Mobile Driving/Flying Cockpit with Motion and Tactile ( Build )

[RCHeliguy]

So far so good. I'll need to secure the 6mm bolts to the tactile plate before I can attach the outer corner brackets.


I should have tapped a couple more threads out of one of the holes on this piece of scrap 40x80, but it won't impact my test fitting this.

Bolts right in, but I'll need to through bolt to T-nut in the profile.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Just got the tracking info from 8020.net.

That fisheye lens with 180 degree view makes my Media room look tiny!

 

[RCHeliguy]

After all that testing and lots and lots of futzing, I bit the bullet and just solved all my problems with $$$.

I recorded something today that was partly with the Rode Video Pro and partly with a Snowball USB mic. I had a background hum with the Rhode and the Snowball didn't sound quite right.

When I didn't care, it didn't bother me. Once I started down that path, I basically found out the obvious. Cheap equipment just doesn't yield very good results.

So I ordered wireless lav with internal floating 32bit recorder and USB connectivity. So it connects directly to my computer so can record Camtasia video off my screen and will sound uniform with what I record on camera.

Since I recently found out that I can very easily use multi-camera NLE support to automatically sync up audio, using a recorder like this will be a no brainer. No setting levels, just record and know you have plenty of noise floor to boost as much as you want.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I really love my 1st pre-production headset from Bigscreen and it works very well for me. The 2nd it turns out was actually a production copy. Sadly I did not like it nearly as well as I did the first. In fact I modified it (just a bit) and took a bandsaw to the speaker sections and cut them off the headset so I could use them with my IEM's. ( picture below)

I really enjoyed my Valve Index and its off ear speakers and personally I hate having headphones rubbing on my ears. With the 1st audio strap I received I was able to adjust it off my ears and it had enough volume to support that. In the second I couldn't get the headphones off my ears and they reduced the volume quite a bit so that they are only loud enough when very close or pressing on your ears.

To be very clear, the overall strap is still very comfortable and allows lightening the pressure of the headset on your face substantially over the elastic band that ships with it, so I still think the overall comfort is excellent. And if you don't mind headphones pressing on your ears, you will probably be fine with this.

So both my 1st version and modified production copy are very comfortable, and the strap is even lighter now without it's appendages on the modified version that works well with my IEM's.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Since this is the production copy I paid for, I cleaned up where I cut off the audio sections and 3D printed a cover for both sides to finish it off.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Getting closer.
Linear bearings are shimmed.
Now for a test fit and then aluminum fabrication.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Test fit was good. I scored the position of the bolts for my rig, so I could just drill holes rather than slots.

Printing out a punch guide to make my initial 6061 6.35mm aluminum plates.

Aluminum is waiting.

 

[stigs2cousin]

Interesting ideas as always.

Let´s hope my fear of binding because of the angular movement of the seat under braking are unfounded.
(and maybe I can find an even more complicated way of saying that )

If it works out that would be something I could put under my seat which is way less crowded with tactile equipment.

Good Luck and Success!!

 

[RCHeliguy]

Since it appears other people are planning to remove the built in speakers on the Beyond Audio Strap, I shared my cover for it here.

No-audio Audiostrap cover by RCHeliGuy

This is a cover that fits over a hole left in the Bigscreen Beyond Audio strap if you cut it close with a hot knife. it expects 2-5 mm of lip after cutting the Speaker section off the audio strap.I liked printing it on a textured plate to improve the aesthetics.

www.thingiverse.com

No-audio Audiostrap cover by RCHeliGuy | Download free STL model | Printables.com

This is a cover that fits over a hole left in the Bigscreen Beyond Audio strap if you cut it close with a hot knife. | Download free 3D printable STL models

www.printables.com

 

[RCHeliguy]

Interesting ideas as always.

Let´s hope my fear of binding because of the angular movement of the seat under braking are unfounded.
(and maybe I can find an even more complicated way of saying that )

If it works out that would be something I could put under my seat which is way less crowded with tactile equipment.

Good Luck and Success!!

That's what experiments are for.

I've been using a similar linear bearing on my pedal deck for a while and it works well. It's only 40x40 profile, but it is much longer. Given that the braking force should have an equal and opposite amount of force the pedal deck vs. the seat, I'm hopeful.

I'll know more soon!

 

[mechsicko]

Test fit was good. I scored the position of the bolts for my rig, so I could just drill holes rather than slots.
View attachment 742531

Printing out a punch guide to make my initial 6061 6.35mm aluminum plates.
View attachment 742533

Aluminum is waiting.
View attachment 742532

I've been printing drill jigs for ages and used to use pieces of stainless tubing or whatever I had to sleeve the holes then discovered these threaded drill bushings on Ali that are cheap as heck and have been using them since. Super useful for drilling and tapping.. I can use the same jig without moving it just unscrew the drill bushing and put the tap size bushing in the same threaded hole and wala! Perfect tap guide with the same jig. For hole sizes other than 3-10mm I use a piece of brass tube to reduce it to my intended size

 

[RCHeliguy]

I've been printing drill jigs for ages and used to use pieces of stainless tubing or whatever I had to sleeve the holes then discovered these threaded drill bushings on Ali that are cheap as heck and have been using them since. Super useful for drilling and tapping.. I can use the same jig without moving it just unscrew the drill bushing and put the tap size bushing in the same threaded hole and wala! Perfect tap guide with the same jig. For hole sizes other than 3-10mm I use a piece of brass tube to reduce it to my intended size

For a production setup, you would definitely want something durable like you have!

I'm only making 6 holes on 2 pieces of aluminum so I'm hoping the PLA is adequate. I sized the holes perfectly for my punch and interestingly enough there was just a tiny bit of elephant foot that make the punch stop before going through. Granted it won't go that deep when I'm hammering.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I had to put a slot in the holes that through bolt the 40x40 profile under my seat bracket to get the alignment right so it could slide freely.

Feeling like a contortionist this morning and wishing I had a full car lift for my rig.

I've got the other side test fitted with 3D print for a reality check and I think the first linear bearing helped to perfectly level my plate. The alignment on the second bearing was smooth as silk.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Got the installation completed on both sides.

Test 1 Brake test ( Success I think )

I immediately bottomed out my brake into my BK-CT behind it, which surprised me, so I had to do some surgery on my foot plate and slide it away from me along with the BK-CT giving me a chunk more travel.

I could see only the tiniest bit of rearward motion from the seat when I first hit the brakes and then the motion stopped. I think overall this is more solid.

Test 2 Effect on Tactile effects
Now I need to test the tactile effects to see if they are still coming through the seat normally and when braking

Test 3 Dirt Rally video to see if the seat is still rocking while my motion system tosses me around.

 

[RCHeliguy]

So far I'm very happy with this.

1. Running an effect sitting in the seat vs. running an effect while pressing the brakes hard felt nearly identical. It didn't feel like pressing on the brakes was ruining my tactil experience!
2. The road feel in iRacing and Dirt Rally was better.

I tested this in iRacing and Dirt Rally and the suspension cues from my motion system were definitely more direct and better.

I need to get better video, but looking at the video I have so far, the linear bearings have dramatically reduced brake flex and rocking when I'm being tossed around.

To be clear there is still a bit of motion, but it is much more controlled, and there is no ringing like I saw before. It feels like a bigger difference than the videos show, because I'm not getting the rebound effects anymore. The D-Box feels a lot better and more immediate now.

This is one of those tough situations where I love how my tactile brings the car alive, but it was definitely hurting the feeling of my motion and even now I know I'm losing some heave and there is no way to eliminate that without killing my tactile feel.

 

[RCHeliguy]

A couple hours of editing in and I still need to shoot a couple more scenes, create a few voice overs, etc.. etc..

I'm now remembering what a slog it is to create a video with good production value.

 

[RCHeliguy]

The video is coming along, but now I have more questions.

It's obvious that adding a linear bearing reduces brake flex. I immediately bottomed out my brake after installing the linear bearings and made changes because of it. The question is whether that is a good thing, or just a different thing. It seems that for braking, a person will adjust the brake pressure and motion to work and adapt.

However, if you want heavy pressure without much travel, than linear bearings might be needed.
If you drive in socks without too much pressure, that is a don't care.

One person I know added linear bearings to use much lighter springs.

Now getting to motion. After adding linear bearings to my pedal deck a while back I tried lighter yellow springs, but I didn't like how that felt with motion.

I'm pretty happy with what I feel from the Red springs under my seat. The D-Box surface details can still come through so I removed those tactile effects ( road texture, bumps ) and had more tactile for other things.

I still feel like I need more testing, and realistically once I have a good baseline, I need to remove the linear bearings and see if I miss them. I already know it will change how the brakes feel, but the real question is whether this is one of those things that you get used to and then when you take it away you feel like something bad happened. In this case that will be mostly centered around motion cues. I never had any complaints about how my brakes felt.

I need to get a lot more seat time before I can finish this.

 

[PWIstuDio]

your solution is way smarter and better than mine - unfort there is no "good" European source for your 80/20 bearing - i think it is our tech brain telling us - he, there is a flex, what can we do to fix it - its not about if the old solution was "bad" - and this is just the amazing part of this hobby

something i learned - tactile is just a way better with soft springs - as you have a anti flex solution, you can start finding your "sweetspot" spring

i think you just did the right things - more seat time is always good - but maybe we then we miss content updates ..... so please do not change it

 

[herve45]

@Peter Winkler
Maybe...Motedis

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[blekenbleu]

for braking, a person will adjust the brake pressure and motion to work and adapt.

That certainly agrees with my real life experience:
- older cars with 4 wheel disk brakes and no power assist require lots of pressure
- pedal motion varies for a single car, based on
- how well air is bled
- how fresh are piston seals (more travel with newer seals )

Without watching, your legs will confuse differences between flex
within brake pedal and flex between seat and brake pedal.

Alternative to linear bearings would be trailing arms (or drag links)
between seat and pedals to constrain longitudinal excursions, while
constraining vertical seat excursions for conducting motion actuator energy,
allowing lateral excursions for haptic transducers.