Building MikesFlightDeck Instruments???

[iwik]

Hi Guys,
Just thought id chip in here.Ive started building Mikes gauges also.Progress is slow,im interfacing my ones to iocards.
One thing i did find though when using a servo.Using cheap brands when one first powers up the board /servo combination that the servo
wanted to move in one direction.In my case of the turn Coordinator,
damage to the mech would be caused by this unwanted movement.
Hitec/Futaba servos did not show this tendancy.So watch out for this.

Mike:Looking for ward to the release of the new book.Been following its progress for a while now.Have the other book and now eagerly await
the second.
One question that has puzzled me with regards to interfacing.Some
developers use USB and others like yourself use Serial.Would you care
to explain why this is.To most USB seem to be more easily accommadated.

Rgds
Les

[MechDave]

Awesome Mike, Count me in on a copy
Tripacer, All I have done so far is to work out how to open a connection to the server and then close it 9000 ms later. Shall post it in here under it's own thread. As for getting MS VS C++ working I can post that too
I shall have a look at Mike's site to sort out the RS 485/422 networking.
Sounds better than the RS 232 stuff. Luckily all I have done is type out the firmware and compile it in MPLAB for the 16F628A PIC. It all compiles, (after correcting a few typos)

Cheers,
Dave

[Mike.Powell]

Mike:Looking for ward to the release of the new book.Been following its progress for a while now.Have the other book and now eagerly await
the second.
One question that has puzzled me with regards to interfacing.Some
developers use USB and others like yourself use Serial.Would you care
to explain why this is.To most USB seem to be more easily accommadated.

Rgds
Les

My goal is to present flight sim technology in a widely accessible manner. The learning curve for coding against the serial port is smaller than that of USB. I think there are more USB resources than when I started, but serial port is still easier.

In book 2, the hardware interfacing emphasis is really on the RS-485 serial connection. It forms an instrument/device interconnect bus which supports multiple devices, but it does require some sort of converter or interface to the computer. I went with a simple RS-485 to serial port converter because it is an easier project.

I got some early book 2 feedback that most emphatically said to back off the complexity of the electronics. I took that to heart, and have simplified as much as I could. But that doesn't mean it's "simple". Even "hobby" flight simulation remains a complex, multi-disciplinary subject. The focus throughout book 2 is the flight sim experience. Each chapter has a different topic, and each topic is always presented as a means of making the FS experience better. I might have added coverage of USB, but I don't think the added complexity would have improved the book.

That said, the use of an RS-485 interconnection leaves open an upgrade path to USB. A knowledgeable person might develop a USB to RS-485 adapter. Possibly an off-the-shelf USB to serial port adapter might be used.

[Kerbo]

I have built the ASI and will build more instruments. The book is a great resource. I'm using my own USB controller boards but the mechanical designs alone are worth the book price.

[Mike.Powell]

Nicely done!

[sandwich.islands]

Hello where can I order Mike's books?

[iwik]

Here
http://www.mikesflightdeck.com/

Les