1. Do not share user accounts! Any account that is shared by another person will be blocked and closed. This means: we will close not only the account that is shared, but also the main account of the user who uses another person's account. We have the ability to detect account sharing, so please do not try to cheat the system. This action will take place on 04/18/2023. Read all forum rules.
    Dismiss Notice
  2. For downloading SimTools plugins you need a Download Package. Get it with virtual coins that you receive for forum activity or Buy Download Package - We have a zero Spam tolerance so read our forum rules first.

    Buy Now a Download Plan!
  3. Do not try to cheat our system and do not post an unnecessary amount of useless posts only to earn credits here. We have a zero spam tolerance policy and this will cause a ban of your user account. Otherwise we wish you a pleasant stay here! Read the forum rules
  4. We have a few rules which you need to read and accept before posting anything here! Following these rules will keep the forum clean and your stay pleasant. Do not follow these rules can lead to permanent exclusion from this website: Read the forum rules.
    Are you a company? Read our company rules

dre99gsx home built SIM - 2DOF 150mm

Discussion in 'DIY Motion Simulator Projects' started by dre99gsx, Feb 9, 2009.

  1. dre99gsx

    dre99gsx New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2008
    Messages:
    39
    Balance:
    0Coins
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    Enjoy:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-xvyOFshj8

    My brother took her for a spin. They are 150mm SCN5s. Thanks to the entire team here for an excellent x-sim2 package. Its been rock solid for a few days. Also thanks to a few folks here for support (Bernard).

    Looking forward to some more tweaks in the future, but I am happy with the motion thus far. What was funny is after a few hours of driving, going to my car for a spin I realized my real car lacked something ;) This is damn addictive.

    I'm currently working on sourcing 3 22 or 24 monitors, monitor stand, buttkicker, etc etc.
  2. njracer

    njracer Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2007
    Messages:
    125
    Balance:
    2Coins
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    yeah it loos sweet. yeah, the only thing i would say is you gotta get some monitors going, that laptop with your setup just isn't cutting it :happy:. i have a th2g with 3 19 @ 3840x1024 resolution and you're going to need some horsepower to run your games at full graphics, again, idk if your laptop can handle that. looks sweet though, really moves with the 150mm's i should be up and running in a couple of weeks. man it was nuts getting all the right parts for this thing. i'll post pics and video of mine if a few weeks when its all going :cheers:
  3. egoexpress

    egoexpress Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2006
    Messages:
    3,839
    Location:
    Germany - Frankfurt/M
    Balance:
    421Coins
    Ratings:
    +7 / 1 / -0
    Great! :cheers:

    Could you tell us please which RS485 converter you are using, and which settings you have made to get it working?

    Regards
    Christian
  4. dre99gsx

    dre99gsx New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2008
    Messages:
    39
    Balance:
    0Coins
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    Thanks. This is a pretty hefty laptop. SAGER 9262 X6800 2.93mhz SLI GeForce 9800 GTX. Its driving the game and the sim. Last I remember, I was getting 40-60 communications/sec on this USB->RS485. I disable DTS and RTS and saw it jump to 100, but didn't notice any improvement in movement timing. The thing was rockin' with the slower communication timing.

    I am using these USB->RS485 converters:

    http://www.robot-electronics.co.uk/htm/usb_rs485_tech.htm
    http://www.trossenrobotics.com/store/p/5889-USB-to-RS485-Connector.aspx

    Plugged right in, no fuss, worked immediately. Using 1, 0, 70. All four DTS/RTS boxes unchecked. They are set in config at 115,200bps.

    Its a shame that this unit in parts cost me as much as a Frex. Regardless, I need to look at the angles of the SCN5s. Looking at various other sims, most folks have them pulled back further.
  5. dre99gsx

    dre99gsx New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2008
    Messages:
    39
    Balance:
    0Coins
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    njracer,

    You feel the 19 @ 3840x1024 resolution is too thin vs. a large 50 LCD screen? I'm debating on what to do.
  6. egoexpress

    egoexpress Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2006
    Messages:
    3,839
    Location:
    Germany - Frankfurt/M
    Balance:
    421Coins
    Ratings:
    +7 / 1 / -0
    Well, if you buy a SCM, there is no seat and no front frame included. Just the naked motion frame with actuators and electronics...

    Please edit your links. There was a forum bug which has been fixed by Raceray some minutes ago. Now it should work.

    Btw, I'd propose a beamer... or 3 like MasterYoda' setup :thbup:

    Regards
    Christian
  7. njracer

    njracer Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2007
    Messages:
    125
    Balance:
    2Coins
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    well dre, the thing with 1 50 is that you'll still only get the image of your monitor you have now, it will be a lot bigger though :happy: with the 3 screens you feel like you're in the cockpit of the car you're driving. why not just get 3 50 tv's :rofl: then you'll really be in there. i personally prefer the 3 screens even over 1 big one for the cockpit effect. i think with th2g you can get 24 monitors that run at 57 hz, but with softTH you can go larger then that, i think
  8. dre99gsx

    dre99gsx New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2008
    Messages:
    39
    Balance:
    0Coins
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    I'll be honest... I simply built the unit, installed X-sim2, loaded up one of Bernard's profiles, adjusted some parameters and was up in running in no time. You guys deserve a lot of credit for X-sim2. I don't even know half of the adjustments that are possible with that software. I would think that at some point we could see BASIC screens for young users like myself to just load it up, set it up and play. But I was amazed thus far as to how well it integrated with the SCN5s (150mm at that) and took all the guess work out of the original X-Sim 1.6.
  9. bvillersjr

    bvillersjr Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2008
    Messages:
    1,174
    Location:
    Ohio, USA
    Balance:
    437Coins
    Ratings:
    +22 / 1 / -0
    It's coming soon. I have been working for a month now on a simplified menu system for X-Sim 2. There will be many months of additional development required before I achieve my vision for it, but a functional CTP (Community Technology Preview) will be available in a few weeks.

    :cheers:
  10. dre99gsx

    dre99gsx New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2008
    Messages:
    39
    Balance:
    0Coins
    Ratings:
    +0 / 0 / -0
    I attempted to pull the motors back about 8 inches to increase the incline. Basic static dynamics would state that the higher up on the chair you join the motors, the less force the motors need to move the chair. Since the chair's movement has very little impact on the angle of the SCN5s, I believe the angle of the SNC5s is less important vs. the height at which you attach them to a chair (think of a torque wrench).

    In moving the SCNs back a bit, I had to lower my attachment point on my chair quite a bit. I noticed increased grunting when decelerating as if the force was too great for the SCN5s to slow me down.

    I went back to my more-upright SCN5 position and noticed the grunting subsided. I also got a bit more travel and noticed the bottom pivot points for the SCN5s would not lift up anymore. The further back I moved the SCN5, the more unstable my frame became.

    Another tidbit... I thought having a level chair at idle would work out great, but it seems to the more I tilt back the chair such that at full WOT I'm literally layin back ghetto style, the more sensation I would get of acceleration. The caveat would be upon braking, you wouldn't get thrown forward as much. I don't know how you 100mm SCN5s are happy :?
  11. bvillersjr

    bvillersjr Active Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2008
    Messages:
    1,174
    Location:
    Ohio, USA
    Balance:
    437Coins
    Ratings:
    +22 / 1 / -0
    I recall experiencing something similiar. It was the widening, more than the forward/backward angle that made most of the improvement for me, but moving the actuators back helped as well.

    I think that this is because the SCN5 struggles more with the side-to-side movements since the push force vs pull force strengths of an SCN5 are not equal, and that this is therefore the weakest movement (because accel/deaccel movements use both actuators strength equally. Widening the actuator mounts out at the bottom increases their leverage in this scenario noticibably.

    Also, the acceleration / speed settings have alot to do with the braking ramp! If your profile uses incorrect settings, it can cause this lack of actuator braking power.

    Another thing to consider is that your seat is properlty balanced with a person in it who has their arms/legs extended. Forgetting to account for the arms/leg weight can cause serious balanace issues and undue actuator stress as well.

    It sounds like you are on the right track here. Please keep us posted on your findings / progress.
  12. egoexpress

    egoexpress Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2006
    Messages:
    3,839
    Location:
    Germany - Frankfurt/M
    Balance:
    421Coins
    Ratings:
    +7 / 1 / -0
    Keep in mind that the leaverage is not the distance between the rod end connected to the base frame and the rod end connected to the seat. The leaverage is the right angle distance between the actuator arm and the pivot!

    If you place the actuator arm almost vertical, than you have nearly no leaverage at all. I'd propose you at least an angle of 70deg for accell/braking and 80deg for sideways movements whereas lower values angles would be better even.

    When I supposed to use the 150mm actuators, I had in mind to use the additional 50mm as safety zone. Imho you are using too much actuator travel anyway. Imho it is not that realistic to have that much sideways movements in relation to the wheel. As well the sim wont be able to follow fast right left curve combinations fast enough, if you let it move that much sideways. But well, its a matter of preference...
    Imo you should reactivate the 25% limiter...

    Regards
    Christian