MobiFlight Community Support

Hi all,

I am building the A330 cockpit.. I would like to dimm all leds for korries and annunciators with a switch.... just like the real plane. There is a switch to dimmer the leds. Is this possible using MobiFlight?

Thanks
Carlos

In the A330 there is a switch called "ANN LT" in the overhead panel with 3 positions:
a) Test (.all leds should be on)
b) BRT (bright leds)
c) Dim (dimmed leds, ie less bright)

You can check here for this switch
http://www.aircraft.airbus.com/aircraftfamilies/passengeraircraft/cockpits/a320-cockpit-virtual-visit/

Thanks

I know that arduino let you control the intensity of a led but is it possible to do it throught MobiFlight?

Thanks

May i´m wrong but do you mixed up here a fact ?? I just fly Boeing and never work with Airbus....

In a Boeing there is NOT prossible to dimm the annunciators ! It´s only possible to dimm the "Backlight" . That means the Panel backlight itself.... and for example the lighted "Name" of a Korry Switch ( Mostly in White Color like in MCP Buttons) ... BUT... The "Information" that is shown on the Korrys like "ON, FAULT e.g." (Mostly Red/Green/Yellow) is ALWAYS in same Brightness and not can be dimmed by a switch or otherway by thie pilot ! ( If THIS is different in Airbus please correct me. )


About Mobiflight technic.... Here if i am correct informed it "was" possible with Arcaze Boards.... But it not work with Arduino to set individual Brightnes for LED.
If you need a Dimmed LED ( Like some annunciators that got 2 level ) we need to work with 2 led for that. A Low and a high bright LED.


But Note.... Only some less AddOns will support that... PMDG is a verry detailed AddOn but not have different Data for Brigth or Dimmed. Mostly you need own code script to "simmulate" this dimmed LED Status with improvisional solutions.

Hi pizzman

In fact Airbus is different. There is a switch in the overhead panel to control the brightness of the leds in annunciators and buttons. This switch has 3 states:
a) test (here all leds are turned on)
b) BRT (means very bright)
c) DIM (means less bright to eye adaptation during approach over night)

Here is a vídeo explaining. See it till the end to fully understand. 2:30sec the pilot starts the light configuration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULCB1eI62kE&t=188s

Now, arduino can dim a led also. When you turn a pin on you can assign a value that will represent the brighteness of the led. This could be done having some sort of a variable passed from the Mobiflight into the arduino. Perhaps in fute versions...

Here is a tutorial about fading a led using arduino.
https://programmingelectronics.com/tutorial-10-fade-an-led-with-pulse-width-modulation-using-analogwrite/

I can make some workaround here. I can power the led with na external power supply and using a transistor that receives the signal from the arduino to power the led. Then I can use a pot and some basic eletronic circuit to change the voltage of the led. But it would nice to have this function in Mobiflight. Hope in future version...

Thanks,.
Carlos

@pizman

sorry, if I had to contradict you, but in the PMDG-737 there is the same switch carlos told about: TEST - BRT -DIM. This switch is places near the AFDS.
This switch only works within the PMDG. In MobiFlight no funktion.

@crodrigues

You're right, the MEGA can dim LEDs. For this he uses the PWM pins (Pulse Wide Modulation). PWM is not supported by MobiFlight, so these properties can not be used.
The problem is, you also need a PWM pin for each LED you want to dim. There is no master pin with which all LEDs can be dimmed. The mega has 54 digital pins, but only 16 of them can PWM. Thus, only 16 LEDs or Annunicators would be possible.
I think Sebastian decided to opt for a larger number of LEDs (40 per MEGA) instead of just 16 dimmable LEDs.
I can not imagine that the PWM control will be realized in MF.
But how do you say: a nice to have

Thanks Stephan,

I think I will try to create a small eletronic circuit apart from the MF to control all leds connected to the power board.

Regards,
Carlos

Hi Carlos,

that seems to be a good idea.
An independant unit which have all MF-LEDs connected before they were wired to the panel. Could be a nice add on.

Oh Guys.... I´m ashamed

I work with PMDG since 5 Years but never understand this switch completly..... i always thought that Bright and Dimmed is a Part of TEST Logic....
So i thought TEST Start the Function and then a moving to BRT will test all Bright Displays.... Dimm will test all dimmed ( Double use annaunciators like the Fuel Valve that have 2 Status ).

To my defense... Virtual LED Lights never get Broke.... so i never realy used it and thinkabout it.

But YES.... Now i try out and you are completly right.

***
Finaly Stephan already said...PVM is not possible on all Pins..... Whatever then in Mobiflight we only would SET 1 Brightness by "Creating" the LED..... that means a changing via Mobiflight ( in case of Precodnition) would also not possible.... We only could Set individual Brightness on startup but then its fixed aslong Mobiflight is running.
Individual changing need a complete new Software logic..... and i´m 99% shure THAT will not be impliment any time.

****

So thank you guys.... And sorry for wrong information again !