My updated simpit for Falcon BMS
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Here is an updated Falcon BMS pit
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Very nice.
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Looks good, we have some similar cockpit philosophy. The CH throttle, is it still working as a throttle or just for buttons? I can’t tell if you have a slot in the table top to have it move or not. I did something similar with one of my Saitek AV8Rs and made into a what I call a “Franken-Parsnip” for radio panels and volumes.
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Actually I used the handle part for a custom left hand controller for use with Star Citizen, Descent Underground and some other FPSers. I bought an outdated Pro Throttle off Ebay and used it for parts. One of the hats was replaced with a mini joystick.I was asked to write up some details for my simpit so here goes (I have done this on other forums in the past but none are up to date).
When I set out to do a simpit after I retired and saw a demo of TrackIR the first thing I came across was Helios. After some research I decided on using the PVC pipe method for building the framework. I also got a 24" touchscreen monitor. I have a man cave of sorts and decided to build it next to my main PC desk. At first I used a client/server setup for Helios running my older game machine for the touchscreen. This worked fine until the touchscreen went bad and shortly there after the PC had motherboard issues. I then took a different approach after having used that setup. One thing I did not like was not having any tactile feel for the buttons. It seemed hard to hit a touchsreen button in the heat of battle. I already had a BU0836X card joystick card to use the analog input with pots for things like trim controls so I decided I would go with a button panel instead of spending money on another monitor. I also had a 19" monitor sitting around for use as a second extended monitor off my Nvidia 980 Superclocked card. The main monitor is shared between my 28" desktop and a 39" 1080p screen. Well I decided that 32 buttons were not enough so I decided to get a GP-Wiz40 joystick card for the right side and add 32 more buttons. I built the frame for the monitor and button panels out of MFD wood that sits on my simpit table/frame. I found some nice rectangle illuminated momentary push buttons on Ebay for around a buck a piece. Also found some mushroom emergency type buttons as well as rotary ones. I mounted these to some black 1/4" plexiglass drilling the holes with a step drill. I was a Computer Applications Engineer working in a test lab for Ford Motor and built many test systems over the years so wiring the buttons was not a big deal. I use Xpadder and its Autoprofiler for a lot of the button to key conversion. I also designed a hard card stock button label system since I use this for many sims. They slip over the buttons and are easily changed.
My wife bought me a Thrustmaster Warthog set for a retirement gift and I built an extention for it which helps with precision as well as reducing the efforts on the wrist. I also use Saitek Combat Rudder Pedals (before they cheapened them).
Recently I added a couple Cougar MFD panels which are velcro’d to the sides of the 19" monitor so they can be removed when not being used.
Software wise I use the latest version of Lightnings MFDE Extractor version 0-6-1-1 for most of the gauges as well as the MFD displays. I have used Helios for a lot of gauges for Falcon BMS but find the MFDE ones work well. I have several interations of screen designs and this one is just the latest version.
This winter I decided to add a tactile transducer and seeing that Buttkickers are almost impossible to find in stock I decided on using an Aura with a Dayton Audio 100 watt amplifier. I have to say this adds a lot of immersion to many sims.
So overall besides the Warthog my setup was reasonable in cost. It might not be as realistic as some pits I have seen but I really wanted one that was universal to be used with a few sims. I only wish I was better at flying than I am at doing this. I did have fun building this (I had a great job and loved my career).
Here are some pictures
Early pit work in progress
Buttons
Work in progress
My Warthog extension
Backside to one of the panels
Latest Falcon BMS pit
Latest DCS F16C pit
IL2 Cliffs of Dover pit
Star Citizen pit
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When I rebuilt my cockpit a few years ago I went back to the PVC construction. About 15 years ago was my first time building a flight sim specific stand out of PVC. I agree, quick and cheap to build with!
I too was using Aura bass transducers and some Dayton pucks with SimShake but have stopped using the Aura since getting the JetSeat: https://www.benchmarksims.org/forum/showthread.php?24665-SimShaker-for-DCS-World-and-Falcon-BMS-support-thread
Kept the Dayton pucks though for foot and arm shakers:
I like your switch panels (and everything else)! This time around I’ve been using OTS solutions for extra buttons but still have my old X-Keys Matrix board and all the old switches if I ever get a whole lot of time on my hands. Later I’ll get some pictures of my mutilated AV8R.
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MFDE for gauges and MFD extraction
Xpadder
http://www.xpadder.com/?lang=english
Universal Joystick Controller BU0836X
GP-Wiz40 MAX USB Compatible Input Interface
http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=235
Helios
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I have my Stick, Throttle, MFD’s and Pedals setup in 4.33 U1 and now need to decided what I want on the button panels. Being a newbie to Falcon BMS I guess that will come slowly as I learn what is most important.