Hy there! Beginner tries a small BE58 cokpit and needs LOT'S of help *smile*

[AndyTyler]

Hy Everyone! 

My name is Andy, I'm 41yo, and I'm neither a programmer nor an Engeneer in Electrical stuff nor any Mechanics.

From my normal job and education I can't do any cockpitbuilding at all, but I do want to, so I work it out as good as possible.

I'm in FlightSimulatorX since 5 Years now, but only using it as a standart user until now and learning about it and the possibilities.

Having read lots of stuff, lately I got me the FSUIPC+WideClient and have set up a wellgoing network of 2 PC's
(I have FlightSimCommander9.3 and, as a member of IVAO, the IvAp running on the client PC, that works fine).

Now I got me a Bodnar-Board, a few pushbuttons, switches and rotary encoders, and am trying, how things will work togehter.
The first pushbutton works, fine. So does the first switch.

But with my first rotary encoder I already have a problem:
having it connected to the (default Baron58, as this seemed somehow easy to me) Heading-Bug via normal FSUIPC dropdown-menu, the steps are much too big.
It only does steps of about 5° to 10°. It does those, but like this it's not a real option at all.
Any easy answer, how to reduce these steps down to 1° or 0,5°??

Thanks a lot allready and have a good time!
Kind regards, Andy

[Trevor Hale]

Hi Andy,

Welcome to the group and the madness.  This is where you really need to play with FSUIPC.

If I read your statement correct, you have identified the bodner card in Flightsim as a joystick and selected the heading bug with the pulldown.

First thing is first..  Remove All Joystick assignments from flightsimulator.  (Select each joystick card and unassign everything)
You should be doing all your joystick buttons and controls through the FSUPIC interface.

For buttons you goto joystick and assign buttons, move the rotary one way and select from the drop down, Heading bug up, then move it the other way and select heading bug down.  You will get much better resolution with doing it this way.

Just check the FSUIPC manual for joystick assignments and you will see what I mean.

Good Luck.

[AndyTyler]

Hy Trevor!
Thank you very much already until here, I will do the removing in FS right away now. Didn't yet.
I allrady knew I'd have to get into FSUIPC much more now, if I really want to bring my cockpit-building anywhere.
I had a look at the manuals ... *smile* ... they're full of technical english (at some points that could also be chinese to me), and I need much time and always some translation-websites right besides to get along with that somehow.
But that's the only possible way, so that'll be the way.
I'll do these removals and new assignements and will be back for more!
Thanx a lot and have a good time!
Greetings, Andy

[Bjarne Horsbøl]

Hi Andy
I also have a Bodnar card.
It works fantastic for:

Features acording to website...


Push-in terminals for all connections
No more soldering or screwdriving. Push in to connect. Press tab and pull out to disconnect.

32 truly independent digital inputs for buttons and switches
No matrix, no diodes, no daisy-chaining. And yes, each input has its own two terminals (GND can also be shared between inputs if necessary.)

Support for up to 16 rotary encoders
A pair of digital inputs can be connected to rotary encoder. All main types supported (1, 2 and 4 pulses per detent)

8 analog inputs with true 12-bit resolution and independent wiring
4096 steps of resolution. Even 1/4 of this range is still 1024 steps!
To support true 12-bit performance each analog inputs has independent set of +5v and GND terminals, oversampling and sophisticated signal filtering

8-direction POV hat switch

Compact outline of 123x52mm (4.85"x2.05")
With 93 wire terminals onboard it is only 50% bigger than a credit card

Natively supported by Windows 8/7/Vista/XP/2000 32/64 bit, Mac OS X and Linux
True Plug-and-play at its best.

Recommended Wire Size
24AWG to 20AWG


But... !!
This feature..

"Support for up to 16 rotary encoders
A pair of digital inputs can be connected to rotary encoder. All main types supported (1, 2 and 4 pulses per detent) "

Yes.. it works if you turn slowly...
but if you turn the encoder fast .. as you would do if you turn the Heading indicator... then it does not work very good.

I think Leo´s cards are very good an will recommend it any time...
but I also think Leo should try to solve the problem and maybe he should make a note in :

Support for up to 16 rotary encoders A pair of digital inputs can be connected to rotary encoder. All main types supported (1, 2 and 4 pulses per detent)
Support´s only slow turn´s of encoder



Regards

Bjarne 

[AndyTyler]

Hy Bjarne!
Thanx for your information, it's very usefull to know that Bodnar won't do everything perfect.
As I am in the "SimFlight-Forums" in the FSUIPC-Forum active also, I got another answer there related to my problem, I'll copy it into here, for maybe someone might be interested:

**************

This from the User Guide (page 32).  You should find them in the drop down list in Buttons+ Switches.

Quote

     

     

     

    A set of ?fast? FS autopilot value increment/decrement controls. These add to the default FS ?inc? and ?dec? controls with ten times the increment. Values handled are Altitude, Speed, Mach, V/S, Heading, and both OBIs (Courses).
     

Also this from page 33:

Quote

     

     

     

    3.Enter 256/16383 in the parameter box. The 256 is the increment and 16383 is the limit. This will give 128 steps between –16383 and +16383 inclusive (32768 / 256 = 128). If you want a faster, coarser trim adjustment specify a larger increment, and of course vice versa for a slower, finer adjustment.

    4. You'll probably want it repeating whilst held, so check that too (but never set repeat for rotary switches which can be left in an ,,on? position, nor latching switches).

    5. Do the same for the decrement, with a parameter of 256/–16383 (–16383 being the lower limit). Note that the decrement is still positive—you can only provide positive numbers for this part. It is the definition of increment or decrement which controls the addition or subtraction.
     

************

And yes! I knew it, I'll have to get into FSUIPC much much deeper  ;-)
So long!
Greetings, Andy

[hexpope]

If all else fails regarding that card your using, and the great advice from the user above me. Sell it or keep it, but get a Pokeys 56E Card. It has way more functions. The price of Leo's card is too expensive for what it can do. Plus the Pokeys card can take any type of encoder. I use them for my ALPS dual encoders and it works perfectly. I've tested all types without issues.

Another note the card supports digital outputs too which FSSymphony  supports directly to FS2004 FSX.

More details about FSSymphony here: http://flying-the-winglets.de/ (Its freeware, you just need to email Ruediger for a copy.

Pokeys website, and you can also download their software and run it in demo mode to see what you can do with the card.

http://www.poscope.com/PoKeys56E



There is also a USB version, but get the Ethernet version if you can, as FSSymphony supports it directly and up to 10 of the cards too !. All my IO cards are Pokeys and I have no issues with them and the ethernet versions are great, no silly USB device change etc and remapping like alot of USB based devices. I have my pokeys devices all hooked into my router. Never once did I have any issues.

I used opencockpits hardware and others in the past.

[AndyTyler]

Hy hexpope!
That sounds very interesting. I will try it and order one to see where it'll get me.
And I will have a look at that program ...
Thanx a lot!
Greetings, Andy

[hexpope]

Hi Andy,

No problem. If you run into problems with the Pokeys you can post or PM me. Their manual is very well done and explains a lot about the card. As I said, go for the Pokeys "E" version. There is software already designed to interface it and the simulator through FSUIPC. Ruediger has also written a good manual about his free software. You should study it also.

When just starting out, you can use some of the inputs for push buttons /switches, and also LED's etc/ It's a way more versatile card for the money. Have you checked out what it can do on the Polabs page ?

Either way, best of luck with your venture. I hope it works out for you ! It's a big task to take on when entering the hobby deciding which route to take.

[AndyTyler]

Hy there Hexpope!

Sorry needing so long for a reply, I was buisy the last weeks.

I have to confess I took a PoKeys USB-Card.

Have not connected it jet.
The manual seems really good, but it's also some hours to work with.
Always this technical english  ;-)  and more than 100 pages here!

All this new knowlege already took so much learning until now, that a usb-card sounded much more comfortable to me as a beginner.
I know a little about the problems in adjusting the parameteres, and then maybe having the board plugged out once, and thereafter windows not finding them correctly again, but that's ok for me right now.

I made some compromise with my first cockpit now, why not, I thought.
I'm using FSXPand on three monitor, so have no real gauges at all here, and FSXPand has the announciators too, so I will leave this building for my second cockpit somewhen.

And I found myself in good mood, having made my freedom with some compromises in this first take.

There is so much really exiting and really nice stuff about building own cockpits, but everything is into learning something new, and most of the times its into the money, too.

I will finish this first one really easy, and then see where I will continue.

But in my free time I will have a look at all interesting information I gather here!
So thanx, I will respond when I have viewed your stuff!
It may take some weeks, I have lots of work in the later summer.

Greetings, Andy