Open Cockpits Output Card

[Michael Carter]

I was looking at this card on their site and I checked the user manual, but no where does it say how to configure the card or what indicators to assign which functions without SIOC.

I don't want to do anything complicated with the card, just have it read common FS outputs for indicator using IOCP.

Does it do this automatically, and if so, how do I know which indicator to wire to which terminal?

The manual leaves a lot to be desired. Can anyone straighten me out on this?

[LH784]

Hi Mike,
I'm afraid it won't work without SIOC. You define which offsets are to be read and then which output should be addressed.
However, a lot can be done by "copy-paste" if you can adapt someone else's scripts. It takes quite a bit of reading and thinking at the beginning, but SIOC is very powerful and you can do quite some programming by trying to understand how other scripts work and then rewrite or transfer parts into your own scripts. That's actually what I do most of the time.
Also, there are some real specialists in this forum.
Greetings,
Florian

[XOrionFE]

Yes, it is very hard to get through their manuals and takes some patience but once setup it is pretty easy to adjust the code using sioc to do whatever you want. I havent used IOCP protocol though. I just use SIOC and FSUIPC offsets. Pretty easy to read an output from the offset then tell OC Outputs what to do with an indicator.

If you give us some of the things you are looking to output for we could probably write a little sample code for you. Once you get used to it it is pretty easy to pickup. I am sure you would get a lot of help from here.

Right now I am using the outputs board to light my landing gear indicators (both green and red leds). The code I robbed for this even applies delays to lighting each led green when locking the gear in position to give a more true to life effect. Red is transition of course. I also use the OC board to light each button on my MCP panel when I activate.

Anyway, I am by no means an expert yet with SIOC but with others help here (Ken and Nico for instance) you cant go wrong.

Regards,
Scott

[kiek]

I was looking at this card on their site and I checked the user manual, but no where does it say how to configure the card or what indicators to assign which functions without SIOC.

I don't want to do anything complicated with the card, just have it read common FS outputs for indicator using IOCP.

Does it do this automatically, and if so, how do I know which indicator to wire to which terminal?

The manual leaves a lot to be desired. Can anyone straighten me out on this?

Hi,

I should not use IOCP vars, but FSUIPC offsets. Reading in SIOC from such an offset and using its value to control a led is very easy. It goes like this:

http://www.lekseecon.nl/howto.html#readFSUIPC

If you want to use the USB Outputs card you only have to add a Device attribute to the output var declaration indicating the logical number of your USB outputs card. So the Var 2 definition of my example becomes:

Var 2 Link IOCARD_OUT Device 1 Output 91

and in sioc.ini you link this device 1 to the real USB number of your outputs card (in the MASTERS section). You can find that number in the main screen of SIOC (top right).

Very easy, piece of cake, ....

nico kaan
www.lekseecon.nl

[Michael Carter]

Thanks for the answers guys. I'll have to give this further thought. I was hoping that I could find an output card that I could assign outputs to using a drop down menu similar to FSUIPC for inputs, rather than have to program it.

With my programming skills it could be months before I have it working.

[dnoize]

Flightdecktechnology cards have that...but those are quite expensive...

good thing is you can buy then according to your needs: 64 outputs, 96 outputs or 128 outputs, 7 seg displays.

You can allways upgrade at a later stage by buying a new firmware.

many functions in drop down menu's, for: default fs9 offsets, level-d, project magenta, ast.

Its possible to define your own functions but thats a bit harder.

Check with them if the function you need is available in the default drop down lists.

www.simboards.com

Stef

[LH784]

Hi Michael,
I tried the DF727 with my OC output card. I used a script I had received from Jose ("cockpitzone" web page, thanks Jose for sending me that script).
The Markers can definitely be read by FSUIPC.
Unfortunately I also found out, that (at least my) the Marker bulbs from my MIP are not 28V but rather 5 or 12 V (I sacrificed 3 bulbs until I knew what was going on). So, if you plan to use that system, these bulbs (other than those from my overhead or TQ) keep that in mind - the bulbs look alike until their final glow...I have replaced them by 28 V bulbs and now everything is fine. However, I think I might change all of my 28V bulbs for 5 or 12 V bulbs and "downgrade" my 24V to a 5 V system. The bulbs fit into the panels and the PTT function still remains functional, but I guess, they will use less electric power.
So, OC output cards will work with FSUIPC and DF727, at least for the markers.
Florian

[Michael Carter]

Thanks for that info. Have you done any other experimentation with other common FS indicator outputs?

Does anyone have list of common FS indicator outputs?

I checked the bulbs in the marker lamps. Mine all seem to be 28VDC. I checked a second dismantled set and they too all have the 28VDC bulbs. My panel was as-removed, so it may have not been tinkered with.

I'd have to check the manuals to find out where the power comes from to light these indicators, but I think it's from the essential 28VDC radio buss.

Open Cockpits sounds like the card I'll eventually buy. I can't justify the cost of the FDT cards for the amount of functionality I'm limited to. And the shipping is outrageous too. I'll just have to muddle my way through the SIOC programming and do the best I can.