My Learjet 45 Home Cockpit (63 posts)
25/08/2012
The definitive design...I hope!
by Marco
Finally I arrived at the end of the design of my Home Cockpit Learjet 45.
Logical schema of components is the following one:

click here to enlarge
PC1 - FSX
This is the main PC where flight sim runs.
FSX Modules:
- Microsoft Flight Simulator X Gold Edition;
- FSUIPC: for the communication between sim and interface card;
- WideFS server module for interfacing the glass cockpit;
- IVAP server module for the integration in the IVAO world;
USB Interfaces:
- SAITEK panels:
** Yoke System with Throttle quadrant

** Multi Panel

** Radio Panel

** Switch Panel

** Rudder Pedals

- USB Keyboard Interface for interfacing push-buttons and switches;
- OpenCockpits USBOutput Interface card to manage leds;
LAN adapters:
- Network adapter: for network communications to internet and PC2
Video:
- 2 video adapter with double video output for each one;
- 4 monitor LCD WideScreen used with the software SoftTh to manage external views;
PC2 - Glass Cockpit and IVAP Client
PC to manage glass cockpit and IVAO services.
Modules and software
- WideClient: interface to the sim;
- GLASS COCKPIT: software FREEFD and Dave Ault's software - thanks Dave - http://homepage.ntlworld.com/davidault/software.html
- IVAP Client: integration with IVAO services.
USB interfaces:
- USB Keyboard Interface to manage buttons for glass cockpit;
- Mic and phones: for IVAP radio communications;
LAN adapters:
- Network adapter: for network communications to internet and PC1;
Video:
- 2 monitor LCD 4:3: used for glass cockpit;
Visual System
This is the system which is changed from the initial idea, based on a projector. The definitive version instead has 4 wide screen monitor for external views. I chose this solution because a single projector take a big view (and this is positive) but this view is almost flat...no sensation to be there. While 4 monitors offer a 135° FOV which is more realistic and immersive.
The monitors are controlled by PC1, where sim runs. PC1 own two video adapter, each one with 2 video output. By this way PC1 has an horizontal resolution resulting from the sum of the resolution of single monitor.
This is possible thanks to a fantastic freeware software called SoftTh.
I made some tests with 3 monitor and two video adapter and it works quite good.
Physical structure and panels
This is the last version (I hope also the definitive one) of 3D model:

I made only litte changes regarding the previous one.
These are panels:
GENERAL PANEL

STARTUP PANEL
