767 Overhead

[Drewsta]

Hi guys, just enquiring wether or not you can use LEDs with the BUO836x for an overhead panel? Also what rotory switch or encoder would work best for the overhead on the LevelD 767?

PS: Does anyone know of a good pushbutton switch with a built in led thats easy to use, that would save me having solder a heap of leds.

Thanks
Drewsta

[Joe Lavery]

The BUO836x is an input device so fine for switches, buttons and rotaries, but for LEDs you need something like the Phidgets LED64 card, or for a better solution one of the FDS range of cards.

For example the FDS-SYS1 System Interface Card will do both input and output and has enough connections for the whole overhead panel, (well just about). It will handle 64 switches and 256 LED outputs.

Cheers
Joe.

[andarlite]

Drew, save yourself a heap of trouble (and money) and just go straight to Opencockpit Master cards and Nico's Lekseecon program. It will the only way you will be able to have your output states match up exactly to what the LevelD is doing.

For pushbuttons with led:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Lighted-Pushbutton-Switch-Assembly-Honeywell-AML21_W0QQitemZ140258919160QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item20a81542f8

http://cgi.ebay.com/10pcs-Push-Button-DPDT-OFF-ON-Latching-Switch-LED_W0QQitemZ280420828578QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item414a6245a2

You can get them latching or momentary.

Regards,
Henry

[tomenglish2000]

I agree with Henry.

OpenCockpits and Lekseecon is the best way to interface with the Level-D.

OpenCockpits are cheap and Lekseecon is free. It works flawlessly!

Tom.

[Drewsta]

Thanks mate, those switches look great and will do just fine for what i want to start with. Are they easy to wire? I'll go with open cockpits cards im thinking with what your saying :) What about rotary switches for the start, smoking, seatbelts etc...any recomendations?

Drewsta

[kiek]

Hi Drewsta,

Again, just look at the Opencockpits site: http://www.opencockpits.com/catalog/hardware-switches-pushbuttons-c-24_55.html ;-)
everything you need is there, do not look any further :-)

Any rotary switch (not only the ones from OC) can be interfaced with the Opencockpits Master Card, a n position rotary switch just needs n inputs and 1 ground.

More important is the number of degrees between two positions of a rotary switch. There are 30, 45 and 90 degrees per step. It depends on the function which one you should take. For the Seatbelts switch, for instance, a 45 degrees rotary switch is perfect.

regards,
Nico

[Drewsta]

Great Kiek, thanks again for your help. I'm sure I'll be happier with a proper working overhead rather than a touchscreen overhead.

I'm thinking of using these buttons for the overhead but not sure how easy it would be to wire up?

http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/500/thumbs/Led_pushbutton.jpg ('http://www.mycockpit.org/photopost/data/500/Led_pushbutton.jpg')


Drewsta

[andarlite]

Drew, they're easy to wire. If you are holding the switch with the led on the bottom, the pin layout is like this:

a b c
d e
f g h


d and e are the LED connections (e is the cathode) and f and h is the switch connection.


Regards,
Henry

[Drewsta]

Thats awsome news, I can't wait to have a go at the overhead panel now :)

Thanks again guys and I'll post some pics as soon as I can.

Drewsta

[kiek]

Hi guys, just enquiring wether or not you can use LEDs with the BUO836x for an overhead panel?


Hi,
Like others already have said, you cannot control leds with it.
For switches and encoders, Leo's card is a fine card, but certainly not the best solution for the Level-D 767, you will miss the opportunity to use lekseecon (http://www.lekseecon.nl/lekseecon.html)

Advice: Always choose the best software first (for the add-on you want to build a cockpit for), and then look for the hardware requirements based on that software.

For the Level-D 767 the SIOC/lekseecon combination is by far the best solution for home cockpit builders. You will have 900 pre-defined SIOC variables at your disposal, with which you can interface almost any button, switch, rotary switch, encoder, led, digit, what have you ?... of the level-D 767. On top of that you get extra functionality such as leading (always synchronised) hardware switches (over the switches in the panel), cold and dark cockpit support and lights test support.

However, SIOC only runs with Opencockpits hardware, so the choice is easy, only use Opencockpits hardware.

regards,
Nico
BTW: I do not work for Opencockpits.

[Drewsta]

Drew, they're easy to wire. If you are holding the switch with the led on the bottom, the pin layout is like this:

a b c
d e
f g h


d and e are the LED connections (e is the cathode) and f and h is the switch connection.


Regards,
Henry

Hiya Henry, how are you mate? Stated above, if F & H are the switch connections, are A&C also switch connections? Whats B&G? Ground?
Cheers
Drewsta