Quote from Hangar45 Admin on November 29, 2017, 1:10 pm

(Original thread started on 01-28-15 by Chris Capkalu)

Has anyone programmed the encoders for the DU dimming already? Just want to know which offset type and parameter I have to use for the encoders. I think it it's included in the Jet45 AAS offset listing (offset 73D7, 73D8, 73D9 and 73DA). I don't know which type of offsets I need to use. Thanks for your help!

 

(Posted by Alan Norris on 01-30-15)

Chris, I remember that I did program the Display Unit dimming encoders but they never worked properly. You may want to look at the tutorial I did showing how to program all of the DUs and the encoders. I have all my switches connected to a PoKeys cards which is what the tutorial is for. If you are using the FDS card I can let you know how to do that too.  You can find that tutorial HERE

 

(Posted by Ron Rollo on 02-11-15)

Hey Chris, I have the DU dimming encoders working sort of. I verified that the encoders are isolated and are running to a Leo Bodnar card and are programmed directly using FSUIPC and all the other buttons on the EFIS panels are hooked to the InterfaceIT card. So they do not share a common ground.

 

I don't have a good excuse why the encoders on the EFIS panels have poor performance. Currently, they work good enough to change the dimming to any level on any of the display units but not the way you would expect them to perform.

 

So I went into FSUIPC, Buttons and Switches and copied down the info that you need to get them working. (look under "Control Sent When Button Pressed" selection list.) You might take this information and try to improve on the performance and if you do, please post and share here.

 

PILOT INBOARD DISPLAY UNIT:

Inc= Offset Byte Cyclic Inc x73D8 Parameter 50/255

Dec= Offset Byte Cyclic Dec x73D8 Parameter 255/50

 

PILOT OUTBOARD DISPLAY UNIT:

Inc= Offset Byte Cyclic Inc x73D7 Parameter 50/255

Dec= Offset Byte Cyclic Dec x73D7 Parameter 255/50

 

CO-PILOT INBOARD DISPLAY UNIT:

Inc=  Offset Byte Cyclic Inc x73D9 Parameter 50/255

Dec= Offset Byte Cyclic Dec x73D9 Parameter 255/50

 

CO-PILOT OUTBOARD DISPLAY UNIT:

Inc= Offset Byte Cyclic Inc x73DA Parameter 50/255

Dec= Offset Byte Cyclic Dec x73DA Parameter 255/50

 

(Posted by Chris Capkalu on 02-11-15)

A huge thanks with a big applause to Mr. Rollo please! I will test this the following week and report back.  My flightdeck takes shape, I am really looking forward to share this in the upcoming weeks with you, guys!

 

I have no problem so far for using the dimming encoders with my ArcazeUSB interface (FDS is not so common here in Europe). They run smooth with the interface software. But my question is how can I set up these encoders in FSUIPC to dim the DU's in Jet45 AAS? Which offset type and parameter?

 

UPDATE:

Some information about the DU dimming issue. I just played around with the offsets and settings.

 

First I found out that the parameter should be 255/50 always, that means vice versa 50/255 does not work for me. The first value is the range (0-255) for dimming, the second one the resolution. That means you will have 5 dim stages when the value is 50 as shown above. When you choose 10 for example you have to turn the encoder many times to get full dim or brightness (because of 25 dimming stages) but the dimming is much more smoother.

 

Function works with an important restriction. Dimming the DU to low works fine and flawless. Dimming to high does not work. It jumps always back to full brightness when I increase the encoder value (right turn). No stages in between. That is OK for me so far. Another limitation is the encoder resolution but I have to play around with it in the encoder set up software. It takes 1-4 clicks to set the next dimming stage. But I can deal with it because the DU dim feature is rarely used.

 

(Posted by Ron Rollo on 03-13-15)

Hey Chris, good to hear that you got it working and even may have found an improvement on the way it works. I will try this myself and if I get better results.

 

I spent about an hour doing some testing and came up with this:

 

PILOT INBOARD DISPLAY UNIT:

Dec= Offset Byte Cyclic Dec x73D8 Parameter 255/5

 

PILOT OUTBOARD DISPLAY UNIT:

Dec= Offset Byte Cyclic Dec x73D7 Parameter 255/5

 

CO-PILOT INBOARD DISPLAY UNIT:

Dec= Offset Byte Cyclic Dec x73D9 Parameter 255/5

 

CO-PILOT OUTBOARD DISPLAY UNIT:

Dec= Offset Byte Cyclic Dec x73DA Parameter 255/5

 

The good news is by changing the parameter setting to [b]255/5[/b], it gave me fine tuning as it decreases the dimming. So in other words, do not use 255/50, use 255/5 for fine tuning!

 

The bad news is for the life of me I could not get the dimmers to increase when turning the knobs to the right. That's why I eliminated the Inc lines above. But on the bright side, (no pun intended), on the face of the EFIS panels it only speaks of DIMMING. I know in the real plan it has to work both ways.

 

So at this point, I will get with Eric and Jason to see if this is all that is possible ATM. If nothing else, we have made improvements with the EFIS dimming encoders. Try the new parameter settings and let me know how it works for you.

 

(Posted by Chris Capkalu on 03-23-15)

Ron and fellow Captains!  I did testing again and came up with the final solution for me:

The parameters should be vice versa! Then it will work both ways, dim to low and bright! The following settings work for me very good and smooth, both ways:

 

PILOT INBOARD DISPLAY UNIT:

Dec= Offset Byte Cyclic Dec x73D8 Parameter 25/255

Inc= Offset Byte Cyclic Inc x73D8 Parameter 25/255

 

PILOT OUTBOARD DISPLAY UNIT:

Dec= Offset Byte Cyclic Dec x73D7 Parameter 25/255

Inc= Offset Byte Cyclic Inc x73D7 Parameter 25/255

 

CO-PILOT INBOARD DISPLAY UNIT:

Dec= Offset Byte Cyclic Dec x73D9 Parameter 25/255

Inc= Offset Byte Cyclic Inc x73D9 Parameter 25/255

 

CO-PILOT OUTBOARD DISPLAY UNIT:

Dec= Offset Byte Cyclic Dec x73DA Parameter 25/255

Inc= Offset Byte Cyclic Inc x73DA Parameter 25/255

 

Ron, did you program FSUIPC with the EFIS offsets? I have trouble with the bearing indicator switches, nothing will work properly.

 

(Posted by Ron Rollo on 03-24-15)

I can not get the encoders on the EFIS panels to work for nothing. (Increasing brightness on the four display units). I am 99% sure it is because I am using a Leo Bodnar card in this area which means it will never work unless I switch these encoders over to a PoKeys56U card (or another card that supports encoders) which I do not plan to do at this time.

 

As for the question about the other buttons on the EFIS panels. I have mine running to a SYS card which is supported by InterfaceIT. If you do not have any SYS cards, your going to need them at some point because they are a great card that allows you to assign multiple functions to one switch or button. As an example, the rotary selector knob on the EFIS. There are four positions and each position will have at least three assignments. On assignment to turn on say the FMS and two assignments to turn off NAV and ADF. The off position as another example will have three assignments to turn each of the NAV, FMS and ADF off.

 

If you had a SYS card, I could simply send you the cfg file and you could pull (export) and plug (import) my assignments into your InterfaceIT software. Let me know if this helps and where you stand with the SYS card.

 

(Posted by Chris Capkalu on 04-29-15)

Success!  Finally I got my EFIS bearing selectors working!!!

 

Last days I played around with the FSUIPC.cfg. Today I finished programming my MultiComm radio, the ENG start and ignition section and the EFIS bearing selectors. All work now as it should. I am very happy!!!

 

Scripting inside the FSUIPC.cfg gives you almost all possibilities to interface all Jet45 functions as they are supposed to. One fact is the key point in my eyes: only inside the FSUIPC.cfg it is possible to assign multiple functions to one switch simultaneously [u]if[/u] there is no hardware like InterfaceIT present.

 

Ron is right, for the EFIS bearing selectors 3 offset functions must be processed at the same time with one click on the rotary switch. That brings the following code for the FSUIPC.cfg into the game:

 

265=PC,10,Cx050073DB,x01

266=PC,10,Cx090073DB,x02

267=PC,10,Cx090073DB,x04

267=PC,10,cx090073DB,x08

268=PC,11,Cx050073DB,x02

269=PC,11,Cx090073DB,x01

270=PC,11,Cx090073DB,x04

271=PC,11,Cx090073DB,x08

272=PC,12,Cx050073DB,x04

273=PC,12,Cx090073DB,x01

274=PC,12,Cx090073DB,x08

275=PC,12,Cx090073DB,x02

276=PC,13,Cx050073DB,x08

277=PC,13,Cx090073DB,x02

278=PC,13,Cx090073DB,x04

279=PC,13,Cx090073DB,x01

280=PC,17,Cx050073DC,x01

281=PC,17,Cx090073DC,x02

282=PC,17,Cx090073DC,x04

283=PC,17,Cx090073DC,x08

284=PC,15,Cx050073DC,x02

285=PC,15,Cx090073DC,x01

286=PC,15,Cx090073DC,x04

287=PC,15,Cx090073DC,x08

288=PC,16,Cx050073DC,x04

289=PC,16,Cx090073DC,x01

290=PC,16,Cx090073DC,x08

291=PC,16,Cx090073DC,x02

292=PC,14,Cx050073DC,x08

293=PC,14,Cx090073DC,x02

294=PC,14,Cx090073DC,x04

295=PC,14,Cx090073DC,x01

 

For both selectors on EFIS 1 (pilot side).

 

Conditional button programming is another magic thing within FSUIPC. Heavy usage of it here for my MultiComm radio with only one dual concentric rotary encoder. So guys, feel free to ask if there are question for programming buttons and switches directly inside the FSUIPC.cfg. Say it again, some important functions like multiple assignments of offsets to just one button is only possible when editing the FSUIPC.cfg.

 

(Posted by Ron Rollo on 04-29-15)

Hey Chris, that is very interesting work you have done. I don't know if anyone here in the hangar has gone this route yet. But it is good to know that we have this option in our tool boxes when we are trying to get things working.

 

(Posted by Shane Barnes on 12-12-15)

Today I interfaced the dimming encoders for DU 1 thru 4 located on the EFIS panels. I am listing the settings here in case anyone has not interfaced their encoders yet. After assigning the functions I was able to get the dimming feature working as it should. Nice feature Jason! Thanks for all the hard work adding the small details that make JET45 a very nice avionics package for the Lear45!

 

In FSUIPC you need to use the control "OFFSET WORD CYCLIC INC" or OFFSET WORD CYCLIC DEC" depending on which way you are turning the encoder. Also make sure to put in the correct offset for each encoder 73D7 for DU-1 , 73D8 for DU-2, 73D9 for DU-3, and 73DA for DU-4. In the parameters section you will need to set it as 5/255. I tried 1/255 and it immediately dims all the way or brightens all the way. You can play around with the number before 255 to see which one you like the best, 2 seems really slow to brighten or dim.

 

Also on the V speed encoder located on DU-2 and DU-3 make sure you set the encoder as "OFFSET WORD CYCLIC INC or OFFSET WORD CYCLIC DEC" for this encoder to work correctly. Also the parameter for this encoder will be 1/255.

 

If you are having any trouble with your encoders you may want to take a look at how they are assigned in FSUIPC. Ron and I found the "OFFSET WORD CYCLIC" function is the only function in FSUIPC that will allow the V speed function to work correctly.

 

(Posted by Ron Rollo on 12-12-15)

Along these same lines, we found that every Jet45 encoder needs to be set up using OFFSET WORD CYCLIC INC or OFFSET WORD CYCLIC DEC and parameter set to 1/255. Even the RMU encoders if you choose not to use Mark's RMU Utility and set them up manually like I currently have mine running.