Connecting Simkits Gauges.

[Geremy Britton]

I've just bought some Simkits Gauges and received them 2 days later (:o:o) The guages are the artificial horizon and the Airspeed indicator.

Can anyone tell me what board i need to buy from Simkits to power just these two gauges. I'm not planning on buying anymore (My wallet's still recovering) so just to connect these two.

All the boards seem so expensive. - for just a PCB to get the products to work with what its advertised to do. JMO.

Anyway if someone could point me in the right direction of what board i need to plug the simkits guages into that would be great. :) The connectivity is the small grey rectangle connector with 10 pins detailed:

O O O O O
O O O O O

[CrashEd]

Hi Geremy,

From what you are describing it sounds as though you have some of the older type gauges (non-USB). You'll need one of their CCU controllers to power/operate those. The CCU card allows multiple gauges to be connected to one USB port.

I don't think you are going to like this but the CCU card is quite expensive given the current exchange rate :

http://www.simkits.com/product.php?prodid=306

Also, it's worth mentioning that none of the older gauges/CCU controller are 64-bit OS compatible.

Might be worth dropping an email to Peter at Simkits for confirmation.

[Geremy Britton]

That's what i was afraid of. I only have 2 guages! Those boards look like they could connect all the guages of concorde. Thanks for your help that was much appreciated. I just didn't know if there was something you could buy just for 2 gauges or a type of adapter i would need for each one at a cheaper price.

I'll send an email to Peter and see what we can work out.


Thanks again :)

[CrashEd]

No worries mate, sorry to be the bringer of bad news!

I've just had a thought. It doesn't happen often! :wink:

You could just buy the USB gauge electronics from Simkits as the gauges you have are the generic type IIRC. See here:

http://www.simkits.com/product.php?prodid=823

It would allow you to convert them into the new USB type.

That would only cost you only 138 EUR.

It's worth checking with Peter if this is an option...

[Geremy Britton]

Well that's what i was thinking when it said you can control 2 i thought that would do just the job. And its slightly more beleivable for the price.

This was why i asked you guys here i wasn't sure. This is the first time i've looked at simkits in detail.

I'll contact peter... Thanks again for your help :)

[No Longer Active]

Hi Gez...

I see that you won the gauges from ebay about a week or so ago.....:)

The HI and the ASI for £40 each?, you indeed need the CCU hence why I wasnt interested the only other way would to buy servo cards and program them using sioc or spend 150 euros on getting 2 of the simkits cards,I did think of this option while the seller was selling them but realised its much cheaper to build the instruments myself from scratch which I am doing. Jongas has just sent me pile of simkits stuff and currently building the Arti Horizon too! What a coincidence!

Lol...good luck matey!

Alex

[No Longer Active]

Hi Gez....

Just realised the USB simkits board doesnt support the Artificial Horizon, so you will have to interface that some other way, but the ASI should be fine!

Hope this helps!

Alex

[Geremy Britton]

Hey Alex, Yep those are the ones :cool: :-D

As i said i'll get an email to Pete, and let you know what happens from there.

Thanks for your help guys

[kermit]

Hi Jeremy,
For what do you want to use it for an airliner?
In that case I have a Standby Instrument Controller for sale, perfect condition.
for 180 euro
I have also an altimeter for sale
please look at http://www.simkits.com/downloads/documents/standbyinstruments.pdf
greetz

[Geremy Britton]

Kermit, i have literally just pressed sent to the email to pete at Simkits for a solution. However i was unaware of such a controller board existed.

Yes my guages are for my Boeing 737NG standby instruments and if you have the altimeter for sale that would be great.

I'm sending you a PM.

Thanks Kermit you may have saved the day :)

[Geremy Britton]

Dissappointing Response from Peter at Simkits.

Hi Pete & support team,


This is my first time of owning Simkits parts, and i have the Artificial horizon and the speed IAS gauge. However these are not the usb type but rather the older grey rectangle connectors. Could you tell me what i need to get these connected to my computer. I noticed the CCU board however this looks like its for connecting around 30 guages. I only have 2! So this huge cost for the CCU board to power just 2 guages makes is largly unviable. Could you offer me a single more cost effective alternative to get just these two gauges working. When i purchased the guages i was unaware i'd have to potentially spend more then the original investment for a PCB to get them functional.

Your help would be much appreciated.
Best Regards


And the Response i was given From Peter is here:



Dear Mr. Britton,

You will need a CCU board to connect these instruments. We do not have an alternative other than the USB instruments. I’m sorry.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to send me an email.

Best Regards,

Peter Brown,

Simkits Support.

I was hoping Simkits could help me out further especially as they failed to mention what Kermit has, which is the Standby Instrument card, which is significantly cheaper.

Hmm :o

[No Longer Active]

Simkits are heavily involved in their USB lines at the moment and it looks like the old CCU type instruments are gone. Simkits have also discontinued their Generic USB Gauge Kit, Generic USB Guage 4pc discount and also put up their prices on single and dual pointer gauges considerably, the old CCU gauges are pretty much just a piece of plastic with a servo and nothing more....unless you buy the CCU, the CCU does all the brain power! Its the CCU you need my friend or just flog em again!

Good luck!

Alex

[Geremy Britton]

Yeah, they're just disowning the older guages like an old record. Doesn't appear they want to get involved with that side of things at all. And yeah saying the prices are rather high is an understatement.

NOTE: For anyone planning on buying just one of the old type (Non USB) Simkits gauges second hand. Please be aware you will, should you want it functional, have to pay probably over 4 times as much just to get it working. Just a thought to consider before purchasing.

Valuable advice has come out of this for others if nothing else. :)

[No Longer Active]

Yep you got it....

But then again simkits is not a 'budget' supplier of simulated instruments and is a premium manufacturer, if you want the privilege of having or using simkits in your pit then you sure do pay the price for it......

I owned the simkits CCU EGT gauge which was given to me to be used as a dummy but it would look blimmin odd just having one so I sold it on ebay, it didnt even sell first time and had to relist it, I got peanuts for it, but then again its not much good without a CCU which costs a fortune, I was unpleasantly surprised to see how very little there is in a ccu gauge, just a plastic ring with a card faceplate with 2 servo's and 2 pointers, and that's it!!! Not a fan of the CCU stuff...

Its like trying to buy software for windows 3.1.....it doesn't happen now!

[Geremy Britton]

Its like trying to buy software for windows 3.1.....it doesn't happen now!

...Apart from as the stuff gets older and more outdated the price goes higher. Kinda like cars i guess if you want the privilage of old cars you have to pay the price.

Best Regards

[No Longer Active]

Simkits are very much with the times at the moment, they are concentrating on their glass cockpit technology, GPS units and cockpit shells, it wont be too long before the gauges are limited down to just a selection and prices may increase again. But just think how much it has cost them to get all this gear manufactured like having to pay for all the tooling, casts, molds, machining, designing, processing, manafacturing, electronics etc etc.....think of their overheads they have to pay etc and make their money back for the cost of manufacturing their injection moulding tools (I have worked in an injection moulding factory before where the tools have to be crane lifted into the machine just to make the part that is the size of the hand) the tools used cost £££,£££'s per tool and thats just to inject a few parts at a time, then you need to manufacture all the models etc etc etc and the whole thing is VERY pricey, so I do take this into account when looking at the price of their products, not bad value at all, but still expensive, expensive if you haven't got the money, and cheap if you have the money!

[CrashEd]

Unfortunately Peter is your best friend when you are spending thousands of pounds with them (like I did), but your worst enemy when it all goes wrong and you need their help or when you want to buy old stock.

I always said I wasn't going to come on here and bash Simkits as I know a lot of people have had good experiences with them, but my experience wasn't the best given the large amount of money I shelled out (and they were the newer USB gauges). That's all I'm saying.

My advice? Sell the lot, do not look back and go down another route. I ended up replacing my Simkits gauges with Flight Illusion gauges and I have never looked back. They work, they are robust, they look awesome, they are now a similar price to Simkits and they will even make custom gauges for you. It's just a shame they do not do the 'full package' (panels etc) like Simkits do otherwise they would be on to a winner. So what do you do? Do what I did and mix and match.


BTW: I have no affiliation with either company blah, blah, blah...

[kermit]

I had a little discussion with Alex about the two ;-)
so I will not bring that up again.
But are these Flight Illusion Ed, the Vor 1&2 and the ADF looks out of centre
Also the instruments looks like there not attached to the panel.
greetz

[No Longer Active]

.....personal preference.....

....the 2 are similar, that is all I am saying!.....

;)

[kermit]

Hi Alex ,
did you recieve the face plates I send you
greetz

[No Longer Active]

Hi Henk...

Not received them yet, I have checked everyday and haven't received anything.

The UK mail system is in a bit of a state at the moment, so I have to be patient

;)

Would like to say a big thanks to Ed for the faceplate that I could not get hold of.....cheers matey much appreciated....

Henk; I am sure that it will turn up soon! thanks a million pal! :):):)

[jongas]

Gez,

I got your email, will pop one back to you this weekend when I have more time ;-)

Just on the simkit front, I saw those guages on ebay and asked the seller if they were the CCU type, he said that he is selling more including the CCU over the next week or so once he has some photo's and time to list.

Might be worth trying to do a deal with him?

Jon

[turbopropdriver]

I've used Simkits right from the early days and probably owned more of their instruments fitted to a sim than anybody.

I've used the CCU and multi controller to control my instruments and "flown" many hours with them with very few problems. Like anything mechanical they need maintenance very occasionally, but that is easily done.

I have found Simkits support to be second to none and met the guys a few times, they are a really friendly bunch.

I suspect that the standby instrument controller might not be available anymore. Simkits have moved to USB instruments. That's progress.

As has been said, the tooling costs are enormous ( I used to work as a toolmaker, making injection moulding tools ) though we all wish we could get cheaper instruments, until these things are sold to the masses, which is never gonna happen, we are always going to have to pay for our sim privileges. I wonder, did Flight Illusion ever tool up for their gauge housings ? Or do they still buy them from Simkits whilst pretending to be someone else ?

That aside, Flight illusion stuff looks great, but still not cheap.

I'll still be using Simkits in my AV-8B, but I always keep my mind open to all the options.

Dean

[Geremy Britton]

Hi Jon, No problem. I'll look forward to hearing from you ;)

And that's odd, because i already covered than and asked him after the auction if he has the PCB card to power them and he said he sold it weeks ago :?

I'll ask him again mentioning the word CCU this time. The guy seemed a nice chap though when i spoke to him.

Cheers Jon

[Geremy Britton]

Hey Dean, Not got a spare standby instruments controller or CCU board then left over? :)

[jongas]

Unless he just told me that in the hope it would be the difference to make me bid and push the price up on the item - hoping for the CCU later?

Good luck with the hunt!!

[No Longer Active]

I can see this ccu being a very popular item on ebay! :)

Im sure you could work out a back hander deal if he has got the ccu that is, then again most ebay members are full of sh.it and will tell you anything to get bidders, starting a ccu gauge at £40 a pop sounds to me that the man is interesting in getting every penny he can, he was selling the faceplates for £10 start bid....the seller needs the money to fund something else I guess!

[Geremy Britton]

Alex, please don't jump to conclusions. I can assure you this guy isn't out to deceive anyone. "Most" ebay members are actually on the contrary to how you descirbed them, if someone is willing to pay £40 a pop (ie: me) That's fine by me, and him, so there's no issue there and everyones happy. Maybe he is interested in getting every penny he can for his item (Who isn't!) but this is primarilly because he is putting it towards building another flight sim, i know this because he asked me to let him know if i see any military cockpits as he's changing from GA to military. I think in these economic times who could blame him.

The guy also said he'd let me know of any other 737 parts he comes across for my flight sim. Very helpful!

The faceplates didn't sell. He gave me them - for free. So maybe he doesn't quite need every penny. Are most ebayers scandalous? I have my opinions - you're entitled to your own by all means.

I would, at most, say some ebay members. And usually you can tell them out straight away. There's tell tale signs. It's just a case of being careful who you purchase from prior to bidding. I have no regrets about my purchase.

I felt that needed to be said. :)

[CrashEd]

I wonder, did Flight Illusion ever tool up for their gauge housings ? Or do they still buy them from Simkits whilst pretending to be someone else ?


Like I said in my last post, I didn't want to bitch about one or the other, just to help others. We all have our own experiences/preferences. Each to their own and all that! FWIW Dean, yes they did.

Kermit> they are only temporarily attaced in these (early) photos. There's nothing wrong with the nav instruments, maybe it's just the angle of the photo...

Alex> I'm really glad the faceplates made it in the post. I'm still waiting for stuff I ordered weeks ago! Glad you are able to make use of something I no longer have a use for.

And finally...

Gez> I really hope you find a CCU for you gauges. I've seen a few on eBay recently so hopefully your search will be short. Will keep an eye out and let you know if I see one.

[No Longer Active]

I'm not jumping to no conclusions!