How does the Opencockpits FMC V3 work

[StephenBalmer]

Hi folks,

Please forgive my rather simplistic question, but just trying to get a handle on this FMC unit to allow me to decide heather to go the OC route or the engravity route.

I know the OC units require a PC to drive them but when buying a pair ten the figures fall in favour of the OC direction.

However, I do need to understand how the new OC works.

As far as I can see, there is a power input and a VGA connection per unit. I am assuming that I can drive both visually from one PC? There is also a USB connector which allows the interface of h FMC with my Prosim737 software. Do I need any other software or programming knowledge, or is it as straightforward as I am hoping?

Many thanks for any guidance,

Steve.

[hirail22]

Hi, you will have to wrap your head around their software sioc, or as someone on another forum described it as (self inflicted overwhelming complexity) they may be cheaper, but from personal experience, unless you are a programming whiz, it's very hard to get anything from open cockpits to work. After months of trying,I gave up and went the cp flight/ engravity route, others recommend fds products as well, easier to set up, you won't be sorry either one you choose, it's the old story, the cheapest isn't always the best option,
regards, steve

[StephenBalmer]

Thanks Hirail, This seems to be the common consensus on the OC gear.

Steve

[jonesthesoftware]

Hi Guys
I have to disagree completely with the comments about SIOC. All hardware/software combinations from all suppliers require you to configure your own switches/leds/displays and a certain knowledge of software and how to configure it is required. SIOC is actually one of the easier to use. Unfortunately the translated manual from Open Cockpits I have to admit are very poor, but take a little time to learn SIOC and you will understand how it can give you excellent control over all aspects of the Open Cockpit hardware. I have been amused by the lengthy posts of people using the arduino and yards and yards of software code just to get an encoder and 7seg display working, with SIOC it's about 6 lines of code.If you use the OC hardware throughout you get good quality kit at fair prices and all integrated and easy to setup and use
Check out Nico Kaan's website although it's for LevelD767 and Lekseecon you can get a lot of tips for SIOC there.
Steve you connect the USB and the VGA connection to your FS PC.The FMC screen becomes just like any other attached VGA screen configured via windows.
regards
geoff

[kiek]

SIOC of Opencockpits Tutorial (http://www.lekseecon.nl/sioc.html) and How to program in SIOC, many basic examples (http://www.lekseecon.nl/howto.html)

:-)
Nico

[fordgt40]

Geoff

Well said. SIOC coding is compact, logical and very rewarding. Yes, you need to be disciplined and carefully read all the docs, but it is powerful when linked to OC hardware.

David

[tennyson57]

Steve,
To get back to the original question, I have bought one of the new CDU's from OC Version 3.0.
Like you, I've not had much to do with SIOC and have had many people say "sell all your OC stuff and buy this brand and that brand".

Well, the unit itself is beautifully made and looks as good as the original Gen 1 FDS units it will replace. I'm still getting to terms with SIOC, but so far, it worked straight out of the box and the dimmer is superb.

For the money, it can't be beat as it is a professional looking unit, built for cockpit builders and so long as you have a small amount of perserverance, I think that this unit can be used with most cockpit software such as ProSim, Sim A, PM, etc.

I was so impressed that I bought the second one the other day and am just waiting for it to be shipped to me now.

Make up your own mind, but I am very satisfied with the decision I made,


Frank

[OmniAtlas]

Hi Frank, how does the opencockpit fmc v3 compare to the new cdu fds just brought out? I haven't seen many reviews, but for half the price of the Fds cdu I am debating gettin one

[tennyson57]

Mate, I have them both mounted in my CDU bay now and they look great. The SIOC thing was relatively easy once you get the hang of it.
Been testing them for about a week and they are faultless.

6943

They are nicely made and I doubt that a $1000 unit could be made any better. That $1000 can now go to the radio bay, so thanx OC, good job...



Frank Cooper

[OmniAtlas]

Very nice -- do they feel very plastic (I know the FDS one is made out of metal) or is this something you do not notice?

Is setting it up with FSX painless? I hope to use it with the PMDG 737, and later on down the line prosim737.

Frank, do you know Gordon? We should try and get a Brisbane meetup going some time.

Ben

[tennyson57]

No, it feels just as good as my first gen FDS ones, very solid. Very nice tactile feel to the buttons and a nice dimmer control on the CDU, too, that actaually works perfectly.

There's a little more set-up for PMDG (I believe), but if you go on the forum there, people have already done it, so you can get the SIOC scripts from them.
I think that guy Roar Kristensen (hope I spelt his name right) is a legend when it comes to that stuff.

And getting together sounds great, mate. I'd be interested, that's for sure.



Frank Cooper

[tennyson57]

The fact is, the keys have a nice tactile feel and the dimmer knob is a nice inclusion and works well. SIOC isn't hard to get your head around and there are heaps of people, some right here on this forum, that can help you with the set-up.

Also the guys over at the PMDG forum can help setting it up with that aircraft as well.


Frank Cooper

[_andreas_]

I've got the OpenCockpits FMC v3 and I also think it's great. I use it with the PMDG 737 NGX and I wrote my own standalone driver (no SIOC or anything else required). More information is here (http://forum.avsim.net/topic/380505-hardware-cdu-compatible-with-the-ngx-tips-wanted/), the post that is currently the last one contains information about beta testing. The driver will bee freely available when beta testing is done.

Support for any other aircraft that has an SDK (e.g. the iFly 737) could probably be added pretty easily but this hasn't been done as I currently only use the NGX.

[OmniAtlas]

Hey guys, thanks for the response -- I will definitely look into purchasing the FMC now. One question -- I've heard how terrible the SIOC scripts are -- when it comes to intergrating with prosim737 -- is that possible at this stage? Or will I have to write my own scripts?

[OmniAtlas]

And one other question -- is it even remotely possible to power down/power up the FMC with software? Or does it have to be done with the button at the back? Thanks.

[tennyson57]

Once you set up the SIOC script, it's done, no more mucking around.

As far as starting it, I would still make access to the back of the units, but once they are turned on, next time just power up and they come on, just like other monitors.
That's what happens with mine, anyway.


Frank Cooper

[nolatron]

I see the O/C site list the size as Size : 150x225x65 mm.

But if you were to panel mount it, how big of an opening to do you need to fit the unit in?

[bussgarfield]

Hi
A quick question for Andreas if I can hijack this thread briefly. I have the previous version of the OC CDU/FMC and was wondering if your new standalone driver would work with this one as well for the NGX?

Gary

[tiburon]

I see the O/C site list the size as Size : 150x225x65 mm.

But if you were to panel mount it, how big of an opening to do you need to fit the unit in?

Only a few millimeters less actually since the front panel is only one or two mm bigger than the inner part of the CDU.
I have been pondering this myself and I think the best way is to make a few brackets on which the CDU rests.
Does that make sense ?

Martin

[tennyson57]

I actually just swapped one unit for the other.

The basic CDU unit seems to be a set size, so it fitted straight into my CDU bay without much effort or change.

I did change the underlying brackets that hold it up in the bay, but that didn't take much. Again, top marks to OC for their layout as the cables and fittings all fitted neatly in the bay, along with the power supply.


Frank Cooper

[OmniAtlas]

Will this fit the FDS cdu stand? They manufacture it on a 1:1 scale so it shouldn't be any problem?

[tennyson57]

I can't say, mate.

I made my own cdu bay, but I'm pretty sure that if the FDS units fit, then so will the OC ones.

Actually, I just measured my FDS cdu's against the OC ones and the width is the same but the FDS units are about 5mm longer than the OC ones.
Rememeber that my FDS cdu's are generation 1, so not sure if the later models are the same size.

6973


6974

Frank Cooper

[OmniAtlas]

Thanks Frank, I am sure if it is similarly sized to the real thing it should fit - fds should also be accurate with the measurements. What are you doing with the fds gen 1 fmc?

[tennyson57]

I'm going to sell them. I might have a buyer in the states, but if that falls throo, then I'll advertise them here. I am selling them with all of the hardware and software, and the 2 x nvidia (brand new) video cards for 500 bucks.

Will let you know what happens.


Frank

[OmniAtlas]

Let me know frank, I might be interested (and a local buyer). Thanks.

[OmniAtlas]

Hey Frank, I was just looking at the OC CDU and the FDS Bay --

http://www.opencockpits.com/catalog/images/f4.jpg
http://www.flightdecksolutions.com/_assets/images/products/617-large.jpg

Does it slot in or are you suppose to screw the DZUS into the edges? The FDS CDU is pretty thin in comparison.

http://www.flightdecksolutions.com/_assets/images/products/more/112-large.jpg

[tennyson57]

I can't answer you on this one, mate. I built my own cdu bay. All I did when I took out the old cdu's was to add a set of rails on the sides and the cdu's sit in there.
They aren't even screwed in, really. The thing is never going to move and they are a nice, tight fit anyway. I did, however make it look nice with replica dzus holders and screws in the appropriate holes, but they are just for looks....haha.


Frank Cooper

[john van berkel]

I need some information about open cockpits and nico you are the one that know a lot about it ?

[fordgt40]

It would help if you said what information you needed :)

[birdyguy]

What an interesting thread. I must give the OC CDU V 3 a look, Never noticed it before, Great price as well. Glad this was brought up.


Ed

[OmniAtlas]

Frank put up a good tutorial on setting up the OC cdu on his YouTube channel.
Ace material.

[speedbird772]

Frank put up a good tutorial on setting up the OC cdu on his YouTube channel.
Ace material.
I have watched this tutorial, yes we'll done Frank. however I have tried to connect my newly purchased Fmc v3 from OC and have had no joy. I am getting the green ok button, using correct address for prosim cdu but buttons not working. Does anyone have any ideas.
I think I will sell this Fmc and get an engravity at the extra dollars.
Trevor
Gold coast
Australia

[Seaiii]

Hi guys,
I too have recently purchased the OC v3 CDU. I am extremely satisfied with the quality and price. I do not by any means have my head wrapped around SIOC yet but looking at examples from Nico's tutorials and many scripts offered in the forums, I have been able to set up all my hardware so far. In fact, for the default FSX 737, using SIOC I have even been able to create scripts with logic that replicates the real 737NG which I have about 2500 hours flying in real life. That helps to know how the systems really function. It is not too complicated once you have a basic understanding of it, you can do quite a bit. But back to the FMS/CDU, I have got it to work right out of the box with PMDG NGX with the help of the downloadable script/drivers offered by OC. Roar has created drivers that will connect the unit to many flight models to make for easy installation. With that said, I do still have one issue I am trying to figure out with my CDU. Every time I press a key on it a double character is displayed on the screen. I am not sure if this has something to do with the script or the PMDG flight model integration. Has anyone else seen this and or know of a way to straighten it out?
Thanks for any help you can give me.
GReg