Circuit Boards Programming controllers and compatibility with DCS

[HornetUK]

hi all. Can someone point me in the right direction.

 

I have seen alot of great looking panels and controls on the internet and in this forum about making the panels for the A-10 with all the flights and LCDs working.

 

Now I have got in touch with the guys at ultimarc.com if anyone has not heard of the they have all sort of things to build arcade game machine stuff. they have told me they can possible supply most of the stuff but would need more information about the DCS software to see if the sim if compatibly with there SST software.

 

There must be one of you guys who know about the software that integrates the boards used into DCS, can one of you give me some advice what I should tell them or where I need to get the information to them?

 

Hope someone can help

 

HornetUK

Benjamin Davies

[Warhog]

hi all. Can someone point me in the right direction.

 

I have seen alot of great looking panels and controls on the internet and in this forum about making the panels for the A-10 with all the flights and LCDs working.

 

Now I have got in touch with the guys at ultimarc.com if anyone has not heard of the they have all sort of things to build arcade game machine stuff. they have told me they can possible supply most of the stuff but would need more information about the DCS software to see if the sim if compatibly with there SST software.

 

There must be one of you guys who know about the software that integrates the boards used into DCS, can one of you give me some advice what I should tell them or where I need to get the information to them?

 

Hope someone can help

 

HornetUK

Benjamin Davies

 

I already use their stuff for my A10 panels. For what I have done in building my panels there is nothing they would need to do to make it easier or more compatible as it already is a "UHID" compatible device. Just buy their U-HID board, hook it up and assign buttons/ switches. As far as pots go, you need to use Helios for them to function and I doubt they would try and write the same type of software if it's already out there and available for use at no cost. I don't know enough about displays so I'm unsure what they could offer that's not already available to buy as well.

 

Just so you know their customer service is extremely good and the programming of the U-HID board is very easy and very very flexible. I was extremely pleased with both apects of this product and the company. However, I will not be using any Ultimarc products for my next set of panels due to what I consider quality control issues with the U-HID Board. I have no other experience with any other Ultimarc products.

[HornetUK]

thanks for that,

 

well as for the displays I am mainly looking for LED's to start. I have seen someone make a warning display using some board. just take a look at this youtube clip

 

 

So can I ask you about the quality control issue, what problems are you having?

[Warhog]

The caution panel is a rather easy first project.

 

Other than the 48 LEDS you will require, you will also need to purchase a Phidgets64 board (do a search for it). It is an excellent board and then you need to install Helios to run it. It will export the signals from the A-10 to the Phidgets64 board to turn on or off the LEDS in the panel in concert with what is happening in the A-10.

 

 

Heres mine:

 

 

IMG_0053.jpg by JFWall, on Flickr

 

C Panel by JFWall, on Flickr

 

IMG_0057 by JFWall, on Flickr

 

To do this properly and with the least amount of aggravation do a search on the cockpits forum for anything to do with Phidgets and caution panels etc. You will learn alot reading these posts and it will also help you avoid frustrations like "my board won't work...why???" And find the Helios videos and watch those and then do searches about Helios to learn as much as you can. That software is really important as it drives many things you will want to have on a panel that can't be driven any other way.

 

Here is a post that helped me start

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=101252

 

I actually built my caution panel before I new how to make it work with my A-10. This is the start of my quest to make it work.

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=105040

 

Hope that will start you in the right direction.

 

With regard to the other issue I will PM you as I don't really want to talk about it on an open forum.

[HornetUK]

Ok I total understand what you said in your PM,

 

Yes I guess I will have to have a further look around the forum but it is a bit of a pain for me as I am rather dyslexic but there we go.

 

But basically you are saying you use Helios to interface with your Phidgets and give it instructions to that board which turn the light on and off. is that how you have done your other lights to the left of your controls.

 

also one other question if your do not mind you are making a GDU how are you going to make the monitor section on that work? Sorry to be a pain it is just nice to find someone who will in part a little knowledge to me.

 

How are you finding the two of Leo Bodnars boards you bought as well are they any help at telling you the sort of equipment you need for a certain task? The main thing is I would like to find one supplier of all the boards I need really it would make my life allot easier.

 

Regards

HornetUK

Benjamin Davies

[Warhog]

Well Benjamin you won't find one board to fit all solutions. There is one specific board that you use to control LED's... the Phidgets64 board. They also make other boards that let you use (make) gauges such as the flaps gauge of the fuel gauge. Anything with a needle that moves up and down or back and fourth. They have boards that do all sorts of other functions as well. But for controlling switches, most of the standard IO boards do that by making the PC think its a joy stick and there can be up to 32 buttons that Windows will allow on a joystick. You can bind those buttons to dcs commands. This is what you want to start with.

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=65998

 

Its where everyone starts who is fairly new to this.

 

Beyond basic switch handling you still need to use potentiometers and LEDS and rotary encoders and the only way I know how to make them work with DCS is through Helios.

 

When you explore the functionality of Helios you will find it is the ways and means of getting information to move back and forth between the A-10 and the informaiton you want to look at or control. By that I mean it has full size cockpit instruments that can be displayed on a second monitor and you could also use a touchscreen to flick your A-10 switches on and off. But I use it as a means to include physical switches such as volume controls, dimmer switches and LED's in my panels. I do not use any of the instruments it has to offer. It is the only way I know of that will let you control LED's with ease and with little to no programming abilities.

 

You will find in the cockpit forum many DIY builds by members and they have docuemented there progress in these threads. They share valuable information that will make your efforts much easier and answer so many questions you will have as you go. Read them and you will understand what you have to do.

 

As far as my CDU display is going, I have no idea yet as to how it will get connected to the PC. I am still readin and asking qestions on this forum as to how I should proceed. There are also people here who have completed their CDU's and I will be looking to there threads to figure it out.

 

I hope you like reading and researching because thats what is required since there are no manuals that show you how.

 

Good luck on your projects :thumbup: and just know this can get awfully expensive.:(

 

And the Bodnar boards... I haven't even got them yet but I will be posting my experience with them once I get finish this next endevour.

[HornetUK]

Thanks sir for that. Yes I have gone through the part of making basic switches and know how to do that. i have worked my way through also making mechanical rotary switches with up to 12 points. You have now told me how to get my LED's working so I am getting there slowly. Thanks for your help I will let you know if I find out anything about the LCD display for the CDU.

 

Regards

HornetUK

[ICEMAN2647]

But how did u wire the physical switch to actually work in conjunction with wat is sewn on the sim. Meaning how did u get the fleps switch to actually flip in the simulation game while u phyaically switch it on in ur cockpit. Did dat make sense. Lol. Ok i know u have to wire the physical switch to an IO board. Then from there u plug the board in to the cpu via usb cord. But how did ur board sync with. the actual switch in ur cockpit to work with the simulator.