jmig
SOH-CM-2024
View attachment 16880T-38 Blog
8-25-10
First-Sim & I/O Cards
Here are pictures of my first sim “cockpit”. It consisted of two Go-Flight Modules and three parts I made myself.
View attachment 16881View attachment 16882
I also used two monitors, One for the outside view and another for the instruments. Holding everything was a simple plywood frame I constructed to support the monitors and components.
The Go-Flight models were a P-8 an eight button panel with LED to tell you when the button was on and a GF-45, a multi radio module. I later added a GF-166 radio and RP-8 rotary encoder pushbutton board not shown in the pictures.
Each button on the P-8 could be assigned to any number of FS functions, i.e. gear, lights, carb heat, etc. The GF-45 could be selected as a COM, NAV, AFD, or Transponder. You could even use it in conjunction with the P-8’s buttons to become an autopilot. The simple Go-Flight modules as seen above will cost between $100 and $150 new. You can often find sites that sell them as a discount or deals on used modules on eBay. They are a great way to quickly add real buttons and switches to your sim. You can find more at http://www.goflightinc.com/.
The home built components, shown here, can be far less expensive. Anyone with basic knowledge of soldering and wiring along with a few simple tools can make add-ons for their simulator. Above you see a switch panel, a throttle, prop and mixture set up. Off to the left, partially hidden, are engine start and sim pause buttons, along with a gear handle and flaps switch.
Wiring a switch to MSFS or X-Plane requires a middle man, of sorts. This middle man is called an Input/Output card. Normally, you will see it written in the abbreviation of I/O. This I/O card takes the switch input and sends it to the computer in a fashion software can understand. The simplest I/O card is in your keyboard. It uses a matrix to tell the computer which key you just hit.
In the early days of sim building we used to hack the guts of an old keyboard to send signals to MSFS. You can still use this method for common key strokes like “G” and “P”. Today you can buy keyboard emulators I/O cards to do this. The airliner boys will use them to build working FMCs for their cockpits.
Another kind of I/O card is found in joysticks. If you have an old joystick lying around, you can use it to make add-ons. The picture below is part of the guts of my CH Products Yoke. I used a 15 pin game controller plug to connect the throttle set up you see in the other pictures to it. I am actually running my home built throttle, prop and trim levers with the CH-Products Yoke I/O card. View attachment 16883
In my next entry we will continue on the I/O path. I will explain more about using I/O cards, where you can get them and, eventually we will build a simple setup.
8-25-10
First-Sim & I/O Cards
Here are pictures of my first sim “cockpit”. It consisted of two Go-Flight Modules and three parts I made myself.
View attachment 16881View attachment 16882
I also used two monitors, One for the outside view and another for the instruments. Holding everything was a simple plywood frame I constructed to support the monitors and components.
The Go-Flight models were a P-8 an eight button panel with LED to tell you when the button was on and a GF-45, a multi radio module. I later added a GF-166 radio and RP-8 rotary encoder pushbutton board not shown in the pictures.
Each button on the P-8 could be assigned to any number of FS functions, i.e. gear, lights, carb heat, etc. The GF-45 could be selected as a COM, NAV, AFD, or Transponder. You could even use it in conjunction with the P-8’s buttons to become an autopilot. The simple Go-Flight modules as seen above will cost between $100 and $150 new. You can often find sites that sell them as a discount or deals on used modules on eBay. They are a great way to quickly add real buttons and switches to your sim. You can find more at http://www.goflightinc.com/.
The home built components, shown here, can be far less expensive. Anyone with basic knowledge of soldering and wiring along with a few simple tools can make add-ons for their simulator. Above you see a switch panel, a throttle, prop and mixture set up. Off to the left, partially hidden, are engine start and sim pause buttons, along with a gear handle and flaps switch.
Wiring a switch to MSFS or X-Plane requires a middle man, of sorts. This middle man is called an Input/Output card. Normally, you will see it written in the abbreviation of I/O. This I/O card takes the switch input and sends it to the computer in a fashion software can understand. The simplest I/O card is in your keyboard. It uses a matrix to tell the computer which key you just hit.
In the early days of sim building we used to hack the guts of an old keyboard to send signals to MSFS. You can still use this method for common key strokes like “G” and “P”. Today you can buy keyboard emulators I/O cards to do this. The airliner boys will use them to build working FMCs for their cockpits.
Another kind of I/O card is found in joysticks. If you have an old joystick lying around, you can use it to make add-ons. The picture below is part of the guts of my CH Products Yoke. I used a 15 pin game controller plug to connect the throttle set up you see in the other pictures to it. I am actually running my home built throttle, prop and trim levers with the CH-Products Yoke I/O card. View attachment 16883
In my next entry we will continue on the I/O path. I will explain more about using I/O cards, where you can get them and, eventually we will build a simple setup.