PS Cockpit PCBs first run

[Rabbit]

Nice electronics my frind 

[JShepherd]

Nice electronics my frind 

Thank you, man.
Shep

[JShepherd]

PSCockpit Progress Report.

Hi everyone,

All the panel connections have been finished except some minor ones. Working on the wiring between satellites PCBs. Once finished, time to test!!! 

Some pictures between before and after:

Under the pit (before):
 

Under the pit (after):


Right side (before):

 
Right side (after):


Left side (before):


Left side (after):


Cheers,
Shep
 

[Cupra]

Not bad, but nor wire free... ever thought abaout a wireless solution    ... So let's the tests beginn 

[wmartin5]

Hey Shep...NICE work! looking good! I am looking forward to the next run.

I have a quick question on steppers again. I just purchased a altimeter from Ebay that is set up for trainer use. (see http://www.ebay.com/itm/230746153742?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649 It looks like a stepper like the one you used for your compass would be a drop in replacement for the synchro that is installed in it now. It would only be a minor mounting modification. Also, it looks like one revolution of the stepper would equal one revolution of the altimeter. Is there a possibility of incorperating this in your software?

Thanks,
Wayne

[JShepherd]

Hey Shep...NICE work! looking good! I am looking forward to the next run.

I have a quick question on steppers again. I just purchased a altimeter from Ebay that is set up for trainer use. (see http://www.ebay.com/itm/230746153742?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649 It looks like a stepper like the one you used for your compass would be a drop in replacement for the synchro that is installed in it now. It would only be a minor mounting modification. Also, it looks like one revolution of the stepper would equal one revolution of the altimeter. Is there a possibility of incorperating this in your software?

Thanks,
Wayne

Hi Wayne,

Nice find!!! 
If it is <12V and unipolar there is high possiblity that you can use it with the PSCockpit System. Note that if the precision is very high you will lose a little response time when a fast reaction is done.
Try to get the specs sheet and send it to me and let's see what we can do even with the synchro.

Regards,
Shep

[wmartin5]

Shep,
The Synchro that is inside the altimeter is a 115volt 400 cycle receiver. I would rather not use this.

The stepper that I have doesn't have any markings on it. I think it came out of an old teac floppy drive. It is a unipolar 6 wire, nema 17 size. the four stator coils ring out at about 72 ohms...so I think it is 12 volt. I have been looking on the internet for one like yours made by RS components but so far...no luck. It just happens that a nema 17 fits great.

Thanks for your help Shep!

Wayne

[wmartin5]

Hi Shep,

I found another stepper that should work. It is 5 volt and has 48 steps per revolution. Does that sound OK?

Wayne

[mariuszw]

This is great! Good job. I am new to the viperpit and I am not electroinics expert but I could follow this post and i probably understand 75% of it.
When will this be avialable? I am IN.
Thanks again,
Ski

[deltadart]

Great work!!

I am still cutting the wood, but as soon as I will be starting the electronic from my pit, I will be looking quite in details at your system!!!

[Cupra]

Any update when 2nd rund will start?

[CobaltUK]

Unless ive missed something its still in development. Not yet a FIRST run ?

[Cupra]

Option to order for the first run are through as far as I know...

[wmartin5]

Shep,

I think we are all getting anxious for a run...... Any word yet?

Thanks,
Wayne

[JShepherd]

Hello everybody,

Sorry for the lack of news. This has been a clear case of Murphy?s Law: when something is expected to last 2 weeks, multiply by two and use the next highest unit for a total of 4 months!!! 

Jokes apart, I?ve spent the last couple of weeks working on the servos of the main board as they weren?t as smooth as initially due to the added functionalities and routines. I?ve checked every single piece of code of the firmware and the software to optimize the servos and finally last Friday I found the right configuration. Sadly, the after tests on the cockpit have shown that the PWM pulses of the servos are affecting somehow on the expanders so I have decided to not include the servos routines on the main board. Still, the PSCockpit software is provided to control up to 32 servos via RS232 with the board SSC-32:  http://www.lynxmotion.com/p-395-ssc-32-servo-controller.aspx

The rest of functionalities (switches, encoders, pushbuttons, lights, 7 segments displays, steppers, LCD?s and pots) as well as the associated hardware have all passed the tests and they are working flawlessly. I have made a video with a general view testing all the functionalities but the quality was awful and I will do it separately and I will post it.

I?ve made one minor modification on the Main Board and another on the 40I/O expander. Here are some pictures of them:






We will have to live with these modifications in this run as the boards are already made. The design will be updated on the next run. There will be no problem with the ones of you who prefers to wait for the next run. Of course the theses ones have the entire functional guarantee.

I will release the software this week with an installer for the ones who wants to test it in their hardware and correct any fault. Although the software is designed to work with several simulators, due to the limited time, I will support only BMS simulator until the end of this run, then, I will make the test with the other simulators: OpenFalcon, Falcon AF, Free Falcon, Lock On FC, Lock On FC2 , DCS A10 and MFSX. Sorry, no FS9.

Hopefully the following week I will begin assembling in the same order they where requested. As far as I get your boards assembled I will get in contact of each of you to have the payment and make the delivery. The last ones will have to wait a little more. Regarding the payment, Paypal hasn?t reactivated my account so we will have to find another way to do it.

Regards,
Shep