#2871129 - 10/01/09 05:20 PM
Re: . New Simpit build
[Re: MudPuppy]
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 792
PropNut
Member
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Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 792
Greenville, Michigan
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I had no problem at all with the discussion on transducers, I found it helpful.
As a matter of fact, if anyone wants to discuss simpit related issues here I would be happy, as they often help me decide on how to do my own pit.
Nothing really to update yet, the new button layout on the dash is working very well. I used plexi as button panels with printed labels (white text with a black background)behind, and cutouts in the plywood to mount the panels. I then mounted blue cathode light bars under the hood. The blue ligh shines through the white text extremely well, giving my gauges and button panels excellent backlighting. I did, however, screw up a bit and had to redrill my holes a bit bigger, this resulted in blowouts in the plexi in several places (this is why there are no pictures yet) but I made several spares (just in case) and will, hopefully, have them replaced this weekend. I will then post pictures (when they are all purdied up);) I am also waiting on my extra toggles (momentary) and green buttons to arrive (and a Rotary switch!!...er....no idea what I am going to use this for but I wanted one, lol).
David
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#2873823 - 10/05/09 09:09 PM
Re: . New Simpit build
[Re: PropNut]
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 792
PropNut
Member
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Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 792
Greenville, Michigan
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Updates updates updates: The new instrument panel looks pretty good so far, with that in mind, in a few months I am going to trash it. Yep, trash it. As soon as I know what buttons I use often in Il-2 (which should coorespond with pretty much any WWII sim) I am going to redo the button layout for a more ergonomic layout. I really like the backlit panels while I am flying (I can see what I am pushing!! lol) Here are a couple of views of the backlighting in action; As you can see, the pit still needs a lot of work, side panels to complete (One will be filled with the landing gear controls, tail hook, wing fold, etc) the other will be for comms (eventually). You might notice many empty holes...yep...40 buttons was not enough I need another BU836X...I also want to add three trims, a pushpull engine mixture assemble and another pushpull for a radiator control..thats...let me see....carry the one, subtract 9, put it in a bag and shake it up....5 more axis!!! And me with only one left clear on the BU836X that I have now On to more good stuff! The Gunsight I wanted something to hide the webcam that I use with FreeTrack so I built a fake reflector sight. What do you think? The round window in the front allows the webcam a view of my pretty head (my wife says it is pretty!) I thought about putting an LED inside that shines up through another peice of plexi that has a bullseye painted on it (so it would reflect off the upper plexi) but I got to thinking that it would be awefully annoying after a while (not to mention giving me headaches). Here is a picture of a real one to compare...yep, mine looks fake..but that was the point Also, you might have noticed that the hood is installed, this is so the bright blue lights mounted in the engine compartment for the backlighting doesnt interupt my view (I am delicate). Well, that is all for now, stay tuned to this same Bat Channel at the same Bat Time for further episodes of BatShine! David
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#2875868 - 10/08/09 07:01 PM
Re: . New Simpit build
[Re: PropNut]
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,353
HitchHikingFlatlander
Senior Member
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Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,353
California
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Thats a bad@ss idea with the camera you came up with there. Might have to imitate that one in my build. My TrackIR camera is mounted on a big pc. of square tubing thats clamped to my mini pit. Sticks up and blocks my projector screen, but not that big a deal!
I've got a bad feeling about this.....
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#2875876 - 10/08/09 07:13 PM
Re: . New Simpit build
[Re: HitchHikingFlatlander]
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 792
PropNut
Member
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Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 792
Greenville, Michigan
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Thanks HHF, your thread on hacking the Saitek Aviator helped alot with my simpit build. You might use plastic rain gutter parts to build a housing for the TrackIR. I just ordered the TrackIR bundled with Arma2 (I thought, for 109.99 why not get the TrackIR 5?, Track IR 5 and Arma2 159.99 at gogamer.com. I was going to purchase Arma2 for 50.00 anyway).
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#2876418 - 10/09/09 02:18 PM
Re: . New Simpit build
[Re: PropNut]
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,221
f15sim
More projects than sense!
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More projects than sense!
Member
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,221
Graham, WA
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PropNut, if you want to solve your light switch problem, you can always install an X-10 module at the switch and then use a remote control to turn it off. What's with the new "WH_" prefix on your nick? g.
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#2876443 - 10/09/09 02:39 PM
Re: . New Simpit build
[Re: MudPuppy]
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 792
PropNut
Member
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Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 792
Greenville, Michigan
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Gene, I was going for a low-tech solution By the way, I found a great group of guys to fly/fight with. War-Hawks.net, they have scheduled campaign based coop missions in Rise of Flight, Il-2 (not so often), DCS-Blackshark, and Arma2. Heavy use of Teamspeak is the norm (which means we sit around shooting the breeze more often than playing, but it is fun none the less). Great bunch of guys and fun to talk to. Derek, as always, thanks for participating. I am pretty happy with the reflector sight solution to the camera issue. The only downside is that the plexi 'sight' is a bit annoying when I have to actually look through it during manouvers, lol. I cannot move it down as it would then be in the way of a gauge. As far as in-doors v. out-doors...I have been obsessing so much on the pit that I have not been doing any outdoor activities so I missed the wonderful fall that we had (gone now with cold, wet weather). Oh well, that is what spring is for
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#2876518 - 10/09/09 03:58 PM
Re: . New Simpit build
[Re: f15sim]
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 792
PropNut
Member
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Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 792
Greenville, Michigan
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Update: I purchased TrackIR5 because it was bundled with Arma2 (which I was going to pay 50.00 for anyway)for 159.99 from GoGamer.com. I can now say without reservations; that if it was not for the fact that Arma2 (and a couple of other high end sims) only supports TrackIR for headtracking, TrackIR would NOT be worth the money compared to Freetrack (which I also use). This is such a huge dissapointment, I just played several rounds of Rise of Flight and Il-2, and in both I could see little to no difference (I actually think my Freetrack system is slightly better than TrackIR in Rise of Flight but that might be due to the tweaking that I have done to Freetrack). Freetrack will stay in my simpit unless future games absolutely will not support it, and the TrackIR will be on my desktop for Arma2. What a waste of money....sheesh.
Ok, rant over.
Last edited by WH_PropNut; 10/09/09 03:59 PM.
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#2917592 - 12/10/09 09:40 PM
Re: . New Simpit build
[Re: PropNut]
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,353
HitchHikingFlatlander
Senior Member
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Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,353
California
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Bet your loving the higher res on the new proj. mine maxs out at 1024x768 and I'm looking to upgrade myself, more for movies than anything though. Great to hear your moving along!
I've got a bad feeling about this.....
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#2937970 - 01/12/10 03:26 PM
Re: . New Simpit build
[Re: PropNut]
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 792
PropNut
Member
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Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 792
Greenville, Michigan
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Added another lever quadrant yesterday, for the radiator and mixture settings. I used the second throttle port and the unused port on the bodnar unit, this used up all eight axis. I still need three axis for trims...not sure I can find a reason to pay 81.00 for another bodnar unit for to only use three axis..might be better to just use the Saitek Aviator guts that I have in a drawer, they do not work as well (or as easy) but it should be fine for trims and my second throttle. I need to post pictures of the second lever unit. I used rubber O-rings and made grooved cogs out of a garolite type material that I have in a 6'x4' sheet. They attatched to the levers and the pots, the pots a mounted below the levers. The system works very well, and mades for a small footprint unit. Right now I am having PC issues, either my PSU is too small (could very well be true with the amp draw that I am asking a 480w unit to do) or my CPU is overheating due to poor ventilation. Several times my PC has simlpy turned off (no warning) during Rise of Flight. It could be the GPU pulling huge amounts of wattage when the graphics get intense or it could be the CPU overheating because of the same issue. I have CoreTemp running (and logging) and will attempt to replicate the problem. The log will from Coretemp (and another from RivaTuner for the GPU) will tell me if it is a heat issue. I have a new Dell 750w PSU from Ebay (16.00) but it needs to be adapted for use in a non dell motherboard. MORE TO PLAY WITH!!!
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Exodus
by RedOneAlpha. 04/18/24 05:46 PM
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