12/24/2023 0 Comments Flight simulator cockpit home![]() ![]() I am also looking forward to the augmented reality/mixed reality feature to come into the sim world at an affordable cost. Once we have the multi-view ability in MSFS the decision on which to have will be even tougher (as long as it’s done right). Reaching for an item in VR and actually touching it makes for a great flying experience. A full size PA-28 and Cessna 172 cockpit that I also fly with in VR. I would like to hear some discussion in this home built cockpit forum on what you think about full size builds vs VR builds. Now with the introduction of VR into the sim world you don’t even need a full cockpit to experience an awesome flight. Now with so much that can be 3D printed, bought prebuilt, or even in kit form it’s possible to build a full cockpit for less than $1000 and you don’t have to be an engineer to do it. When I first started building in 2003 you had to hand make so much it was a huge and costly project. I have been building equipment for my telescope making it compatible with protocols of commercial equipment, for example, to be able to use the same drivers (again, I don’t know how to do them) and those are far from claiming to be “open”… But in this case it looks like it´s not that transparent.I am amazed at all the new technology that has come out to build a full size home cockpit. I was thinking that it would have been relatively easy to find -at the end, who sells the software doesn’t sell the hardware in this case, so if the interface is open you increase the amount of people who can use it. The issue for me is that, while I’m fairly decent with microcontroller programming, I’m complete useless with computer programming, so I need to rely on external software, and for that, I need a minimum of documentation on the communication protocol. I can add stepper motors for gauges, read encoders as I like for the controls, I can use one single connection for all panels, etc. The difference is, if I do the hardware, I can do what I want, and in a lot easier and cleaner way than using a general purpose board. The application for an instrument panel itself is very easy: read inputs, send outputs. I understand that people don’t know how to design or build electronics and go for that, same for me for PC software, I wouldn’t know where to start. ![]() Everythings else is the specific design for the application, and that’s not reinvented, that is simply… designed. Arduino is just a demo board for people who don’t know how to do electronics, the microcontroller part of the circuit takes literally ten minutes to design and route. Here is my overhead top with pokeys and led driver. The audio uses the HDMI cable to reach the cockpit so it is switched automatically from the desktop - this allow me to have a comfortable table to program and test, and quickly transfer to the cockpit to fly. All the rest is connected via a Gigabit switch and powered USB switch. The monitor is connected to my desktop PC through an HDMI switch (Aukey) - simply pressing a button I transfer the video from my desktop to the 32" monitor of the simulator. ![]() The power is supplied by an ATX ps for 3,3 - 5 and 12 V plus separate power supply for stepper and servos. ![]() The overhead panel is from FlightSimPM (only the panels and annunciators) the hardware (switches, leds, rotary switches, wiring, interfacing, etc) is assembled from Amazon parts and some from Opencockpits (737 style).īacklighting is made with LED stripes. These parts are currently powered with 2 Pokeys boards and interfaced with FSSymphony and sioc code through FSUIPC offsets. As I wrote the plug-in modules are the MCP, EFIS and NAV radio (from Opencockpits), and these are interfaced using SIOC code available on the net, that requires FSUIPC running.Īll the rest is hand made using MDF and some panels from Hispapanels (I do not have a laser engraver so I need panels with translucend signs for backlighting). ![]()
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