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Delco Carousel IV-A INS For Microsoft Flight Simulator >> Delco Carousel IV-A INS For Microsoft Flight Simulator >> Integration of Real Carousel IV in FS Possible?
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Message started by andreotti60 on Jul 1^st, 2009, 12:53am

Title: Integration of Real Carousel IV in FS Possible?
Post by andreotti60 on Jul 1^st, 2009, 12:53am

I have three real Delco Carousel-IV INS CDUs and two MSUs.

I would like to integrate one or even two of these units and connect them to FSX (and FS9 too why not). In the past, I have built a nice Garmin GNS 530 that works perfectly with FS based on the RealityXP software. I would like to do the same with the real Carousels, although I suspect that the process of getting there might be different. I just like the feel of real buttons rather than clicking the mouse all over the place on a screen.

Connecting the push buttons should not be an insurmountable problem. I am thinking of using the Flightdeck Solutions I/O cards to connect the push buttons to the sim. The 7-segment LEDs will probably be a bit harder to connect. By the way, I am not very knowledgeable in electronics. I just learn what I need to know as I go along. It’s fun and keeps my brain from shrinking to the size of a peanut. At least I hope so. Sometimes I feel I’m losing that battle. ::)

Anyway, as I embark on this journey in trying to figure out a way to connect the real CDUs units to FS (if that’s even possible), I was wondering several things:

1) Will the SDK included in the download allow someone like me to connect hardware to the sim to replicate the push buttons operations AND the display functions of the 7-segment LEDs?

2) Assuming that the answer to my first question is yes, is there someone on this forum who is knowledgeable in C/C++ that could help me accomplish this? I don’t know the first thing about programming and it would probably be a steep learning curve for me to learn what I need for this project. Maybe someone has already been down this road and has accomplished what I want to do?

My goal is to connect at least one of the real CDUs and MSUs to the sim. However, it would be great if one could connect two units and replicate the Remote function allowing simultaneous loading and insertion of waypoint and DME coordinates across multiple CDUs . Why make is simple, right? ;)

Maybe what I propose is not feasible even with the SDK. I’m sure Marco or Gianfranco will chime in and set me straight if it isn’t. I hope they do.

Anyway, thanks for reading. I look forward to some of your thoughts on this subject.

Gianluca

Title: Re: Integration of Real Carousel IV in FS Possible
Post by Marco Ravanello on Jul 1^st, 2009, 4:19pm

> 1) Will the SDK included in the download allow someone like me to
> connect hardware to the sim to replicate the push buttons operations
> AND the display functions of the 7-segment LEDs?

Absolutely NOT, I'd need to be (heavily) involved in such a project, the SDK is not sufficient.

> 2) Assuming that the answer to my first question is yes

Wrong assumption :)

Let me say that, in general, I'd be interested in building a "hardware CDU" but I would need a super expert hardware "buddy", I'd do the software running on the PC, he would have to do electronics and firmware of the CDU.

Regards
Marco