Author Topic: PSXonMCP2 - Interface for VRinsight MCP2 Boeing (Read 25482 times)

Berndo · « **Reply #20 on:** Tue, 7 Jul 2015 18:49 »

Carl,

I bought mine nearly 2 years ago, no idea what the production date is though.

Link: http://forum.avsim.net/topic/379156-vrinsight-mcp-combo-knobs-sloppy/

Will report back once I know if I can get the unit exchanged.

Cheers,
Bernd

Berndo · « **Reply #21 on:** Sun, 9 Aug 2015 16:03 »

Got my replacement MCP2, completely NIB.

This new unit doesn't show any spikes whatsoever.

So I can recommend to try for a repair/replacement should one of your units also show this behavior.

Bernd

cavaricooper · « **Reply #22 on:** Sun, 9 Aug 2015 17:13 »

That's great news! Will email you shortly. ENJOY the MCP, it may not be beautiful, but it FUNCTIONS brilliantly!

Best- C

pcpilot · « **Reply #23 on:** Mon, 10 Aug 2015 09:11 »

I have yet to buy the unit, but it is great to hear of such good customer service.

I was delaying the purchase until I heard about your outcome. I have since purchased a touch screen but I don't think it compares to physical knobs and buttons. So once the accountant has forgotten the purchase of the touch screen I will be placing my order. :-)

Graham.

brian747 · « **Reply #24 on:** Tue, 11 Aug 2015 08:31 »

I suppose there's still no hope for those of us with version 1 of the MCP Combo, Bernd?

Berndo · « **Reply #25 on:** Tue, 11 Aug 2015 14:59 »

I'm sorry Brian, but as I don't know the protocol the first MCP version uses it won't be possible to add support for it.

Bernd

brian747 · « **Reply #26 on:** Tue, 11 Aug 2015 21:14 »

Thank you, Bernd: I understand. But I'm sure you can sense my frustration, since apart from the number of characters in the displays there would appear to be few other physical differences. If I knew what you meant by "the protocol the first MCP version uses" then maybe I could help, but there we are.

By perhaps little coincidence, the development of the LINDA software has similarly been taken over by someone who never owned version 1 of the MCP combo, so I'm facing a similar problem there.

Congratulations to those who waited until v2 came out! :?

Cheers,

Brian

Berndo · « **Reply #27 on:** Wed, 12 Aug 2015 16:06 »

Quote from: brian747

If I knew what you meant by "the protocol the first MCP version uses" then maybe I could help, but there we are.

I speak of the protocol the MCP uses to speak over the serial port. Examples:

Code: [Select]

What do I have to send to the unit to initialize it?
How does the unit answer to that initialization?

What does the unit send when knobs are turned slow and fast?

How is the display cleared?

Can I send a whole string to the display or do I have to separate it somehow?

As VRinsight didn't really communicate with me at all I had to reverse engineer the communication for the V2. There was much trial and error, especially as the unit freezes when you send wrong or incomplete commands.

Even when I finally figured out the protocol, developing the interface with PSX ended in many unit freezes. That is why doing it without having access to the HW isn't easy.

As you've read the thread you've seen my troubles with the V2 encoders. So even though I bought the second version I didn't wait long enough either.

Hope you now understand the issue better,
Bernd

brian747 · « **Reply #28 on:** Wed, 12 Aug 2015 22:48 »

That's very helpful - thank you.

(I was never under the illusion that this was a simple matter).

I used to be in touch the the Russian gentleman who coded LINDA for version 1 of the MCP combo: if anyone knows the answer to your questions, then it will be he. Unfortunately he has dropped out of sight recently, but I'll see if I can track him down.

Until then, thank you!

Cheers,

Brian

pcpilot · « **Reply #29 on:** Fri, 20 Nov 2015 22:41 »

Hi Bernd,

I wonder if you could help me.

I took the plunge and purchased the VRinsight MCP. I downloaded your latest software (V0.13) but it just gave me the Windows spinning circle when I tried to launch it.

I had an older version of your software either V0.11 or V0.12 (exe dated 10/2/15) and it works just fine :-)

I was keen to exploit the new features you added in V0.13 ie alignment of the displays.

I am using Windows 10 but I did try the latest version (0.13) on Windows 8.1, it did not bring up the console just the Windows circle.

Any ideas where I might be going wrong ?

I am using version 10.0.6a of PSX.

Thanks in advance.

Graham.

Berndo · « **Reply #30 on:** Sat, 21 Nov 2015 05:18 »

Hi Graham,

sorry to hear of your problems with Windows 10. Haven't heard of any incompatibilities yet.

I myself upgraded to Win10 a few weeks ago, though I didn't do a fresh install and I have no troubles at all.

To check I downloaded the package from my website and started the executable, everything worked.

So I can only recommend the following:

Check the filesize of the latest version executable, it should be 122.880 bytes big.
Try to run another .NET 4.5 executable to verify prerequisites (though they should be fine if previous versions work under 10).
Redownload the file after clearing your browser cache and use 7-Zip to extract, the Windows built-in function will not work. File size of the archive is 245.376 bytes.
Check whether your AV/FW somehow restricts the program.
Verifiy the COM port with the VRiSIM program.

If no command prompt windows appears and there's only the spinning mouse pointer circle it points to a corrupted file.

Cheers,
Bernd

pcpilot · « **Reply #31 on:** Sat, 21 Nov 2015 07:06 »

Hi Bernd,

Thanks for your very quick response, you have solved my problem :-)

Added the new .exe as an exclusion to my Anti Virus (AVAST) and it works a treat.

I really appreciate the time and effort you have put into your excellent interface for the VRinsight hardware into PSX.

The placement of displays above the buttons in the latest version looks really good.

Now I have a whole weekend of flying to look forward to.

Once again many thanks for your assistance.

Graham.

Berndo · « **Reply #32 on:** Sat, 21 Nov 2015 07:44 »

Glad to have helped and thanks for the praise, Graham!

Have fun flying!

Cheers,
Bernd

EHAM747 · « **Reply #33 on:** Mon, 4 Apr 2016 09:56 »

Hi all,

This add-on is great. After quitting with FSX this is a good reason to dust off the old MCP2 and I use it with pleasure with PSX again!

Greetings,
Alex

Berndo · « **Reply #34 on:** Mon, 4 Apr 2016 14:37 »

Quote from: EHAM747 on Mon, 4 Apr 2016 09:56

Hi all,

This add-on is great. After quitting with FSX this is a good reason to dust off the old MCP2 and I use it with pleasure with PSX again!

Greetings,
Alex

Glad you like it, Alex!

PilotUnaware - BAW17H · « **Reply #35 on:** Tue, 8 Oct 2019 11:07 »

Hi Guys,

Sorry to be ver late to the MCPII party!

I have downloaded the "latest" version of PSXonMCP2 from the page previous to this unzipped it using 7zip and place the contents into a folder with PSX.

I have found that my MCP uses COM6 and not Com3 as in the instructions, so have been and changed this in the xml file.

I have follwed the instructions on how to set it up but when opening PSXonMCP2.exe I get a command line error

Starting PSXonMCP2!
Loading settings...
Error opening com port: System.UnauthorizedAccessException: Access to the port 'COM6' is denied.
at System.IO.Ports.InternalResources.WinIOError(Int32 errorCode, String str)
at System.IO.Ports.SerialStream..ctor(String portName, Int32 baudRate, Parity parity, Int32 dataBits, StopBits stopBits, Int32 readTimeout, Int32 writeTimeout, Handshake handshake, Boolean dtrEnable, Boolean rtsEnable, Boolean discardNull, Byte parityReplace)
at System.IO.Ports.SerialPort.Open()
at

?.

?()
Press any key to exit.

Is there anyone that maybe able to help?

Thanks

Craig

brian747 · « **Reply #36 on:** Tue, 8 Oct 2019 12:16 »

Hi Craig!

This may be a silly question but, er, you have switched the Combo on first, right? Because if it isn't on, that's the message you get.

On the other hand, if it *is* on, then it looks as though it can't find your alleged COM6....

Can you see COM6 in Device Manager?

Cheers,

Brian

PilotUnaware - BAW17H · « **Reply #37 on:** Tue, 8 Oct 2019 12:23 »

Hi Brian,

Thanks for getting back to me so quick!

The MCP is on and displaying

"MCP-II/Boeing Type v1.100
VRinsight, Flight Dream Supplier!"

In Device Manager under Ports (COM &LPT) it is showing as

"USB Serial Port (COM6)"

Cheers

Craig

brian747 · « **Reply #38 on:** Tue, 8 Oct 2019 12:40 »

Hi Craig!

Hmm, that's odd. So Windoze can see your COM6, yet evidently PSXonMCP2 can't. Could it be a cable problem, perhaps? Unless the format of your xml file is wrong?

Mine looks like this (for COM3, and PSX on 192.168.0.10):

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<Config xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
<PSX_Server_Address>192.168.0.10</PSX_Server_Address>
<PSX_Server_Port>10747</PSX_Server_Port>
<MCP2_Com_port>COM3</MCP2_Com_port>
</Config>

Is that any help?

Cheers,

Brian

PilotUnaware - BAW17H · « **Reply #39 on:** Tue, 8 Oct 2019 12:51 »

Hi Brian,

My xml file looks like below:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<Config xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
<PSX_Server_Address>127.0.0.1</PSX_Server_Address>
<PSX_Server_Port>10747</PSX_Server_Port>
<MCP2_Com_port>COM6</MCP2_Com_port>
</Config>

should it matter that the IP address is localhost or should it really be my computers IP? (running it on the same PC as the main server)

should also say that I am running windows 10 Enterprise and works with the standard 737 in FSX (although I use P3D)

Cheers

Craig