Q: what makes a good KA-50 SimPit with todays options?

[Jasper2610]

I have read various threads and compiled links into this post for questions regarding a SimPit for the KA-50. The main queries I have are to do with the switch panel interface options available.

 

I applied for Australian Army Aviation Corps to be a Tiger Attack Chopper pilot but was unsuccessful due to medical issues, so I am trying to get as close to the real thing as possible and would greatly value suggestions and ideas from all you SimPit builders out there.

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Greetings all,

 

I am only a few months old to this whole simulator business but have already decided that the keyboard controls for switches is not enough. I, like many of you, want the emersion of the simulation. By this I mean building a SimPit. However I have a few question and option to outline for your valued feedback, and hopefully DCS read this which may help if the future Pits of other builders.

 

HOTAS

I have opted to go with Saitek for HOTAS, their new X-65F Combat Control System, <1>, and Rudder Peddles, <2>.

 

 

If you have a more preferred choice, please post it with at least a short reason why you believe it to be better.

 

VISUALS (Multi-Monitor Display)

I have plans for 4 x wide screen flat panel TV screens, preferably 16:9 with measurements of approximately 1 meter wide and 0.56 meters high, which is an ~46” LCD. I have chosen this size as from Triggerhappy´s cockpit-drawings, <3>, the front instrument panel is just shy of a meter wide. Now I would arrange the screens using RADEON EYEFINITY to form an expanded desktop giving an aspect ratio of 16:9 left, 16:18 centre, and 16:9 on the right, with the possibility of upgrading to 48:18 aspect ratio.

 

 

If you’re unsure of how to configure such a system please read the threads on multi-monitor support.

 

SimPit Input Control

Option 1: Keyboard Hacking, <4> (Schwinn, 2009).

I think this is a great option, as I have done it before with WINAMP and a jukebox addon. And I like that the switches will always have the KA-50 default positions when I load the game each time, no having to worry about flicking all the switches back to their non active state. eg: if you crash and your gear is up, quit, come back later, load, and find your gear switch is set to up but the gear is actually down.

 

However I am interested if DCS have replied to <5> (ruprecht, 2009), as to discrete key mappings for every switch and know position. So that the switch is not such a TOGGLE but rather up is activate and down deactivate.

 

Option 2: ELITE USB.

I am unsure about this option, it seems like an expensive macro device that keyboard hacking could easily do.

 

Comments would be great.

 

Option 3: Xilinx FPGA

This is the option I think I will go with but it is rather technical and requires knowledge of VHDL programming language. A Xilinx FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) , <6>, basically a programmable micro controller. Multiplex all SimPit switches to a logic data line, and implement keyboard drivers to output macro key combinations to Windows and KA-50. With code there is potential to buffer the switch signal and only output a keyboard command, for a short pulse, when the switch changes, so no problem with keyboard hacking holding keys down constantly.

However I have been told about switches that will send a short signal only when changed so the key is not being held down. I’m yet to look into this and the cost of switches Vs cost of the Xilinx FPGA and basic switches.

 

Again thoughts are greatly appreciated.

 

 

References

<1> Saitek - X-65F Combat Control System

http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/x65f.html

 

<2> Saitek - Rudder Peddles

http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/pedals.html

 

<3> Triggerhappy´s cockpit-drawings

http://home.arcor.de/simpit/F16fighter/Downloads_Download-Site_for_Co/Black_Shark/Cockpit-Drawings_Triggerhappy_/cockpit-drawings_triggerhappy_.html

 

<4> Schwinn, 2009, ED Forums » English » Sim Topics » Home Cockpits » Keyboard hacking

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=43244

 

<5> ruprecht, 2009, ED Forums » English » Sim Topics » Home Cockpits » DCS (KA50/A10C) cockpit builder's wishlist

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=44405

 

<6> Xilinx – FPGA

http://www.xilinx.com/products/silicon-devices/fpga/index.htm

Edited May 1, 2011 by Jasper2610

[Jasper2610]

using an inexpensive microcontroller to interface hardware with DCS

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=72338

Edited May 3, 2011 by Jasper2610

[Succellus]

As rudde rtake the combat ones..

I would have opted for TM warthog especially if you go A10 way sometime.

[Jasper2610]

ok. I'll look at the specs for both again, but I was given the non combat ones for Christmas, everything else is a wish list.

 

I don't think I'll be firing up A10 any time soon but definitely would get F18 if they do it.

Edited May 3, 2011 by Jasper2610

[Jasper2610]

I don't know to much about HELIOS or outputting data from DCS KA-50 but it dose interest me. Ideally I would like a small command prompt window, either as an alt tab solution or use a second monitor input and just change back and forth from DVI to VGA input, to push all switch states out to the micro controller (FPGA) and run a diagnostics to make sure the SimPit switches are identical to KA-50 at mission load.

 

The hardware is the easy part for me, I'm an electronic and computer systems Engineer, and we used VHDL on Xilinx chips more many projects, shift registers, MUX's, ALU's, and CPU's. I also know a bit of C# and C++ but it's not my specialty. So if you have trouble with Integrated Circuit design I'm willing to help.

 

I plan on using a series MUX's from all SimPit switch states on one PCB and serial port with the data line, MUX select, and logic high, and clcok from the FPGA. The FPGA will be an integrated deMUX and higher level of keyboard drivers. MUX states will be buffered and only data sent to windows when any bit of the latched buffer changes. The latched bit will be transcribed to ASCI and sent to windows looking like various keyboard key presses (not a constant key press).

 

But I would love to hear about you helios data output from KA-50 so that i can run a diagnostic switch state check at mission load.

 

What I'm planning is a program to run in the background to DCS. It will run once, only at the start of a new mission loading. Each of the physical switch positions will have a unique bit code. And when the microchip gets the aircraft switch positions from DCS, not sure how yet, the buffer (register) on the microchip for switch positions will compare the data to that of the data pushed from DCS to check what state each switch is in.

 

Now when DCS's pushed data dose NOT match the physical SimPit switch configuration. Say you complete a mission and shutdown the aircraft completely so it is dark, but the next mission you load the communications is on and engines in idle. You alt tab to the background program and it pauses, and names the switch that is not in the correct state, even a image of the cockpit with the unsynchronised switch in a highlighted displayed so that you can change it. The switches are NOT automatic. The background program just helps you synchronise the physical SimPit to what the DCS has loaded for the mission. Once everything is sunchronised, the background program either closes or stays open for the next mission load, after outputting that the system is synchronised.

Edited May 3, 2011 by Jasper2610

[Jasper2610]

This is the board i plan on using:

AES-S6MB-LX9-G

 

It has 12 IO pins to control the CLK, MUX select, Logic High out, Data In, and any other stuff like you 7 seg display and LEDs.

 

The MUX chips to get all switch states and a PCB's will be daisey chained to the FPGA IO ports.

CD74HC4067

 

Schematic coming soon

Edited May 3, 2011 by Jasper2610

[Mano]

for I/O card look at this:

http://www.poscope.com/search.php?q=PoKeys55-T

 

I've bought it and I'm successfully using it for PVI-800 keyboard, Datalink overhead panel and ABRIS commands.

Actually I'm interfacing with 25 momentary pushbuttons (PVI-800) + 13 (Datalink) + 5 (ABRIS) + 2 Encoder (ABRIS rotaries) and 1 2-pos switch (ABRIS On-Off).

All this with only one board.

 

Actually I don't know if you can use it for outputs too, but it can be programmed (has C libraries) so I think there could be some ways to let her communicate with the sim.

 

Inputs are arranged in a matrix, except for the 2 encoders that require individual channels (2 per encoder + GND).

I'm planning now to add the weapon mode panel (left panel), autopilot commands and UV-26.

 

The board can manage an LCD display too (and 2 LED block matrix displays). I've successfully lighted up an LCD 16x2 but I didn't get into it very much because I'm not a programmer and I couldn't program it.

 

I think that with 2 of these boards you can easily have a very immersive cockpit.

Now, with the 3 panels I've built + my Saitek X52PRO (fully configured with 2 modes) I don't have to touch my keyboard.

 

good luck!

[Jasper2610]

NICE, that looks like it's deficiently worth considering, cheers mate.

 

I'm not launching into this super fast so ATM I'm just trying to gather as much information as I can and find a solution that I can handle technically and not to costly.

 

Would love to see your setup you have going atm....

[BaD CrC]

Jasper2610. I think you are talking pit building, not just improved input/output. You should definitively check the cockpit builder topic of this forum (and while you do that, check out my topic about my pit). You should find a lot of answers there.

Regarding the "1st level" hardware, I strongly recommend Saitek combat pro flight rudder. It's a dream to use with BS.

[Jasper2610]

LOL, yeah the thread did kinda turn into SimPit from IO.

 

I'll check your Pit tonight after uni gotta run now ;)

[Froglips]

I really think that to have an immersive rotorhead experience, even more important than buttons and switches, you need to get a cyclic and collective set-up. The Saitek HOTAS is a great stick but doesn't fly like a cyclic does at all.

[Jasper2610]

The Saitek HOTAS is a great stick but doesn't fly like a cyclic does at all.

 

Thanks for the advice. Do you know of any shelf products that are more suited or dose it come down to building a custom set?