It is a long time that I want to have a FMC for flying the 767 because the device is essential and one of the most used device during the simulation.
There are several items on sold from a pletora of producers. I started surveying the products long time ago and ended with 2 devices. One is the B747 FMC from FlyEngravity. It is quite expansive, at the present it costs aroubnd 1200€. It is fully compatible with the 767LD and easy to connect as it uses only one USB cable and a power connector.
The second interesting product is the OpenCockpits FMC that costs around 350€ plus taxes. It requires a USB connectr, a video out and the power. The problem is that I already have 2 monitors connected to me PC.
After a long time I decided for OpenCockpits FMC especially because I am afraid that the FlyEngravity one is too tight to the 767LD and FSX.
The market is in a transition phase right now. Flight seems not to be good enough for simmers. XPlane 10 seems quite interesting but sttill not supported by the software houses. Prepare3D is very interesting and expansive but I am afraid that LevelD will never port there the 767 or will do but only in a very far future. Sad to say but LevelD is very slow releasing products. They promised the 757 years ago and still nothing is moving. I asked the official forum about P3D and they replied that they are aware of this simulator. Difficult to say what it means exactly.
So, for the first time since long time, I am not anymore 100% sure to stay with the 767LD and FSX. This is the main reason I preferred the Opencockpits FMC. To be free of using it with other planes simply changing the SIOC script.
If I will switch to another plane, it will be a 737 because it is much more easier to find cockpit's stuff for that model. PMDG 737 seems very promising so it is worth to wait for its SDK. It will be compatible with my CPFlight modules that are designed for the 737 and I will customize my hardware for that plane.
In this moment, I believe that it is better to stay quiet and see what the software houses will do.
Having bought the OpenCockpits FMC, I need a video out connector. I am thinking to add a new graphic card to my PC. It could as well be USB. But I prefer to have the device at home and think better about the connector. I bought also the VGA to video converter sold by OpenCockpit. I believe that I can found a cheapest one on the market but I do not want to have problem for a connector if possible.
Given that the FMC was cheaper then the other (that I was very close to buy to be honest), I bought some other interesting stuff. Especially the flaps indicator. This is again for the 737 but I will customize for the 767. The number of flaps positions differs between the two planes.
I received the MCP from CPflight. They changed the knobs and returned the item in a very short time. I will never get tired to repeat that CPFlight support is quite good.
The MCP works well and I connected also the TOGA button but it seems useless unfortunately.
I upgraded the firmware to the last 3.05 version but I have a problem now. I have an out of memory when launching the connection to FSX. I have to restart the connection and seems ok apart that it does not iconize. Ok not a big deal! I warned the support just in case it is the symptom of an underlying problem that could arise while flying.
Unfortunately the power supply I built for the electronics stopped working yesterday. I discover that I can avoid a power supply if I take the power out of the USB expansion card. I will use that as a temporary solution but I believe that a separate power supply is better. And I will probably need it for the backlit of the FMC and maybe for the bar of leds of the landing gear.
On the other hand, if it works well then it is not the case to add the complexity of another power supply to the system...
Showing posts with label Flight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Flight. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Designing new panels
Finally I setup FSX and connected all the hardware and could fly online at IVAO.
The good news is that FSX never blocked and it is running at an average speed od 25fps, good enough for flying smoothly.
I have an error from time to time in the 3D view that make all the instruments unreadable but does not compromise the fly.
Unfortunately I have lost all the setup of the hardware and a lot of things changed in the last 2 years. SIOC is at version 4 with support for multiple files and lekseecon has also been largely improved. The good news is that it was so easy to use Niko's library and I wrote again the SIOC script in less then one hour.
The following is the script to control the lights in my panel:
/////////
/// Master Switch (MS)
/////////
// HW variables definition
// Master switch push button
Var 266 Static Link IOCARD_SW Input 41 Type P
// Lekseecon var to check the state of the lights of
// the Master switch button
Var 739 Static
{
&O_MSWarning = TESTBIT v739 0
&O_MSCaution = TESTBIT v739 1
}
// SIOC - MS Red led - Warning
Var 9001 name O_MSWarning Link IOCARD_OUT Output 11
// SIOC -MS Yellow led - Caution
Var 9002 name O_MSCaution Link IOCARD_OUT Output 12
/////////
/// Panel flood lights
/////////
// Panel & MCP Flood
Var 246 Static Link IOCARD_SW input 29 Type I
// SIOC - Overhead light led out
var 9008 name O_OvdLT Link IOCARD_OUT Output 49
// Overhead lighting -- NOT SIMULATED!!!
Var 247 name PanelFlood Static Link IOCARD_SW input 27 Type P
// Glare shields
/////////
/// Taxiing lights
/////////
// Taxi
Var 260 Static Link IOCARD_SW input 28 Type I
// Left runway turnoff
Var 261 Static Link IOCARD_SW input 34 Type I
// Right runway turnoff
Var 262 Static Link IOCARD_SW input 26 Type I
/////////
/// Landing lights
/////////
// Left wing landing
Var 263 Static Link IOCARD_SW input 25 Type I
// Right wing landing
Var 264 Static Link IOCARD_SW input 21 Type I
// Mose landing
Var 265 Static Link IOCARD_SW input 23 Type I
/////////
/// Extern lights
/////////
// Pos. Lights
Var 255 name PosLight Static Link IOCARD_SW input 22 Type P
// SIOC - POS led out
Var 9003 name O_Pos Link IOCARD_OUT Output 51
// Anti collision RED
Var 256 name Red Static Link IOCARD_SW input 24 Type P
// SIOC - Anti collision red led out
Var 9004 name O_Red Link IOCARD_OUT Output 50
// Anti collision White
Var 257 name White Static Link IOCARD_SW input 20 Type P
// SIOC - Anti collision white led out
Var 9005 name O_White Link IOCARD_OUT Output 54
// Wing lights
Var 258 name Wing Static Link IOCARD_SW input 18 Type P
// SIOC - Wing led out
Var 9006 name O_Wing Link IOCARD_OUT Output 53
// Logo lights
Var 259 name Logo Static Link IOCARD_SW input 19 Type P
// SIOC - Log led out
Var 9007 name O_Logo Link IOCARD_OUT Output 52
// Lekseecon var to check the state of the lights of
// the lights panel
Var 737 Static
{
&O_OvdLT = TESTBIT v737 0
&O_Pos = TESTBIT v737 1
&O_Red = TESTBIT v737 2
&O_White = TESTBIT v737 3
&O_Wing = TESTBIT v737 4
&O_Logo = TESTBIT v737 5
}
One of the botton in the light panel is not implemented in 767LD/FSX so I could in principle reuse it for something else. It is a ON/OFF switch. Times ago I used it for the parking brakes.
The good news is that FSX never blocked and it is running at an average speed od 25fps, good enough for flying smoothly.
I have an error from time to time in the 3D view that make all the instruments unreadable but does not compromise the fly.
Unfortunately I have lost all the setup of the hardware and a lot of things changed in the last 2 years. SIOC is at version 4 with support for multiple files and lekseecon has also been largely improved. The good news is that it was so easy to use Niko's library and I wrote again the SIOC script in less then one hour.
The following is the script to control the lights in my panel:
/////////
/// Master Switch (MS)
/////////
// HW variables definition
// Master switch push button
Var 266 Static Link IOCARD_SW Input 41 Type P
// Lekseecon var to check the state of the lights of
// the Master switch button
Var 739 Static
{
&O_MSWarning = TESTBIT v739 0
&O_MSCaution = TESTBIT v739 1
}
// SIOC - MS Red led - Warning
Var 9001 name O_MSWarning Link IOCARD_OUT Output 11
// SIOC -MS Yellow led - Caution
Var 9002 name O_MSCaution Link IOCARD_OUT Output 12
/////////
/// Panel flood lights
/////////
// Panel & MCP Flood
Var 246 Static Link IOCARD_SW input 29 Type I
// SIOC - Overhead light led out
var 9008 name O_OvdLT Link IOCARD_OUT Output 49
// Overhead lighting -- NOT SIMULATED!!!
Var 247 name PanelFlood Static Link IOCARD_SW input 27 Type P
// Glare shields
/////////
/// Taxiing lights
/////////
// Taxi
Var 260 Static Link IOCARD_SW input 28 Type I
// Left runway turnoff
Var 261 Static Link IOCARD_SW input 34 Type I
// Right runway turnoff
Var 262 Static Link IOCARD_SW input 26 Type I
/////////
/// Landing lights
/////////
// Left wing landing
Var 263 Static Link IOCARD_SW input 25 Type I
// Right wing landing
Var 264 Static Link IOCARD_SW input 21 Type I
// Mose landing
Var 265 Static Link IOCARD_SW input 23 Type I
/////////
/// Extern lights
/////////
// Pos. Lights
Var 255 name PosLight Static Link IOCARD_SW input 22 Type P
// SIOC - POS led out
Var 9003 name O_Pos Link IOCARD_OUT Output 51
// Anti collision RED
Var 256 name Red Static Link IOCARD_SW input 24 Type P
// SIOC - Anti collision red led out
Var 9004 name O_Red Link IOCARD_OUT Output 50
// Anti collision White
Var 257 name White Static Link IOCARD_SW input 20 Type P
// SIOC - Anti collision white led out
Var 9005 name O_White Link IOCARD_OUT Output 54
// Wing lights
Var 258 name Wing Static Link IOCARD_SW input 18 Type P
// SIOC - Wing led out
Var 9006 name O_Wing Link IOCARD_OUT Output 53
// Logo lights
Var 259 name Logo Static Link IOCARD_SW input 19 Type P
// SIOC - Log led out
Var 9007 name O_Logo Link IOCARD_OUT Output 52
// Lekseecon var to check the state of the lights of
// the lights panel
Var 737 Static
{
&O_OvdLT = TESTBIT v737 0
&O_Pos = TESTBIT v737 1
&O_Red = TESTBIT v737 2
&O_White = TESTBIT v737 3
&O_Wing = TESTBIT v737 4
&O_Logo = TESTBIT v737 5
}
One of the botton in the light panel is not implemented in 767LD/FSX so I could in principle reuse it for something else. It is a ON/OFF switch. Times ago I used it for the parking brakes.
I am already designing my next panel but I have not yet decided what to put there. For sure the gear lever but together with other controls.
I have to decide if I still want to copy the glare shield or if it is time to put there the most used commands for enjoying the flight.The problem is that now with the situation of flight simulation I do not yet know what to do. I can stil fly with FSX and the 767LD of course but there is also a chance to switch to Flight or XPlane with a 737 and in that case all the panels for the 767 will be mostly unusable.
I have already built the woodden frame and start thinking on the electronic componets. I will add more comments as soon as I take the final decision.
I will also build a the annunciators for the overhead panel and those in the glare shield. The former will be with a white led because I don't want to have them signaling errors. I double checked that those are implemented in lekseecon.
The annunciators in the glare shield will have a orange high performant LED. These are not implemented in lekseecon and the logic has to be retrieved from FSUIPC.
i am also planning to put something close to the master switch button. Probably other annunciators not prenset in any oter place like for example a stall warning. There could also be one or two buttons. i am still in the design phase...
I have been elected as a Flight beta tester from Microsoft. For being correct, I will never write any comments on the flight simulators until my role terminates.
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