Installing the SUPER Encoder Board
requires very little time. All you need is an unused USB Port.
Additional Ports can be added to your computer by using a device
called a USB Hub. These Hubs can be purchased for as little as
$20.00 in the Internet.
Just plug a USB Cable
Series "B" into the jack on the 2090, then into the USB Port on your
computer. The computer will sense the Adapter and load the required
software for its proper operation. The 2090 will be sensed as "DTA
Rotary Encoder". That's all there is to the
installation.
To verify that you computer has
accepted the Interface, you can goto the "Game Controller" window.
To do this, just click on "START" (located in the lower left hand
corner of the computer's monitor); then click on "Control Panel";
then "Game Controller". Your computer should display the
following:
Highlight "DTA Rotary Encoder"
then click "Properties"
TABLE 1
The Properties Window indicates that
there are are 32 available switch locations, this is a
mis-conception. There are only 20 Buttons that can be used with your
designs. The First 12 Digital Switches are RESERVED for use with the
Rotary Switches.
The Properties Window indicates that
there are are 32 available switch locations, this is a
mis-conception. There are only 20 Buttons that can be used with your
designs. The First 12 Digital Switches are RESERVED for use with the
Rotary Switches.
Downloading the Utility
Driver for the 2090 Super Encoder Board
For the proper operation on the Encoder Board,
you need to Download the Encoder Utility Program. This
program allows you to adjust "Pulse Timing" and "Pluse Width" on
each of the 6 Available Rotary Switches on the 2090 board. The
program will also allow you to connect a number of Rotary Encoder
Boards to the USB Port of same computer while allowing you to keep
track on timing pusles on each and every Rotary Switch available on
your system.
To the left is a photo of the
Encoder Utility Program showing suggested settings for the first six
Rotary Switches.
Please note that the Utility
Program shows 16 available Rotary Switches, these aditional settings
is for future expansion and is not available on the 2090 Board.
Also take note that if you install 6
Rotary Encoders to the board, there NO Digital Switch inputs
available. All available pins have been reserved for the Rotary
Encoders. But if you require a Push Button installed with your panel
design; use a maxinum of 5 Rotary Encoders. This arrangement will
allow you to include 2 Push Buttons.
To Download this FREE program;
click HERE. The number
pair to the right of each setting shows the "Control Panel" RED dot
that will be lite when the Rotary Switch is turned. Example: With
the Rotary Switch connected to the 2090 Board at Position #1,
turning the knob to the LEFT will light-up the #1 RED Button (quick
pulse) as seen on the "Control Panel" window. Turn the Rotary Switch
to the RIGHT, the #2 RED Button will light with a short pulse. If
connected to Position #4, the Turning the Rotary Dial to the LEFT
then to the RIGHT will light (again a pulse) the RED #7 and then the
RED #8. You get the idea.
On the top he Utility Program window, you will notice
"Serial Number". Here you can set the timing and pulse duration for
a number of 2090 Boards connected to your computer. This Serial
Number will change when additional boards are added. Just select the
Board you wish to program via its Serial Number, then set the timing
pulse for the sugested 1:4 and Pulse width to 88 ms.
"SIMPLE" Wiring Your
Model 2090 Super Encoder Board
The 2090 was designed to provide
three vital functions to any Flight Simmers Avionics Panel; they are
Rotary Encoder Switches; Analog inputs from slide or rotary
potentiometers and Digital inputs for 20 Push
Buttons.
To make the interfacing of your
Rotary Switches, Slide Controls and Push Buttons as painless as
possible, we have included fourteen 3 and two 6 pin Female
Connectors. Just solder the wires (as shown below) from your
switches to the connectors and place them on the 2090.
What could be easier?
Wiring the Rotary Encoder
N/O Switches
To connect the Rotary Switches to the
2090, all you need do it to solder 3 wires from the switch to one of
the 3 pin female connectors provided with your
purchase.
The length of these wires can be up
to 15 inches long. Any longer, you run the risk of introducing noise
into the board.
Using the schematic to the left,
you can wire up to 6 Rotary Switches in this manner. The two
additional terminals on the Rotary Switch are the contacts
connected to a normally open spring return switch. These two
contacts can be wired to the Digital Switch Matrix (see below) so
when the Rotary Switch is PUSHED, the internal switch is closed for
as long as you keep pressure on the shaft. This switch closure can
then be programmed using FSUIPC to preform a needed function for
your Avionics Panel.
Not all Rotary Switches come with a
n/o switch but the switches we are making available to you have this
unique feature.
Wiring the LINEAR
Potentiometers
So you want to design a Throttle
Quadrant? Well, you came to the right place. You can make your own
Throttle by starting with the purchase of a 100K Ohm Potentiometer,
Make sure ist is a LINEAR type. Audio taper will not work properly.
Luckly, Desktop Aviator has the Linear Potentiometers available
HERE.
To the left is a 100K Ohm Linear
Potentiometer with a short shaft (0.5in). Wiring of this pot is the
same as the Rotary Switch seen above. This time, you can wire up to
8 potentiometers for one 2090 Board.
Wiring the 1090 Slide
Assemblies
If you purchased the 2090 with the
optional Cessna Style Push/Pull Slide Assembly; read on. Just like wiring the 100K Ohm Potentiometers as seen
above, wiring the Model 1090 Slide Assemblies is
just as easy.
To the left is the schematic on
soldering the 3 wires from the slide to the 3 terminal connector.
Terminal #1 from the Slide is
soldered to the Right terminal on the connector; Terminal #2 from the Slide is soldered to the Center terminal
of the connector; Terminal #3 from the Slide is
soldered to the Left terminal of the connector.
Note that the 1090 Slide has TWO #2
terminals. This just means that these 2 terminals are connected internally. Use the #2 terminal that
is the closest to the Slide's Mounting
Hub.
If you plan on designing a Throttle
Quadrant for the Cessna 172, you will need 2 of
these Slide Assemblies. One for the "Throttle" and the second for
"Fuel Mix". For the Skylane, you would need
three; One for "Throttle", the second for "Prop
Pitch" and the third for "Fuel
Mix".
If you wish, you can purchase the
slide. Just goto:
If you wish, you can purchase your
own 100K Ohm Slide
Potentiometer.
Just make sure it is a "LINEAR
TYPE"; Audio Taper will not operate correctly.
10K Ohm Slides will also work just fine.
Switch Assignments for the Model 2090
For the
"Simplified" installation, you can take up to 6 Rotary
Encoders; (wired as shown above). Connect them to the 2090 board
using the 3 pin male connectors. But if you install 6 Rotary
Encoders, you have NO Available inputs for Push Button Switches. So
if you need a push button switch in your design, add only 5 Rotary
encoders. With 5 Encoders connected, you will have 2
available Push Buttons.
Likewise, if you
install 4 Encoders; you will have 4 available slots for Push
Buttons
Install 3 Encoders;
you will have 6 available slots for Push Buttons.
Install 2 Encoders;
you will have 8 available slots for Push Buttons.
Install 1 Encoder;
you will have 10 available slots for Push Buttons.
Each Rotary Encoder requires 2
switch inputs to the computer. One switch pulsing when the Encoder
is turned to the LEFT and a second switch when the Encoder is turned
to the RIGHT. In the "Simple" wiring arrangement; there are 12
available switches, thus if each Encoder requires two switches and
only 12 are available, you are allowed to connect 6 Rotary Encoders
to the 2090 board.
Using less Encoders, frees up more
inputs for use with Push or even Toggle
Switches.
What Do I Do With All
This Wire?
I'm glad you asked. Below is a
photo of the 2090 Board that answers that perplexing
question.
The "RED" oval shows where the 6 Rotary
Switches can to be placed. Note the 3 Male Connectors in each row
(left to right). This is where you will place
the 3 terminal Female Connector. The one you just soldered the wires
to.
The "Yellow" oval shows where you
connect the available inputs to your Push Button (or Toggle)
switches to the 2090 using the 6 Pin Female Connectors. This section
is divided into 2 Male Terminal Posts. The left
containes the row component and the right side is the column. ROW 1,
Row 2, Row 3, ROW 4, ROW 5 and ROW 6 correspond
to the vertical components of the switch matrix (see above). COLUMN
1, COLUMN 2, COLUMN 3, COLUMN 4, COLUMN 5 and
COLUMN 6 corresponds to the horizontal components of the switch
matrix. Using the two 6 Terminal Female Connectors,
solder the wires from your switch to the connectors and then
place them into the corresponding "ROW" / "COLUMN" Male
connections.
The "GREEN" pval shows where you
will insert the 3 pin connectors soldered to your Potentiometers. As
with the Rotary Switchs, the Potentiometers are inserted
horizontally.
The "BLUE" circle shows 5 pair of
male connectors. At the present time, these terminals are not used.
They are for future expansion.
Below are two TABLES showing the
Designations for the Analog / Rotary Inputs and the Digital
Matrix.
Lets start with the Analog Input
TABLE. When the 2090 is connected to your computer and viewed on the
"Control Panel" , you will see the window shown above (See Table 1).
From this Table, you can see that the 8 Analog Inputs have names.
X/Y, Z Axis, Y Rotation ect.
The X/Y Axis is usually associated
with adding a Joystick. Joysticks can be purchased over the Internet
for a few dollars and this is where it is connected to the 2090
Board (X Axis - Position #1 & Y Axis - Position #4). But you may
ask; Where is Position #1? From the photo seen above; the #1
Positions for the three functions is indicated by the "Orange"
horizontal Bar.
Say you want to use the "Y Rotation
Axis" for one of your Slide Assemblies (any position can be used).
Just place the 3 terminal connector (horizontally) into Position #7.
Fuel Mix can be connected to Position #8 (Z Rotation Axis) and so
on.
Rotary Switches are the same as the
Analog Inputs. Again, refer to TABLE 1. This time focus your
attention on the 32 RED Buttons. These Buttons indicate the
available 32 Digital Switches of the MATRIX. The first 12 buttons
are used for the Rotary Switches and/or Push Button. Say you place
the 3 terminal connector from one of your Rotary Switches and place
it Horizontally into Position #1 (Rotary Input Side "RED Circle").
When connected to your computer's USB Port and the computer showing
the the Control Panel (As seen in TABLE 1), turn the Rotary Switch
to the left and then the right. The RED Buttons #3 and #4 will begin
to flash as you turn the switch. Now place a Rotary Switch into
Position #4. When turned, left then right, the RED Buttons #11 and
#12 will flash. If you see erratic behaviour when turning the Switch
make sure you have the Rotary Switch UTILITY Programming running and
properly set for the 6 Rotary Switches (see above)
|
Analog Input
Designations (Green) |
Rotary Switch Input Designations
(Red) |
| Position #1
(Top) |
X
Axis |
Position #1
(Top) |
Red Button #3 -
#4 |
| Position
#2 |
Dial
Axis |
Position
#2 |
Red Button #5 -
#6 |
| Position
#3 |
Slide
Axis |
Position
#3 |
Red Button #1 -
#2 |
| Position
#4 |
Y
Axis |
Position
#4 |
Red Button #11 -
#12 |
| Position
#5 |
Z
Axis |
Position
#5 |
Red Button #7 -
#8 |
| Position
#6 |
X Rotation
Axis |
Position #6
(Bottom) |
Red Button #9 -
#10 |
| Position
#7 |
Y Rotation
Axis |
* * * * * *
* * |
* * * * * *
* * |
| Position #8
(Bottom) |
Z Rotation
Axis |
* * * * * * *
* |
* * * * * * *
* |
|
Digital Switch Designations
(Yellow) |
|
Rotary
Encoder |
2090 Location |
Control Panel |
*Available Switch
Assignments |
|
NO
Encoder |
No
Connection |
No
Lights |
Column
1,2,3,4,5,6
Row 1,2,3,4,5,6 |
|
Encoder
#1 |
Position
#3 |
Red Button
#1 - #2 |
Column
3,4,5,6
Row
1,2,3,4,5,6 |
|
Encoder
#2 |
Position
#1 |
Red Button
#3 - #4 |
Column
5,6
Row 1,2,3,4,5,6 |
|
Encoder
#3 |
Position
#2 |
Red Buttons
#5 - #6 |
Row 1,2,3,4,5,6 |
|
Encoder
#4 |
Position
#5 |
Red Button
#7 - #8 |
Row
3,4,5,6 |
|
Encoder
#5 |
Position
#6 |
Red Buttons
#9 - #10 |
Row
5,6 |
|
Encoder
#6 |
Position
#4 |
Red Button
#11 - #12 |
NONE |
* To make use of the
Available Switch Assignments, just short the indicated ROW or Column
pin to GROUND. Example: Say you have one Encoder connected to the
2090 board at Position #1, you have 10 Available Switch Assignments.
Just short the pin from Column 3 to GROUND through a Push Button
Switch. You can also short Column 4,5,6 and Row 1,2,3,4,5,6. Say you
have 5 encoders connected to Positions 1,2,3,4,5 on the 2090 board.
Now the available switch assignments are only 2; Row 5 and Row 6.
Now you have only 2 available switch assignments. And so
On!
The Panasonic Rotary Encoders available from
Desktop Aviator have an internal Normally Open that can be used for
this purpose. Just solder one side of the two available terminals,
to GROUND and the other side to the appropriate Column/Row
matrix.
NOTE: If you have only one Encoder in Position #1,
you need to set the Utility Program to "OFF" for 3-4, 5-6, 7-8,
9-10, 11-12. Likewise; if you are using 2, 3, or 4
Encoders, the setting for ALL UNUSED encoders MUST BE SET
TO "OFF". If not, you will be loosing the available "Switch
Assignments" associated with that setting.
Adding Toggle Switches
Seeing that all you need do to
activate one of the available Digital inputs it to Ground a
Column/Row terminal, the "Pluse Generator" circuit from our Model
2040 can be used. Just solder the 1N4148 Diode to one of the
available Digital inputs and the Common Ground. The circuit will
generate a ground pulse for about 1/4 second, thus turning "ON" the
"Red Button" seen on the "Control Panel".
NOTE: A H11AA1 IC can also be used in
place of the H11AA2 without any problems.
Also Note that the Pulse Generator
circuit can only be used when connected to the Rotary Switch Input
("RED" Oval see Above). The H11AA1 circuit requires a Common Ground
connection to produce the desired 1/4 second
pulse.
If you want to incorporate the entire X/Y Matrix,
a small modification must be made to the Pulse Circuit. You would
need to add a 5 volt reed relay with Normally Open (NO) relay
contacts to the circuit. Using the relay, isolates the voltages used
to power the Pulse Generator from getting into the X/Y
Matrix.
Then by wiring the relay's Normally Open contacts
to the desired ROW and COLUMN pins on the 2090, the required X/Y
connections can be made, thus providing your computer with the
proper USB input which can then be assigned the appropriate flight
simulator fuction.
Building a NAV/COM Radio with the
2090
Now that we know how to wire-up
some Rotary Encoders, lets build a NAV/COM Radio. To build the
Radio, you need the following:
1 - 2090 SUPER Rotary
Encoder Board w/USB Cable
4 - Rotary Encoder
Switches
2 - Push
Buttons
1 - 2090 UTILITY
Program (See Above)
Wire four Rotary Encoders as seen
above. Take two Spring Return Push Buttons and wire them onto one of
the two 6 pin Female Connectors at Row 3 and 4 (Row 5 and 6 is not
used).
Connect the four Encoder
Switches into the 2090 "Rotary Sw Input" (RED Oval). Place at
Position #1, #2, #3 and #4. Now place the 6
pin Connector onto the 2090 board at the "Digital Sw Input" ROW
location (Yellow Oval). That's all there is to it. Now we
must Assign the appropriate
functions to the Radio using FSUIPC.
Plug in your 2090 into a unused USB
Port. The Board will be sensed by your computer and the proper
driver software will be loaded. Remember to download, run
and set the 2090 Utility Program as seen above. As this
Utility program will now sense that a 2090 board
is connected to the computer by its unique Serial Number. Set the
Utility Program to read the first 4 Rotary Encoders
(1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8) as "1:4" with a Pluse Width
of "88msec". Remove the 2090 from your computer, Exit the Utility
Program. Reload the Utility Program again and
reconnect the 2090 to your computer. To test the board, turn each
Rotary Encoder left and right. The associated Red Button will pulse
as the Encoder is turned. If the pulse is erratic, you must change
the "Pulse Timing" and "Pluse Width" to a more
accurate setting. This is achieved by trail and error.
For the Panasonic Rotary Encoders
being sold by Desktop Aviator; the "Pluse Timing" should read "1:2";
while the "Pluse Width" is
"72msec". Just remember, with each change to the Utility
Program you must exit the program and run it again to accept the new
settings.
The 2090 board is now ready to
accept FS Assignments.
Run your Flight Simulator. Click on
"Settings" then "Assignments". Highlight "DTA Rotary Encoder" and
DELETE ALL Joystick Default settings that Flight
Simulator has placed here. If you do not delete these un-necessary
settings, you may run the risk of assigning 2
functions to the same switch.
Once all Default settings are
deleted press the "ALT" key
to enter FSUIPC (Licensed Version). If you need additional
information on downloading, running and programming FSUIPC, you can goto:
With FSUIPC running, you can now
program the Rotary Encoders to function as if it were a NAV/COM
Radio. The TABLE below shows
the FSUIPC Functions that need to be programmed for the Radio to
function correctly.
Turn the first Rotary Encoder
"Clockwise" and associate this switch to: COM
RADIO WHOLE INC. Turn the same Rotary Encoder "Counter-Clockwise" and associate this switch to: COM RADIO WHOLE DEC. Now take the second Rotary
Encoder and turn it "Clockwise". Associate this
switch to: COM RADIO FRAC INC. Now turn the second Rotary Encoder
"Counter-Clockwise". Associate this
switch to: COM RADIO FRAC
DEC.
Now, press one of your Spring
Return Push Buttons. Associate this switch to: COM STBY RADIO SWAP.
The second Push Button is pressed and
associated with: NAV1 RADIO
SWAP.
For the remaining two Rotary
Encoders, program them just as I instructed above. This time,
associate their functions to the four NAV1 commands.
