Donbinator's A-10C pit

[agrasyuk]

that is how i approached MIP:

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1636910&postcount=78

 

and this is overlay to be attached:

http://images59.fotki.com/v684/photos/6/733156/11510877/CIMG1708-vi.jpg

 

 

BTW: you can edit your posts.

[donbinator]

that is how i approached MIP:

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1636910&postcount=78

 

and this is overlay to be attached:

http://images59.fotki.com/v684/photos/6/733156/11510877/CIMG1708-vi.jpg

 

 

BTW: you can edit your posts.

 

Ha!!! Thanks I've seen people mention editing quotes but totally forgot to look for that feature. Technology is such a huge part of my life/career but one never ceases to be a n00b :). A clear indicator I haven't contributed back enough to the forum community ;).

So your idea is exactly what I was thinking. First cut a transparent 1/4" acrylic piece to flatten the monitor (I was actually thinking of cutting out the gauges so they are flat against the monitor), then glue stuff onto it. I'm very much taking an iterative approach in that I would like to play the game as I go. Doing this would allow me to start playing as soon as I get the monitor in place with the MFD's installed. Here's my question: How do you know what the dimensions of the cutouts are going to be? I see you have an awesome set of overlays, but how did you go about designing them when they aren't necessarily to scale (due to Helios scaling to fit the monitor)? Did you just measure off your monitor? That's what I plan on doing all else failing...

 

Thanks again for your help!

[agrasyuk]

as you said, I took actual measurements after arranging helios profile items to my liking:) I did round the numbers somewhat so not to end up with strange sizes. then cut cardboard stencils to test fit (can be cut much faster and without smell). after about 3rd correction everything was spot on so i could start cutting actual plastic parts. since your screen size will dictate the exact dimensions i see nothing wrong with that approach :)

[cichlidfan]

...when they aren't necessarily to scale (due to Helios scaling to fit the monitor)? Did you just measure off your monitor? That's what I plan on doing all else failing...

 

 

Keep in mind, the gauges don't scale to the monitor size. You can make them exactly the size you want per gauge. You can even sketch it up on paper and then convert from inches to pixels (based on your monitor you can ballpark it pretty close). That gives you a good starting point for plopping things down in Helios.

[donbinator]

Hey I just thought of something. I'm sitting here trying to figure out my front panel, and I realized, why am I using Helios? It's a really cool program but I'm not sure I need it. I don't have any touch panels. Can all of the front panel gauges be exported to where I want them from the lua scripts? If so I don't think I need Helios...(although I've already donated $ because it's a freakin' cool program :)).

[agrasyuk]

DCS does not generate viewports for gauges so yes you do need it

[donbinator]

DCS does not generate viewports for gauges so yes you do need it

 

Ah there we go. I knew I had been down this thought path before :). That simplifies things because i was desperately searching through all of the LUA files trying to figure out where to get the names of the gauge-viewports :cry:. Thanks. Back to reconfiguring my Helios profile :book:.

[donbinator]

that is how i approached MIP:

http://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=1636910&postcount=78

 

and this is overlay to be attached:

http://images59.fotki.com/v684/photos/6/733156/11510877/CIMG1708-vi.jpg

 

 

BTW: you can edit your posts.

agrasyuk, where did you get the dimensions for the panel frames? I looked at your thread and that's exactly what I would like to do as well. Did you just use the Helios panel and measure it with a ruler? That or sizing the actual view of the front panel in the game to match the sizes of the cutouts and then tracing the panel frames from the game are all I can think of...

[agrasyuk]

perhaps i don't understand the question ,what are you refering to as "panel frames"?

but yes, i pretty much just arranged helios objects on screen and took measurements with a ruler. no trick really :)

[donbinator]

Donbinator made some progress

 

I'm terrible at updating (read: expert lurker). Here's a pic.

[Gremlin77]

Wow, very nice one! Respect!

[Intrepid1]

You have come a long way

I like it :thumbup:

 

Randy

[donbinator]

Bringing gauges out from the monitor

 

Hey I had an idea. Does anyone remember those glass pucks that you put down on a newspaper and it looks like the newspaper is written on the top? I think it's a chunk of fiber optic material or something. I'm having a heck of time finding it on google but I've seen this several times in my life. it would be really cool to cut pieces of this stuff to bring the gauges from the monitor out so that it looked like they were at a different depth. That way it would look more like the real thing. Does anyone know what the material is that I'm talking about or what is called? Does anyone even know what I'm talking about? :( Right now the monitor is displaying the gauges behind my front panel, and I'm about to add the gauge frames with knobs and such in addition so the gauge display itself is going to be pretty recessed and hard to see if you aren't looking straight at it.

[cichlidfan]

...and I'm about to add the gauge frames with knobs and such in addition so the gauge display itself is going to be pretty recessed and hard to see if you aren't looking straight at it.

 

That is probably quite realistic, as the part of the gauge with the markings is probably further back than you think. Remember, from a design standpoint, nobody would have cared if you could not see them well from an angle. The pilot is the only one looking. ;)

[metalnwood]

How about something like this?

 

http://www.us.schott.com/lightingimaging/english/products/healthcare/xray/faceplates.html

 

fiber optic step plate

 

This place looks like they sell them, no price though

http://www.adphotonics.com/products/fiber_optic_faceplate.html

 

Here they call is something else but its the same

 

http://www.us.schott.com/lightingimaging/english/defenseproducts/imaging/straightthrus.html

Edited August 28, 2013 by metalnwood

[donbinator]

That is probably quite realistic, as the part of the gauge with the markings is probably further back than you think. Remember, from a design standpoint, nobody would have cared if you could not see them well from an angle. The pilot is the only one looking. ;)

 

Agreed in some cases (such as ADI) but in some cases I think it looks weird. I'd have to be sitting in front of it to see which ones look weird which I'm not. Also, some of the gauge groups are further forward (the entire center section of the front panel) in the real thing, it would be cool to bring it all forward.

[donbinator]

How about something like this?

 

http://www.us.schott.com/lightingimaging/english/products/healthcare/xray/faceplates.html

 

fiber optic step plate

 

This place looks like they sell them, no price though

http://www.adphotonics.com/products/fiber_optic_faceplate.html

 

Here they call is something else but its the same

 

http://www.us.schott.com/lightingimaging/english/defenseproducts/imaging/straightthrus.html

 

Yes that is exactly what I'm talking about. Your Google Foo is stronger than mine. Thanks!

[cichlidfan]

Agreed in some cases (such as ADI) but in some cases I think it looks weird. I'd have to be sitting in front of it to see which ones look weird which I'm not. Also, some of the gauge groups are further forward (the entire center section of the front panel) in the real thing, it would be cool to bring it all forward.

 

Well, you do have a point when looking at the whole front panel.

[Feed]

I did a little more hunting, since this sounded like such an awesome idea ...

This is the only page I could find with any prices.

 

http://www.edmundoptics.com/optics/fiber-optics/fiber-optic-tapers-faceplates/1599

[donbinator]

I did a little more hunting, since this sounded like such an awesome idea ...

This is the only page I could find with any prices.

 

http://www.edmundoptics.com/optics/fiber-optics/fiber-optic-tapers-faceplates/1599

 

Hmmm, yeah at $1000 every 5mm I'm thinking it's not such an awesome idea anymore :doh:. There *has* to be cheaper stuff though because it seemed like when I played with this stuff it was just a novelty and didn't *seem* expensive...

[Feed]

We pit builders wouldn't need anywhere near that resolution/quality, so I feel like it's just a matter of finding the right product. Like you, I know I've seen this sort of thing before, and I certainly wasn't playing with a $1000 product.

[agrasyuk]

Dobinator, as soon as you put the first one on your screen you will find it is not an issue at all. I was also conserned a bit, but all it takes is carefully positioning .

[donbinator]

Dobinator, as soon as you put the first one on your screen you will find it is not an issue at all. I was also conserned a bit, but all it takes is carefully positioning .

 

yeah I'm not really that worried about it, generally the gauge frames are bigger than the holes and even tapered, so they won't likely be obstructing, I just though the fiber optic image plates would be a neat way to get different depths making it look more realistic. I'm continuing forward without implementing this particular idea...for now :)

[MacFevre]

That would have been really cool, had it been a bit less expensive... Before I saw the price tag, I was checking and saw they were about 2 hours from where I live. Thought about swinging down there and see if they had anything available for non-military purposes.

 

When I first saw your post about the puck sitting on the newspaper, the first thing I thought of was the half-round magnifying domes that my grandmother used to use. :) http://www.domemagnifier.com/

[donbinator]

Deadman's Decals

 

Side pick with Deadman's decals. Decals look great!