Software

X-Plane 10 Global

For input control only Arduino program code was used for this panel (no additional software and plugins).

Instrument panel

Initially another copy of X-Plane was used for instruments visualization on the second computer (while the standalone client program was work-in-progress).

Currently, for instruments visualization we use our own instrument program (SimVim PAnel), which is receiving data via network and the whole system can consist of several instrument modules, using cheap old computers or laptops (no need of the another copy of X-Plane and powerful PC).

Settings for LCD panels on the second (panel output) computer using another copy of X-Plane as external panel view.

In this approach the instruments from X-Plane are placed on black background. Both (left/right) LCD panels are connected to the second computer (main computer used only for external view). After X-Plane loading the whole instrument panel is expanding to fit the work area of both LCD screens.

1) (For NVidia) - in the monitor NVidia preferences set the "Twin view" (in the Linux Mint, Ubuntu... in my case)

For the right monitor (1366x768 resolution):
- set position "absolute" (+0+0)
- set panning as 1680x1818 (i.e. 1050+768=1818)

For the left monitor (1680x1050 res.) set position "absolute" (+0+768) , i.e. not "above, left, right" positions!

2) In the folder "yourplane/cockpit/-PANELS-/" just put the file named "panel.png".
This file should be just blank background, its vertical size must be equal to the sum of vertical resolutions of the screens.
In my case it is 1680 x 1818 px. (22" monitor 1680x1050 and 18" monitor 1366x768 )

So you got one space for two screens.

3) In Plane Maker place the needed gauges accordingly for each monitor.

X-Plane Net connections setup

For the master X-Plane computer:
1) in the Net connections->External visual screen set address of the cockpit (instruments output) computer (here 192.168.1.5):

2)To receive data from X-Plane by Arduino in the Net connections->Data screen set address of the Arduino (here 192.168.1.6). (When the later ArdSim plugin is used this step is not needed):

For the second (panel output) X-Plane computer:
- in the Net connections->Data screen set address of the master computer (here 192.168.1.2):

Instruments

The resolution of default instruments is not good enough for full-sized cockpit, so sizes of the instruments were recalculated in pixels so that they would be real-sized on the LCD panels in 1:1 scale.
I.e. for the left 22" LCD (16:10 ) the standard 3.16" instrument should be the size of 283 pixels.

Then, I've simply redrawn some of the instruments (bitmaps) using higher resolution in the graphic editor, and some others I made from scratch in PlaneMaker
(for example, video of the custom KDI-572 DME, testing):

Using of client program for setting up the instrument panels

Since then we've been using our ArdSim system, which doesn't require the configuration described above for data receiving and ASimVim Panel for instrument visualisation.

The client program on the separate computers with Linux is receiving data via Ethernet from the plugin. All instruments are made from scratch.