Category: Cockpit sections

BU0836X – Joystick Controller

Today i received the  ordered Joystick controller BU0836X from Leo.

It’s a simple USB connected controller, where you can connect up to 32 buttons / switches, etc.
USB Joystick controller

Hopefully the order from Opencockpits will also arrive soon, so i can start connecting the switches to the controller.

Status report

I have now the full test setup working. Programmed all in SIOC and using FSUIPC macros.

  • Ground Power
  • Generator 1 & 2
  • Engine Valve 1
  • Engine Low Pressure 1 & 2
  • Wing Antiice
  • Engine Antiice
  • Ram Door 1&2 (depending if we are on ground or in the air)
  • Window Heat (1st part)

The following is missing:

  • APU Availble light – done
  • APU Maint. light – done

But hopefully this isn’t a big issue. (<– it wasn’t 😉 )

The next steps i will continue when the delivery from Opencockpits was made. The are waiting for some engraved LED caps. If they are here i will start to manage the FUEL section.

SIOC Programming

Yesterday i spent 4 hours (including 1,5 with my wife, thanks alot:-) )to get the following running:

If Aircraft on ground and Engine is running, than one LED should go on.
If the Engines are off the LED should be off.

If the Aircraft is in the Air, the LED should be off, except if the Flapstatus is >0 than the led should be again on.

But we were not able to get this working. Hopfully someone in the OC Forum can help us… I will post the results here.

Building a test setup

Yesterday i built a test setup with some LEDs (see picture) to start the logic programming of the PMDG Overhead.

The following FSUIPC offsets will be used to control the status:

  • ENG 1 & Eng 2 shutdown / running
  • Parking brake on/off
  • Oil pressure Eng1 & Eng 2
  • Flap status
  • Aircraft on groung / in the air

Next step:

  • Take the test setup active. The Power Supply will be an ATX Computer Power Supply
  • Programming the first scripts

Starting the project

I decided to use an overhead panel from Opencockpits and FSUIPC macros to manage the clicks on the overhead from the PMDG. I was inspired to go to this direction from the fascinating website from Ian, he described all the functions and the use of the FSUIPC macros on his website.

To turn LEDs on and off i will user the Output card from Opencockpits. The card is programmed using the software SIOC. I tested the last weeks some scripts to manage the status of the FSUIPC offsets. When i got this working i knew, there must be an overhead in my room 😉

The final decision was made by a posting of Pete Dowson, programmer of FSUIPC.

You can edit the FSUIPC INI file and put almost any number of actions on the same button. It can’t be done only from the options tab, so what you do is:

1. program the first function (your mouse macro)
2. ok out of the FSUIPC options
3. find the button entry in the INI file (e.g. some line number=P joystick number, button number, …), and put a “;” in front of the line to keep it but temporarily make it non-effective,
4. back in the options, program the second action, the one to set a bit in an offset
5. ok out of the options again
6. find the new line for that button, and renumber the line so it doesn’t clash with the other (or any others),
7. remove the ; from the front of the previous line, so making both active together
8. back in the options, press the “reload all buttons” button .. and you are done!

So i started the Overhead project.

Building a 737-800 Homecockpit [OE-LNJ]