Playing with Arduino

[Bob Reed]

I spent the day playing with the Arduino today. I have Uno's and Mega's. Has anyone looked at this software?
https://www.mobiflight.com/en/index.html
Interested in what you folks are doing. I am using P3D V4.2

[kenrosefire]

Hi Bob! I have used this software before and it is quite nice. The application itself is one small window with each row being dedicated to one input or output. It is very simple if you are familiar with FSUIPC, and there is absolutely no coding at all. On the downside, you have to upload dedicated firmware to your board so it can't connect to the regular Arduino IDE and MobiFlight. The connection to the sim is also simple with a plugin download all that is required. It is a little confusing at first but as you go through your first 2-3 connections, it is one of the easiest programs I have ever used. There is a great FAQ/Tutorial section and forum, although I believe the developers are German. It is a little more limited than ArdSimX and it is not great for people who want to visualize their board. Overall though, it is a good program that does almost everything ArdSimX does, but it is really a matter of preference. I would recommend MobiFlight to anyone if they don't like existing options. That's all I've got to say about it and I hope I've answered your question.

Take care and good luck!
Gavin

[Bob Reed]

Thanks Gavin. So are you using Xplane? If you where going to use Arduino, and I think you are, What would you use, keeping in mind I am using P3D? I am planning on doing several things with this interface like replace several of my other interfaces. I will need it for switches, outputs and driving servos. Once you modify the firmware can it be undone? Is there a way to do some of your own programing such as to produce keystokes? I know lots of questions.

[kenrosefire]

Hi Bob!
Yes, the program does do switches, LEDs, encoders, servos, etc. I personally would use ArdSimX, but I think it only supports X-Plane. This is a very good alternative. Once you install the firmware, it can be removed by a board reset. The programming allows you to configure FSUIPC offsets, keystrokes, or an event ID. There is another payware program called SPAD.neXt that you might want to check out if you don't like this, but I have not used it.
Take care!
Gavin

[Bob Reed]

So I will start by loading this up on a card and play. I wonder if this program will see the servo card attached to Arduino?

[Joe Lavery]

Hey Bob,
just to save some frustration, I have found that this program will only install in a genuine Arduino. I have a number of clones that it simply won't work with.
I'd be interested if anyone has managed to get it working with the clones??

Best
Joe.

[mikeybear]

Hi Joe,

are the clones you are using , using the ch340 serial chip  ?
If not , there shouldn't be any difference .

Regards

Dave

[Bob Reed]

Hey Bob,
just to save some frustration, I have found that this program will only install in a genuine Arduino. I have a number of clones that it simply won't work with.
I'd be interested if anyone has managed to get it working with the clones??

Best
Joe.

It does not work with any of the UNO cards I have but had no problem loading it on the clone Megas. I have learned a lot about these cards already. Dod not work on cards yesterday as I opted to fly the sim.. Imagine that, a sim builder flying!! 

It does not work with UNO

[iwik]

Says on their website
"Supported modules
The following Arduino Boards are currently supported:

Arduino Mega 2560 R3 or compatible
Sparkfun Micro Pro or compatible"

Les

[727737Nut]

Bob Bob Bob,  I laid out the perfect easy path for you and you still want to go down the P3D mud bath.   

[Bob Reed]

Bob Bob Bob,  I laid out the perfect easy path for you and you still want to go down the P3D mud bath.   

lol!! I only have one thing to say.... MCP....... 

[Joe Lavery]

Les,

While I agree that's what it says on the website, in reality the clones which are compatible in any other application, (that I have found to date).
They simply don't accept the programming needed to convert them. After running the program they are still the same, UNO or Mega devices. 

It would seem that the cheap clones are not compatible in some fairly specific circumstances. I guess it's not the first time the Chinese manufacturers have adopted a cheap method of copying a device that is not a one for one copy. I have had some PIC chips from China that do not work in some situations. Mostly they are fine but like we've found here are not a perfect copy. It's what you get when buying non genuine parts I guess....  

  Joe

[Bob Reed]

Hey Bob,
just to save some frustration, I have found that this program will only install in a genuine Arduino. I have a number of clones that it simply won't work with.
I'd be interested if anyone has managed to get it working with the clones??

Best
Joe.

Hey Joe, As I stated in the above post, I am using the software on 3 different clone Megas. None of my Unos work with it. I have even tried loading the firmware files manually as the recommended. I also found out they have stopped support on the Uno. They had too many problems. So far this software is pretty nice. Does anyone know if they are still supporting it? It looks like there has been no movement on the software in a while.

Hey Joe, as I stated

[iwik]

Joe,
I agree with what you say, buy Chinese copies and you get  near but not perfect  copies.
When i played with Mobiflight i used Chinese Pro Micro as stated on the website and also
megas with no problems.
The Chinese are real classics when it comes to High Power Transistors. So one has to be
very careful when buying Chinese. Must say i have had some great buys.

[Trevor Hale]

Plus lets look at the other side of the coin...  Direct 100% copies would be subject to some sort of copywrite also... 

[iwik]

Trev,
I dont think Copywrite means much to the Chinese though. I remember a year or two back
the serial interface chip they were using on Arduino clones was  a copy of a well known chip.
Well the original manufacture just put out a driver fix which immediately bricked all said clones. That did not go down well.

[Joe Lavery]

Trev,

In fact I understand the Arduino is an open source product, where all the documentation and design elements are available and free to copy. So there is no reason for our Chinese friends to change the design, other than to use slightly inferior, or possibly substitute components. 

The only thing you can't do is call it an Arduino, the name is copyright, that's why these boards (usually) have some subtle difference in the name of the board itself; like the Funduino, or they simply leave the word Arduino off altogether. 

Hey Bob, I've got a couple of newer Mega clones, I'll give them a go.

Joe.

[paulnd]

Trev,

In fact I understand the Arduino is an open source product, where all the documentation and design elements are available and free to copy. So there is no reason for our Chinese friends to change the design, other than to use slightly inferior, or possibly substitute components. 

The only thing you can't do is call it an Arduino, the name is copyright, that's why these boards (usually) have some subtle difference in the name of the board itself; like the Funduino, or they simply leave the word Arduino off altogether. 

Hey Bob, I've got a couple of newer Mega clones, I'll give them a go.

Joe.

Many Arduino boards use a commercial and relatively expensive usb to serial chip developed by FTDI which is not open source.

A few years ago FTDI released an update (later withdrawn) which soft bricked non-genuine FTDI chips used in cloned Arduinos preventing these boards from communicating via usb.

Most Chinese cloned Arduinos now use the CH340 chip, an alternative usb to serial chip which is also cheaper.

The usb to serial chip is used by the PC operating system to identify the board which is why some cloned boards are not recognised by Mobiflight or required additional drivers.

There is a risk that cloned boards may use cheaper inferior components which may have a higher failure rate than more expensive components but many consider that risk acceptable given the significantly lower cost of these boards.

I've only used cloned Arduino boards and have had no issues so far, I do however avoid buying the super cheap, to good to be true boards.

Paul

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