Many of us are owners of the Engravity CDU hardware. Approximately 24 individuals have posted on the Engravity website.

Engravity will develop a free driver, but they need the SDK to be updated

 

“Ok guys,

 

an update on this.

 

We have had someone looking at the SDK and start development for a driver.

 

Unfortunately the SDK as it is now does not output the display via usb. Since our CDU dus not use a video output but acts like a terminal just like a real CDU it needs to get the data over a serial output.

 

The SDK can not do this.

 

So at the moment, the keypad works, so input is no problem, however, the display will not work as it is.

 

however there is still hope:

 

the SDK manual says:

 

 

Quote:

 

We have made available many more parameters than most developers

will likely require, but if your company or organization would like to

request that we make others available, please open a support ticket and

let us know! We cannot promise we will comply, but we will keep your

request on hand for future updates, and we’ll see what we can do!

 

We have contacted Robert Randazzo directly, but no reply so far.

 

As soon as the SDK allows to send display data over USB, the driver can be finished quickly.”

 

Link - http://www.flyengravity.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=891&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

 

So, at the next opportunity, could PMDG update the SDK with these necessary features, if possible?

 

Bill Clark

That would be swell, also for the "CDU on iPad/droid tablet/phone" bunch.

We have contacted Robert Randazzo directly, but no reply so far.

 

If you haven't heard from Robert after a reasonable period he may not have recieved your e-mail. Check with Ryan and see if he can help. Or you can open a ticket with PMDG support and they should be able help.

I have very good news for you guys - we've added CDU read/entry/display stuff to the SDK - it'll be in the next release whenever that is.

I have very good news for you guys - we've added CDU read/entry/display stuff to the SDK - it'll be in the next release whenever that is.

 

Definitely nice to hear that.

 

Looking forward to it.

My two cents worth:

 

Adding CDU data to the SDK input and output functionality will be very useful. However I seriously doubt that PMDG will be doing this so that it will be available as USB signals. That would require the SDK contain a USB driver which is a formidable task. Also a USB driver is outside of what I think PMDG's business should be. They have excellent aircraft physics engines and cockpit and external views. And they have provided "hooks" to the plane's data with the SDK. It's up to others to interface the SDK data to hardware, e.g. via a USB driver.

Engravity should be able to create a USB driver for their device, that will comminicate PMDG data to and from their device, now that the PMDG SDK is released.

 

There is plenty of info on how to write USB drivers.

 

ie. http://www.waitingforfriday.com/index.php/Open_Source_Visual_C%2B%2B_Class_for_USB_Generic_HID_Communication

I have very good news for you guys - we've added CDU read/entry/display stuff to the SDK - it'll be in the next release whenever that is.

 

Good news.

 

Although would you be able to be a bit more specific? What could it do? Read what is on the CDU screen, and send key signals, obviously...

Will it be able to alter CDU info? To what extent?

The Engravity CDU contains a Silabs USB to Serial device (CP210x) so that bit is done already. It processes NEMA messages to send and recieve data, again straight forward. All the developer needs to do is use Simconnect to extract the data from the PMDG SDK and then connvert to NEMA messages for display.

 

The SDK already has the key events for the CDU so that area is already addressed,

 

It's relatively straight forward and once the new release becomes available, Engravity will be able to sort it.

 

I have this CDU so I'm very pleased about the news.

Thanks Ryan and the rest of you for your responses,

 

That is indeed great news.....we just have to wait until the next release of the SDK and then for Engravity to implement the changes.

 

Bill Clark

What's a SDK and when can we use the cdu with pdmg 737? Date?

 

thom

The Engravity CDU contains a Silabs USB to Serial device (CP210x) so that bit is done already. It processes NEMA messages to send and recieve data, again straight forward. All the developer needs to do is use Simconnect to extract the data from the PMDG SDK and then connvert to NEMA messages for display.

 

The SDK already has the key events for the CDU so that area is already addressed,

 

It's relatively straight forward and once the new release becomes available, Engravity will be able to sort it.

 

I have this CDU so I'm very pleased about the news.

 

Any news on this?

The last email conversation I had with PMDG (which was some months ago) about the SDK, suggested an update after the 777 had been released.

The last email conversation I had with PMDG (which was some months ago) about the SDK, suggested an update after the 777 had been released.

 

Crikey they don't rush things do they ^_^

I have very good news for you guys - we've added CDU read/entry/display stuff to the SDK - it'll be in the next release whenever that is.

hi Ryan

    I am confused about how to readout the text displayed on CDU for a long time. I can`t find the way to read data from CDU`screen in SDK.  Now a App named Virtual CDU for iOS and Android can get data from CDU`screen,and  I would like to know the mothed which Virtual CDU uses to read chars from CDU`screen.

 

THX

Wangyw