744 Forum

Apron => Hangar 7 => Topic started by: Hardy Heinlin on Sun, 7 Jul 2019 10:36

Title: Multicolor CDU
Post by: Hardy Heinlin on Sun, 7 Jul 2019 10:36
Good morning,

on the multicolor NAV RAD page the tuned NDB frequencies are displayed in cyan and VORs in green.

I'm wondering if this color rule is also valid for the PRESELECT lines. Or are those always white?

If someone can give me a tip: Thank you!


Regards,

|-|ardy
Title: Re: Multicolor CDU
Post by: Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers on Sun, 7 Jul 2019 12:44
No knowledge here, but the flight deck philosophy would NOT allow meaningless, non-working numbers to get a colour.

Hoppie
Title: Re: Multicolor CDU
Post by: Hardy Heinlin on Sun, 7 Jul 2019 19:29
But that wouldn't be meaningless nor less non-working than an out-of-range frequency or ID entered in the upper portion of the page.

The colors on the NAV RAD page don't indicate activity. They just indicate the station type:

Green : VOR/DME
Cyan: ADF
White: ILS


|-|ardy
Title: Re: Multicolor CDU
Post by: Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers on Sun, 7 Jul 2019 19:36
Ok, that ILS is white completely buries my argument.

Hoppie
Title: Re: Multicolor CDU
Post by: ahaka on Mon, 8 Jul 2019 06:52
I'm not sure if this should be used as a source, but in this screenshot from a 777 simulation (not the same fidelity as PSX) the preselect line appears white: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v702/Pinatubo/Flight%20Simulator/CDURadioFrquencies1_zpsf737428d.jpg
Title: Re: Multicolor CDU
Post by: Hardy Heinlin on Mon, 8 Jul 2019 07:07
They are empty :-)
Title: Re: Multicolor CDU
Post by: ahaka on Mon, 8 Jul 2019 07:13
Oops! That was a scratchpad line after all. Sorry. Does this prove the multicolor CDU is actually more difficult to read? :)

While I was browsing the images there was one before that where the preselect line was filled and was white, but it was an ILS frequency so it doesn't really tell anything either.
Title: Re: Multicolor CDU
Post by: Hardy Heinlin on Mon, 8 Jul 2019 08:02
Quote from: ahaka on Mon,  8 Jul 2019 07:13
Does this prove the multicolor CDU is actually more difficult to read?

I think it's better to read.

In the green and in the multicolor versions the preselect lines only accept entries that are valid entries in all other fields on the NAV RAD page. This assures there is no invalid data preselected. It's a helpful, foresightful feature. In addition to that, if the preselected data also indicates the station type by using colors, it's even more helpful, in my opinion. -- However, I must admit, it may look strange when the colored preselection is downselected, and the scratchpad shows it in white, and then it's colored again when upselected ...


|-|ardy
Title: Re: Multicolor CDU
Post by: ahaka on Mon, 8 Jul 2019 08:19
Yes, I was of course only joking because of the mistake I made.

In general, it is certainly easier to pick up information at a glance with the multicolor version and to avoid reading the wrong line. And the LCD display should, I think, have better readability in bright light conditions.
Title: Re: Multicolor CDU
Post by: Hardy Heinlin on Mon, 8 Jul 2019 08:33
I missed the joke because that line break put your smiley so far away  :-)


|-|ard
y
Title: Re: Multicolor CDU
Post by: ahaka on Mon, 8 Jul 2019 09:14
See how easy it is to miss a line. :) But this time I noticed the sense of humor in your last post. :)

Anyway, I have checked from another 777 simulation (which I consider more reliable than the one I posted the link above) that the preselect numbers are always white. Do you need a screenshot as proof?
Title: Re: Multicolor CDU
Post by: Hardy Heinlin on Mon, 8 Jul 2019 10:35
Thank you, but the only reliable source is the real FMC :-) I don't even trust multi-$$$ CBTs ...
Title: Re: Multicolor CDU
Post by: ahaka on Mon, 8 Jul 2019 11:24
Yes, I understand.

If it really is white though, I assume the logic is that only the tuned in frequencies are colored, to not mistake the preselect line as an already tuned-in station?

Just that the ILS does not have it's own color code...
Title: Re: Multicolor CDU
Post by: Hardy Heinlin on Mon, 8 Jul 2019 11:41
Maybe. I have no idea. If this was a quiz question I would toss a coin ...
Title: Re: Multicolor CDU
Post by: Hardy Heinlin on Fri, 19 Jul 2019 22:48
Isn't it strange that the LCD CDU is multicolor (on/off functions in green, rest in white) on the MENU page and ALTN EFIS/EICAS CP page, but is all-white on the ALTN NAV RADIO page and ACT IRS LEGS page?

Maybe it was too much work :-)


|-|

Title: Re: Multicolor CDU
Post by: Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers on Fri, 19 Jul 2019 23:58
Most likely. If you can reuse software without change, you can also reuse the 25 cm of paperwork that goes with its certification. Unless somebody sees a business or real safety advantage for which there is budget, no go.


Hoppie