Well guys, I'm starting to think about the budget C172 I want to build and I was wondering about the advantages/disadvantages of interfacing. I am looking for something that can deal with 8 pots (100kohm), plus switches for 172 (including the heading bugs, and gauge adjustment switches, flaps, lights, and possibly even avionics. The number of switches, sort of rules out hacking an old keyboard up, so I have some questions. Can a keyboard emulator, like the Hagstrom KE72, handle pots? I was under the impression that it couldn't, but want to make sure. Also, can someone pooint me in the direction of some information about Phidgets, and FSBUS. IF you were in my position, what would you plan on using, and also how expensive is each system going to be? and the pros and cons of each. :) Thanks for your help guys, it's much appreciated,DAvid

Hagstrom is a keyboard encoder and cannot handle potsThere are good websites about fsbus/opencockpits/phidgets.I build fsbus1 and fsbusNG. In my opinion go for FSBUS or IOCardsBoth are freeware. The advantage of IOcards is that you can buy for a reasonable price pcb's at opencockpits. You have to make FSBUS pcb's yourself. There is a german site where you can buy the fsbus pcb's.I think the functionality of both systems is more or less the same.IOCards has a program language for advanced users. FSBUS has now CCC, cockpit control center. CCC is a way to make overhead logics via a GUI. The maker of FSBUS, Dirk Anderseck, will change CCC into a kind of BASIC language in the next FSBUS release. So people kan make all kinds of systems and exchange them via the internet.So read as much as you can about FSBUS/IOcards and then choose the system you like most on functionality/availability/costs.regardsNorberthttp://home.wanadoo.nl/norbert.bosch/

I have a C-172 pit, built pretty cheaply.I have a USB 5-axis card for the flight controls - the five axes are rudder, elevator, ailerons, throttle and mixture. What did you want to use three more axes for in a C-172?The card also handles 24 buttons. I have them connected to the ATC PTT button and an 8-way hat switch for the views, trim up, trim down, gear up and gear down (In case I ever want to emulate an RG) plus the ten buttons on my "microphone" (I actually put a calculator key-pad into the case of an old handheld microphone) that I use to transmit the answers back to ATC. The * and # keys on the mike open and close the map and kneeboard windows respectively.For the Avionics display, I have two LCD screens, each of 2x24 char. These are set behind a panel, so they show as 2 2x12 and 2 2x10 windows. I then use FSLCD to display Com1 Active & Stby, Com2 Active & Stby, Nav1 Active & Stby, Nav2 Active & Stby, ADF, Trnspdr, and DME info.I also have a Beta Innovations 64-button input card. The buttons on this are connected to the panel switches, and to knitters that operate all the 'rotary' type knobs on the avionics and control panel. The total switch list is....5-position rotary switch connected to -Mag offMag RMag LMag bothStartToggle switches for -Master Alt On/OffMaster Batt On/offFuel Pump On/Off4 x lighting On/Off switchesAvionics On/OffHand made Push/Pull switch for carb heat5-position rotary switch (mounted inside the panel with a lever sticking out) connected to -Flaps 0Flaps 10Flaps 20Flaps 30Flaps 40On the main panel, Knitters for -Kohlsmann OBS Gyro adjustVOR ADF On the Avionics panel, Knitters forCOM1 Fract up/downCOM1 Units up/downCOM2 Fract up/downCOM2 Units up/downNAV1 Fract up/downNAV1 Units up/downNAV2 Fract up/downNAV2 Units up/downADF Fract up/downADF Units up/down4 x transpnder digitspush buttons for :COM1 act/stby swapCOM2 act/stby swapNAV1 act/stby swapNAV2 act/stby swapBearing in mind that each Knitter uses two switches, that is 56, which means I've forgotten something, as I only have 4 connections left free on the 64 button card.As you see, the total number of connections needed for a C-172 pit is really very small - I have a total of 5 axes and 84 buttons, and never have to touch a mouse or keyboard once I've started the flight. A hacked keyboard is thus perfectly adequate - allthough the Beta Innovations board, and it's free software that allows me to assign almost any possible combination of keys to both the 'press' and 'release' action of each switch makes life a lot easier!Richard

Thanks Richard, your setup sounds pretty good for what I want, The extra pots were for trim wheel, 1 for each rudder pedal etc. A setup similar to yours, sounds pretty sweet for what I'm after, and considerably easier and cheaper than the rest.Thanks for your info,David :)

Thanks, here'san older picture of it - my digital camera is down at the moment so I can't show the latest version - the old CH Yoke has been replaced with a real Cessna one, I have proper knobs on the avionics stack, and the knob for the flaps has been moved into the console and a lever sticks out through a slot like a real flaps lever. http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/146025.jpgRichard

Looks to me that the Plasma from www.betainnovations.com (go to hardware/USB submenu) can be a perfect solution for you. It handles both analog AND digital input in one card and it is easily programmable via a Windows interface. It is a full USB plug and play, no special drivers, no building mess and errors and not that expensive either. And it handles rotary encoders as well so you're well protected for future expansion.But I am of course biased since I have been using Beta Inovations products for @2 years now for my setup: www.excitingsimulations.com/cockpitHave fun building your cockpit!Al

Of course when one talks about a C172, www.simkits.com is of course worth mentioning, although it is not exactly low budget. But in case you want mechanical gauges it is the cheapest way to do it.//T