A-10C CDU length and width dimensions needed

[WildBillKelsoe]

Hello,

I'm trying to fabricate a USB PCB board with intention of embedding a mini LCD screen to it, to act as repeater for CDU screen, and the input goes to simulator as keys/knobs.

 

Any manufacturer of USB custom made PCB boards is appreciated. However, in order to capitalize on the plan, I need the exact length and width of the CDU unit (not depth) and the display measurement in inches. I will use a color LCD screen custom cut to 10 lines and 24 ch/ln.

 

the USB should at most be 2 , one for display output , one for keys input.

 

Any ideas, or am I just fantasizing too much?

[BudgieSmuggler]

I was planning some boards like this. I have boards for KA-50, metalwork panel designs and controller boards in progress, but it keeps getting delayed because of real life getting in the way.

 

My plan is when I am done it will be one usb master presenting as HID joystick/mouse/keyboard (possibly multiple joystick devices), or custom USB peripheral to a driver, or just ethernet in to PC talking direct to DCS / whatever. The slave I/O boards (either generic breakout boards to buttons and LEDs or custom board for eg. KA-50 PVI or A10 CDU) will talk CAN or SPI back to the master controller, so you could wire up a whole cockpit to one master USB/ethernet board.

 

I didn't have a plan for full graphical displays yet but CAN/SPI at >1Mbit/s should be plenty for text.

 

I was just about to push to get the various PCBs finished, but I have been called away to the US next week for nearly 3 months so I expect some more delay.

 

Not sure if this answers the question you had, and no I don't know the dimensions of the A10 CDU. You should be able to estimate pretty accurately from a photograph if you have the length of any other element in the cockpit. Or just make it up, so long as it is functional and fits in your cockpit who cares..

[WildBillKelsoe]

I was planning some boards like this. I have boards for KA-50, metalwork panel designs and controller boards in progress, but it keeps getting delayed because of real life getting in the way.

 

My plan is when I am done it will be one usb master presenting as HID joystick/mouse/keyboard (possibly multiple joystick devices), or custom USB peripheral to a driver, or just ethernet in to PC talking direct to DCS / whatever. The slave I/O boards (either generic breakout boards to buttons and LEDs or custom board for eg. KA-50 PVI or A10 CDU) will talk CAN or SPI back to the master controller, so you could wire up a whole cockpit to one master USB/ethernet board.

 

I didn't have a plan for full graphical displays yet but CAN/SPI at >1Mbit/s should be plenty for text.

 

I was just about to push to get the various PCBs finished, but I have been called away to the US next week for nearly 3 months so I expect some more delay.

 

Not sure if this answers the question you had, and no I don't know the dimensions of the A10 CDU. You should be able to estimate pretty accurately from a photograph if you have the length of any other element in the cockpit. Or just make it up, so long as it is functional and fits in your cockpit who cares..

 

Hey smuggler..

 

I found this 24x2 character LCD units by vishay (pdf for it)

 

http://www.newark.com/vishay-dale/l024n002ayyhet0000/lcd-024n002a-yyh-e90/dp/64P3395

 

I just don't know how to connect 5 of them (24x2x5= 24x10) to this:

 

http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=82_81&products_id=235

 

I don't even know what choice to pick (USB device number?? what is that?? Upto 40 switches?? CDU has more switches than this.. )

the idea was to output DCS characters of the CDU to that dot matrix LCD character display, but I don't think it is possible.

 

The other option, is to use a color LCD display like 8", strip it from it's body and casing, and embed it into the box with another USB for above controller and buttons. That means having 2 USB devices, 1 as output from DCS, another as input joystick (for CDU buttons). Although I would prefer to have 1 USB for the entire thing.

 

I'm very new to this creation (like fresh meat to the ideas like this) , haven't done anything like it before, and have no soldering experience. I'm afraid I'm asking for too much.

Edited August 22, 2012 by WildBillKelsoe

[Duckling]

...exact length and width of the CDU unit (not depth) and the display measurement in inches..

 

Hi

Can't tell in inches but in metric, the CDU is 181 * 146.05 mm (L x W)

 

Attached drawing is made by Alex_RCPilot and posted here in a thread some years ago (Thanks Alex ! :-)

 

Hope it could be of some help.

[metalnwood]

Hey Bill, I think you may be biting off more than you can chew, depending on what exactly you are trying to do.

 

Duckling gave you the dimensions and if you measure it up you will find that you need a screen a lot smaller than 8". I am using a 4.2" screen which is just about the correct size.

 

Have a look here at mine

 

The only way to get the CDU output is via a graphical output as DCS does not export the data to recreate the screen with text.

 

There is a fair bit of work , there are I think 67 working buttons so you need multiple joystick controllers just to get the buttons working. There is also the buttons layout which really needs a custom PCB made to help with the layout and the wiring of the keyboard matrix. You will find there is nothing you can buy off the shelf to do this as it has some tight constraints to make a copy of the cdu and fit the pcb in there.

 

Have you got an ipad? That could be an ideal way to get a cdu with some of the software around to export the cdu to ipad.

[Duckling]

Very true, keeping the original keytop placement will force a custom made PCB or that the switches is seperatly embedded in the lightpanel (or likewise with separate wiring for each switch). Made some calculation for cost and effort and currently building using a large generic PCB/generic LAB board.

Had to alter the layout of the individual switches though to coop with the board. Got my lightpanels and baseplates back from cutter last week but haven't started the soldering nightmare yet..

Having a smaller lowcost 3,5 LCD to get it to fit in avalible space. SoftTH and PeterP's export scripts made my day, LOL

 

You might want to check out 'Linden' sale thread for panels. Not sure if his CDU is included/ready but ping him for more info. That unless you go for a iPad as Metal mensions or a LCD touchscreen and Helios setup

[BudgieSmuggler]

Agreed this really requires a PCB and probably custom controller with custom software on the PC end as well.

 

Is there much demand for this kind of custom PCB by the way? I can easily do this but I was planning on doing the simpler I/O and panels (ie. buttons and switches) first since this kind of panel is quite a specific purpose design (ie. small market) with complex software requirements. Plus as I said, finding time is a problem right now.

 

By the way if you are serious about doing electronics for this kind of complex panel I would look into something like this eval board from ST http://www.st.com/internet/evalboard/product/252419.jsp - it gives you plenty of I/O but you will have to get your hands dirty up to your elbows to get it to do what you want.

Edited August 23, 2012 by BudgieSmuggler

[Flim]

Ya, this is the main reason we came up with Helios... a lot of work just for one panel!

[Tekkx]

Now, after this thread is more than 2 years old I have to write some words.

 

I also plan to build a CDU.

PCB and cover plate is already designed.

Cover will be made of white acrylic, covered by black self adhesive film.

The cover is backlit by green LEDs, the line between alpha and numeric keys are cut off the black film.

Buttons also white acrylic but laser cut.

 

Keyboard controller will be an Arduino Leonardo with a Centipede shield.

TFT is an 4.5" thing (car tuning) and the only already working matter ATM.

Because i can't find a more fitting TFT my design ran likely out of scale (just the screen section)

 

Everything else is a matter of time and money.

 

But the CDU as a standalone feature is just a half a worth without the AAP.

So I started some thinking to attach the AAP direct to die CDU. Leonardo has some analog inputs. Maybe they can used to simulate STEER PT and PAGE rotarys using potentiometers and specific angels (means resistor values) give the correspondent code.

 

Next step after receiving Arduino and Centipede is to learn about programming those.

 

Since I have just about one hour a week for this matter (real life runs out there :) you don't have to expect very large steps in progress in this matter.

[Apar]

On 8/23/2012 at 3:15 AM, Duckling said:

 

Hi

Can't tell in inches but in metric, the CDU is 181 * 146.05 mm (L x W)

 

Attached drawing is made by Alex_RCPilot and posted here in a thread some years ago (Thanks Alex !

 

Hope it could be of some help.

Do they have CAD format of this?

 

[Duckling]

Not sure if that question is directed to me and who 'they' are but I don't have an accurate one, sorry