Hi allI throw this one in expecting to be howled down with laughter but here goes. Following the thread on "Our Cockpits" re obtaining and displaying switch status from PIC767 prior to release of version 2, I have wondered (late at night) whether it would be possible to have a screen for say the overhead panel situated outside the cockpit with an array of photosensors...one over each light. When the light illuminates on the screen(ie in the sim) the change in state is detected and an output to the relevant cockpit light generated.Programming gurus may be able to do this detection of colour change at a screen location independent of sim software???Desperate solutions for desperate times!Go for it fellas...I'm ready for the insults!CheersIan

Hi!Yes, it is possible. With a photo-sensitive diode, that detects the change in the switch position.HOWEVER... :(... with PICv2 you shouldn't need such a difficult system for detecting the states of the switches!cheers,Tero

Ian,Years ago, it must have been when FS4 was current, I've seen at a flight simulator meeting in the Netherlands someone who had made a FS setup with movement... completely pneumatic (I remember a lot of hissing sounds while he flew :-lol ).The movement was controled by a number of photo-electric cels that where placed on the Attitude Indicator of the default Cessna and behold... it actually worked !!!So I'm sure that what you want to do should be possible.PS I also remember someone at the same show, who had made a joystick out of wood and rubberbands... worked also!:-wave

Hi Ian,looking through some electronic catalog two years ago I found an electronic part with a photosensor and a relay, beeing an light sensitive switch. Using this part you can place the sensor on the screen over the displayed switch and connect your real switch or indicator light to the relay. But for working right the sensor must have the right sensitivity. I didn't try it because the sensor-switch costs 15 US$ and for the overhead you would need more then 100 sensors. At this stage this would be the only possibility to get this data out of PIC.CheersTony

Thanks all for the considered replies. I mainly had in mind sensing the switch integrated lights, rather than the switch operation...I figured then, that if the light doesn't come on when it should, you just press the switch again. I realise its a hack solution but if for any reason PICv2 doesn't eventuate (heaven forbid!)then its the only (hardware) way I could see around the problem.The light level of the photocell could switch a transistor and the relay be avoided if the panel light is only a LED, thus reducing the cost considerably.I was fascinated by the example you gave Jaaky, and agree with Tony's comments re-cost otherwise.PICv2 is undoubtedly our best hope as Tero says.CheersIan