Your advice please Peter

[namron2]

Peter

Ihave just acquired a piece of Jeppesen FS100 Hardware. This is a panel equipped with switches and controls for flaps landing radio etc etc.

It was originally designed to work within Jeppesen's proprietary sim (FS100)

It connects to the PC via a serial cable.

My question is: Is it possible for me to utilize and program these panel switches through FSUIPC and FS2K when the unit connects through a serial port?

thank you

Norm

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[Pete Dowson]

My question is: Is it possible for me to utilize and program these panel switches through FSUIPC and FS2K when the unit connects through a serial port?

If it comes with a driver for FS, whether using FSUIPC or not, then, yes. But otherwise it sounds very doubtful. Do you know who actually makes the device? It won't be Jeppesen. It may be PFC but via Elite, in which case it will use the proprietary Elite protocol -- Elite may have a suitable driver.

If you can find the maker, you can either see if they do have a driver, or at least get hold of the protocol used and either program the driver yourself or get someone else to do it (and please don't look my way on the latter! :) ).

Regards,

Pete

[namron2]

I think the Manufacturer may be MDM systems as that is what is on the power supply.

If all else fails, if I rewire the unit to utilize the various switches, is there a way that I can connect it to a Joystick plug and have FSUIPS see it?

If not, I do have a USB keyboard controller interface that I can connect it to.

Thanks again

Norm

[flypfc]

the Jeppesen FS100 was made by Jeppesen PFC made the case and the throttle unit but Jeppesen had the electronics made else ware it has a unique protocol to those units unfortunately Jeppesen stopped making them years ago and has since stopped supporting them

[Pete Dowson]

I think the Manufacturer may be MDM systems as that is what is on the power supply.

It evidently was Jeppesen (surprise), though PFC was involved as Mr. "flypfc" confirms (and he should know! :wink: )

If all else fails, if I rewire the unit to utilize the various switches, is there a way that I can connect it to a Joystick plug and have FSUIPS see it?

Standard 15-pin joystick connections (on motherboards or sound cards) only support 4 on/off switches and 4 analogue inputs , but with a specific impedence range (around 50 kOhm I think). Me thinks this wouldn't be sufficient?

For it to be recognised as a USB device some additional circuitry would undoubtedly be needed. Sorry, I cannot advise on that. Hardware, especially USB, is not an area I am an authority on, far from it. You should seek advice from one of the hardware or cockpit builder's forums.

If not, I do have a USB keyboard controller interface that I can connect it to.

Well if you do, and you know how to do it, you seem to be in a good position. Personally, being a programmer not an engineer, I'd tackle it from the software end. I'd connect it up to a COM port, link it to something like the Windows hyperterminal application, then use it or the free program "portmon" (intercepts and logs port data) to see what happens for each switch pressed or turned, and so on. (portmon is from http://www.systeminternals.com). Then it's 'merely' a matter of writing a matching driver, interfacing to FSUIPC (for which you'll need the FSUIPC SDK, available from http://www.schiratti.com/dowson).

Of course, the implementers may just possibly have 'protected' their protocol by having the thing not respond until sent some initialisation sequence. If this is the case, then my way is not so easy. :wink:

Anyway, if you aren't a programmer then the hardware solution you suggest may be a lot easier.

Regards,

Pete

[namron2]

Thanks for all the help Peter and Flypfc.

Norm