Simpits

[bitter dirge]

Nice! Did you code that yourself? I’m assuming it’s Arduino based? Frame rate isn’t great, but that’s usually the limitation of Arduinos.
You sharing the code for it?

[soft bluff]

Aha perhaps you haven't been around in the OH channels recently.
It's a full working MOD for the OH gauges that I've been making for the past month. It uses 10 ESP32 displays with built-in board. And it's also most reaching initial release phase.

The renderings are based on other awesome people's code. But what I changed is:

• Use ESP-NOW wireless. I connect all the displays with external 3.3V or 5V power. No need to connect to the PC with USB cable!
• They don't need to join you WiFi network.
• A hub (also ESP32 board) talks to DCS-BIOS and multicasts custom messages to these displays.

For the SARI, was able to make it run at 20FPS (tweak from about 10FPS), and finally about 15FPS. Which looks smooth for my listed test.

https://github.com/ashchan/hornet-esp32-gauges

BTW these 10 Displays include the IFEI panel display.

Looking like this

Based on my C172 cockpit experience I really hate motor/stepper so I wanted this approach.

Much easier for me to challenge software/rendering performance than physical motors lol

Frame rate isn’t great
It's a 2.8" 480x480 display with ESP32. Pushing the pitch/roll 'BALL' is very cost. Making 15-20 FPS is what I can do for now. Such board and display can't really often go above 20 with full screen refresh.

[bitter dirge]

Nice one! No I haven’t followed it recently. Looks good! Wireless is very useful, especially when most of if is controlled outside the pc.
Did you create the graphics yourself based on the hornet specs or did you reuse eg Helios images?

[soft bluff]

Except foe the sari most are close to Hornet spec. But as said I used a lot of other people’s code and assets.

[bitter dirge]

I recently spotted someone creating working displays for large scale rc jets. They use parametric data from onboard systems (mostly the gyro). I was thinking of doing something similar but then use dcs bios outputs

[soft bluff]

Good thing is this can apply to your f16 pit as well. It’s not close coupled to the hornet. The hub can be changed to other aircraft mapping. The displays are simply receiving data and doing the single responsibility of drawing something.

Oh that’s interesting. Some of these round displays have gyro chips. I did some research but don’t take time to actually try that.

[bitter dirge]

Nice 👌🏻 I’ll have a look at your GitHub page

[dry vault]

For Helios, gauge smoothness was a problem I had for a long time until I told Windows to run it off of my CPUs integrated graphics, because of the way processing scheduling is handled by most cards Helios gets wildly deprioritized and will end up lagging a lot but can be offset to an IGPU for perfect frames purely with software

(not entirely sure if this directly applies to your own project but I saw you mentioned Helios with the SARI in general and didn't know if you were using it here)

[soft bluff]

That's great tip!
I'm not using helios but render the SARI purely with Arduino on an ESP display. But the offloading CPU tip works for many things.👍

[dry vault]

Ah, gotcha, anything Arduino is well beyond me but it sounds like it's a pretty elegant solution!

[soft bluff]

it is since ESP has WiFi connectivity between these devices without AP or Router. That's super handy for pit building.

[soft bluff]

Almost have a working pit. See if I can fly it in Feb.

[ocean forum]

Epic stuff! Open Hornet + WinWing UFC and MFDs?

[soft bluff]

yes a trimmed Open Hornet. The WW UFC/MDF design is also from OH by some awesome member's mod contribution

[soft bluff]

silver handles or black, it is a question

[thorn cape]

Black.

[soft bluff]

That’s the way

[sullen mantle]

For authenticity, paint it black and then rub off or chip off most of the paint.

[soft bluff]

My lazy paint (I'm always doing quick and dirt) would aways have that kind of real feeling after a while.

Because I don't paint many coats lol

gonna mount it today and the mirror decal comes this afternoon

[past spindle]

These simpits are amazing

[soft bluff]

We're living in a great era. There are just so many open source great projects to follow.

[soft bluff]

Started designing my C172 rebuild

[teal cloak]

Nice ns430

[soft bluff]

And of course 530

[past spindle]

About to mount the left panel soon

[soft bluff]

Cool. You're definitely making good use of the A1.

[past spindle]

Yessir

That’s all I got it for @soft bluff

[soft bluff]

It’s a great printer

[soft bluff]

Resumed progress after two months

[clear sorrel]

Looks good! I take it you're aiming for something pretty model specific here?

[soft bluff]

A self design compact Cessna 172. I used to build a 1:1 steam version cockpit but felt my office is too small to fit two simpits

The old build

That was actually V2 with the right part cut

[clear sorrel]

Really nice job! How are you doing the instruments? One screen behind holes, or individual instrument screens?

[clear sorrel]

This looks like you are somehow using actual analog instruments! Really nice work

[soft bluff]

First version is analog instruments but there were a lot troubles.

If you fly different aircraft in msfs it easily messes up with the zero position. So currently migrating to what you described: two displays for the main instruments, another two smaller ones for GNS 530 and 430.

[clear sorrel]

That's impressive! How did you run the gyro instruments?

[soft bluff]

It was just two axis and you move them based on mobiflight data (from msfs)

[clear sorrel]

So no actually spinning gyro? Interesting

[soft bluff]

Yes basically a ball/glove that can rotate left/right and move up/down

Now there design is just “holes” with encoders and buttons covering a few displays

[clear sorrel]

I imagine this is also a little easier in that you don't need to figure out how to sync physical instruments to the sim counterparts. Can I ask, why specific to the 172S? I feel like you could add a prop knob and easily allow this to work for most single engine GA aircraft.

[soft bluff]

Generics design is more difficult, but to do that perhaps just put two big screens and render everything 😵

I have an Open Hornet F18 simpit too. Fly time is very limited. Building the physical thing has been a very enjoyable and rewarding experience.

[clear sorrel]

Fair point. I envy how much space you must have. I've got a sim pit for racing, and one for flying. My office is cramped with all that

[soft bluff]

Right. And image how small a Japanese room is lol

[clear sorrel]

You've got all this... in Japan?

[soft bluff]

Sure

[soft bluff]

PWR ON

[clear sorrel]

That looks great!

[sullen mantle]

Now all you need is a refueling ladder.

[clear sorrel]

Real men use the built in step

[soft bluff]

@sullen mantle @clear sorrel 🤣 luckily it's very low profile - a.k.a compact

[clear sorrel]

Looks great! Though is that the seat you use?

[soft bluff]

Haven't decided yet as it's still under construction. I'd like to use the seat from the hornet pit (it's a car seat which is very comfortable) but on the other hand moving the seat is not very convenient.

[clear sorrel]

Yeah, that looks like it'd be a struggle. Probably be fine with an office chair minus the wheels

[soft bluff]

Ah in that case a normal chair (with back support) would do well.

[sullen mantle]

That looks more comfortable than a real 172. The pedals and yoke are fixed position, so I can either have the pedals too close and sore knees, or the yoke too far and not be able to control it well.