[simpits-tech] I can't stay away :)

[dabigboy at cox.net]

Hi all, well after 10+ years of the Obsession I still can't seem to keep myself away from flight simulators, or real planes for that matter. I'm once again an active real-world pilot (though strictly recreational), and the flight simulator bug is itching me like crazy. :)

I'm soooooo close to finally making a full simulator.....unfortunately I don't quite have the space for one right now. But, I'm narrowing down my ideas for a visual system, and finally I have developed the skills to program pretty much anything my simulator will ever need. I have a functional, network-connected instrument display program running now, I'm mostly just adding instruments and capabilities to it at this point (like Phidgets support). It runs stand-alone on its own PC (or multiple PCs), and the host flight simulator computer sends data to the instrument computer(s) via UDP (stupid fast, with only enough error-checking required to keep the client software from crashing over corrupted packets). This will give me a nice, 100% customer glass display.

I do have a problem though: the heart of my simple control functionality, my Beta Innovations Plasma 2 board, has died. I know the guy is no longer in business, I was wondering if anyone would happen to have Beta Innovations items for sale or trade? I will eventually be leaning heavily on Phidgets, but that Plasma board was just so good for what it was designed for, I really can't see replacing it with anything I could cook up with a Phidgets I/O kit or customer interface board. The nifty HOTAS modes, great noise filtering, adjustable precision....it was really the perfect board for my needs. And there were a few other Beta Innovations products I wouldn't mind having as well.

Anyways, if anyone has any Beta Innovations stuff you'd consider letting go, please let me know. Thanks!

Matt