Thermal Printer - Arduino Interfaced to Sim

[Trevor Hale]

Hi Guys,

I have successfully integrated an Adafruit ACARS Thermal Printer to an ESP2688WIFI module and have it connected to the sim through Lua Script.  Additionally it encompasses a Twitch Bot, and connects to my https://www.twitch.tv/cockpitbuilders channel to allow Metars, Donations and Subscriptions to Trigger Printed Events.  This will also be the beginning stages of integrating automatic failures to the sim based on donations.

Think of it as a proof of concept to a "WORLDFLIGHT" Feature.

More info and possibly a "How to" Document to follow.

Trev

[FlyingTeacher]

Would love to hear more info on this. Please send more details please and thank you

[bernard S]

you can get real.working as well 😄

[Trevor Hale]

Would love to hear more info on this. Please send more details please and thank you

Not sure what to say.  I bought a Thermal Printer from AdaFruit, and I have it interfaced to my Twitch channel, It prints all my Metar Requests, as well as Taf's.  It interfaces to my Sim and will Print My Vatsim Messages, as well as All my Twitch Donations and Subscriptions.

I would be happy to answer more questions just don't know where to start,

Trev

[bernard S]

Once upon a time... a classic  😇

[RayS]

Trevor,

What you did here is exactly what I want to do.

Let's chat sometime or maybe you could put together a tutorial? I've always envisioned this for WorldFlight, and hopefully, for my own sim.

Hi Guys,

I have successfully integrated an Adafruit ACARS Thermal Printer to an ESP2688WIFI module and have it connected to the sim through Lua Script.  Additionally it encompasses a Twitch Bot, and connects to my https://www.twitch.tv/cockpitbuilders channel to allow Metars, Donations and Subscriptions to Trigger Printed Events.  This will also be the beginning stages of integrating automatic failures to the sim based on donations.

Think of it as a proof of concept to a "WORLDFLIGHT" Feature.

More info and possibly a "How to" Document to follow.

Trev

[Trevor Hale]

Its Completed and working..  Was a challenge, but it is done.

[FlyingTeacher]

Maybe start with what scripts or bots you use to have the printer talk to twitch and vatsim.

[Trevor Hale]

Ok,

I purchased 3 ESP8266 Cards with WIFI modules off Amazon for I think $20.00  In the "Sample Codes" for that card there was an IRC Twitch Bot included. (This was the easy part).  Just follow the directions in the code to have it connect to your wifi network.

The rest was different.  I use the Bot Script to watch for key words in the Chat and when found trigger events out to the serial port that is using an FSUIPC Lua Script that captures the information and interacts with the simulator.

Vice Versa, the Lua Script watches for events and or "Offset changes" and then passes the information through the serial port back to the ESP2266 Card and will print the data should I decide to do so.

Hope that makes sense.

Trev

[FlyingTeacher]

That's very interesting. Thank you for explaining that