[simpits-tech] LCD's ect.....

[A. Pelnar]

Ok guess Im just jumping in with both feet. Ive been working on an LCD 
EFIS system off and on for quite awhile. A few points to make about 
"real" LCD panels. The FAA is very picky and even more so the military 
about luminesence, color temprature, viewing angle...... Most of the 
real LCD panels Ive seen are just a straight unframed raw chip on glass 
lcd very fragile unmounted. Behind them is a rather elaborate 
backlighting system. Cold cathode flourescent usually bent in a Z shape 
with all kinds of shielding, optical filtering..... They are quite a 
work to give them the reliability and ruggedness they need. Ill see if I 
can get a pic of a backlighting unit from a honeywell com radio put on 
the net to look at its quite a work of machined aluminum. Will also try 
to post a pic of a "real" lcd which I belive was removed from a 
Universal FMS. The honeywell LCD is also an eleborate piece of 
engineering unfortunatly my sample is on loan and cant get a pic of it 
anytime soon its a COG lcd also built onto a machined aluminum frame the 
COG is ran out at 90 deg to the LCD and on the side of the frame which 
the backlighting mounts to. Its a bit hard to describe will try to put 
some pics up and link to them Belive me theres a good 100+$ worth of 
machine work just in these 2 pieces if you had to turn them out by hand. 
Last I heard replacement cost for the assembly was ~1500$ just for the 
parts.
OK with that out of the way heres my introduction. Im in Wichita KS 
(cant think of a better place in the world to build a sim) The surplus 
is plentiful and cheap. Ive been working around aircraft mostly avionics 
since I moved here about 6 years ago and worked quite a bit with it 
while going thru school I carry a FCC license W/radar and broadcast. 
Right now in the state of the aircraft economy Im offically unemployed 
but am ramping up to do my own thing (not aircraft or electronics 
related) Occasionally I do some work for a sim shop here ran by some x 
flight safety employees they are coming out with one helluva I/O system. 
Im passivly working on an EFIS system for them they havnt put the 
squeeze on for it YET.
On to the project. Mine is a bit difffrent Im not really a big enough 
fan of aircraft to build a sim but I am big time into spacecraft. Im 
working at building a ficticous spacecraft sim that could possibly exist 
with todays technology. (no Im not a sci-fi buf either)  Yea I know the 
shuttle is obvious but its been done and the shuttle program is what ~30 
years old. Might as well have some fun with it.  Thats me in a nut shell 
and Im about as nutty as they come. Ill post questions, comments and 
snide remarks as they are prompted
Laterz
Austin