RE: 737 NG flap indicator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nav Lt
Good day,
I'm building a home cockpit and I'm wondering how difficult it would be to program and make a indicator. It needs to have a 270 degree rotation and interface with FS9.
Here is a picture of what I'm trying to make. I already have the face plate, I just need the mechanism to move the needle when the flight simulator program says that it is changing position.
I know VERY little about programming let alone what version I would need to write it in. :) Does your componets require good programming skills? If so, how hard would it be to learn and where would you sugest that I start?
I'm curious as to what you have to say. Thank you for your time.
James
Hi James!
It sounds to me like you would need only a single servo controller with a servo to make what you need. For the 270 degrees of rotation you would need to perform a small hack on the servo. You open up the servo and cut out the stop tab so that the servo can turn for your full range. Here are some links:
Parallax offers a pre-hacked servo
http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=900-00008
So does http://www.robodyssey.com
http://mivasecure.abac.com/bpatton/m...egory_Code=SAM
Here are some tutorials
http://www.acroname.com/robotics/inf...ontinuous.html
http://members.cox.net/rbirac2/Ebot/servo_hack.htm
Now for your coding questions. Basically, our servo controller is the easiest to program on the market. But, to someone who has never coded before that might not mean much. It would be a big project to buy VB6 and learn it just to create your indicator. Not to mention the cost. Do you need to be a really good programmer? No. It's very easy.
We are working with a software guy who is writing a plug and play solution for users just like yourself. With his program you will just open a program and set what you want your servo to do from which data being sent out of MSFS. This is the route I'd suggest to you. Sign up on our newsletter and we will let people know when this software comes out. We are very excited about it since it will really open up peoples abilities to use Phidgets in there Sims.
I hope this helps you out!
Matt
Servo in kit swing full 270 + ?????
Okay I see that the software is available, now I'm ready to bite and purchase the things I need to make this indicator as shown above.
I have one quick question though, the servo in your 1-Motor Phidget USB Servo Controller Kit, is it already hacked to be able to give me the 270 degree swing that I need? Or do I still need to purchase another servo separately as you mentioned earlier?
Thanks for your time, and standing by to spend $$$$ when I here from you.
James