[simpits-tech] Suncom stuff keeps breaking down

[John Miguez]

I agree Matt, Simon must give a new meaning to the term "Yanking and
Banking."

Concerning converting the SumCom to Plasma.  I had to rewire the
buttons.  This required me to use a small cutoff wheel and cut the
internal wiring on the PCB.  I then ran a common ground and an
individual wire from each button to the Plasma board.

Leo did close down.  I emailed him the other day and he confirmed it.  I
will be sorry to see him go.  He gave a lot to the sim community.
However, he couldn't make it money wise.  I hope he comes back one day.

John



-----Original Message-----
From: Matt Bailey [mailto:mattb at rtccom.net] 
Sent: Thursday, November 25, 2004 3:23 AM
To: Simulator Cockpit tech list
Subject: Re: [simpits-tech] Suncom stuff keeps breaking down

Lol, you must really get down to business when you fly. :) No need to
worry about the proprietary stuff in your gear malfunctioning though. If
you go the Plasma route, all you need to do is get at the potentiometers
and buttons/switches and wire those to the unit. I assume you're going
to build one yourself? I just noticed a while ago that the site is
closed now. :( I know he was gonna sell off his stock, I guess he's out
now. Sure am glad I got one while they lasted, just wish I'd picked up
some more of his gear before it was discontinued!

Maybe not to worry though, I was browsing the Phidgets site today and it
seems there's some software out there that lets you talk to Phidgets
from Linux......in Python. B-)

	-Matt Bailey

Simon Bennett wrote:
> 
> Looked like my HOTAS setup was crapping out on me. I fly with a Suncom
SFS
> throttle, a CH F-16 Combatstick and CH rudder pedals. You aren't
supposed to
> be able to use the throttle and pedals, because of the split-throttle
> feature, but I made a simple adapter out of two DB-15 connectors and
some
> wire to keep the input for the second throttle from interfering. My
throttle
> stopped working mysteriously, but after checking it out thoroughly I
decided
> the wiring for the throttle pot must've just failed. The one for the
second
> throttle works fine, so I just wired it up instead.
> 
> This kind of pisses me off, because I was hoping to build one of those
> plasma USB boards and run it all, with the two throttles, rudder
pedals and
> toe brakes. Oh well, at least I can keep using the throttle as-is.
> 
> I don't know what it is about the Suncom stuff, but it seems to just
hate
> me. I realize they were some great products and I know people that
love
> them, but I've gone through four Suncom sticks already (3 Talons and
one of
> the single-hat ones), and now my throttle is acting up. It's always
acted
> kind of quirky, though. What's wierder is the four sticks stopped
working at
> pretty much the same time. The first one, one of the potentiometers
> literally snapped in half inside the stick. The second one, the
buttons
> stopped working right, then altogether. With the third one, the pots
seemed
> to just be all over the place in terms of output all of a sudden,
making it
> impossible to use. The fourth one, which I bought to replace the first
four,
> just went totally, undescribably crazy.
> 
> I use a CH combat stick now, but I somehow broke something inside the
> trigger, so it wouldn't spring back and would stick. I bought another
one,
> seemingly brand-new, to replace it, and after about 5 minutes of LOMAC
it
> developed the same problem.
> 
> I'm beginning to see why they went out of business.
> 
> Maybe I'm just cursed.
> 
> Maybe I should stay away from the whole simpit thing; I'm beginning to
> suspect that if I built one it'd spontaneously combust, with me
trapped
> helplessly inside.