Noob with Phidget LED-64 Advanced question

[binto100]

Greetings all.

I'm in the early stages of building my cockpit and have many irons in the fire at once; it's challenging but fun.

Can I use FS2Phidget to control several led lights at once on a LED-64 using a rotary knob or similar? The Phidgets software allows for setting the intensity of each individual light but I'd rather have the ability to lower or increase the intesity of serveral lights at once. I'm hoping this is not a big challenge for FS2Phidget?

I'm definitely not a programmer but I'm fairly computer capable.

I appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

Bruce
Mukilteo, WA

BTW - I'm in the early stage of building a 3dof platform as the basis for my cockpit. I have constructed a lightweight prototype and this weekend will introduce a center column spring and 3 small 12vdc gear motors. The prototype has allowed me to get a real-world feel for angles, sizing etc. The center column is actually one tube inside another so the prototype will create heave as well as pitch & roll. The final system will be significantly over built and use 220v AC gear motors, Galil controllers and Yaskawa power supplies. I'm currently using Ian's BFF software to calculate the platform forces and requirements in terms of motor torque, power, acceleration etc. Believe me, his calculation software is a gift to the sim community if you're a non-engineer like me.

Here is a quick vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aosS0ervPM

I'm clearly a beginner welder and fabricator.

[CocnutAir]

Bruce,
Yes you can.
Figuring how to set up dimmers?
Regards,
Alan

[CocnutAir]

Of course, you will need a Phidget Interfacekit for the pot.

[binto100]

Of course, you will need a Phidget Interfacekit for the pot.

Hi Alan and thanks for your quick replies. Yes I want to create a dimmer system and I am completely phidget challenged. So I gather I will need both the LED-64 and an Interface kit? What type of pot should I get?

Regards,

Bruce

[CocnutAir]

Depends.

Is a general design question.
Best way to address:
(1) Read the Phidgets documentation. Homework assignment :)
(2) Have an idea of how many leds you will be using.
(3) You will want to come away with the following:
(a) number of leds each pot will control.
(b) Voltage you will be using for leds. (usually 5V if using Phidget-64).
(c) Total current leds will be drawing. Need this to figure out Watts (ballpark).
(4) Then with voltage and wattage in hand, drop a quick posting on Phidgets forum.
Folks not as electronically challenged as myself will rush in with recommendations.

[CocnutAir]

Previous response was more towards pots controlling incandescant lamps.
Cannot control leds directly with only a pot.

Your pot will be going to an Interfacekit.
FS2Phidget software will send appropriate signal to LED-64 to set brightness.

Therefore, pot can be low wattage and any voltage supported by Interfacekits.
I typically use 5V for my electronic components for following reasons:
- PhidgetLEDs supports up to 5V.
- I can use cannabilized PC power supplies.
- 5V power supplies are not that expensive.
- Voltage is compatible with some real aircraft parts I use.

One can use a cheap pot from radio shack.
Preferably around 10K or greater.
Radioshack has cheap pots rated at 110V (more than what you need)
and has an on-off-detent at the zero position.
i.e. rotate slightly out of a detent to switch on lights,
then continue rotating to set lights to maximum brighness,
or some brightness in between.

[CocnutAir]

Try and get pot that has linear resistance.

[binto100]

Okay Alan I am doing my reading homework to get a feel for phidgets.

If I bought an 8/8/8, an LED 64, and two pots can I have one pot control half of the led's and the 2nd pot control the other half? I'm trying to get a feel for the flexibility.

Thanks.

Bruce

[CocnutAir]

You can attach up to 8 pots with an Interfacekit.
You can attach up to 64 leds with a LED-64.
Of course, you could control 128 leds with 1 pot,
or you could control 67 with one pot, and 61 with another pot,
or 64 leds with 64 pots,
or 2 leds with 1 pot and 62 with another...

you get the idea.

Homework assignment: download FS2Phidget5 manual and read section on analog inputs and digital outputs , better yet, play with application.
Do not need to buy any Phidgets to try it out.

[binto100]

Hi Alan.

I've been reading and reading and a small light is turning on inside my head from time to time but I have a ways to go.

I took delivery today of an 8/8/8 and LED-64 so I'm proceeding the only way I ever known how; just jump in and start figuring it out!

I'll pickup up a couple pot and LED's from the Shack this weekend and start fiddling.

Bruce

[CocnutAir]

Bruce,

I have tweaked software to make your life a little easier.
Will post update a little later today.
Will also post steps on how to setup software for your specific project.
Kinda get you jumpstarted.

Regards,
Alan.

[binto100]

Alan -

I will be thrill to receive your tweaks and steps.

I understand why people hold you in high esteem.

Thanks.

Bruce

[CocnutAir]

Bruce,

As soon as FS2Phidget5018 is available in Download section, install that.
You do not need to uninstall any existing versions.

Quick Start:
Create a blank circuit.
Add a digital input.
Add an analog input component (represents your pot).
Set analog input's MinValue property to 0.
Set analog input's MaxValue property to 100 (led-64 brightness values are in range 0 -100)
Set analog input's UsesRatio property to false.
Add a connector component.
Add another 3 connector components, all in parallel.
To each connector add 8 digital outputs (these will represent your leds).
Set the the brightness property of each led to true.

Play with slider and all 32 leds should dim and bright accordingly.
When you plug in your Phidget cards you can assign Phidget components to above virtual compnents.

However, I have included test.xml in the latest zip.
That goes into your FS2Phidgets5 Projects folder.
If you open this project from fs2phidget5018 there is a Dimmer circuit for you to play with.

Regards,
Alan

[binto100]

Hi Alan.

When I go to the actual download page the latest version (I think on 3/7/10) is Fs2Phidget5017.

When I go to Fs2Phidget5018 shown as the latest file on the rh side of the web page it takes me to the Fs2Phidget5018 download page but I get this message when I click on the Download button:

binto100, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:

1.Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?
2.If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation.

Does it take a while for the new file to be available?

Thanks.

Bruce

[CocnutAir]

Bruce,

The admins approve downloads before the become available.
I added dowload in middle of night.
I would let admins get good sleep before trying again.

Regards,
Alan.

[binto100]

Bruce,

Quick Start:
Create a blank circuit.
Add a digital input.
Add an analog input component (represents your pot).
Set analog input's MinValue property to 0.
Set analog input's MaxValue property to 100 (led-64 brightness values are in range 0 -100)
Set analog input's UsesRatio property to false.
Add a connector component.
Add another 3 connector components, all in parallel.
To each connector add 8 digital outputs (these will represent your leds).
Set the the brightness property of each led to true.


Alan -

I both built the circuit and compared it to test; what fun! I'm excited to get the phidgets hooked up, learn how to assign and then watch the lights.

Q - why do the circuits start with a digital in? It seems like the start point would be the analog in (pot).

Thanks so much.

Bruce

[CocnutAir]

Bruce,

That digital input would never be assigned to a real device.
I do it out of habit to help debug circuits.
I will also sometimes add a text component as a circuit indicator (kinda like a ammeter or voltmeter), with no intention of assigning to TextLCD.
Of course, one day you may want to assign digital input to some variable to simulate a failure or to
a master switch, is really easy to add and subtract components.

Regards,
Alan

[CocnutAir]

Bruce,

Forgot to mention details of tweak.
When working with led-64, one ends up setting the Brightness property for lots of leds.
I found this got tedious after a while.
Fs2Phidget5 will now detect when you have changed the Brightess property of more than 3 components in a circuit and prompt if you want ALL leds set up the same way.
The Brightness property on Digital Output components is what makes component treat circuit value as an led-64 brightness setting.
This also comes is handy if you have an led that has two brightness states, like the engine anti-ice test and fuel low pressure indicators on B737 overhead.

Regards,
Alan

[binto100]

Alan -

I've been so busy with my platform project I have not gotten to the phidgets yet though I did receive the 8/8/8 and LED64 and will start tinkering one of these nights.

This weekend I closed in on making my working model a reality and hopefully I will have movement by next Saturday. Then I can start design and work on the actual high-powered simulator platform.

I want to say thanks for all your help; it will be invaluable once I start putting the pieces in place.

Regards,

Bruce

BTW - what is your day job if I might ask?

[CocnutAir]

Looks like you have a really cool project.
I am going to be on vacation starting later this week for a while.
Get to spend some time at home working on my sim.
I will be checking emails most evenings.
I work for a large aerospace corporation. IT.

[ke6jzs]

Hello from Barstow! I use the LED64 and have the brightness set to TRUE and have entered values in the "INTIAL VALUE", "TEXT" and other assorted parameters and can not change the brightness of my LEDS. Where do I enter the brightness value at?

Thanks!
Gary

[binto100]

Hello from Barstow! I use the LED64 and have the brightness set to TRUE and have entered values in the "INTIAL VALUE", "TEXT" and other assorted parameters and can not change the brightness of my LEDS. Where do I enter the brightness value at?

Thanks!
Gary

Gary -

I've still yet to set my system up so you may want to consider a new thread if Alan is not checking this one.

Bruce

[ke6jzs]

Very Bright light illuminates over head......

Ah! place an ANALOG INPUT directly in front of the LED-64 Digital Output, selected BRIGHTNESS - TRUE. Then MIN/MAX ANALOG INPUT to 0/100 then use ANALOG SLIDER to send brightness figure to LED-64 output.

Simple.....

Thanks to the forum - hunting and decypher the answers

[CocnutAir]

Gary,

What value is circuit supply to the digital output?
What is the value reading on the meter when you select the digital output?

Regards,
Alan

[CocnutAir]

Gary,
I was using software on my sim and picked up a bug.
Bug is that that program sometimes thinks a component belongs to another circuit.
May have bearing on your problem.
I am sending you updated 5.0.19
Try that and let me know if fix resolves problem.

Regards,
alan