MJOY 16 and Igor Plug Update

[AK Mongo]

Anyway, yes, thanks for the interest and as soon as we get a tiny bit further with the prototypes and software we will get a few more folks to help us test.

Buddy,
Not sure what I can do to help, but am willing to invest time, energy and a few dollars to help the cause if you need.

Is your eventual goal to sell these things? What are you looking at for price, or am I putting the cart before the horse?


BTW, if you want to read more about it just google igor plug usb
Thanks!

Buddy[/QUOTE]

[Buddym]

Hey Mongo,

Actually I would like to keep them from going commercial. In the first place the design and driver belong to Igor Cesko. He released his design as an Atmel design note, into the public domain. What I would prefer to do is have some PCBs made, program some microcontrollers, and let folks assemble them themselves. Of course for folks with no interest or skill in assembly wecould put them together for them, but the goal would be to make them available at true cost, with zero markup. The software to drive the cards I would like to keep open-source as well, but anyone can come up software of their own design and sell it to go with these cards if they like. I prefer open-source, like open cockpits started out, and still largely is. But if you are handy with an iron, or would like to document the project or write some code that would be awesome!

Buddy

[AK Mongo]

Hey Mongo,

Actually I would like to keep them from going commercial. In the first place the design and driver belong to Igor Cesko. He released his design as an Atmel design note, into the public domain. What I would prefer to do is have some PCBs made, program some microcontrollers, and let folks assemble them themselves. Of course for folks with no interest or skill in assembly wecould put them together for them, but the goal would be to make them available at true cost, with zero markup. The software to drive the cards I would like to keep open-source as well, but anyone can come up software of their own design and sell it to go with these cards if they like. I prefer open-source, like open cockpits started out, and still largely is. But if you are handy with an iron, or would like to document the project or write some code that would be awesome!

Buddy

Sounds like a neat plan. I am neither a skilled coder or handy with an iron. Might be whatever the exact opposite of those things are. Would be happy with helping to create documentation to help people understand how it all works if that is helpful, or any other help you may need.

Speaking personally, I would love to be able to purchase a card that makes it easy to interface 24 outputs.
A "Bodnar Light" if you will pardon the pun.

The DIY solution would be awfully daunting for me, although if I could help create "documentation for dummies" I would be happy to do so. If I could do it, it would prove anyone could!

[Buddym]

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Well like I said, it will be a quick task to put units together for people wo don't/can't do it themselves. Here's some pics of the prototype boards I put together. The small board is the Igor Plug and the larger unit is the MJOY 16. The Igor Plug has no I/O terminal blocks on it, but other than that you can see there's not much to it. Actuall, there's very little the MJOY either, it's mostly all in the software.

Buddy

[AK Mongo]

Shoot, that looks doable! Really excited now!

[Buddym]

Update on Igor Plug....

Ok, the final PCB layout went to proof today. I decided that the first rev will be called the IP-8, simple enuff. This will be the Igor Plug 8 output USB card. No pwer required, gives you 8 outputs and the ability to send TTL level (5VDC) RS-232 signals to a compatible device. The board is being made to accept the push-terminals like on the latest Bodnar boards for each output and 2 ground connections. The USB connector is a standard USB-B connector. They should be ready in about 2 weeks. Beta Testers standby!

Now a new question regarding software. Given that we all have such a wide array of cards that will allow us inputs, do we need to give the IP-8 the ability to accept a mix of inputs and outputs? I am sure that we can implement the software side of things to accomplish the task, but I just don't know if it's needed. Furthermore I don't wish the card to become bogged down by over-taxing the tiny little cpu.

Second new question.... is there any demand to couple this outputs card to an IOCP server? I don't see it, but I want to be sure the entire community has a chance to have input. If you are thinking "what do I care about a piddly little 8 outputs?", remember that upstream there are 24 and 196 output versions of this thing coming. Don't miss your chance to influence design early. Incedentally, regarding this little board only having 8 outputs, I know for some us with sims on a larger scale, 8 outputs mayseem a waste of an entire USB device address and hub slot. For those with smaller sims, like GA sims, it is prob no issue. So we will issue this card as-is and move on to the bigger, higher-channel count versions as quickly as possible.

Next question, Matt weigh in here please... Although Igor Plug and MJOY 16 are open source, and are not my designs, should we setup a website devoted to them, or simply setup a forum here to support them? Sort of like Jeehell has.. (awesome software I might add!) I think here is fine, but I don't want to step out of line and tax resources that aren't mine to tax.

FINAL QUESTION OF THE NIGHT>>> I develop a bunch of applications on another few hardware devices using TCP/IP and ethernet. Is there any interest in devoping boards similar to the IP-8 and the MJOY 16 based on ethernet rather than USB? Not instead of USB, but in addition to USB. I have a FCU module and a multi-display module that I built using a small ethernet-equipped controller that I love. It connects with an RJ45, uses DHCP, and can handle a BUNCH of tasks... I simply have it connected to a 4 line by 40 char VFD to display different things like FCU displays, radios, etc... The only thing that has to be configured is a single-line cfg file that has the IP address of a server, either FS host or wideclient capable. No hurry on this one since for the most part it's off-the-shelf hardware adapted to FS use. I just want to know where to direct myself after IP-8 and IP-24/IP-196 are done.

Many thanks to everyone who gives input, and to everyone that has offered to be part of the devlopment team on this. It's my first big team effort in a long time, outside of work that is.


Buddy

[AK Mongo]

Buddy,

My thought is that an easily implemented usb output board is a product that is not currently available. Inputs are available from a few different sources, and it would be difficult to really improve on what they offer. I may be suffering from a lack of vision, but I don't see the need for another input solution. Working on something that could handle outputs to leds (definitely), and servos (eventually) would be better imho.

Reid

[colt45]

Buddy,

I agree with AK but that is coming from a "what is lacking for my build" perspective. Bodnar's board is perfect for my build and my skills when it comes to this stuff. By the sound of it the Mjoy would be very similar from the input side of things. Something that could drive a few leds at this point in time is exactly what I'm looking for and I'm certain there are more than a few others building smaller GA pits that would agree.

Looking forward to additional updates on this and as per a previous offer if you find the team needs another beta tester please keep me in mind.

Cheers, Dave

[Buddym]

Ok, the IP-8 pcbs have been approved and are on order, they should be here in about 10 days. As soon as they arrive I will stuff 1 with parts and verify that it works. If all is good I will stuff a few more to send to the beta testers and the coders. The inital order is only for 20 boards so we'll have about 15 of them to sell once they are fully tested. Of course I wouldn't think anyone would buy one until there is software that makes it work! The price looks like it will be about $17 each plus shipping. Once the board arrives I will post some pics of the raw board, assembled board, etc. Physical dimensions are 3.7 inches x 2.6 inches. More to come...

Buddy

[AK Mongo]

Buddy,
if you have paypal, pm me your address and I will send you some ducats for one. You don't need to send it until you are happy with it,
but I don't want you to have to bear all the expense of r&d.