I need rotor RPM added to my display

CGameProgrammer

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I have the HDX suite in a gyroplane and I need a rotor RPM gauge added to the EMS screen. The rotor RPM is already wired up on pin 35 of the EMS if I remember correctly, and configured in the EMS setup already (i.e. 10 pulses per rev). I just don't know how to add it to the UI.
 

Raymo

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Enter the setup screen via buttons 7 and 8, then SETUP MENU > EMS SETUP > SCREEN LAYOUT EDITOR.

You may need to delete the existing RPM widget and add the new one that you have already configured or you might be able to just reconfigure the exist RPM widget to pin 35. This must be done for each screen layout (20%, 50%, 100%).

Also configure the limits for the widget for each range you desire (e.g. red, yellow, green).
 

CGameProgrammer

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I need two RPM widgets: one for the engine and one for the rotor. They are entirely independent of each other, and the rotor one should be labelled as such.
 

CGameProgrammer

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Unfortunately that doesn't work; I have the sensor input mappings correct but the sensor list only shows one RPM input which is grayed out and says "Rotax - Fixed". It will not let me add a second RPM, at least not in the UI. I'm going to need some kind of DFG file to allow me to add a second RPM input.
 

dynonsupport

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I'm confused. Did you load the DFG from that other thread?

What kind of engine are you running?

Can you send a screen shot or picture of the screen? I'm not aware of any place the system can say "Rotax - Fixed" so I'm not sure we're discussing the same thing.

Finally, is this by any chance a LSA which has the OEM configuration locked down?
 

CGameProgrammer

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I'll post screenshots tomorrow after I've gone to the hangar again, but it is an experimental aircraft, not LSA. I did load the dfg file from the other thread but it has nothing to do with the number of RPM inputs, only how RPM is calculated.

The engine is a Rotax 912ULS. The engine RPM gauge has one coloration range for when oil temperature is < 120 degrees and a second range for when temperature is >= 120 degrees. I'm guessing that's why it's locked down, maybe it's a special hard-coded function for Rotax engines?

Here is an excerpt from your own setup manual (pay particular attention to the last sentence):

"Setting ENGINE TYPE to ROTAX 912 pre-configures some engine settings for a Rotax 912 engine. SkyView will automatically configure and dynamically change the oil temperature and tachometer scales and alert thresholds in accordance with Rotax’s recommended ranges, described in detail below.
When this mode is selected, EMS SETUP > SENSOR SETUP > OIL TEMPERATURE AND TACHOMETER settings are unavailable."
 

CGameProgrammer

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And here are photos. You can see in Sensor Input Mapping I have two RPM sensors defined, named "ENGINE" and "ROTOR". But in Sensor Setup the system arbitarily selects the last one entered (which happens to be Rotor), does not list the engine rpm, and the rotor rpm cannot be selected; it's grayed out and says "ROTAX FIXED".

Likewise in the screen layout editor you can see only one RPM option is listed. If I delete the rotor rpm then the system automatically replaces it with the engine rpm sensor.

What I need is to have both engine and rotor RPM, with both values coming in from the EMS. The engine RPM should be the Rotax fixed one (variable color ranges) and the other should be freeform/custom.
 

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CGameProgrammer

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By the way I was thinking about solutions. I think the existing sensor value of "RPM" should be renamed "ENGINE RPM" and otherwise remain exactly as-is in behavior, but in addition there should be a new sensor type of "OTHER RPM" which functions as a fully-configurable RPM sensor, not locked down at all.

In any case, I would appreciate an expedited solution. My aircraft's manufacturer considers rotor RPM to be a mandatory flight instrument and they were told by Dynon that it could be supported though not out-of-the-box for the HDX.
 

dynonsupport

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You haven't answered the most important question: Did you load the .DFG from the other referenced thread? There is a file in there "dual_ff_sep_RPM.dfg" which will configure SkyView to show two RPM inputs. Once loaded, I don't see any other issues with your configuration, it should work fine. You'll just need to add both widgets to the EMS SCREEN LAYOUT.

The ROTAX LOCKED means that you can't change the limits for the RPM, but it has nothing to do with it being displayed or blocking a second input that isn't the ENGINE RPM.
 

CGameProgrammer

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I did answer you already; I loaded that file but it does not make a difference. I clicked "Load Files", selected it, and loaded it, and it said the load was successful. I had used a modified version of the file that only had rpm_policy=single and not ff_policy since that guy had multiple fuel flows but I don't. I assume that makes no difference.

But I'll try it again tonight, as well as the exact dfg file from that thread with no modifications. Also I had configured both RPM inputs in sensor mapping before loading the file; maybe I needed to load that dfg file first? I'll experiment.
 

Dynon

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Yeah, the file load should be first, then set the pin mapping (you may need to undo/redo the pin mapping on the rotor rpm - IE - set it back to unused, then exit setup entirely, and then go back into setup and set it back to rotor). Then you should have multiple selections for the two rpms in the sensor chooser in the page layout configuration tool.
 

CGameProgrammer

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Your suggestion does not work. I even deleted both RPM inputs, reloaded the file, exited setup, went back in, added them to sensor input mapping, but as always only one appears in Sensor Setup or the Screen Layout Editor which is grayed out and says "ROTAX - FIXED".

But even if it had worked, the system would have assumed both are engine inputs and imposed the same coloration and value range on them. That works for the AirCam guy but not for me. I would need the ability to tell it which RPM input is engine and which is custom.

But as things stand I can't even get two RPM inputs to appear at all.

Also that AirCam thread was from 2012 so he was obviously not using the HDX. Perhaps this broke on the HDX.
 

Dynon

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It turns out that that file had an error on it - sorry about that. The attached version works. There is one caveat though. It also turns out that having the engine type set to Rotax forces both RPM inputs to be the auto-set values, which obviously won't make sense for rotor RPM (the historical reason is that it was originally crafted for dual engine application, like the Air Cam). So basically, when you split the RPM inputs, you'll need to use the "other" engine type and manually set the redline values for the engine tach sensor.
 

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CGameProgrammer

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But if I do that then I lose out on the variable engine range, right? The way it works right now, out of the box, is when oil temperature is < 120 degrees then engine green range only goes up to about 2400 rpm, and when oil temp is >= 120 it changes to about 5500 rpm.

With a nonspecific engine type I wouldn't be able to put that custom logic in, right? I was hoping not to have to give that up. Obviously analog gauges wouldn't have had that feature anyway so it's far from necessary but it was nice to have.
 

dynonsupport

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Yes, it does mean that you will lose the custom Rotax RPM ranges on the oil temp. SkyView doesn't currently support Rotax limits with dual RPM inputs if both are not for Rotax engines.
 

CGameProgrammer

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In any case your latest file worked and changing the engine type to Other, as you suggested, allowed me to configure the gauges as needed. Thanks for your help.

I still maintain it would be nice if I could retain the existing Rotax behavior for just one of the RPM sensors but don't expect this to be addressed.
 
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