Twerpy Rotary Knobs

It's been a while, since I documented any progress here. 

Reasons are many.....had to go through shifting my home and family due to work.....waiting and testing the new release of TacPac....and so on.

Ever since I had started this project, I had known that getting the correct (shape, size and color) rotary knobs is going to be a problem. 

Right Console Panel of VRS F/A-18E Rhino

I knew I will have to address this issue with 'Hook' and 'Landing Gear' control lever's also. Shapes of certain other switches (landing light switch, jettison knobs e.t.c) are also different from the switches I have managed to purchase commercially. 

I could purchase these switches internationally, but decided to consider that as an option, only if nothing else worked out.

Over the past few months, I had considered learning how to mold plastic at home. After a lot of reading, I finally decided to try and carve myself some switches out of wood and experiment how that pans out. Will take a final call, after completing my experiments.

Over the last couple of weeks, purchased myself wood carving knife chisel set and a diamond needle files set for carving out some wood. Both the tools were purchased off ebay.

Wood Workers Tool Knife Chisel 12 Pc Set

Diamond Needle File Set

With the tools in place, I experimented with my first rotary knob. I chose a sample which was neither too easy, nor too hard.

The Rough Stock

The First Cut (is actually the deepest)

Piece is shaping up now

Filing the "Piece"

Almost Done

Painted and Finished

How it compares

It was a good weekend. Finally made (a little) progress.

The knob has come out quite okay, though it's still not finished to the way I would like to accomplish. But, this is the first time I have touched wood and tools to work on wood. For a first time attempt, I'm smiling :)

As I find some more time, I will practice with a few more pieces. 

The texture, weight and feel of wooden rotary knobs is just about right. They take a long time carving, but it's turning out to be very cheap product to make.  

Tripod's SuperScript Ver 2.00

Tripod has been burning a lot of midnight oil, just to get the SuperScript Ver 2.00 up and running. Ver 2.00 of the script is now 'event driven' and is supposedly more efficient script. 

Over the last couple of weeks, was beta testing a developmental script for Tripod. The script is appropriately called as 'SuperCartridge' is intended to add a 'Data Cartridge' functionality to the Super-Bug. Al Rosenberg, as always, is the technical expert on the correctness of scripts compliance with real world procedures. My job was primarily to test the script and just see if my computer doesn't blow up. The SuperCartridge is coming along very nicely, and when complete this is going to considerably add to the overall F/A-18E experience. 

 Yesterday night, Tripod sent me an advance copy of SuperScript Ver 2.00. Spent a large part of yesterday night looking at the documentation. This version provides a single point interface for both input and output functions. 

Even though, this was the first time, I was looking at the documentation Tripod has created, I instinctively knew, this script is a 'winner'. I knew, I'm going to use it for all my 'input' functions. I don't even feel the need to test it. Having looked at this documentation, I know it will work.

My only concern now remains, configuration of flight sim outputs, to drive my LEDs.

While Tripod's script also provides output functionality, but, it's primarily coded in LUA. I have already committed myself to using output boards from Phidget, and these boards do not directly interface with LUA. They do however interface with FSUIPC. 

Need to find a little more time, and learn how to mate Tripod's script with my boards using FSUIPC.

Touch Panels still "touchy"

Had a little time on my hand today, so tested out both my touch panels today. 

A detailed discussion on various causes of the malfunction is under progress on VRS forums. 

I thank Glenn "Tripod" for all the help, support and guidance. 

I also thank Al 'Otto' Rosenberg for his unsolicited offer of assistance. That was a very nice gesture from my FSX 'Guru'.

For the sake of brevity, I will cut the long story short.

Tripod was convinced that the problem on my 'test rig' is related to USB bus being underpowered. I tended to agree with him and have therefore already ordered a 'Belkin 7 port powered USB hub'.

Since, the powered USB hub will take a week to arrive, I decided to test out BOTH the touch panels simultaneously.

Connected my 21" monitor to the 3 X 23" monitor test rig, setup both the touch panels (one by one individually).
Windows detected both the panels, the controlling software also installed without any hitch.

Ran some tests on both the panels, including calibrating the panels (4 point calibration and 26 point linear calibration). All tests worked nicely. 

To rule out 'USB power issues', I ran the panels while connected to the USB port in front of the computer, then in the rear of computer and then also through a unpowered USB hub. They work quite fine when connected to any USB port.

For the sake of test, I then removed the extra 21" monitor. And as expected, the driver failed to initialize.

"Touched Panel"

Fixed the touch panel.

Tripod (from VRS Forums) provided me with extensive checklist to systematically debug this issue.

I chose the easiest and most likely problem resolution, and installed the 10.1" touch panel on my 15.1" monitor laptop (Dell XPS M1530).

The panel worked like a charm. I was able to calibrate the panel (4 point calibration and 25 point linear calibration) and it did everything that was advertised. The sensitivity of the panel is still a bit buggy, but that is something I will be able to tweak, as I dig deeper. 

Like I had originally suspected, the problem is most likely due to 'Virtual Display Adaptor' installed by Triple Head 2 Go for my 3 screen test setup. The virtual display adaptor combines the individual resolutions of all of my three monitors to provide one single monitor of 3 x 1920 x 1080 = 5670 x 1080 resolution. Most likely the driver for touch controller is not able to 'handle' such a large resolution and quits on me.

When I connect the other single monitors to my test setup, I am now confident that my touch panel should work. 

Thank you Tripod, for the leads you provided.

I'm happy that the panel now works.

On a secondary note, the vendor from whom I had purchased my multi-monitor stand, has fabricated a set of extension plates. Received those extension plates today. Will assemble the stand later in the day and test.

Adaptor for multi-monitor stand - for me to be able to accommodate 3 x 23" screens on the stand

"Touchy Panel"

8.1" Touch Panel (along with touch controller, extender patch cord and USB extender cord

Both my touch panels arrived a couple of days back. 

Luckily, both of them arrived in good shape this time (no chips, nicks, cracks or broken connectors this time). The package contained the driver CD also. 

Assembled them immediately and connected them to my test rig. For some reason, my Windows 7 (64 Bit) is not able to recognize the touch panel controller device. 

After extensive googling around for last two days, and not making any further headway, I have now requested folks at VRS forums for assistance. 

The panels came with drivers from EGalax (5000 series). These are the most popular generic touch panel drivers. Also tested them with newer Touch Kit drivers. But, the operating system still doesn't recognize my USB device.

My test rig is presently setup with 3 x 23" monitors (other monitors are removed for the time being). All three monitors are fed off a Triple Head 2 Go through DVI input/output. With each monitor setup at 1920 x 1080 resolution, I am setup for a total desktop area of 5760 x 1080 (on a single virtual display adaptor). 

I'm thinking, this extended display resolution is probably conflicting with the touch controller driver. 

Over the coming weeks, time is at a bit of premium. 

Need to find a way to get my panels to work!

Cockpit Templates

Took a lot of work to get the 'to scale' cockpit layouts printed out. 

The cockpit layout is available in the applicable extract of NATOPs manual for the Super Bug. If these drawings are blown up by 415%, one gets a scaled drawing of the cockpit layout. 

Thank you Mark 'Wood' Stinson for sharing the drawings.

The Console Panels

The Main Instrument Panels

(I have printed out two sets of each drawing. Just in case, one of them gets blown off)

Left & Right Coaming Panels

All of Them Together

Yay!

That is nice progress for today. I'm happy with the work. 

It wasn't easy getting a lab to be able to print out such large drawings, especially at where I'm staying right now.