New Interface Board - FSUIPC Direct

[Tom_G_2010]

. . . a board that will work without any programming on my part would be sweet . . .

. . . the software interface is what will make or break it . . .

Chris,

The board looks good from a physical design perspective. However Milt and Reid have nailed the paradox you'll need to address for your board to be any more successful than all the other I/O cards: 1.The non-programmer like Milt must be able to hook up some switches or pots and with a few mouse clicks have them controlling their sim software; and, 2. For someone like Reid or myself who wishe to do more advanced functions we'll need an interface that will accomplish that but preferably without needing to learn a new programming language. The ability to open up an advanced settings window for example with a series of robust options and settings, and/or graphical drag and drop configuration manager where logic and variables can be built in for example.

I don't want to sound harsh, but if you can't hit both targets dead on then it will be just another I/O card option among MANY and will add to the confusion over which one really is the right one. I really do want to see you succeed as I don't know of a card that actually does hit both targets well. Just look at all the posts that ask can I make card X do such and such with an answer of NO, or the hundreds of threads showing exasperation over scripting challenges with CARD Y.

Some of what I'm building in my sim only needs simple straight forward single function switch or pot interfaces. Other I/O functions I'm working on though really need some robust logic and variables management. To do this presently I am using a mix of cards and /or software and it's a bit of a pain in both complexity and expense. I'm still looking for that perfect card and really hope yours might be it.

. . . That being said, if you can find a way to drive steppers and/or servos for creating analog gauges (can't even afford those things secondhand from the plug and play manufacturers) that are easy to calibrate and interface you will be at the top of my list for King of the Sim World!

And, to add to Reid's stepper and servo motor drive I'll echo what I said in an earlier reply, rotary encoders and 7 segment LEDs.

Can you provide some overview on the software interface?

Thanks!
Tom G.

PS - still interested in Beta testing if you need the help.

[smendlik]

I'd love to get a timeline for these cards. I'm close to being ready to order an I/O card and as of now am leaning towards Leo Bodnar's card one they come back in stock.

[mondo50m]

Tom G., awesome response. I often have a problem with putting into words what is in my head. You did this quite nicely. Hopefully, this card will do what we need for it to do. I am really anxious to see what it can deliver.

Milt

[AK Mongo]

I do love the fact that it has the ability to do inputs and outputs. It would have saved me a lot of grief if the Desktop Aviator, Bodnar and Phidgets LED card were all combined into one easy to use solution. It would be even better if it supported Rotary Encoder speed differentiation.(i.e. slow turn slow change, fast turn fast change) That is something that requires a lot of coding to do with the Bodnar board, but can be done thanks to Tom_G.

[mondo50m]

Has anyone else clicked on the picture of the board and then zoomed in to see what the little white sticker in the middle of the board says? It is really difficult to see, but it looks like the address of a website that is VERY expensive for their products. I hope that I am wrong. Let me know what you think it says.

Milt

[AK Mongo]

Milt,

Simbits is Chris's enterprise. Not the expensive guys.

Reid

[mondo50m]

I am glad that someone else looked at this. It would have been scarey if it had been the other company. Would have had to take out a mortgage loan to pay for the board.

Milt

[DaySim]

I am another "beginner" of sorts although I have a background of interests that make this venture very appealing as I build a cockpit. I would rather have one system that covers a lot of my needs than piece together bits. I too am looking forward to seeing a production version! It certainly looks promising.

[mondo50m]

Hello!! (knock, knock,knock). Anybody home? Hmmmmm, everyone must be on vacation. I'll come back tomorrow.

Milt

[cjellwood]

Hey all sorry for not posting recently, I have not been getting notifications of posts to this thread until now. I am building up to a post that will explain everything about this IO board. What I can tell you now is that it is script based like opencockpits and others but with a difference. That difference is that the config/script is loaded to the board by the user via USB flash after it is created in a supplied script editor, not a script handled on the PC side.

This method allows a user to associate an IO with an FSUIPC offset at the lowest level. Say for example you wish to turn on an LED if the oil temp goes above 80 degrees, find an available LED IO on the PCB and load this script to the chip....

if ((FS#08B > 80){ IO#7 = 1 }

Not a revolutionary idea but it allows for a multitude of expansion boards to be created because the firmware will be open source. Anyone can create a custom IO board and attach it to the PCB network because there are no software restrictions. The PC software side simply transmits FSUIPC data to the PCB's and recieves instructions on what to write to FSUIPC when required. The firmware and script in hardware memory does all the hard work associating offsets with IO's and their instructions.

In the same way FSUIPC opens doors for interfacing software to FSX, this opens doors for easy interfacing of hardware to FSX. Dont worry if you are not a PCB designer because once this catches on there will be hundreds of expansion boards available from other developers commiting to the protocol (hopefully). Or simply pick a board that has the IO's you need and modify the script to your offsets and instructions

Chris