Altimeter needle offsets

[Henju]

Hi all
Just out of interest, how would I go about finding the offset for an altimeter needle? and Would I need to use a dc motor?
Thanks for your help
Henri

[kiek]

What about using FSUIPC offset 0x3324 ? (4 bytes).

Nico

[Henju]

Hi Nico,
Sorry, but I am new to all this, How do I go about using 0x3324 to communicate with a dc motor?
Thanks
Henri

[John_B]

Hi Henju

You will need a stepper motor not a dc motor if you want the needle to follow the sim's needle (as you need some means of knowing which position your needle is at).
I interface all the gauges I make via FSBUS but many people are using the opencockpits stuff (above my pay grade!).

With opencockpits you need to set up the gauge using sioc.... Apparently its straightforward once you get the hang of it ...I am still struggling on with FSBUS ...mostly because its free!!!!!

John

John

[Henju]

Thanks for the reply, this info will help me a lot, may I ask what is FSBUS?

Thanks,
Henri

[John_B]

Hi Henri

FSBUS is a complete means for connecting all (and every) piece of hardware to your pc.

(It kind of fell out of favour when the likes of SIOC (opencockpits) came into use as it meant you can buy the boards off the shelf and program it with their SIOC which they support.)

Basically its a complete Do-It-Yourself set up.& I really mean DIY right down to making your own pcbs.
Here is a link to the site.on it you will find all drawings and firmware for every thing you need for a sim.
It is a BIG learning curve or more accurately takes a bit of "getting your head around" but its totally free and very worth it.

http://www.fsbus.de/

There are a few people around using it but not so many so support/help is a little hard to find BUT its out there!
AND if I can do it with absolutely zero programming DNA anyone can!!!!

John

[Henju]

Hi John

Thanks for the info, I will certainly look into it if it mean's saving a few penny's here and there. And like you, I have got NO programming skills!:D

Henri

[John_B]

HI Henri

Thanks to a guy I met on here (have made a few panels for him...I make them on my laser cutter/engraver)..he has very patiently talked me through 90% of the FSBUS programming I needed to get my kit working..I still have stepper motors to master as I am working on both the 737 clock/Chrono and the "wet" compass & need the stepper motor programming for, both, the chrono second hand and the compass all the hardware and the firmware is done and working...
other projects I have on the go are my FMC oh and have started the drawings for my aft overhead panel.

So if you decide to go the FSBUS route I will help all I can.

John

[Henju]

Hi again John
Thanks for helping me out, I think I might just take you up on that;) I'm planning on building either a 737CL or 767-200.
Regarding FSBUS are all the components easy to find? I prefer not to order every individual component online with all the added shipping cost's etc.

Thanks again,
Henri

[John_B]

Hi Henri

Ah you like the older ones then? Mine is a 737 800....

A real life customer I have is a 737 BBJ pilot so I get him to get me all my info (poor sod)

Yes all the components are standard electronic stuff...
the hardest part for the DIYer is making the PCBs..I have re drawn the ones FSBUS originally used to make them one sided and non SMD ..my eyes just are not up to tiny surface mount stuff and two sided pcbs are a pain in the undercarriage !!

So if you need copies I will happily send them.They do not all looking like professional ones though!

The biggest investment is time......

By making (say) just my overhead from scratch and including all interfacing (FSBUS), gauges and the stuff I was forced to buy like switches etc I have saved over £3000 over an average price of a commercial one...I have not really saved £3000 cos I never had £3000 to spend in the first place so would NOT have an overhead at all;)....I would have gone up the pub instead.

Another example of DIY is my throttle quadrant non motorised cost me about £160 to build and about 3-4 months hard labour.

There is SO much available to us cockpit builders that just wasn't around a few years ago.

John

[Henju]

Hi John
I'll be getting back to Australia Soon to start my project, I am thinking of using the Opencockpit's design with the pbc's and if I manage, I'll build the PBC's myself. Of course I'll try out FSBUS first... if I get stuck I know who to call!:D
Sorry for all the questions, but does FSBUS communicate through FSUIPC the same way SIOC does?

Henri

[John_B]

Hi Henri

No probs ask away...I know what it was like to have a thousand questions and no-one to answer them.....and there's no such thing as a stupid question just stupid answers !!!!!

There are a few interfaces available there is an "user friendly" software development kit which is AWFUL .
also a CDK which is easy to used but a little limited if you want to control everything.
Then there's DLL which gives total control over every aspect of the hardware and is VERY fast and stable it just takes a little more learning.
Its like Opencockpits in as much as there's a master card and expansion cards and software that runs so everything can live harmoniously.

There's a load of 737 cockpit files out there that you can just tweak..(I can send mine but I am still in early stages software wise)..
Ciccio in Italy is helping me with DLL..man I owe him !

Its actually not so bad . I have a brilliant memory the problem is it's terribly short and each time I open the file its like I have never seen it before ARGHHHH!!!!!!

Yes it goes through FSUIPC...I use the "ifly" 737 ( I recommend it)..just about everything is modeled and Jouni has written a fantastic program ifly2fsuipc so all the ifly offsets are "translated" to FSUIPC.

John

[Henju]

Thanks John
I have got Ifly 737, but for the Level D 767, could I use leekson software? I have heard it is for Sioc, but if I were to make my own board's, would this work too? Also, how is Arduino with home cockpit's?

Thanks Massively
Henri

[John_B]

Now, Henri, we are going way outside of my knowledge base here....

Basically my understanding is, that, with programming knowledge (both for the .hex files for the micro's and for the interface program) just about anything can be used...I don't know much about Arduino and never heard of Leekson ???
I would imagine you need to write the firmware for the Arduino so it either jives with an existing interface software or write the interface..
Another reason I went with FSBUS is all the firmware is available and now Ciccio has introduced me to DLL just one .exe file runs the whole shooting match.

I think the balancing act for the likes of us is between cheap hardware, ease of setting up and using.
I have seen a few people use more than 5 companies bits and pieces from Leo Bodnar to OC.

I don't have enough programming knowledge to make USB plug and play stuff...ok I can do the hardware side standing on my head....or even with an excess of red wine!

I know my gauges work with FSBUS and Opencockpit boards as the interface on the cards is a direct connection from the servo motor.

For support there's a massive open cockpit user base but its just so expensive (for me anyway).
Not knowing how much you know and I hope I am not teaching grandma to suck eggs but I have uploaded the FSBUS interface pdf
here
http://www.junkroom.co.uk/RVD_B737NG_interface.pdf

I will leave it there for next 30 mins or so ..I might help with the very basic concept.
If you download it let me know so I can remove it.

I simply don't have the luxury of choice...I got my laser to make my cockpit stuff with the intention of selling it on after but its proved so useful even my trolley dolly is using it !

And when head office approves it makes life so much simpler eh?


John

[Henju]

Thx for the PDF John, saved it, no worries about not knowing some things:)
if you are interested here is the link to Lekseecon, (I think I misspelled it the first time round)http://www.lekseecon.nl/lekseecon.html

Henri

[Henju]

oh, and I hope I haven't cost you money uploading it!!

[John_B]

Nah costs nothing..I have a bit of webspace I run for my Mrs and I have got a separate name for this kind of junk.....
I can put all the FSBUS stuff up for you to download if ya interested? as I say it costs nothing

John