Smartech controller parellel interface - help

[storm670]

We are looking for info on adapting the smartech aerohawk helicopter controller to the parelell port interface for the fms program. The controller has no trainer port so we need to know how to modify it. Also once we get it fixed, any ideas on what type of interface to fix when i get my new computer with windows xp? thanks for your help. please e-mail storms@televar.com with info and suggestions.

[olivier2]

Hi,

I just searched for your Smartech aerohawk helicopter controller : it looks like a normal wireless HF-transmitter in 72Mhz (and you say without a trainer port). For use with any PC-simulator you will have to search for the PPM-signal. How? By using a free downloadable oscilloscope for example : not difficult to use, just look at my website chapter 1, paragraph 1.1 where to download, how to use and to search for that signal. (http://users.belgacom.net/TX2TX)

What type of interface for FMS?

A) For Win 95-98-Millennium with FMS, 2 easy possibilities (above all
possibilities that are also possible for Win 2000 and XP, see section "B").
1) THROUGH THE PARALLEL-port (LPT1)
eventually with a resistor and zenerdiode, see the manual of FMS
(http://n.ethz.ch/student/mmoeller/fms/index.html) or some examples on my
website which I personally tested (http://users.belgacom.net/TX2TX) figure
7f-fms and others in chapter 7. Or here : (German).

2) THROUGH THE SERIAL-port
See the manual of FMS (http://n.ethz.ch/student/mmoeller/fms/index.html)

If you think you're not able to make such a cable, buy eventually one :


(German)

B) For Win 2000 and Win XP with FMS, a SIMPLE connection through the
parallel-port or serial port is not working, those 2 versions of Windows are
handling other protocols on these ports than Win 95-98-Millenium.

Your options then :

1) THROUGH THE SOUNDCARD
With smartpropo :
The advantage is that it's simple to make : 1 audio-cable and a resistor or
potmeter

2) THROUGH THE SERIAL PORT (Com-port)
a) via an interface with a programmable IC (PIC), which is described in the
directory of FMS, see .FMS\Doc\Interface\readme_en.htm on your harddisk.
Or
b) or the same electronic interface that you can buy ready to use here :




(German)
(French)

3) THROUGH THE USB-port
(selfmade)







(French)
(French)

(German : kit)
(German)
(German)
If you have a 4-axis joystick, you can use an interface-cable
gameport-->USB, for sale in every computershop, thus ideal for modern
laptops without a COM-port

4) THROUGH THE GAME-port
a) with an interface which transforms the signal of the transmitter in a
joystick-signal
(selfmade)



(French)
(German)
(German)

b) buy a 4-axis-controller joystick

(German)

c) or make yourself a 4-axis joystick with an old RC-transmitter, removing
all electronics, replacing the 4 potmeters by potmeters of 200K (not 100K
like mostly mentioned), and wiring like in :

(French)
(French)

5) Or make a partition on your harddisk where you will install Windows
95-98-Millennium. Then you can connect your radio simply via the
parallel-port or Serial-port as described in the manual of FMS and start the
older Windows (see section "A").

Hope this helps,
Olivier

[olivier2]

Hi again,

It looks like your transmitter is a re-named GWS-transmitter. Look here then how to connect this transmitter to work with FMS or to use as a budy box slave transmitter :

Olivier