[simpits-tech] Re: Mounting of AI

Tue, 12 Mar 2002 15:26:39 -0600

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Gene: World? I was beginning to wonder what kind of glue you're using. Then
I go back and actually LOOK at the pictures I posted - ah! you mean the
brand of servo I'm using. The servos I'm using are from a couple of
auctions. I have about 20 servos in a box in my basement. All types, brands,
styles and connectors. The IAS is driven by a World, the AI by a pair of
Futaba's.

Ken: Servo update speed is not ideal. I figure I'm getting about 4 updates /
second. However, I'm only driving 3 servos at the moment. At 3 characters /
update and with the serial Port running at 9600bps / 8N1, I should be able
to update over 300 servos / second. My driver only updates those servos that
have changed, and priority is given to the main instruments (IAS, AI at the
moment). All said, worse case, I should be able to update all 16 servos at
least 16 x second (provided my math is correct). So in short, yeah something
is definitely miss firing somewhere. My current thoughts are that a) my C++
code is not optimized (although I really don't think that should matter) or
b) I'm doing something wrong with my serial port communication that is
causing it to pause between each update.

Any ideas? If I remember, I'll try to upload my current software to my site
tomorrow (I won't be able to get to it tonight). Did you write your own
serial driver or are you using Scott's?

As for the controls, they're a bit jumpy. There's 2 reasons for that. First,
I'm using a second game card to support the Toe-Brakes, and I've been told
that the game card and the sound card are fighting each other for the IRQ,
thereby causing a 'noisy' signal. The other reason is due to the source of
the columns. I'm not sure what the previous owner did to his plane, but he
smacked something hard. There are 4 small dimples in the square tubing about
5" from full nose down. Looks like the yokes where pinned somehow and
something hit the ailerons causing the column to turn and the square tubing
to slam into the bushings that allow the sleave to slide back and forth.
It's not unbearable, but annoying none the less. Feels like the detent (?)
on cheaper yokes for 'finding' the center.

David: This is why this group is so useful! As you can probably tell, my
mechanical / finishing skills are very rough. The software I can handle, I
even know which end of a soldering iron to hold. But trying to figure out
how to connect the servos to the gauges has taken me far too long.

Brian: Long story. The shortened version is: I have no idea from what car
the seat came from. My nephew picked it up for me at an auto wrecker for me
as a favour for some errands I ran for him.

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Gene: World? I was beginning to wonder what kind of =
glue you're using. Then I go back and actually LOOK at the pictures I =
posted - ah! you mean the brand of servo I'm using. The servos I'm =
using are from a couple of auctions. I have about 20 servos in a box in =
my basement. All types, brands, styles and connectors. The IAS is =
driven by a World, the AI by a pair of Futaba's.

Ken: Servo update speed is not ideal. I figure I'm =
getting about 4 updates / second. However, I'm only driving 3 servos at =
the moment. At 3 characters / update and with the serial Port running =
at 9600bps / 8N1, I should be able to update over 300 servos / second. =
My driver only updates those servos that have changed, and priority is =
given to the main instruments (IAS, AI at the moment). All said, worse =
case, I should be able to update all 16 servos at least 16 x second =
(provided my math is correct). So in short, yeah something is =
definitely miss firing somewhere. My current thoughts are that a) my =
C++ code is not optimized (although I really don't think that should =
matter) or b) I'm doing something wrong with my serial port =
communication that is causing it to pause between each =
update.

Any ideas? If I remember, I'll try to upload my =
current software to my site tomorrow (I won't be able to get to it =
tonight). Did you write your own serial driver or are you using =
Scott's?

As for the controls, they're a bit jumpy. There's 2 =
reasons for that. First, I'm using a second game card to support the =
Toe-Brakes, and I've been told that the game card and the sound card =
are fighting each other for the IRQ, thereby causing a 'noisy' signal. =
The other reason is due to the source of the columns. I'm not sure what =
the previous owner did to his plane, but he smacked something hard. =
There are 4 small dimples in the square tubing about 5&quot; from full =
nose down. Looks like the yokes where pinned somehow and something hit =
the ailerons causing the column to turn and the square tubing to slam =
into the bushings that allow the sleave to slide back and forth. It's =
not unbearable, but annoying none the less. Feels like the detent (?) =
on cheaper yokes for 'finding' the center.

David: This is why this group is so useful! As you =
can probably tell, my mechanical / finishing skills are very rough. The =
software I can handle, I even know which end of a soldering iron to =
hold. But trying to figure out how to connect the servos to the gauges =
has taken me far too long.

Brian: Long story. The shortened version is: I have =
no idea from what car the seat came from. My nephew picked it up for me =
at an auto wrecker for me as a favour for some errands I ran for =
him.

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