External ambient light sensor

[CGameProgrammer]

I notice when flying at night, with the screen at a dim setting, that it constantly changes brightness 1-2 times per second. It's really distracting. I am open-cockpit and I believe it is getting confused by my strobes, but whatever the cause is, I'd like a solution.

There is no situation where the screen would need to make constant up-and-down adjustments to brightness so I suggest averaging over a length of time, and not adjusting brightness if the newly calculated ambient light value is close to the one currently applied for the screen brightness.

That solution would be fine, though another one is an optional external light sensor we can plug in so I could have it face outwards and skyward so it won't see the aircraft's own lights.

 

[dynonsupport]

Your best option is to just set the screen brightness manually. If you go to Screen->Dim, you can set the brightness with a cursor knob.

Also, you can use an external control knob, so you always have easy access to control brightness. We sell one to mount in your panel.

 

[CGameProgrammer]

I do use an external knob but at the lowest setting the screen just uses the minimum brightness it thinks is allowable for the ambient light. The problem goes away if I increase the brightness with the knob but then it's way too bright.

 

[dynonsupport]

Have you tried going into the setup menu and adjusting the dim level settings?

 

[CGameProgrammer]

I did, but the issue always occurs regardless of settings. As you should know, the display is hard-coded to never reduce brightness below a certain minimum relative to ambient light to prevent it from being too dim to be readable. The problem is that the ambient light sensor is reading fluctuating values even though the actual ambient light is constant (completely dark) so it is probably getting confused by my strobes.

That is why I'm asking for either the simple software-based solution (average ambient light over time and don't readjust brightness if it's close to the previously-applied value) or an external ambient light sensor I can install somewhere and plug in.

 

[jakej]

Just a thought - Why not just use some well placed tape over the strobe lens to minimise the affect on the screen ? I’ve used that method occasionally, with good results.

 

[CGameProgrammer]

The strobes are on my fuselage. There's no way to tape them without severely impacting their visibility.

 

[jakej]

Some Whelen, & other, types have "shielDing" just for that reason - you don't need to see them in the cockpit.