geneb

I've been posting this note around to the various flight simulator forums - I call it copy/paste evangelism. I'm doing it because I feel that the castAR is literally THE most revolutionary device to appear in a long time. It's going to make DIY cockpits and flight training in general a whole new world. ============================================================= Here's a message I posted on the simpits-tech list: ---------- Well today I had my mind blown. Not just a little either. We're talking full skullcap separation here. I've been peripherially aware of an augmented reality project called castAR. I saw a still photo of it in action the other day and this caused me to reach out to the designer with some questions about it. Holeeee ######. The castAR in its most basic form is a pair of 720p pico projectors attached to what amounts to eyeglass frames, coupled with some glue logic and a TrackIR style head tracker. The light output of the projectors is so low that you won't see the image they project on a normal surface. It requires what is called a "retro reflective surface" It's essentially the same thing as a theatre's projection screen. Now think about this - you're in a cockpit with all these things that won't reflect the light from the projectors, but "outside" is this material. As you move your head around, you're going to see outside visuals where ever the castAR output hits the screen material. Because of the head tracking (accurate to .07mm apparently) you're always going to see the right visual. You see why my head exploded? Now add to the outside visuals - instead of stuffing your cockpit with LCDs for the various avionics displays, stuff properly sized bits of this reflective material where ever the instruments go. When you're looking at them, you'll be seeing those glass displays where they belong. That's why the top of my head came off. This is the most disruptive technology I think I've ever seen. This could single handedly revitalize the whole flight simulator genre. From what I've read, adding support for castAR isn't that difficult of a programming challenge. I suspect that it won't take long for Eagle Dynamics and 1C to add support for castAR once it hits the market. The company is called Technical Illusions and the hardware is designed by Jeri Ellsworth. The website is http://www.technicalillusions.com They're going to be opening a Kickstarter on October 15th - I would highly recommend that you folks check it out when it goes up. Come hell or high water, I'm going to figure out how to get my hands on a pair of these things as early as I can. --------------------------------------------- This morning, Technical Illusions posted a new demo video of the castAR in use with a flight simulator demo: I think you can see why I'm so insanely excited about this thing. Please sign up for the forum over there and cheer them on! g.

I find it interesting that some folks are eager to point out FlightGear's deficiencies without offering any help to fix them... You could help supply better cloud textures for instance. mgh: Right-clicking and hitting "Open With" is something any experienced Windows user will automatically do if they suspect the file is a text file that doesn't happen to follow a 30 year old naming convention. For those interested, you can find the FlightGear Continuous Integration server here: http://flightgear.simpits.org:8080 - for the truly bleeding edge among you. g.

I've been working for the past year or so on an easy to build single seat cockpit. I've named it the Series One and will hopefully be the start of a line of inexpensive, easy to buildcockpit projects. The project website is at http://www.geneb.org/pitkitFrom there you can download the project construction manual and optionally purchase the project plans on CD for $40.Thanks for your time!Gene Buckle

Hey folks, made a big change over at the simpits.org site yesterday.The site is now going to be a "blog farm" dedicated to simulation of any kind.What this means for you is that if you have a project that is simulation related, be it hardware, software or a cockpit project, you can get a WordPress blog set up for free.You'll get your own WordPress blog (http://www.simpits.org/<your username>) that you can configure as you see fit and include whatever plugins you like. If there is a specific theme you'd like to use, just let me know and I can provide it for you. (the "default" installation I've built includes the Plugin Manager so you can install those yourself)Please head over to http://www.simpits.org for details on why this came about.If you're interested (and I hope you are!) just send an email to [email protected] and let me know you'd like a blog set up and what username you'd like to use.Thanks all.g.

*sigh*g.

Thanks Jim, but I need a machine readable version of the data in that PDF file. The data isn't needed for human consumption - it needs to be in a format I can parse easily within a program.g.

I'm looking for a CSV file of the offsets used by FSUIPC to talk to MSFS. I'm basically looking for a CSV version of the FSUIPC.FSI database.Can someone point me to where I can find this? Thanks!g.

Well I've been posting this all over the place so I figured I should stop by here too. *laughs* thanks all!g.

I have no idea. It's likely a weapons controller of some kind.g.

A friend of mine is selling a "Super" A7 cockpit mockup.Description and pictures are here:http://www.simpits.org/~geneb/a7/a7.htmlThanks for looking!g.

Hey folks, I've just posted a review of Mike Powell's Building Simulated Aircraft Instruments over at Simpits (http://www.simpits.org). If you're building a simulator, you _need_ this book!g.-- Proud owner of 80-0007http://www.f15sim.com - The only one of its kind.

>hehe.. you mean I'm going to have to fly all the way to>Colorado to meet G.B., from just a few miles South of where I>live?>>Please, owe me the pleasure of buying you a beer :-)>Colorado? Eh? I don't get it. :)Ray, you're welcome to stop by any time you like.g.

>Woah! Master Gene Buckle in the AVSIM forum!! I really am>somebody special! I'll see you there G :-)>Hehe. I wouldn't go that far. I'm just a sim geek like the rest of you guys. :)BTW, this is what happens when I get bored and find myself with a Logitec Force Feedback Momo Racing wheel...http://www.simpits.org/~geneb/car1.jpghttp://www.simpits.org/~geneb/car2.jpghttp://www.simpits.org/~geneb/car3.jpghttp://www.simpits.org/~geneb/car4.jpghttp://www.simpits.org/~geneb/car5.jpghttp://www.simpits.org/~geneb/car6.jpgThe seat only cost me $17 or so and the base was made out of a single 2x8 sheet of scrap plywood. I haven't had this much fun playing a video game since I used to play Doom I on Nightmare level with the room lights off. The game I'm using here is Need For Speed: Underground.g.

Robert, you're more than welcome over at the Simpits list. :)g.-- http://www.f15sim.com - The only one of its kind.

Ok folks, listen up. There's a 727 CPT in Minnesota that is going to gofor a song (maybe even free!).Check it out:http://www.simpits.org/~geneb/727cpt.htmlThis would make the ultimate "starter" for a home cockpit builder!It wouldn't take much to interface this monster to a PC.Keep it from being destroyed and ground up for scrap!g.