T.A.P.O.R. KSP SimPit Oddyssey

[lawnmowerlatte]

Ok, two ideas:

1) Use an old cookie sheet.

2) Current cookie sheets a mess? Buy a new cookie sheet for the lady of the house and use the current one!

[Sputnix]

So.. I went to order the decals, but the seller is on vacation.

Upon further inspection, you need to bake the decal once done!

Can't see the lady of the house being particularly hospitable to such an undertaking.

So Mulbin made a comment about using a hair dryer; Depending on the surface you're decaling, it could work.

My mum actually got into the 'homemade / handmade' stamps & cards thing a few years back, and bought a special tool much like a hair dryer - but it gets hotter a lot quicker - used for drying stamps.

I'm planning on using that tool; given that I'm sticking it to Aluminium, I think I'll be ok. Plastics or paint-covered wood could become an issue. However, I'd hazard a guess that a hair dryer should work fine!

PS -- completely missed the part where you named your project 'ODDYSSEY'.

I wasn't trying to copy; just been watching Apollo 13 lately, and liked the name

[Although imitation is the greatest form of flattery - or so they say ]

Edited May 19, 2015 by Sputnix

[T.A.P.O.R.]

Ok, two ideas:

1) Use an old cookie sheet.

2) Current cookie sheets a mess? Buy a new cookie sheet for the lady of the house and use the current one!

My oven is pretty big, but I think the board might not even fit.

So Mulbin made a comment about using a hair dryer; Depending on the surface you're decaling, it could work.

My mum actually got into the 'homemade / handmade' stamps & cards thing a few years back, and bought a special tool much like a hair dryer - but it gets hotter a lot quicker - used for drying stamps.

I'm planning on using that tool; given that I'm sticking it to Aluminium, I think I'll be ok. Plastics or paint-covered wood could become an issue. However, I'd hazard a guess that a hair dryer should work fine!

PS -- completely missed the part where you named your project 'ODDYSSEY'.

I wasn't trying to copy; just been watching Apollo 13 lately, and liked the name

[Although imitation is the greatest form of flattery - or so they say ]

Oh you mean a heat shrink gun?

They're also designed to strip paint & are handy to re-flow solder circuit boards (a PS3 repair).

I used to have one, but gave it to a buddy so that he could supercharge his coal fired barbecue

Honestly, I'd used it maybe 3 times in 5 years.

Don't worry about the name, its just the name of my thread, not my board

[Sputnix]

Oh you mean a heat shrink gun?

They're also designed to strip paint & are handy to re-flow solder circuit boards (a PS3 repair).

I believe heat shrink / paint strippers are a whole new level (in terms of heat).

The ones they use for card-making are for 'embossing'. You get a powder that you put over a special adhesive substance (it's basically just 'clear ink') and then hit it with the hot air, and it gives it an embossing finish.

I'm pretty sure they're not as powerful as either of the two tools you mentioned -- but I would suggest that those two would probably work just as well (or better) than the embossing tool

[T.A.P.O.R.]

I believe heat shrink / paint strippers are a whole new level (in terms of heat).

The ones they use for card-making are for 'embossing'. You get a powder that you put over a special adhesive substance (it's basically just 'clear ink') and then hit it with the hot air, and it gives it an embossing finish.

I'm pretty sure they're not as powerful as either of the two tools you mentioned -- but I would suggest that those two would probably work just as well (or better) than the embossing tool

I'd never considered that embossing would need heat, I always thought it was some sort of pressing machine.

Heat Guns much like spray paint, is all about keeping the right distance and movement to get your desired effect.

[Sputnix]

I'd never considered that embossing would need heat, I always thought it was some sort of pressing machine.

Heat Guns much like spray paint, is all about keeping the right distance and movement to get your desired effect.

I'm ok with heat guns - I just meant that it's in another league in terms of heat

Google defines embossing as to: "carve, mould, or stamp a design on (a surface or object) so that it stands out in relief."

So, from that perspective, it does. Because the powder 'melts' and then creates a slight 'relief'. The reason this is useful (at least, within the craft world) is that you can create nice relief's without destroying the card / paper.

Also, it means that you can use a stamp, throw some of the powder on it, melt it, and you have an embossed image (from the stamp).

[Talk about a detour in discussions ]

[Gaming Kraken]

That is pretty awesome. I would love to play KSP in IVA in a simpit. that would be simply awesome!

[T.A.P.O.R.]

Thanks!

Its got about a weekends worth of work to go on it, but time is scarce at the moment.

You can get a basic interface going pretty cheaply with no soldering required

I got an altimeter going with a Uno and an LCD shield, all up it cost about $20AUD

I don't even want to think about how much I've spent on the simpit.

Edited June 13, 2015 by T.A.P.O.R.

[Sputnix]

I don't even want to think about how much I've spent on the simpit.

I saw a quote somewhere about that on here. I can't seem to find it - but basically it was along the lines of "It started out with a few lights and a switch"

I think I've come close to about AU $300.

[T.A.P.O.R.]

I saw a quote somewhere about that on here. I can't seem to find it - but basically it was along the lines of "It started out with a few lights and a switch"

I think I've come close to about AU $300.

Yeah, probably not far off.

I've got 3 flavours of arduino...

should have gone the Mega first, but I don't mind, I'm planning on making an electronic drum kit with one of them

- - - Updated - - -

Just discovered that my local library does 3d printing now too, so I just have to wander up the street!

Literally, its on my street!

[Sputnix]

Yeah, probably not far off.

I've got 3 flavours of arduino...

should have gone the Mega first, but I don't mind, I'm planning on making an electronic drum kit with one of them

- - - Updated - - -

Just discovered that my local library does 3d printing now too, so I just have to wander up the street!

Literally, its on my street!

Haha. Gonna try replicate the 808, or something a little more modern?

Wha? Library? 3D printer?

Gosh, what suburb do you live in that they trust the locals with such equipment? Toorak?

However, they have predicted that to happen -- at least in the USA; ditto for maker-spaces. Unfortunately, not many in Aus yet, and most around the the main CBDs.

[T.A.P.O.R.]

Haha. Gonna try replicate the 808, or something a little more modern?

Wha? Library? 3D printer?

Gosh, what suburb do you live in that they trust the locals with such equipment? Toorak?

However, they have predicted that to happen -- at least in the USA; ditto for maker-spaces. Unfortunately, not many in Aus yet, and most around the the main CBDs.

Nope, not Toorak

As far as I am aware the good city of Glen Eira has at least two 3d printers.

There are maker-bots at Brighton and Carnegie libraries.

As for the drum kit, its basically going to be a bunch of triggers so that I can play a virtual kit on the compute.

I don't have the room for a proper acoustic kit and I don't really want to upset the neighbours with my terrible skills.

There are a couple of maker spaces that I've seen, one in Hawthorne and a couple of others scattered about.

Also there's a modular Synth building gang that migrate from space to space, that I used to hang out with (pre-mortgage).

A great bunch of guys with soldering irons

Beep boop beep!

[Sputnix]

Nope, not Toorak

As far as I am aware the good city of Glen Eira has at least two 3d printers.

There are maker-bots at Brighton and Carnegie libraries.

As for the drum kit, its basically going to be a bunch of triggers so that I can play a virtual kit on the compute.

I don't have the room for a proper acoustic kit and I don't really want to upset the neighbours with my terrible skills.

There are a couple of maker spaces that I've seen, one in Hawthorne and a couple of others scattered about.

Also there's a modular Synth building gang that migrate from space to space, that I used to hang out with (pre-mortgage).

A great bunch of guys with soldering irons

Beep boop beep!

Oh that's nifty. I've looked into maker-spaces. But, as you highlighted, one of the better ones is in Hawthorn (a bit of a hike from my location); Ringwood Secondary also hosts one on weekends -- because they have a TAFE component to them, they have access to some pretty neat additional equipment.

It'd just be 'nice' / fun to hang out with people who are learning / know some of this stuff better to learn from

They weren't recreating the Moog were they?

[T.A.P.O.R.]

Oh that's nifty. I've looked into maker-spaces. But, as you highlighted, one of the better ones is in Hawthorn (a bit of a hike from my location); Ringwood Secondary also hosts one on weekends -- because they have a TAFE component to them, they have access to some pretty neat additional equipment.

It'd just be 'nice' / fun to hang out with people who are learning / know some of this stuff better to learn from

They weren't recreating the Moog were they?

Oh no, not the moog stuff.

When I was there it was Steiner Synthacon, now I think they make some really far out (and expensive) stuff.

I really should finish my Music From Outer Space modular synth.

It works, but like my Simpit, its in bits awaiting re-housing (6 years now). One day little synth, one day!

[Ogcorp Squirrel]

On 3/4/2015 at 3:30 PM, T.A.P.O.R. said:

This is the first step in building my own KSP custom control rig.

While I am no stranger to electronics, I am not a professional and the closest thing I've done in terms of "code"

is a bit of HTML & Javascript back in the early 2000's and writing Macro's in Excel.

Not exactly applicable, but hopefully that experience assists with debugging.

I've got my prototype up & running with a few switches and LEDs embdded into a scrap of MDF.

The rectangular holes were done with a coping saw & tidied up with a chisel.

To make testing various things easier, I've wired up a basic shield, so that I can unplug my control panel quickly and transfer between the UNO & Leonardo.

Initial BOM

 

• A bunch of SPDT switches
• Cheap 7 Segment LED modules
• 1 x Arduino UNO
• 1 x Adruino Leonardo
• 1 x LCD shield
• 20 x chrome LED bezels.

 

 

As is plainly obvious in the first gif, it didn't work very well when trying to debug on my own.

As you can see in gif #2, that has now been fixed, thanks to this thread and AmeliaEatYaheart for the solution below.

Note: these displays are wired serially and did not suffer from the overheating problem present in K4TEE and AmeliaEatYaheart's 7 Seg modules.

 

 

With some PM help from AmeliaEatyaHeart I managed to get my 7 Seg LED Displays and my controls working!

Here's the fix:

Tab: KSPIODemo10

 

#include <LedControl.h>

#define LEDClkPin 4
#define LEDChipSel 3
#define LEDDatain 2
//these pins were set up for an Arduino Uno, adjust as appropriate.

LedControl lc=LedControl(LEDDatain,LEDClkPin,LEDChipSel,2);//1==num of 8x8pixel arrays in line. can be up to 8.
 

 

 

void setup() { Serial.begin(38400); LedControl lc=LedControl(LEDDatain,LEDClkPin,LEDChipSel,2); //number of displays is the last variable, will be 1-8. blankLEDscreens(); //initialise screen, and show display number examples. initLEDS(); InitTxPackets(); controlsInit(); LEDSAllOff(); } void loop() { input(); output(); }

 

Tab: Utilities

 

{ printNumLED(0, (long)(VData.AP), 'A', 3);//will display apoapsis, with the decimal point separating km and m. printNumLED(1, (long)(VData.RAlt), 'B', 3);//will display Radar Alt in same format. caution = 0; warning = 0; caution += VData.G > GCAUTION; warning += VData.G > GWARN; caution += VData.LiquidFuelS/VData.LiquidFuelTotS*100 < FUELCAUTION; warning += VData.LiquidFuelS/VData.LiquidFuelTotS*100 < FUELWARN; if (caution != 0) digitalWrite(YLED,HIGH); else digitalWrite(YLED,LOW); if (warning != 0) digitalWrite(RLED,HIGH); else digitalWrite(RLED,LOW); digitalWrite(SASLED,ControlStatus(AGSAS)); digitalWrite(RCSLED,ControlStatus(AGRCS)); digitalWrite(CG1LED,ControlStatus(AGCustom01)); }

void Indicators() 

 

Don't forget to include AmeliaEatYaheart's LedControlFunctions tab from this sketch.

 

 

Tab Utilities

 

{ analogWrite(VUAPIN, round(VData.LiquidFuelS/VData.LiquidFuelTotS*250)); analogWrite(VUBPIN, round(VData.LiquidFuel/VData.LiquidFuelTot*250)); }  

 

 

I've been considering a few options as I've collected a lot of stuff over the years.

Do I go a small SimPit with basic controls, repurpose an old faceplate from an unknown device or re-purpose a vintage gaming console?

 

 

OHHHH, I KNOW THAT ATARI JUST FORGOT THE NAME

[T.A.P.O.R.]

6 hours ago, Ogcorp CEO said:

OHHHH, I KNOW THAT ATARI JUST FORGOT THE NAME

Isn't it the 2600?

I never really looked at the model number.

[Sputnix]

On 3/23/2016 at 5:14 PM, T.A.P.O.R. said:

Isn't it the 2600?

I never really looked at the model number.

Yup. Never owned one myself... just seen enough AVGN to learn bout it

[T.A.P.O.R.]

8 hours ago, Sputnix said:

Yup. Never owned one myself... just seen enough AVGN to learn bout it

I remember playing pong on one back in 82 or 83 at a friends house and having my mind blown that tv wasn't a one way street.

ACMI had an Atari prototype on display a few years back.

It was all point to point wiring of what I suspect were memory coils and there were no integrated circuits in sight.
Can't find a pic on the internet that matches the one in my head, so it might just have been the pong prototype instead.

[Sputnix]

Hey! That looks like my rats nest! 

Good to see early prototypes all look the same! 

[Freshmeat]

And I felt like I had done a lot of wiring...

[richfiles]

What you are seeing on that photo of a prototype is the bottom side of what appears to be wire wrap chip sockets. On that prototype, it looks like they mostly use sockets that would be 2 rows of either 14 or 16 pins, and those would stick through the board, and have tall posts for connections. A wire wrap tool is inserted on each post and twisted, tightly wrapping a thin wire on each post. No solder is needed (though you can solder each wire to the post for added durability, if you wish to keep your prototype).

Rather than what you assumed was no chips, you are looking at a massive collection of small scale integration chips, but they are on the other side of the board. small scale integration refers to chips with only a few logic gates per chip. They did not build a processor with a single chip... they built every logic gate inside the processor from scratch, from individual logic gates. Pretty hardcore! The bottom one MIGHT be a diode matrix, but I'm not sure. That would make sense as a stand in for the cartridge ROM chip.

I wired my custom keyboard that I built using wire wrap wiring, but rather than leave it messy, I laced down all the loose wires.
Wire lacing... The difference between rats nest and art! 

I'll be employing this tequnique in my Kerbal controller too, All loose wiring will be routed and laced down into bundles. On small stuff like this, I use unflavored waxed dental floss. My longest run starts in the top right and moves inward toward the Teensy 2.0, then it goes down the right side of the Teensy, hooks right, turns down again when it hits the LED driver board, follows the bottom edge all the way to the left hand side, turns upwards, makes a slight detour by the shift key, and then continues up, goes left a key, then back right toward the Teensy, and then binds the left side and bottom of the Teensy. All one piece of string. No cuts, just knotting. Knotting and a LOT of feeding cord through loops! 

Edited April 4, 2016 by richfiles

[Sputnix]

You're mad dude! 
But, the final 'look' definitely pays off! Just think of all the additional infrastructure (Supports, etc) to be able to make this happen! 

The next controller I do (heh... yeah, no idea if / when that will be ) I'd like to use more custom circuit boards, with mounted components, and using more ribbon cables.
But that's a lot of design and planning work before hand. And KSPSerial is still trying to be re-worked for 1.1

[T.A.P.O.R.]

Its probably pretty obvious that I've halted development on this.

Once I'm done with school I'll be back on board.

Though I discovered that my chassis has been broken and needs repairs

I was probably a bit careless when rummaging around in the shed one day.
Anyway, I've just got my hands on a used Novation Launchpad S.
Thinking it might be a bit of fun to integrate into my setup.
Check out this to see what is possible (sorry for the size, I don't know how to change it):

 

Edited June 12, 2016 by T.A.P.O.R.

[Freshmeat]

That is a beautiful piece of hardware. You simply have to integrate it into your controller somehow, or the Powers That Be will haunt you for the rest of your life.

[T.A.P.O.R.]

3 hours ago, Freshmeat said:

That is a beautiful piece of hardware. You simply have to integrate it into your controller somehow, or the Powers That Be will haunt you for the rest of your life.

I've been seeing them quite a bit on the 2nd hand market going cheap. So this may well happen.
Bah, who am I kidding?, of course it'll happen!