Feed Posted October 31, 2010 Posted October 31, 2010 Certainly being influenced by all the A-10 stuff going on right now, but hope it'll end up as a good generic pit. Let me know what you think ...
PlainSight Posted October 31, 2010 Posted October 31, 2010 (edited) :thumbup: You should use Virtual panel to set those gauges in place. Or were they out of place only in that picture? Other than that, it's very good layout, it'll sure keep you busy for a while... Edited October 31, 2010 by PlainSight [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Feed Posted October 31, 2010 Author Posted October 31, 2010 I simply threw up a shot in FSX as something to show there ... I've toyed with Virtual panel in black shark and LOMAC, as well as MFD extractor in FreeFalcon. I've only *just started* looking at lua scripts and playing around with SIOC. I've got a fair number of parts ready to be assembled, but I've already been working at this for a couple months and don't have anything functional. The 2 side boxes were what started the project, as a place to mount my throttle and stick ... because I needed my desk to stay functional. Then my desk got cut in half for the 4th monitor, and, well ... let's just call them a lesson in planning ... due to the off-the-top-of-my-head measurements, I ended up being just half an inch too narrow to mount full-scale panels. That's alright though - accuracy was never the goal.
Feed Posted November 1, 2010 Author Posted November 1, 2010 Thanks, G3! I can't wait until there's an actual switch ... that actually does something. 8)
rocketeer Posted November 1, 2010 Posted November 1, 2010 The key commands in the beta so far are around views, communication, hotas etc. very few for actual switches in the cockpit. You can, however, start to program for the gear and flap, wheel brake, lights, canopy open/close, refueling boom etc. if you have the leo board or some other input device. These are the few with key commands so far. We'd see if the next beta update adds anything new like the MFCD, UFC or CDU. My A10C cockpit thread
Feed Posted November 2, 2010 Author Posted November 2, 2010 Let's hope so ... I've got a KE-USB108 and some OpenCockpits stuff that I'm itching to get hooked up. I know there's been talk of a physical cockpit interface, so i guess time will tell exactly how that's going to be presented.
rocketeer Posted November 2, 2010 Posted November 2, 2010 If you have OC cards then you don't have to wait for the switches to be assigned key commands by ED. Who knows how long that'd take. You can use lua. I saw Oakes' example in a thread. It was quite simple and easy to follow, at least for a toggle switch. The other stuff like pots, encoders, and esp. output stuff I'm sure will be more complicated. My A10C cockpit thread
Feed Posted November 2, 2010 Author Posted November 2, 2010 I've only seen mention of the lua option - haven't really started looking at it, at all, but now I'm even more excited - so I'm not limited to sending button presses - lua can be used to interface directly with DCS, similar to FSUIPC in MSFS? Do you know offhand whether that functionality will still work in a multiplayer game? As I understand it, lua is disabled in multiplayer. :/
rocketeer Posted November 2, 2010 Posted November 2, 2010 Sorry I have no clue about MP stuff. Never tried it (don't look at me like that). I am going to be using OC and I believe I can figure out some of the coding. We can definitely exchange notes about OC later when things start rolling. I just installed the beta 2 tonight and noticed that ED has not yet assigned numbers to the devices in devices.lua like what they did in BS. I wonder if we can just assign numbers ourselves to make it work. Also they have not added any key commands to switches. So its lua or nothing right now if you want switches to work. I'd start figuring things out once I get my OC cards. I think OC is a safe choice for I/O given we have veterans here. Other solutions like Hagstrom will be a challenge if ED doesn't add key commands as Hagstrom needs to record key commands to make it work as it's just a keyboard emulator. Same for leo boards. OC's SOIC is proven to work with DCS. My A10C cockpit thread
Feed Posted November 2, 2010 Author Posted November 2, 2010 Definitely look forward to exchanging notes - lots of helpful folks with lots of experience around here. I'd originally chosen the Hagstrom card due to it's ability to manage toggles & latching pushbuttons right from jump. I also liked the fact that it can send joystick buttons and mouse clicks. I knew I'd want to go with some OC stuff as well, for some outputs like indicator lights, but the more I experiment, read, and learn, the more I wish I'd just gone exclusively OC from the start. It's just far more versatile. I'm sure ED will add the ability to assign keyboard commands to most (probably not all) important functions in DCS - there's just too many folks who won't be building anything close to a home cockpit - they included the 'arcade mode', after all. Really, I'm just glad to see someone coming out with hard-core simulations again. It's been far too long.
Feed Posted November 5, 2010 Author Posted November 5, 2010 Okay, I think I'm done with my basic testing of the OC cards ... today I figured out the last piece of the puzzle, how to hook up rotary encoders and get them talking like I want them to. It was a little fiddlesome getting them to register just one increment at a time, but I got it. With news that the new stick is supposed to be arriving today, I can start making final measurements and laying out permanent panels (or at least permanent until I start trying to add backlighting and that sort of fun stuff). I figure I'll make an order for more knobs from Allied (thanks Rocketeer!), and this thing might actually start taking shape. I suppose it needs a paint job before too much longer, too. HWhheeee!
pitbldr Posted November 5, 2010 Posted November 5, 2010 Okay, I think I'm done with my basic testing of the OC cards ... today I figured out the last piece of the puzzle, how to hook up rotary encoders and get them talking like I want them to. It was a little fiddlesome getting them to register just one increment at a time, but I got it. Be sure to keep good notes so that you can explain to the rest of us (just me maybe) how it's done. :D After a lot of back and forth, I think I'll be going with the OC cards too. I just don't know squat about SIOC or LUA, so I'll be pestering all you guys when I get to that part of the project.
Feed Posted November 5, 2010 Author Posted November 5, 2010 I'll be doing some pestering of my own, I'm sure. And yes, I'll be keeping good notes!!! :D I have only just begun poking around with this stuff. The basics seem reasonably easy, but I'm sure going to be leaning on folks around here for getting this stuff all talking to each other and working to control the sim.
rocketeer Posted November 6, 2010 Posted November 6, 2010 Feed, two questions. 1. Are you using CTS288 encoder? I'm checking to see if that is the one to get. I think most people are using it since it's sold at OC site so it's kinda endorsed to work. 2. Have you tried OC with A10C beta? Or just BS? I'm wondering if the beta2 has all the necessary lua files to make interfacing with SOIC work yet. I checked the device file and none of the devices are assigned numbers like in BS. Maybe we can just assign device numbers ourselves. I wonder what else is missing. If the beta is ready for SOIC then I'd get the OC cards so I can some of my switches working, else I'd continue building my panels for now. My A10C cockpit thread
Feed Posted November 6, 2010 Author Posted November 6, 2010 The encoders I got were a good deal I got on eBay, and came with some nice generic knobs. The model number is listed as CS-CO043. They cost me less than $1 each. They're PCB mount, instead of having a threaded post, so that's something to keep in mind. They output 2-bit gray. Turning the dial one detent or 'notch' turns 'on' one input, turns on the other input, turns the first input off, then turns the second input off (as I understand it, that's what 'gray code' means). It determines direction by which of the two contacts is activated in which order (each encoder claims 2 inputs on the MasterCard). I haven't yet even tried to get a single switch or button working through OC to either BS or A-10, or even FSX, for that matter. I figure as long as I can see that the switch is doing what it's supposed to in the SIOC console, that the building part is right. Interfacing with the sims is still sitting on the to-do list.
Feed Posted November 7, 2010 Author Posted November 7, 2010 (edited) Okay - I just spent around 6 hours wiring the 7-segment displays for the UHF radio ... by hand. I have learned 2 things: First, why they sell so many pre-matrixed 7-segment display boards, and second, that I must get set up to make my own circuit boards. I won't be doing that again ... ever. That's just the little numbers. I still have to wire all the switches. And I don't even know if it works, yet ... or has a short somewhere. There went Saturday! [edit] Okay, at least tested it now ... no shorts, no faults. THANK GOODNESS. Edited November 7, 2010 by Feed
memento10 Posted November 7, 2010 Posted November 7, 2010 I hear you about the 7 segs... I think these are well worth it: http://www.opencockpits.com/catalog/digits-assembled-units-colour-amber-p-279.html?cPath=24_56
Feed Posted November 7, 2010 Author Posted November 7, 2010 There is NO DOUBT that if I had it to do over again, that's the way I'd go. Unfortunately, I still have 42 7-segment displays laying around. I'm going to look for an etching kit so I can try making my own PCBs, and that should alleviate much of the mind-numbing matrixing. Wow.
PanelBuilder Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 Okay - I just spent around 6 hours wiring the 7-segment displays for the UHF radio ... by hand. I have learned 2 things: First, why they sell so many pre-matrixed 7-segment display boards, and second, that I must get set up to make my own circuit boards. I won't be doing that again ... ever. That's exactly what I said after I wired up the displays for my BS WSC panel on perfboard. I wouldn't wish that on anybody. Cheers, Colin
Duckling Posted November 8, 2010 Posted November 8, 2010 That's exactly what I said after I wired up the displays for my BS WSC panel on perfboard. I wouldn't wish that on anybody. Cheers, Colin Can't agree more :-) Draw me (almost) mad in the process trying to wire these with a perf board. I made this instead. Not the most perfect work but it saved a lot of frustration. Might be of some use. It covers the UHF, VHF and Tape indicators. The last is no use in C model though. Top left is UHF, Bottom left is two VHF's and top right is the frequency indicators for the VHFs I uploaded the Eagle Cad files and a clean .pdf on http://www.strandedduckling.com/html/interfacing.html cheers Gus - - - -
Feed Posted November 30, 2010 Author Posted November 30, 2010 MAD ... Ordered CNC electronics and hardware from buildyourcnc.com (thanks to all the CNC-wielding folks around here, and weeks of debate with myself) ... no indication that they got my order (other than shipping notification - great, right?). But then the package comes and it's just the hardware and plans - no electronics. Had to ask a couple times for an update, finally got word that the components were backordered and hadn't cleared customs. Asked for them to make it right, hoped for maybe an option to substitute an upgraded option or something ... no response again, until I sent another follow-up asking them to make it right or cancel my order and give me a refund. Individual's response to that was immediate, to the tune of "if that's what I want." Am I being unreasonable? 1
y2kiah Posted November 30, 2010 Posted November 30, 2010 They are being unreasonable by selling off of known back-order from China (probably, or wherever) when it's known that international shipments can take weeks to clear customs or will never clear at all. They should sell from current stock only, or make the wait time very well known. Are they drop shipping from an overseas supplier??? I should hope not. They should not have charged you until mailed to you from them. I did learn quite a bit from that site and found the ideas and tutorial helpful for getting started, but I never ordered anything from them because I noticed they mark up everything quite a bit. I've also since realized that an MDF machine will only get you so far, it's not long until you need to rebuild with stronger material. I wish I had known you were ordering from them. My advice is to stay away from the cheap electronics and get yourself a Gecko G540, and some powerful steppers, and a good 48V, 12.5A power supply right off the bat. I learned the hard way because the Gecko is my THIRD driver, and the steppers I SHOULD have gotten from the very beginning are my SECOND set of four. That's a lot of wasted money to finally get it right, I should have just spent the little bit more up front.
Feed Posted November 30, 2010 Author Posted November 30, 2010 *sigh* ... and I didn't want to take advantage and barrage folks here (like you) with newbie questions. I had already chosen a high-quality plywood over MDF as my material of choice, and while it appeared that their stuff was priced a little high, I thought avoiding the trouble of sourcing it all myself would be worth the additional cost. I have been debating with myself for WEEKS over whether to try to scrounge/source cheaper components and build this myself or spend a bit more money for something good (or even decent) right from the start.
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