A-10 USB engine gauges

[hegykc]

One more thing, with regards to implementing hardware/software for servos Pololu Makes a great servo board with up to 24 channels. If you don't mind using 3rd party and want an off the shelf solution. Their interface and API is incredibly simple to implement and would take all the design work out of your plans. Their boards are from 19-40 USD so they are pretty cost effective especially if you take into account R&D for creating a board and firmware. I have been thinking about getting one to play with

 

By designing my hardware around arduino family I meant, the mechanical stuff. Gears, pointers, plexi, metal and 3d printed stuff.

I get how to make the sim send out data, I get how to program the servo controller's logic.

But how to make the two talk to each other is beyond my area of expertise If I can say so. I will let the programmers do the programming :D

I'll apply my talents to mechanical engineering, plastic, metal, fabrication and design.

 

I did look a lot at different controllers. Opencockpitcards, leobodnar cards, pololu's and whatnot...

And from my beginners point of view, arduino is like a 'one size fits all' solution. All in one. Why have different type of controllers for servo's, then for steppers, then another for swithces/buttons and yet another for LEDs.

Then you need brakeout boards, I/O expansion boards etc...

I might be missing something, but as I see it it's a complete mess.

 

Arduino is open source right, so as yous said if you solder it yourself it's 8 bucks. another 8$ for a couple of pwm and digital/analog multiplexers, using matrixes and you might get away with a 16$ full cockpit controller.

[whartsell]

Yep. For me I have two goals. 1 I don't want a mishmash of different hardware. I would like as little variation as possible. As the variation goes up so does the complexity. 2. This is also a thought exercise so I want to learn as much as possible. I am a software performance engineer by trade but don't do a lot of real development in my job. With this project I get to combine my interests with my profession. I am learning alot about micro controllers, manufacturing, ui design etc. it also doesn't hurt that my previous profession was avionics in the military and volunteered restoring WW2 planes when I was younger.

 

If you need any help with anything lemme know.

[MacFevre]

Hegykc, I've been following this from the start. It looks fantastic, and if you are able to ship to the states, I am ready to shower you with money! ;) it looks really great regardless, and you can put me on the "will buy" list.

[hegykc]

You're already helping. Making the arduino talk to DCS is all this community needs. It opens up pit building to a whole new level.

 

Now, a single sim instrument is about 250$. With the arduino and pwm multiplexers talking to DCS, I can design one for less then 25$ in laser cut plexi.

 

And there's more, a lot more. Force loaded sticks and throttles (a sort of a force feedback that I already have designed. It uses small rc servos, but it needs a controller), G-seats also with small servos moving the seat surfaces to simulate G-forces, motion platforms etc...

 

All of it would be controllable by arduinos listening to DCS outputs of speed, AoA, pitch roll etc...

 

If you need any help with anything lemme know.

[BIGNEWY]

hegykc this sounds brilliant and I do hope it works out.

 

I am looking for flight gauges for my DCS needs, more than anything.

 

Personally I dont like using a screen for dials, I want real looking dials, without having to spend a small fortune

 

If this could be achieved it would be great.

 

Also making sense out of the Arduino would also be great, I have the UNO but I have found it difficult to use.

 

Keep up the good work, if you ever get it all to work out, you have a customer in me.

[hegykc]

Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement!

 

As you can see, it is going to be a team effort. Not much use for gauges without brains :)

[Mr_Burns]

I dont know if it would help/hinder your enthusiasm and drive, but Ive bought 3x groovy game gear to make just the front EFA cockpit. I still need another maybe two.

 

So just for switch inputs, and no LED outputs, ive spent around $200 - reason, plug and play simplicity.

 

I like the idea of other solutions but put me down as a complete programming/electrical/mechanical amatuer, even less than amateur so I fear away from phidgets or those other devices for which the site of all those chips, boards and ribbon cables sends me running for a chess set.

 

So if its easy for you, perhaps you could make and sell simple modular input/output devices which some of the newer/less accomplished members could use to fund your other persuits?

 

PS. Keep up the good work, its refreshing to see your enthusiasm.

[TomDK]

Great !!

 

I am also on board ! Bad fact is that I can solder but not program .....

My workmates are with Raspberry PI programming on their way bad they are not intereted in flight simulations .. too bad.

The raspberry PI is around 30 EURO and is much faster and powerfull than arduino and comes with ethernet and much more.

 

:thumbup: However .. I will be onboard ! Just finishing my CDU and than the great landing gear panel !!

[hegykc]

No worries there guys I think.

 

Simplicity and ease of use is one of the main reasons behind doing this. As whartsell said, you would no longer need 3-4 different controllers for 3-4 different inputs.

 

Once the foundations are sorted out, it should be as simple as plug cable A into slot A, copy-paste the instrument/panel/joystick code into arduino compiler, and you're good to go.

 

I'm sure many people will jump on board, making instrument/panel codes and improvements.

[whartsell]

Great !!

 

I am also on board ! Bad fact is that I can solder but not program .....

My workmates are with Raspberry PI programming on their way bad they are not intereted in flight simulations .. too bad.

The raspberry PI is around 30 EURO and is much faster and powerfull than arduino and comes with ethernet and much more.

 

:thumbup: However .. I will be onboard ! Just finishing my CDU and than the great landing gear panel !!

 

As great as the rasberry PI is it really isnt a good fit. It has alot of processing power but that really isnt needed. What really is needed is a good IO feature set for hardware integration which the PI lacks. Sure it has 27 GPIOs but only one can be used for PWM and none can be used for analog inputs. So in this realm of lots of inputs/outputs it really is less capable than the Amtel328p that the arduino uses. By the time you add the cost of expanding the PI to get the IO capabilities you could build at least 3 arduino based systems.

 

Where the PI would be a better fit is in the case of using one as a dedicated controller for the CDU. The CDU has a bunch of digital inputs which can leverage the PI's GPIO and then you could do a little magic and make use of the PIs Display capability for the screen. Ethernet is also a nice feature that could be leveraged here as well.

 

Another potential use of the PI would be to run all this integration software as a dedicated controller in the cockpit with all the add on boards connected to it. That way you free up all the processing on your simulator rig and don't need a separate PC to handle the integration. I have thought about this as a solution to free up PCs but in my case I would need to ensure compatibility of my software with MONO (CLR framework for linux as my software is .Net C#) and that is assuming MONO builds on PIs linux.

[TimeKilla]

Looks great dont play A-10 if you ever think about doing KA-50 all th main gauges am sure peeps would be interested not even in a sim like manor just all there together like the a-10 one.

[Mt5_Roie]

I like them as well. You even think about making individual dials? The standard six would be awesome to have in USB.

[hegykc]

Sure, Russian gauges too. I like designing stuff that's not common, so I would do stuff even if there isn't an interest, which I'm sure is not the case for Russian instruments.

 

And 'under the monitor solutions' for guys who don't have space for a full simpit

[BubbaMc]

Hi hegykc, everyone,

A couple of questions;

 

1. How is the gauge data exported from DCS? Is the capability there?

 

2. For the HSI, will the balance ball be functional?

[hegykc]

@BubbaMc

 

Yes, DCS has the capability to export simulation data:

http://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/dev_journal/lua-export/index.php?sphrase_id=322678

 

and

 

Yes, the balance ball and all the other features HSI has, there is 11 motors in there total.

[BubbaMc]

Thanks for the quick reply.

 

I look forward to buying your products :)

[Avilator]

The ideas in this thread seem too good to be true! As others have said, I am a complete newb at programming and electronics. The challenges of getting an Arduino to talk to DCS seem daunting. I've done CAD for my own HSI, but I shudder to think of what that would cost in money and troubleshooting time. :fear: But if this solution works out, I do have some money put aside to throw at this. :thumbup:

 

Any updates on the progress?

[hegykc]

people are working on software solution, and I'm working 2 jobs in the meantime, to provide enough capital to buy the equipement necessary to build these things myself.

 

It's happening alright, just a matter of time...

[Avilator]

Good to hear it's still alive. I'm eagerly awaiting this one! :)

[robump]

Are you still going down the arduino route with the software? I think Gadroc is getting close with his EOS code for helios Thread link

[hegykc]

Yes, arduino for everything. That would be great! A couple of people are working on a solution, as a part of their own projects.

[Succellus]

DAMn awesome

[n460hly]

I have just come up to speed on your project. Count me in. I would like to buy everything A-10 you come up with, and probably anything else just on the principle that this is such an ideal mission you have launched.

[jay43]

Did anyone have any luck with Teensy programing, I am using Teensy 3.0 at the moment for another project for PS3 which I have working now.

So just out of curiosity what do you need Teensy to do and I will see what I can do.

[hegykc]

Hi and thanks for the offer. I will keep you in mind. There is a member working on teensy/arduino interface for instruments and I believe he has it covered.

 

I will also use teensy/arduino for stick&throttle electronics. I believe this will do:

http://generichid.sourceforge.net/

 

But I'm sure there'll be questions and problems so I will keep you in mind.

Once I make a few hardware prototypes (instruments, sticks&throttles) I'll showcase them to the community and ask for programmers, artists and engineers to come together, so we can make one hell of a product for ourselves!