Simulator Project VIDEO ADDED |
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Slopey
Moderator in Command AirHauler Developer Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Points: 8280 |
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Up to you - do it like you want, but you should sit down and plan it out properly. If you try and do the visuals as you go along, you'll likely have issues. i.e. the lack of space - I think I pointed out in the first few pages of the thread that you'd better do your size/throw/position/screen calculations first before you find it it won't fit. Get a tape measure, some white sheets and masking tape and measure out where the screen would be. Use the sheets and the tape to stick the sheets from the ceiling in the correct position approximating the curve. Then get someone to help - sit inside the cockpit and determine where the screen bounds should be on the sheet to give you the view you require (use the tape to denote the bounds). Then measure the bounds of the screen which will probably result in a "widescreen" rectangle. Divide that by two if you're using 2 projectors and work out the throw distance from the projector mounting position to the screen, and the diagonal image size you need (with Pythagoras). Then go to Projector central's calculator pro and see which models will give you the throw and size you want. You might be better to mount the projectors upside down (i.e. a ceiling mount configuration) as that'll show the image below the lens position, as opposed to desktop placement where the image is usually from the lens position upwards. PAY ATTENTION to the keystone - if you mount the projector on a slope, it'll need enough keystone correction to give you a rectangular image rather than a trapezoid. Trapezoids would be very bad considering you want to have the images used together with no separation - especially if you have the image meeting in the center of the view. It may be that a two projector setup with the images meeting in the center of the view won't work very well - you should check out the various cockpit builder forums to see who has done it already and get any tips. If you go the LCD/Monitor route - note you can't just stick one in the front and two at 90 degree angles on each side. If you push a triplehead output to that, it'll look wrong, as the two side views are really 45 degree from the center position (i.e. it's a streched forward view), so if you look out the left window, you'll see the image of looking 45 rather than 90 degrees out. In that scenario, you'd need to produce 3 separate views - one forward, and two at 90 degrees (which is not the same as a L/R of a widescreen setup unless you can change the Field of View). Also note that on widescreen setups, because of FoV issues, scenery to the far left and right is "magnified" - i.e. if you fly with an airport off to your left and look at it on a triplehead setup, it looks huge and close. When you bank round towards it, it gets smaller until it's in the center monitor where it's the correct size. The side monitors and TH setups all suffer from the FoV effect, and you only get away with it as your focus is predominantly on the center monitor with the L/R just used to fill out the experience. If you used the L/R as "windows" in their own right, i.e. looking directly at them, it would look odd. |
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For AH2 queries - PLEASE USE THE EA Forums as the first port of call. |
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TomA320
Chief Pilot Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Location: Perth Scotland Points: 10235 |
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Thanks for the detailed reply Slopey, I'll do my calculations tonight and then hopefully it won't be too long until I can get more projectors and TH2G.
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Magic Man
Chief Pilot Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Location: South Wales Points: 5336 |
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Also, if you're using a TH2Go as the combined output then mixing projectors and monitors would require then to use the same resolution output across all in addition to the fact that if you intend to use warping software, it warps the entire output, i.e. it would warp the monitor outputs (which you wouldn't want) as well as the projected output.
As Slopey says, take a step back, have a sit down and plan the next stage carefully before you run into issues.
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TomA320
Chief Pilot Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Location: Perth Scotland Points: 10235 |
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I've now got the projector size quite a bit bigger now, almost enough to fill the front screen. I'll need to buy 2 more projectors and TH2G next but that may take a bit of saving up so could be a while. Having said that I'm really impressed with the sim so far and I'm very happy with just the single projector until I can afford more.
I've also got butt kicker set up so it's all taking shape and the project magenta displays are up and running which is a lot better than just resizing the default cockpit.
More pics to come soon.
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Heinz57
P1 Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Location: Ilkeston Points: 740 |
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The simulators looking fantastic Tom!
I'm looking forward to seeing some more photos |
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Jazz that's not a drawer its a trash compactor. And when Uncle Phil sees this it'll be a Jazz Compactor
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TomA320
Chief Pilot Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Location: Perth Scotland Points: 10235 |
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Thanks very much! I'll hopefully get a few more taken tomorrow.
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Magic Man
Chief Pilot Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Location: South Wales Points: 5336 |
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If you are going three projectors and intend to warp the output to them then you'll need to factor in the cost of the software as well...
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Slopey
Moderator in Command AirHauler Developer Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Points: 8280 |
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nthusim for triplehead is $489, but then if you're dropping clams for 3 projectors, that's not exactly a show stopper.
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AirHauler Developer
For AH2 queries - PLEASE USE THE EA Forums as the first port of call. |
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Magic Man
Chief Pilot Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Location: South Wales Points: 5336 |
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Nope, still about £300 though...
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TomA320
Chief Pilot Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Location: Perth Scotland Points: 10235 |
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I'm still after nthusim but the reality is it will be a long time before I get it. At the moment I'm saving up for 2 more projectors plus TH2G and will be running it like that until I get a bit more money. I should have the 2 projectors by the end of June and hopefully TH2G sometime in July. Now that TrackIR is redundant I'm going to sell that to get some money to pay for the projectors.
Here are a few photos of the sim today:
The Project Magenta displays are amazing, instruments are so crisp and smooth.
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twright
Chief Pilot Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Location: London UK Points: 3303 |
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Looks really cool! What's the thinking behind the name 'alsim'?
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Kind regards,
Tom |
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TomA320
Chief Pilot Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Location: Perth Scotland Points: 10235 |
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Thanks Tom, I decided to call it alsim as that's the name of the sim my flying club uses and I've modeled the cockpit similar to the AL200 series from Alsim.
Here is a link to their website:
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Heinz57
P1 Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Location: Ilkeston Points: 740 |
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Looking good Tom!
Best of luck with the projectors |
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Jazz that's not a drawer its a trash compactor. And when Uncle Phil sees this it'll be a Jazz Compactor
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TomA320
Chief Pilot Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Location: Perth Scotland Points: 10235 |
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Been away on holiday so not had the chance to do much but hopefully there should be quite a bit update in about 10 days time so stay posted!
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TomA320
Chief Pilot Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Location: Perth Scotland Points: 10235 |
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Quick update, hopefully the table for the yoke will be made today which will certainly look better than it sitting on a chest of drawers! Also, I am going to be starting the overhead panel fairly soon and I'll be ordering the Saitek BIP tomorrow.
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VulcanB2
Chief Pilot Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Points: 13365 |
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That looks like X-Plane!
Looking great! Best regards, Vulcan. |
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TomA320
Chief Pilot Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Location: Perth Scotland Points: 10235 |
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Thanks Vulcan, defiantly FSX and PM though!
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TomA320
Chief Pilot Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Location: Perth Scotland Points: 10235 |
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I've taken all the avionics and controls out now and sanded down and re painted some areas. The yoke is now sitting on a platform I built and the box for the pedals is finished. All the open area around the yoke shown in my last pictures has now been covered up. All I need to do now is: Build the overhead
Fill in the gaps with some filler
A few more touch ups with RAL paint
Some more leather padding
Mount the clipboards
Fit the carpet
Install all the avionics.
As for the overhead panel, it will be pretty basic until I can order more switches and will only contain the Saitek BIP.
Can anybody think of some switches for the overhead?
Tom
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Slopey
Moderator in Command AirHauler Developer Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Points: 8280 |
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If you're still basing it on a King Air, the overhead is just light switches/dimmers, plus a few dials in the lower part (batt/Amps etc) a la:
King Air flight Deck PDF |
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AirHauler Developer
For AH2 queries - PLEASE USE THE EA Forums as the first port of call. |
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TomA320
Chief Pilot Joined: 02 Apr 2008 Location: Perth Scotland Points: 10235 |
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Thanks Slopey, yes it's still based on the King Air so I'll probably use my opencockpit cards to make a few more overhead switches later on.
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