Open Cockpits MCP Please Help.

[User_90]

Hi,

That was a speedy reply, Thanks! Could you confirm if thats that you mean by a Break out Box:

Input

http://www.opencockpits.com/catalog/...ml?cPath=21_27

Output

http://www.opencockpits.com/catalog/...ml?cPath=21_27

Just going to price that gear up now and i'll get back to you.

Thanks

Josh

[kiek]

confirm
nico

[Kennair]

Hi Josh,

And yes I would highly recommend purchasing the input and output breakout boards. I made my own thinking I could save money, which I did, but certainly didn't save time. Its very fiddly to make unless you have access to double sided circuit board construction. In the end its cheaper and faster to just buy their pre-made boards. But it sounds like you're already going down that path anyway.

Also, the Mastercard will operate up to 48 LED's which is ample to get you started. More than that and you can purchase the dedicated Output card. I purchased the Mastercard and USB expansion in kit form as it was much cheaper, however I also purchased the Keys Encoder card and USB joystick but these were pre-made as it was only a few Euro's more. I love putting things together also, but if I'm only saving a couple of dollars I'd rather save the time. There's plenty of other duties to consume your time in this hobby. I recently built the complete 737 radio stack from scratch and half way through OC released their pre-built modules. At that point I wished I had have waited and bought the plug n play ones! There's a lot of satisfaction when its finished however.

Good luck and have fun.

Ken.

[kiek]

Also, the Mastercard will operate up to 48 LED's ..

Just a detail, but it is 45 (38 at J2 and + 7 at P2) .
It's also worth considering that the outputs at the MasterCard cannot be dimmed, while the outputs at the USB Outputs card can.

And be careful, the outputs at the USB outputs card share a common +5V while the outputs at the MC share a common ground.

So they are not 1-1 interchangeable, you have to take that in your account while designing your wiring scheme for your cockpit modules.

nico

[Kennair]

Thanks Nico, I forgot those details.

Ken.

[User_90]

Guys,

Thanks again for the added info. Initial costing for the cards & buttons/switches,has come to just short of £400GBP, which seems quite alot when you look that open cockpits are selling one thats made up and pretty much ready to go for 375Euro (with white 7 segments too). Would it be normal in this cockpit building stuff that things are cheaper to buy pre made than doing it yourself?

**That 400GBP doesnt include 7segment displays or the 7segment holders**

Thanks in advance

Josh

[kiek]

Hi Josh,

The difference in price is because OC uses a dedicated PCB that is specific for the MCP ('lean and mean').

With your initial investment in USB expansion Card and MC you have lots of room for expansion. You can add for instance three more MC's to your USB expansion card if your cockpit grows.

But indeed, it's very attractive to buy pnp moduels. Particularly if your cockpit is a 737, why should you want to build the MCP yourself?
You better concentrate on all the other aircraft systems...

regards,
Nico

[Kennair]

Hi Josh,

I bought the pre-built 737 MCP for that reason. It was cheaper and easier, plus they had already done all the configuring. Works like a treat and there's no way I could have done it as neatly and compact. One big drawback is that it isn't backlit, and although capable of adding it on it is so compact inside that it will be a very tricky process installing it (see my detailed pics HERE). This might be a consideration for you if you specifically require a backlit model. And as Nico alluded to, it is only ever going to be an MCP due to the specific build whereas if you built your own you would still have lots of leway for expansion on the mastercard for other uses.

Horses for courses.

Ken.

[User_90]

Hi All,

This cockpit building stuff seriously does get addictive, just have to keep pulling the reigns and reminding myself i'm not a millionaire, i suppose its quite easy for costs to spiral out of control if your not careful huh.

I've took what all of you have said on board (no pun intended) and realised all i want for the moment is just the 737 MCP. I realise now that most companies provide boards that allow for expansion, hence the costs involved, which makes sense i guess.

I love your pdf guides Ken, especially the home made panels one, i was thinking of using your advice in that guide to produce the MCP, but i think there may be too many holes need cutting and i wouldnt get the finish as i would with the Panel that OC Provide:

http://www.opencockpits.com/catalog/...cPath=23_25_40

I'm sorry to keep asking all of the questions,hope you don't mind. If i wanted just the MCP, without the need for expansion in the future, i guess you'd tell me that there isnt a board/kit available to buy, i'd just have to buy it already made up?

Cheers guys
Josh

[Kennair]

Hi Josh,

Yes if all you want is the MCP then it is far more cost effective and simpler (not to mention more professional) to buy the pre-built module. It really looks the part and there's no way you'd get the same result with homemade panels (unless of course you owned or had access to a laser milling machine). No they don't sell just the MCP board on its own (although you could try requesting it from them). At the end of the day, to plug the panel in and run it up it really is fantastic. You'd swear you were flying the real deal. As I said earlier my only issue is with the lack of backlighting, but thats only a small issue. You could always go the route of CP Flight which includes backlighting but you'll pay considerably more for the privalege.

Ken.