depending on what ED will allow us to do.

Once again, I used another Leo Bodnar USB board for the buttons. Everything is functional but the brightness button as it is no use for the LCD display.

Edited May 9, 2009 by BaD CrC

[BaD CrC]

OK, now the biggest part, the front panel. I am still working on it but here is how it looks now:

 

 

 

This was the nice looking part, now this is a pictures "behind the scene":

 

 

Yes, it looks terrible, doesn't it? As you can see, for the SKVAL, I used a 9 inches 12 Volts 800x600 TFT screen I found in a car shop. The dimensions fits perfectly and I can connect it on the video out signal of my graphic card.

Once again, another Leo Bodnar board for the switches. I will use another one for the weapon control panel. But 64 inputs are still 3 short of the number required. So I am looking at which 3 buttons I will give up.

For the ABRIS, a 19 inches monitor can perfectly fit behind the right part of the panel. This is what I intend to adapt for the ABRIS. For the rest of the intruments, well I am still clueless about what I will be able to use. I would love to have something similar like what Project Magenta is offering on FS (Simmeter??).

For the digits of the weapon control system, I have some IOCockpit cards that I plan to use once some export procedure is available from ED (lots of expectation from them, hmmm?)

 

I am still crying thinking about URZE that stopped doing business right when I wanted to order one of his extension for the cougar as this is what I was planning to use.

Edited May 9, 2009 by BaD CrC

[BaD CrC]

A small part I just finished. The small data panel on the top. Just to relax from the work on the main panel. :thumbup:

 

 

I still need to wire it though.

[CAT_101st]

WOW looks great. you are doing one heck of a job . Cant wait to see it in action. I can tell you that you will enjoy it very much having all the switches to push lkeeps your head in the sim and not looking for switch to click on. Keep up the good work. :thumbup:

[Acedy]

Awesome work mate, rep inbound. Keep us updated!

[crazysundog]

Looks amazing!! Post more pics when you have time!!

[JG14_Smil]

great job :)

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

Damn dude thats some awesome stuff right there! Keep it up!

[BaD CrC]

Thanks guys.I'll keep this topic alive for sure.

[Flim]

Great Job, I was thinking about making cnc'd kits that look like this. How did you plan on doing the LCD for the left side? I will probably mod where the bezels go to accommodate some type of LCD screen. Anyway, looks great and keep building!

[BaD CrC]

Hey Flim. As I said, I am a bit clueless about how I will implement the instruments on the main panel. One 19 inches screen can fit on each side of the panel and cover all the holes but I am missing the right software to display those instruments. Simmeters.com were doing exactly what I am looking for with even russian style gauges and a wrapper which was working with Lock on. But I haven't seen much activity on their website for some time.

If you guys ever heard about another software suite that is doing this kind of thing (and maybe with a possibility to draw my own gauges), let me know.

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

Simmeters had a lot of cool stuff in the works be great to see if they're still around kicking! I know from reading up on their stuff in the past they're not the greatest at releasing info or giving updates. Weren't they making an IO

Card with an s*&t-load of inputs?

Edited May 11, 2009 by HitchHikingFlatlander

[Flim]

It seems that simmeters has been dead for a while! it would be nice for ED make the gauges clickable where you can move and re size them. The way they have it now is a pain in the $$$. Hopefully that is in the cards for later updates.

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

I don't really see them as a pain right now so I don't know what you mean. What are you trying to say by clicking and re-sizing/moving them. Gauges arent supposed to move they stay where they're mounted and if you want them bigger/smaller theres pills for that.....

[CAT_101st]

I don't really see them as a pain right now so I don't know what you mean. What are you trying to say by clicking and re-sizing/moving them. Gauges arent supposed to move they stay where they're mounted and if you want them bigger/smaller theres pills for that.....

 

rep inbound :thumbup:

[Flim]

I don't really see them as a pain right now so I don't know what you mean. What are you trying to say by clicking and re-sizing/moving them. Gauges arent supposed to move they stay where they're mounted and if you want them bigger/smaller theres pills for that.....

 

 

I can sense your humor! you got me:pilotfly:

[Flyingaustrich]

I think i see what you try to do. I was thinking in the same way for the analog gauges. Can't "Touchbuddy" be the way to go ? Have seen displaying gauges from Lockon in the past. Whats up with DCS in the same way ?

 

greetings

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

LOVP or virtual panel I think, never tried it but if thats what you're getting at I'm with you, I'd like to put an old monitor behind a panel and use it for gauges. Would definitely up the immersion and cool factor!

[CAT_101st]

LOVP or virtual panel I think, never tried it but if thats what you're getting at I'm with you, I'd like to put an old monitor behind a panel and use it for gauges. Would definitely up the immersion and cool factor!

+1

[Triggerhappy69]

Now you got me all worked up about getting my Pit in working order mate..!:thumbup:

 

Keep the updates coming.. I can't wait to see it in action..!

 

Good Job..!

[BTTW-DratsaB]

Looks amazing, excellent work. Looking forward to more pics :thumbup:

[PanelBuilder]

I had though to bet on the future of this sim, as, although inputs are easy to implement, there is nothing about outputs yet (leds, parameters and so on). I do hope that the dev will keep their word by allowing some easy data export in a future patch or dev package release.

 

 

I agree. We all need to keep after DCS about delivering on the Physical Cockpit Interface stuff.

[BaD CrC]

OK. I just finished the lower right console and I was happy to see that I could wire it with just 32 inputs so I didn't have to find a trade off with the differents functionalities of this part.

First the pics.

 

 

The wiring was not too hard to complete and one Leo Bodnard USB card is enough to assign every usable buttons and encoders of the console.

 

 

The "kinda" final assembly of the lower right console with the PVI800 that I already showed and the last part I just finished. Of course, I didn't try to insert switches and encoders were no functions were available in the sim like for the IFF or the special uplink function panel. I still need to figure out how to make those "guards" around the flare buttons as I will need them badly for the dreaded upper right console (btw, Triggerhappy, any help would be more than welcome as I saw you were starting to work on this part :helpsmilie:).Thanks.

[HitchHikingFlatlander]

Wow man awesome stuff!