Simkits CCU2 to USB instruments conversion?

[superconnie]

Hi there

Some years ago I made a Super Constellation simulator from a real Connie cockpit...

http://img3.fotos-hochladen.net/thumbnail/p1040688cimrv82thz_thumb.jpg (http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/view/p1040688cimrv82thz.jpg)

Does anyone have experiences with those Simkits instruments? I'm asking because I have the following problem:

I used the CCU2 controller for the pilots and co-pilots instruments and this controller is not supported anymore. It is no longer in production and there are no drivers for 64bit operating systems like Windows 7.
To keep the cockpit running, I currently use 3 PC's... One with Windows7 for the FSX and all the analog interfaces (rudder, yoke, throttles...) one for the pilots instruments and one for the co-pilots instruments (both with WinXP).
The reason why I need 2 XP computers is that it is not possible to connect 2 CCU controllers to one PC.

Then everything is connected via WideFS.

All this works fine and nice but.... the day will come when XP is no longer available, the CCU will possibly get damaged and cannot be replaced and most important: I would like to have only one PC instead of 3.

So, now comes the problem:
Simkits' new instruments do all have their own USB connector, making the CCU superfluous. But the old instruments are only mechanical units with servos and sensors and all the logic and electronics was on the CCU.
Is there a way to convert the old instruments into USB interfaced ones?

I have never seen a new instrument from near but I would guess that the mechanical part is still the same and they just added an USB interface board. I wonder if I could get the electronics only and fumble that onto the existing instrument.
I think that to convert all the simple servo/gear/pointer is not a problem. They can be hooked onto the Multi Controller or that newer "instrument interface" that controls 2 servos.
I'm more concerned about the complex instruments like altimeter, VOR1, compass etc.

Has anyone ever done this??

Of course I could also throw all the old instruments away and buy new ones but.... this was an investment of nearly $10'000 and I don't want to spend that much again.

Greetings Chris

[Buddym]

I don't have hands-on with Simkits, but read about them a lot. Seems like they did use RC servos to drive them, and if that's the case, you could probably get an Arduino and Link2FS to do the job. I don't think that there's any direct code in Link2FS to support servos, but there are plenty of servo libraries you could probably use easy enough.

Just extract the desired variable with a Simconnect extraction, and move the servo accordingly. Of course, it always SOUNDS easy........ :)

Buddy

[kermit]

Or you could use win 7 32 bit without a problem , as I did
also for the 1 or 2 pointer instruments there is a usb device for the old simkits instruments ,
But for the complicated instrument that are using PIHER position sensors you need to buy new ones,

I`m waiting for the green light to use the new usb instruments with the A2A Cessna software before I spend any more money on these instruments.

greetz

[Geremy Britton]

There someone on here that interfaced 727 guages to USB and also someone with (I think) an L10-11 cockpit who did the same thing.
It's always been a big undertaking, but software and information is slowly becoming more freely available for this kind of thing to be more common with simbuilders.

[jeyf75]

Hello
i am converting old Simkit ccu2 gauges for USB Withings arduino and link2fs
i actually made airspeed , verticalspeed, rpm engine, attitude indicatif , turn coindicator. and It Works perfect with thé Heli of thons forum :-)

I m trying to program vor1 heading and altimètre but i dont know How read piher and digital input with the HE10 plug.

any Help Will be hopefull