A couple questions.

[P-40_Warhawk]

Hi i would like to build a homebuilt cockpet but i have some questions first.
1:wiring, if i have a lot of add on parts like throttles and pedels but onlyu have 2 USB ports how do i plug them all in?
2: REAL GAUGES, if i use real gauges from a real plane how do i get them to work? I thought attitude indicators used gravity to make them work.
3:gauges, how do i get individuel gauges to show up on the small tv screens in the panel?
4:BACKLIGHTING:how do i make the real gages backlighted?[for night flights]
5:5 views at once, how can i show 5 views at once? [one  in each side of a room.]
6:FMOD what is an fmod and how can i use it to filter out voices, engine noise or mechanicle noise into my cockpit? [voices in helmet, mechanicle noise and engine sounds in the cockpit and, engine VIBRATIONS into sonic transducers]
7:Is there software to help me with any of this?
8:movement systems, how can i make a moving platform for ultra realistic flight.
THANKS

[JBaymore]

Warhawk,

Hummm........ that's more than a couple of questions  ;).

Welcome to the "homebuild" forum.  Check out the other threads for a good starting point on background info.


I'll take on a few of your questions:

1.)  Wiring.  If you need more USB ports, you would buy a box that adds USB ports and plugs into one you have.  The best ones are powered ones.... they supply power from an external power source so that the main PC is not supplying all the power for all the devices.  You can find them with 7 or more ports.  I just got a Belkin on that cost me about $20 for 7 USB2 powered ports.


2.) Real gauges.   Some people do use them.  You need to have an interface card that takes the info from the sim and converts it to a signal that the real gauge can read.  Some people use a real gauge that reads something like vaccum (altimeter).....and then use a control voltage to control a vaccum source so that the gauge is really reading the pressure.  This can get complicated fast.

Far easier and more readily available are kits that LOOK like real gauges that are driven by surplus (cheap) servomotors.  These gauges are not cheap....cause you end up needing a lot of them.  A simple attitude indicator kit for a gauge like on a C172 (with servos) might run about $100 for the guauge.  But you also need the interface card (and software) that drives such gauges.  These interfaces that drive multiple gauges run anywhere from about $250 to over $1000 (EPIC card) depending on the sophistication you want/need.

Another approach here is to create a "glass cockpit".  See the other threads in this forum for info on that approach to instruments.  It is one of the cheaper ways to go.  That is the way a lot of my simpit will be set up.

Hopefully someone else will chime in here and pick up where I left off.

best,

.......................john

[KnightStryker]

Well looks like I will be the next to chime in.
Best advise I can give you is to read everything at every link in my post, including the ones added by others. Here is a link to that thread:
http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb/ ... 1067235193

There are litterally as many ways to make a simpit as there are dollars you can spend on one.

To pick up where John left off...
3. Check out project magenta, its for glass cockpits but is very good from what I hear.

4. If you are super rich and go for the real gauges you could always go for the real lights used with the original gauges  ;D. Of course you will soon find out that it is EXTREMELY expensive to go with real gauges and there are not alot of people that have experiance with useing them.

5. Get a professional simulator built for you, all the wiring is done for you, everything is totally setup for you. Of course we can put the full motion package on it for you sir, That will be $200,00.00US please (and that is just the deposit)

Seriously, I am not trying to steer you away from the simpit thing, just trying to warn you of the costs involved. I am also building a cockpit and have had to put mine on hold more than once because of money. If you can afford to go all out, by all means go for it. If not do it like the rest of us and look for the cheap and easy way of doing things while not sacrificeing too much in the functionallity and looks departments. Good luck and let us know when you find something good or need some help. Welcome to the dark side of our little hobby! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


Kevin