FDS-SYS4 and Annunciators

[docmeister]

First off let me tell you that the service from Flight Deck Solutions is top notch and an absolute pleasure to deal will (but I think you may of already heard this before).

Anyways I have recently received my FDS-SYS4 board and annunciator kit (oh that's alot of soldering ahead of me) and I'm not too sure the correct way to set this up. I was originally under the impression that the annunciators are connected to the SYS board via the switches, that's the reason I bought DPDT switches. Now that I have looked at the program for the SYS board, I am getting the impression that once the board is programmed to what the switches and annunciators do, once you flick the switch , the board tell which annunciator to illuminate. Am I right or not, I just wish I could find a decent picture of the back of a overhead panel (anybody got one??)

If you have a solution to my prediciment that would be fantastic. Oh well I guess I had better start soldering.

Cheers

Chris

[Melnato]

Hi Chris,

Congrats on receiving your SYS-4 Board and Annunciators.

I think you may be over-complicating the boards features. Its actually VERY easy to set-up, there are also
predefined XML files you can import directly to define your switches and annunciators, so you dont need
any programming skills at all.

You dont need switches to wired directly to the Annunciator to make them work (if thats what you mean)
All your annunciators are wired directly (via the black/white connector) directly to the OUTPUT section of the Board.
The switches are also wired directly to the INPUT section of the board.
I wont go into a whole tutorial on-line, but can I direct you to the FDS Forums. There is a whole dedicated Interface IT sub-forum,
Manual and lots of users to help.

You can PM me on Nat AT Flightdecksolutions DOT com also

Cheers,

Nat

[Jetcos]

Hi Chris,

have to agree with Nat. head over to the FDS InterfaceIT part of the Forum. There are 313 Topics and over 1765 posts covering InterfaceIT with lots of advice.

What software are you running? This is important as well. There several ways to program or interface the hardware with the software. Offsets and even Internal Variables.

See you in the FDS Forum...

Remember to have fun building and flying!


Steve Cos

Technical Support and Special Projects Manager

Flightdeck Solutions
Phone: 905-830-1196
E-mail: scos@flightdecksolutions.com

[docmeister]

Thanks both for your advice, I now have a lot of reading ahead of me.

I did start looking through the dim/bright function and I see alot if information there. The one thing I did notice was the wiring used on the annunciators looking at this post http://gdrgolf.dyndns.org:8081/Docs/FDS_ANNUNS_V2_PCB.pdf seems different to what I have, looking at page 3 it shows position
4=STD
3=GND
2=not used
1=GND for a standard set up.

The plug/wiring I have is
4=no wire (I think this is so I can daisy chain the annunciators)
3=Black wire
2= White wire
1=Black wire.

Have I confused you yet ? :)
Now I have hooked one of these plugs up 3=GND 2=STD 1=GND and it seems to work in the standard mode.

Anyways I guess if it works there should be no problem, right? do I need to change anything

Cheers

Chris