Tutorial How to convert your Frex SCM to SimTools - Updated

Mif thanks for your help. It works but i had used another software

Many thanks to MasterYoda for the tutorial, I am also a Frex SCM original owner returning from from a long hiatus that has completed the conversion to SimTools.

Everything went pretty smoothly...for those in the USA I found Acroname had the Devantech adapters the cheapest shipped. The enclosure I used was a Hammond 1591BSBK ABS Project Box from Amazon.

I also had a issue with non-responsive actuators, but in my case both were affected until I updated both SCN5 to ID 0 as so helpfuly explained by Mif (thanks!).

Once that was done I was able to confirm manual control from SimTools Game Engine successfully.

Next step is to start putting all the pieces of my rig back together so I can actually start using it. Thank you all again for your efforts!

Glad to here ya going our side , thanks for the support @goldnboy6

Edit Thanks mate , without the support of the members SimTools would not be as good as it is.

@eaorobbie

My sincere apologies and no offense was my intention...I confuse program name with the website domain

Post has been corrected, thank you for the notice and welcome

Quick question with someone that has Frex SCN5 conversion working, just want to confirm my COM port settings are correct since the pic in step #5 seems to be missing?

Port Settings Tab:
Bits per second: 9600
Data bits: 8
Parity: None
Stop bits: 1
Flow control: None

Port Settings Tab>Advanced:
USB Transfer Sizes Receive (Bytes): 4096
USB Transfer Sizes Transmit (Bytes): 4096
BM Options Latency Timer (msec): 1
Timeouts Minimum Read Timeout (msec): 0
Timeouts Minimum Write Timeout (msec): 0

Miscellaneous Options:
Serial Enumerator [X]
**All other boxes unchecked**
Selective Suspend Idle Timeout (secs): 5

Reason why I ask is movement from my SCN5 seem "choppy/gritty" (i.e. not smooth) like how MasterYoda's videos depict for his actuators for NoLimits?

Also with the same tutorial axis settings the movement seems to be very 'light' without very much motion in Race07. Not sure what is to be expected but just want to go through all the settings again to make sure I didn't miss anything...thanks all in advance for any suggestions!

Newbie here, trying to convert my old Frex SimConBase. Thanks for this tutorial, this seems like a great community!

I have ordered the Devantech USB->RS485 serial adapters. I plan to cut and use the existing SimConMotion wires and connect them to the adapters. My question is, can I connect them according to this diagram I found posted by Brian Clancy on racedpartment:


Thanks in advance for any advice.

Hi, u can use your existing power connections, just connect the serial cable wires to the RS485 adapters as in the figure above.

Thanks for the quick response, clarkii.

I think I need a little help.
I have hooked up the old Frex actuators using the diagram I posted above. Devantech USB->RS485 adapters and re-used the Frex cables being careful to make sure the wires line up as above.

I have configured GameEngine exactly as MasterYoda has in his screenshots. However, the Output test results in no movement at all. When I start the GameEngine application, all I see is a very quick flash of the red & green lights on the Devantech adapters.

I have tried to check for the conflict using TBVST Visual Tool but I cannot get that tool to load up past the "Set up Communication" dialog box. No matter which Port I specify in that dialog (i.e. COM3 or COM4) it tells me "Failed in opening communication port". The red & green lights on the Devantech adapter do flash repeatedly right before this failure message appears.

I am running Windows 8.1 and when I look at the Devantech adapters in Device Manager, it says all OK with updated driver already installed (they were recognized already, I didn't have to update the drivers manually).

Any tips? Thank you!

Did you set the ID's to 0 on both actuators?

No I have not been able to verify this because I cannot get the TBVST Visual Tool to load up past the COM error. Is there another way to set the IDs?

If the tool is giving you a COM error there may be an issue with how you wired the adapters. If the COM port is properly set in device manager, and the tool cannot communicate with the actuator, then there is probably a wiring issue. Can you show a picture of your actual wiring into the adapters?

Ok please stand by I will upload pics!

Wiring:

2 more:

You may have the wires reversed on the adapter. See the image here:

http://www.xsimulator.net/community/attachments/scn5_x-sim2_diagram-jpg.2416/

Ok getting somewhere. 1 actuator is moving after making that switch, thank you!

The motion fired up, but immediately tilted me over to the right. Lights on one Devantech adapter flashing. The other is not.

Good! If only 1 is working, that means you need to change the ID to 0 on both.

Okay the visual tool now working, I can see COM3 is set to Axis 1, so will attempt to change now...

Success!! Movement in both actuators. Only that Pitch slider seems reversed.