Virtual Fly Switcho hardware

[HobAnagerik 24]

Hi,

 

I can't find much about these online, and since they are being sold on the Aerosoft site, and reportedly available for dispatch, I was wondering whether anyone here has used them yet.

 

https://www.virtual-fly.com/shop/products/avionics

 

I have some concerns over how configurable they will be.  After looking at the VFHub software I would have to go with "not very".

 

If however they could be configured with SPAD, I would most definitely buy them.

 

Howard

[SimWare 742]

Hi,

 

If the VFHub software is used, there is indeed little freedom to configure any other functions

than the ones preassigned.

However, since the Switcho unit is seen as a standard HID, all the buttons are assignable from within the simulator

or via a third party utility such as AAO or SpadNext.

If you can wait until next week, I will make a tutorial on these.

 

Thanks.

 

[Aerosoft Team [Inactive Account] 51561]

I have used this a bit and had zero problem attaching sim commands to the buttons. 

[HobAnagerik 24]

On 12/9/2022 at 4:59 PM, SimWare said:

If you can wait until next week, I will make a tutorial on these.

Thanks.  I'm pretty familiar with SPAD.  Some aircraft require complex setups to get things to behave how you would like.  A relatively recent example of this was the initial release of the Cessna 414, and its landing lights.

 

They have three states: retract, deployed, and deployed, and on.  There is a delay between when the lights are deploying, and when you can actually turn the lights on.  SPAD lets you bypass that, so for realism an artificial delay needed to be inserted, at least before the developer did this themselves.

 

If SPAD can see each of the individual switches, regardless of whether you get a pretty graphic of the real unit or not, then I'd be happy.

 

That said, they are expensive units to take a punt on only to find I can't configure them how I want.  I'd be interested in getting all of them except the EFOS, mainly to replace my Logitech gear.  They look really well built, like all of VF's stuff.

[SimWare 742]

1 hour ago, HobAnagerik said:

If SPAD can see each of the individual switches, regardless of whether you get a pretty graphic of the real unit or not, then I'd be happy.

If SPAD can see dicrete inputs, then it should be no problem.
I am not extremeny familiar with SPAD, I am more Axis&Ohs.

[HobAnagerik 24]

These are the kinds of things I would want to do with it.  Example is the landing lights I mentioned earlier.

 

Please login to display this image.

That kind of complexity seems impossible in VFHub.

[SimWare 742]

Indeed, VFHub isn't intended as a general purpose programmable utility like Spad and AAO are.

[HobAnagerik 24]

Were you still planning on making a tutorial on these?

[SimWare 742]

Yes indeed. I still need to get one unit back in the lab.

I was hoping to get it earlier, but yes, still planned indeed.

[HobAnagerik 24]

Great.  I look forward to it.

[SimWare 742]

Sure.

 

However, this is, as I said, nothing more than a standard HID.

On other words, just buttons.

As long any system is able to detect digital inputs, it will interface with the switch series. 

For info, please have look to this (altough you most likely already know all this)

 

[HobAnagerik 24]

All true, though it's odd when I get this from Virtual Fly themselves when I asked them about the units.  Emphasis in bold:

 

Quote

Dear Howard,

Thank you for contacting us, bellow you can see all my reponses:

- About footprint, you can see it in each TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS tab of the product ( at the bellow part)

- About the stability I recommend you that you install the SW-engines at the left part of the YOKO+ in vertical mode (if you don't have enough space). You can see bellow the vertica option. Then you can join SW Radios, SW trims and SW lights at the right side. As you can see in the bellow images these modules have anti slip legs and “H” connectic pieces between modules to get a good stability.

- In few days we will have some extra clamps that will let you join the modules with the table (bellow you can see an image)

- They are ready to mount on top the desktop

- Good idea the website virtual representations, my colleagues from marketing department can get a good idea.

- The modules only work with VFHub, VFHub let you customize some buttons if you want.

 

Marketing does funny things to people, so perhaps they just didn't want to endorse an alternate product, while not acknowledging their own products shortcomings.  They were quite forthcoming when I expressed in interest in their product, but the second I brought this issue up I never heard a peep out of them after that.

[SimWare 742]

Hi,

Well, it is actually because when using the VFHub utility, the unit is really plug and play within the limits of the preassigned functions.

It also handles the ON-OFF rocker switches automatically. 

So, if you don't use the VFHub, it looses the announced plug and play feature.

However, it is still perfectly usable.

[HobAnagerik 24]

Hi,

 

I was just checking back in to see how you were getting on with that tutorial you were thinking of making.

[SimWare 742]

Still in the plans, but I need to organize a test unit shipped here.

Will do it asap. Sorry for the delay.

[HobAnagerik 24]

Please don't apologise.  You would be doing everyone a favour by doing this.

[SimWare 742]

On 1/25/2023 at 11:34 AM, HobAnagerik said:

Hi,

 

I was just checking back in to see how you were getting on with that tutorial you were thinking of making.

Just to let you know my Switcho Lights demo unit has arrived.

The tutorial will come this week.

 

Happy weekend.

[HobAnagerik 24]

Fantastic news.  Looking forward to it.

[SimWare 742]

On 2/25/2023 at 3:20 PM, HobAnagerik said:

Fantastic news.  Looking forward to it.

Hi,

 

Here you go :