Board index FlightGear Support Hardware

computer2cockpit

Joysticks, pedals, monitors.

computer2cockpit

Postby computer2cockpit » Fri Nov 15, 2013 2:24 am

Flight Simulation Hardware specially designed for use with Flight Gear is now under development. It is a project of small group of Enthusiasts and Flight Gear users. This is the first public presentation of the project.

Visit our web, for more details about products:
http://www.computer2cockpit.com/
Visit our facebook page for project news:
https://www.facebook.com/computer2cockpit
Visit the wiki page, it contains FAQ section
http://wiki.flightgear.org/Computer2cockpit

Any other questions, suggestions, likes and dislikes will be read, adressed and answered, so post here all your questions and answers, we will adress them on daily basis.

Please vote the poll, check box for yes leave blank for no, it is multiple question poll.
http://www.computer2cockpit.com/?page_id=239
Last edited by computer2cockpit on Thu Dec 05, 2013 7:36 pm, edited 3 times in total.
User avatar
computer2cockpit
 
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2013 2:15 am
Location: Zagreb, Croatia

Re: Flight Gear Computer Hardware

Postby Johan G » Fri Nov 15, 2013 9:01 pm

Nice web site! :)
Low-level flying — It's all fun and games till someone looses an engine. (Paraphrased from a YouTube video)
Improving the Dassault Mirage F1 (Wiki, Forum, GitLab. Work in slow progress)
Some YouTube videos
Johan G
Moderator
 
Posts: 6629
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 6:33 pm
Location: Sweden
Callsign: SE-JG
IRC name: Johan_G
Version: 2020.3.4
OS: Windows 10, 64 bit

Re: Flight Gear Computer Hardware

Postby computer2cockpit » Fri Nov 15, 2013 9:27 pm

Thank you Sir,

I'm glad you liked the web site. How about the products?

Regards
Computer2cockpit - Flight Simulation Hardware designed for Flight Preparation and Training

Updates: http://www.facebook.com/computer2cockpit
FAQ: http://www.computer2cockpit.com/?page_id=771

Thank you for Support.
User avatar
computer2cockpit
 
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2013 2:15 am
Location: Zagreb, Croatia

Re: Flight Gear Computer Hardware

Postby Hooray » Fri Nov 15, 2013 9:49 pm

Hi & welcome!

Looking really good, what about your pricing ? And where are you located (distributors/shipping) ?
Are those photographs of actual hardware or still "mock-ups", i.e. proof-of-concept ?

Also, how is hardware connectivity and driver support implemented, if via USB are you aware of a long-standing feature request to implement USB/HID support ? See: https://code.google.com/p/flightgear-bu ... ail?id=619

Do you have any plans on also providing helicopter hardware (collective, cyclic, pedals) ?

Finally, have you considered getting in touch with some of the more senior project members, such as Curt, Torsten or Gijs, i.e. to provide sample hardware - possibly in exchange for some form of product review/endorsement via the main FlightGear channels (website) ?
Primarily, the point would be ensuring to our users that you are indeed legit (and can be trusted with pre-orders), and you'll obviously get some advertisement in return by requiring people to publicly review your products, for example in one of our newsletters.
Please don't send support requests by PM, instead post your questions on the forum so that all users can contribute and benefit
Thanks & all the best,
Hooray
Help write next month's newsletter !
pui2canvas | MapStructure | Canvas Development | Programming resources
Hooray
 
Posts: 12707
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:40 am
Pronouns: THOU

Re: Flight Gear Computer Hardware

Postby computer2cockpit » Fri Nov 15, 2013 10:38 pm

After writing the whole page, i get mysql error. Nice :)

i will write it in texteditor first.
Computer2cockpit - Flight Simulation Hardware designed for Flight Preparation and Training

Updates: http://www.facebook.com/computer2cockpit
FAQ: http://www.computer2cockpit.com/?page_id=771

Thank you for Support.
User avatar
computer2cockpit
 
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2013 2:15 am
Location: Zagreb, Croatia

Re: Flight Gear Computer Hardware

Postby Philosopher » Fri Nov 15, 2013 10:52 pm

The problem you must've had is that no special characters (well, a few ones) are allowed in these posts, unfortunately :P.

It looks like a great product, and a nice website too :D. What are you using to communicate with FG? Generic protocol, or does your hardware show up as a joystick?
Philosopher
 
Posts: 1593
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2012 7:29 pm

Re: Flight Gear Computer Hardware

Postby Hooray » Fri Nov 15, 2013 11:09 pm

happened here too, especially when copy-/pasting stuff (URLs), it's really annoying, been using pastebin to write longer stuff because of that, or just copying everything to the clipboard prior to submitting. One reason more, why we should use the wiki for long/useful stuff :D
Please don't send support requests by PM, instead post your questions on the forum so that all users can contribute and benefit
Thanks & all the best,
Hooray
Help write next month's newsletter !
pui2canvas | MapStructure | Canvas Development | Programming resources
Hooray
 
Posts: 12707
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:40 am
Pronouns: THOU

Re: Flight Gear Computer Hardware

Postby computer2cockpit » Fri Nov 15, 2013 11:20 pm

Thank you guys, i'm glad we are communicating.

Computer2cockpit is 6 months old project started by small group of aviation enthusiasts located in Zagreb, Croatia

Goal was to make flight simulation hardware suitable for Flight Training and Preparation. Target aircraft was generic Twin Engine Piston Aircraft like Seminole or Seneca that are widely used in flight training. Target users are Student pilots, Certified Pilots, Flight Simulation Enthusiasts, and Personal Cockpit Builders.

First goal was Full cockpit functionality, necessary for flight training. No existing products offer this level of functionality and similarity.
Second goal was to make solution affordable and modular, allowing users to shape their own cockpit to their needs, when they need it.

Project is entering prototype manufacturing phase, with completed computer and electrical designs for all the products. We have decided to present our project to perspective buyers, to see what they think, what they like, what they don’t. We are hoping for feedback.

Prototyping phase should last till January, 2014 when we will present our products via videos and sample products sent to Flight Schools and Aeroclubs, and anybody else willing to arrange for presentation of them. To let people try our products.
Production should start by summer 2014. Pre-ordering now will mean priority when production starts. Production will be funded by crowdfunding so first orders will be taken via crowdfunding, meaning that future users will fund this project.

We are reaching out now to keep you informed of our project, development, status, and to support us.
We are preparing other future products, also compatible with our flight simulation interface. Full instrument panel that will be one of them, and it will be fully compatible with the interface.

And finally. Target price is below 500$ + VAT for complete cockpit including 7 products. As the project advances this will probably be significantly reduced, but this is a good reference for now.

You can find information about project team on our web computer2cockpit.com but I will present myself here.
Head of Project at computer2cockpit:
Miroslav Segvic, aeronautical engineer and licensed pilot.
During my flight training where were periods of no flying time. I needed computer hardware for flight simulation, but none that were available on the market could not satisfy for flight training. Second problem was that everything that was available was too expensive and single engine orientated. 6 months ago I started this project, to bring flight simulation to everyone. To spread flying culture.
We have chosen FlightGear as target software because it is open, free to users and more advanced in areas that matter to us. This project, like FlightGear is fueled only with flying enthusiasm.

That is why I am hoping for some promotion from FlightGear.

Please fell free to ask more questions! Nothing is Tabu about this project. We want you to know.
Computer2cockpit - Flight Simulation Hardware designed for Flight Preparation and Training

Updates: http://www.facebook.com/computer2cockpit
FAQ: http://www.computer2cockpit.com/?page_id=771

Thank you for Support.
User avatar
computer2cockpit
 
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2013 2:15 am
Location: Zagreb, Croatia

Re: Flight Gear Computer Hardware

Postby Hooray » Fri Nov 15, 2013 11:25 pm

Thanks, here are some questions you missed obviously:
Hooray wrote in Fri Nov 15, 2013 9:49 pm:Also, how is hardware connectivity and driver support implemented, if via USB are you aware of a long-standing feature request to implement USB/HID support ? See: https://code.google.com/p/flightgear-bu ... ail?id=619

Do you have any plans on also providing helicopter hardware (collective, cyclic, pedals) ?

Finally, have you considered getting in touch with some of the more senior project members, such as Curt, Torsten or Gijs, i.e. to provide sample hardware - possibly in exchange for some form of product review/endorsement via the main FlightGear channels (website) ?
Primarily, the point would be ensuring to our users that you are indeed legit (and can be trusted with pre-orders), and you'll obviously get some advertisement in return by requiring people to publicly review your products, for example in one of our newsletters.


If you can pull this off within 12 months, you'll probably want to get in touch with the FSWeekend folks for more promotion possibilities (get in touch with Gijs).

Also, are you going to do any/all software development in the open, i.e. using gitorious ? Specifically referring to cross-platform drivers and/or USB-HID abstraction wrappers ?

Are you using any established crowd-funding platform or is it just mouth-to-mouth for now ?
Please don't send support requests by PM, instead post your questions on the forum so that all users can contribute and benefit
Thanks & all the best,
Hooray
Help write next month's newsletter !
pui2canvas | MapStructure | Canvas Development | Programming resources
Hooray
 
Posts: 12707
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:40 am
Pronouns: THOU

Re: Flight Gear Computer Hardware

Postby computer2cockpit » Fri Nov 15, 2013 11:44 pm

Sorry Hurray,

Hardware will be a HID device and that is pretty much opensource already. it will not require driver, just single configuration file for flight gear.
Everything should be connected to our interface and from there via USB to computer.

Helicopter hardware, is an option but not in 2014. It depends on community. We can make everything work but people must be interested in it.Which helicopter you think we should focus on?

I'm in contact with Thorsten Dreyer that sugested that i promote this project on forum and FG facebook page. i see now that the post from facebook page is deleted, or i cant find it anymore.
I will provide samples to everyone that is willing to organise promotion(that includes FG staff), and let people test them, when they will be ready. I do not plan to buy them off :) for promotion. I'm currently promoting flightgear on my web site.

Follow us on facebook. Project progress, pictures and videos are the only thing that will speak about us. Pre-orders are not obligatory. They just give you a place in the line. like when you take a number as you enter the bank. You can always walk away if you don't like the clerk.

This whole campaign hase one purpose, to gather information about the interest in such products. If there will be no pre-orders or followers in 6 months from now, i dont think that project has the future.

You, our future users will decide will this project ever hit the market by showing that you are interested.
Computer2cockpit - Flight Simulation Hardware designed for Flight Preparation and Training

Updates: http://www.facebook.com/computer2cockpit
FAQ: http://www.computer2cockpit.com/?page_id=771

Thank you for Support.
User avatar
computer2cockpit
 
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2013 2:15 am
Location: Zagreb, Croatia

Re: Flight Gear Computer Hardware

Postby computer2cockpit » Fri Nov 15, 2013 11:46 pm

We will pull this off in a year.

We plan to make it open by the time we finish it. All platforms will be covered.

We are building the community first, and we will not start crowdfunding until we show you our products. We plan to use indiegogo for that.
Computer2cockpit - Flight Simulation Hardware designed for Flight Preparation and Training

Updates: http://www.facebook.com/computer2cockpit
FAQ: http://www.computer2cockpit.com/?page_id=771

Thank you for Support.
User avatar
computer2cockpit
 
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2013 2:15 am
Location: Zagreb, Croatia

Re: Flight Gear Computer Hardware

Postby Hooray » Fri Nov 15, 2013 11:55 pm

It's a good thing that you've been in touch with Torsten, I think he's usually involved in FSWeekend, but also in home cockpit building and all the other fancy stuff you're doing there.

Regarding promotion, if you've been in touch with Curt/Torsten/Gijs, and they are supportive of your project and convinced you're legit, you are also invited to add news about your project to the upcoming newsletter (see my signature), you'll only need to register a wiki account and can easily post updates each month, including images and/or youtube videos. I would however suggest/ask you to keep things strictly informative and not to overly advertise your products there, i.e. just to keep us updated progress-wise - the FlightGear wiki being hosted at flightgear.org, should give you quite some SEO juice (backlinks), but please don't abuse it, wiki admins are watching you carefully and we won't hesitate to remove links and/or content if we're getting the impression something isn't quite right ...

That being said, please don't misunderstand the last line, it's just that we've had our own experiences with some "commercial entities" (like those FPS scammers). So we'd rather not have to deal with scammers again, which is why I really suggest to provide some form of proof-of-identiy and ideally a prototype to at least a single senior project member like Gijs/Torsten, to prove that you're legit - even if it's just temporary, i.e. for a couple of weeks, for testing/review purposes.
Please don't send support requests by PM, instead post your questions on the forum so that all users can contribute and benefit
Thanks & all the best,
Hooray
Help write next month's newsletter !
pui2canvas | MapStructure | Canvas Development | Programming resources
Hooray
 
Posts: 12707
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:40 am
Pronouns: THOU

Re: Flight Gear Computer Hardware

Postby computer2cockpit » Sat Nov 16, 2013 12:14 am

Dear Sir,

I appreciate your help, and concern.

The reason for joining this forum was about letting your community know that this project exists and that it is under development.
I do not intend to make any special offers or to promote purchasing of these products. I want your community to be informed of its progress.

I don't have problem with providing samples when they are prepared. In fact i'm thrilled to hear that FG would write a review of our sample products.
I'm looking forward to FSweekend, it is good to know my team is invited.

Our project is not even commercial jet. It will be if your community and pilots all around the world decide to give us their trust. By that time we will have much more to show.

I will have something for December newsletter.

Please post any further questions.

Let us know what you think.
Computer2cockpit - Flight Simulation Hardware designed for Flight Preparation and Training

Updates: http://www.facebook.com/computer2cockpit
FAQ: http://www.computer2cockpit.com/?page_id=771

Thank you for Support.
User avatar
computer2cockpit
 
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2013 2:15 am
Location: Zagreb, Croatia

Re: computer2cockpi

Postby computer2cockpit » Sun Nov 17, 2013 7:29 pm

I see that 130 people visited this topic.

Thank you for your interest.

I'm still interested in FlightGear users opinions and question, likes and dislikes about this project.

Please feel free to ask and write here or via contact@computer2cockpit.com

http://www.computer2cockpit.com
http://www.facebook.com/computer2cockpit

Thank you for your support!
Computer2cockpit - Flight Simulation Hardware designed for Flight Preparation and Training

Updates: http://www.facebook.com/computer2cockpit
FAQ: http://www.computer2cockpit.com/?page_id=771

Thank you for Support.
User avatar
computer2cockpit
 
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2013 2:15 am
Location: Zagreb, Croatia

Re: computer2cockpit

Postby Hooray » Sun Nov 17, 2013 8:48 pm

I think some people are just skeptical due to negative experiences we've made over time - but if you can pull this off and provide this kind of hardware, it will surely be interesting - however, if it's viable from an economic standpoint really depends on numbers, i.e. how many products you need to sell within a certain time frame, and how many FG users you can win as prospective customers.

Personally, I would feel more confident ordering from somebody who's "known" within the FlightGear community obviously.

Thus, my suggestion would be to get started contributing to the project in some public fashion to introduce yourself to the community, i.e. by identifying opportunities to work on useful stuff, such as USB/HID support, according to the roadmap detailed by core developers like Zakalawe: https://code.google.com/p/flightgear-bu ... ail?id=619

Ideally, you'll use a gitorious branch so that people can track your work.
Please don't send support requests by PM, instead post your questions on the forum so that all users can contribute and benefit
Thanks & all the best,
Hooray
Help write next month's newsletter !
pui2canvas | MapStructure | Canvas Development | Programming resources
Hooray
 
Posts: 12707
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:40 am
Pronouns: THOU

Next

Return to Hardware

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests