Cheap and easy FSX motion system

[kjg71]

Dutchboy,

The BU0836 Controller is pretty cool! I have not really thought of using a joystick control circuit as input as I personally would need to figure out how to get it working at the same time the game controller is......normally not an issue for some, but right now my code can only using one joystick device at a time.

I also use another controller called ezio. It is quite pricey and I would not reccomend it over K8055 but it does have an advantage. It is a very easy microcontroller with 8 A2D inputs plus then some. Again very pricey compared to what is out their now, but I bought it when student price was $99. Here is a link in case anyone wanted to check it out...but overpriced now for what it is. IF K8055 had a few more A2D ports it would be just perfect.

http://www.ezio.com

since you are using BU0836, I assume your C# Simconnect application works with multiple joystick devices already?

It would be nice if KT5198A had two A2D inputs to go with the rest of it. Then you would have all in one board! (Encoder / logic / high amp PWM output / Digital input/kill switch). A lower cost single motor version would be great to. This board is new, so who knows?

anyway good luck with the new KT5198A appears to be a good controller.

Regards, Kyle

[Jim NZ]

Hi Guys, sorry for the delay in a couple of questions ,, work !! I can be away for a week sometimes.
Firstly, I have updated my "plan" page on my website ,, it gives insight into some of the research and playing we done, might be of help to some one.

http://www.jimspage.co.nz/plan.htm

Calvin, re the twin motors,, yes, you need to get the same make and model and even then there is a difference but a small difference is not a problem. Both my "twins" do actually run at different speeds so one "push's" or "pulls" the other. As long as the chain is tight and the total draw of amps isn't silly then all seems well. I was luck though,, I can get the motors for "free" but if anyone had to actually buy them, then it would be better in the long run to buy proper motor/gearbox's for the job or do it some other way. Good to see ya still plugging away. !

Kyle ,, re the PWM's out of the Velleman, directly feeding the other board ,,, this is been added to my web page, but the simplicity is,, it would add an unwanted 20ms delay to the motor response time. Yes the 8055 is a very robust card ,, I have put mine thru **** with all the experiments and it survived, so for easy programming and adaptability it was my first choise but we still looked at everything on the market within a price.

Dutchboy ,, Good to see you've taken up the "challenge" ,, you wont be dissapointed !! .. yes I found the 5198 on the 11th hour and could'nt believe the specs for what I wanted. I also was going down the joystick input thing but then remembered the frustration with the old sim of not being very suitable to easily add some other in/outs functions, so hence the 8055, but there are heaps of ways to skin a cat !! So everyone for their own. Keep us up to date with progress can ya. ??

Ok see ya guys and have fun.
Jim NZ

[Dutchboy]

I was able to put the KT5198a in an enclosure and wire it up this past weekend. Overall, I think it will work well. I have yet to test it, but I want to double check connections before I connect the power.

As a bonus, I also decided on a single seat cockpit design. I started cutting the parts for my panel this weekend as well.





More pictures here:
http://www.simulatormotion.com


Dutchboy

[Jim NZ]

Dutchboy,
It looks like you have used a heatsink with no electrical insulation between all the tabs, if this is the case, then, DONT power up the KT5198 ,,, with the heat sink going across all the tab's like you have, you will blow it up. !!! They need to be insulated (electrically) between the "unlike" tabs.
Hope I'm not right here ???
Jim

[Dutchboy]

Really? In all the computer power supplies I have taken apart they share a common heat sync. I'll look into this further, thanks for the warning. I don't want to kill it before I even get a motor going!

Dutchboy

[Dutchboy]

Ok, after looking at the circuit I think Jim is right. The heat sync must NOT span and touch all the tabs without electrical insulation. I have removed my heat sync for now until I can pick up either some insulation or individual heat syncs.

Thank you Jim for pointing this out before I fried some transistors.

After I removed the heat sync, I tried controlling my motors via the serial cable and C# and it worked flawlessly. I'm now adjusting my code to provide feedback via the potentometers and change the movement and accelleration to suit. Wish me luck!

Dutchboy

[kranky]

Wow, very cool stuff. Keep us posted. Those tiny motors are gonna work for you? Do you have any illustrations of the end result? or what you'll hope it to be?

[Dutchboy]

The motors in the pictures are wiper motors I picked up for $12 CAD each a few years ago. These will be for testing only. I'm still unsure of what motors I'm going to go with. Any recommendations?

I don't have any illustrations of what I will be creating, but I do have a vague picture of it in my mind

Perhaps I'll dive into Solidworks and plan something out.

[Dutchboy]

I don't normally give props to companies, but I have to say that Qkits has been fantastic! After first receiving my board within a couple of days from ordering, I then sent them an email asking for example source code for the board. They responded within 5 hours saying they were having trouble finding it and then a few hours later sent me the code via email. I have to say that I am really impressed with the service and the fact that two different people helped me with my problem. Kudo's to them. It's hard to find good companies to get this "stuff" from in Canada.


I basically used the code to test to see if I could move the motors via my PC. I then converted some of the code into C# for use in my SimConnect application. Fun stuff this hobby.

Dutchboy

[kranky]

Not sure on the motors. I was looking into using some industrial sized motors for my 3 DOF i want to build. But I'm leaning more towards pneumatic now that I realize that I can run it off a normal shop compressor. I was worried about it running all the time and being loud, but I don't think it's gonna be too bad. Not to mention, the cylinders are way more affordable and able to withstand the loads i'll have.

My problem now is understanding the control of it. It's a slow process, but I'm pecking away at it.