Epic versus flightdecktechnology Sim-boards

[brianwilliamson]

As I am an owner of yet unused Epic, and seriously considering my next move, (Matt knows all about this) I am looking at perhaps changing to flightdecktechnology Sim-boards, as it would seem a lot simpler way to implement all the hardware.

So number one question ?? does anyone as yet have some first hand use of these new boards and can comment on their use and ease of funtionality. As they are realtively new to the market, I guess there maybe limited feed-back as yet.

Cheers.....................Brian

http://www.flightdecktechnology.com/

[Bob Reed]

Hi Brian. I can't say that I blame you. THere are many easyer systems to use out there. I am saying this and I have a working EPIC system. If I can help let me know and I will try.

[brianwilliamson]

Thanks Bob...............I am sort of doing as much research as possible at the moment . Costwise it would appear that Sim-boards would be cheaper and easier than Phidgets. One interesting possible problem with Sim-boards is that they use serial connection and not usb.
As always one needs feedback from the people that are using them.
I will probably start out with epic on the FCU etc. and see how it goes. I will probably use Sim-boards for the overhead at this stage.

CHEERS.....................Brian

[Bob Reed]

Hi Brian. Thats what I am doing. EPIC drives my MCP and EFIS panels right now. Will probably run my coms with it too. I am using Phidgets on the overhead along with another hardware solution that will be available to the public soon. So when you are ready drop me a line..

[Ron Buchwald]

Hi BoB and Brian.
I am an EPIC user, allways have and will be. I just got my second Epic system up and running, I had run out of buttons for the over head pann. (B-777) Please, befor giving up on Epic get FS Comm. then it does all the work for you. you don't need to do much in epic epl this way allthough with the epl you can do things I don't think any other hardware can. for example, I may be wrong, but can any hardware speed up or down the rotory encoders as you turn them. can any hardware flash the 7 seg. digits as you set them. I don't know cause I just do it with Epic. FS Comm can translate floot 64, numbers and scale any value you will ever need and you don't need to write a single line of code. it also will read any offset as a bit or a byte and can tell epic which bit has changed and send an on or off qproc to epic. look at PM Systems offsets and tell me how that can be done otherwise. gee, I wish I knew more about other hardware. Ron.

[Ron Buchwald]

Hi Brian. I can't say that I blame you. THere are many easyer systems to use out there. I am saying this and I have a working EPIC system. If I can help let me know and I will try.

I don't know, maybe because I can write code in c++ after all that is what epic code is. ron.

[Bob Reed]

Ron, are you saying that I don't have to write code if I get this program? Thats not what it looks like at there web site. I would be very interasted in it if that was the case..

[Ron Buchwald]

well no, you still will need to asign the button and such in the epl but you won't need to write code to send or recive the data from fsuipc or convert the values or scale them in the epl. I am out of town now and don't have my code with me. but sunday I will send some of the epl that I use that takes no hard code on your part to do very hard things. what I am saying FS Comm does the scaling, sending and reciving for you. you then just decide in the epl what you want that data to do. IE qproc 111, then setp,RT_Landing_Gear_Led....qproc 112 clrp, RT_Landing_Gear_led...... and for things like getting the rudder trim, which is a float 64 num. well thats done in FS Comm for you. I could never do it with Pets Epicinfo where you had to write the code to do the scaling your self. do you see what I mean? and epicinfo, will only see one epic card I think. you say on there site, just download the pgm and try it, you'll see.its a demo, won't cost you anything to try. question for you. how do you send a button press to fs now and how do you get for example rt gear down data and light the led.? in fs comm I read the ofset and send a qproc to epic, in epic if i see that qproc i turn on the led. to send from epic i say nqw (address in fs comm say 1),data to send say xxxxxx, address of epic card say 20, ahhaw, more than one epic card can send data. then fs comm sends this to the offset, could be just that value, could be a scaled value, could be just one bit in the offset...ect...please as I have said I only know epic hardware and fs comm so respond on how you do it now,, I know the way I am doing it with fs com is much better, I think. All the best, Ron. and I am not yelling.

[Westozy]

Simboards are great and very easy to set up. They ARE USB and can be daisy chained up to 100 modules giving an enormous amount of inputs. Support from FDT is outstanding, I suggest exploring the FDT website in depth. These people are builders and know the score!

Cheers, Gwyn

[brianwilliamson]

Gooday Gwyn, I agree 100 percent ! I spat the dummy and just bought 6 boards ! They are certainly by far the best solution, and very easy to use. I suspect that after all these years we have come a long way on the interfacing front, and it certainly makes life a lot easier.
Cheers..........Brian W