External USB TDC panel - wouldn't it be awesome?
 

Just had a early sunday morning crazy idea. Like the title says; having a replica (or homemade) TDC panel connected to your PC through USB, and then you could do the torpedo settings on this panel.
I have absolutely NO idea how this could work in terms of programming... Correction: I have absolutely NO idea hoe this could work, whatsoever... :oops:

But it would be awesome to have a 22x22 inch TDC panel connected :|\\

-pal

In my mind, it becomes harder when the dials have to move themselves to respond to bearings from your scope...

so...

the tdc would have to know where all the (real) dials are pointed, and tell that to the game (which would need reprogramming to read that)
and
the game would have to tell the tdc where all the dials should be pointed (it can get sticky here)

hmm... hold on.

edit: they can hook up car gauges to driving games, so there might be some success possible in displaying information, but getting info to input might be really challenging.

If you wanna make the hardware first, I'd look at projects like "arduino" and search google for things like "game gauge" :D I'm sure it's possible, but I'm also sure it won't be easy. Be the first to do it!

Hi, I tried the mighty Google, there are Flight simulation cockpits
http://www.fscockpit.com/index.html
that replicates all the dials and gauges in a real cockpit, and there is software that could take care of the data transfer between PC and panel. However, those cockpits mostly have electronic gauges, which only displays information from the game. The TDC panel would have to be able to display information, AND be an input-provider.

I believe the RL TDC was som sort of electro-mechanical computer connected to the periscope, so the connection between the scope and the TDC would have to be considered.

I was just having a crazy idea. Always good to get feedback to get you back down to earth... :D
I'm gonna search through those flightsim sites and see if I can understand a bit more about the basics, and take it from there :DL

I love the idea, but even as a non-programmer I can imagine the complexity. There are rotary encoders that output pulses to a control line, like those used as volume controls on lots of modern two-way radios, but as has been noted the hard(er) part is having the control's position updated by the game conditions.
I've been thinking about the R/L TDC, and am even more amazed at the minds that thought out what kinds of linkage could couple all those indicators and controls to each other and to other parts of the boat, including the eels themselves. Even just the complexity of the flexible cables (or whatever) got crammed into the periscope(s) and survived all that raising & lowering & twisting.
The mind boggles.
-- Zygoma --

As there is not much positive to say about war, it has shown that innovation and progress in terms of technology greatly benefits from it. Sad, in an interesting way...

However, I have decided to start with something "easy"... I'll get a Arduino-board, or preferrably a starters kit and start off with learning the basics by trying and failing. After that I'll start with a simple external FIRE-button. Should be relatively simple compared to my initial idea.... :D

I actually attempted to make a simple TDC-like device using LEGOs. I got something that would show the AOB for a bearing provided you were on a 90 degree course. Never went much farther with it.

If I won the lottery I'd build a life size type ix interior, supported on hydraulic pistons like a flight simulator, with a conning tower that was covered in one of those imax 360 cinemas to project the ocean. I'd attach some high tech surround sound system to simulate the creaks and groans and depth charge attacks would jolt you around inside.

I think it would have to be a rollover lottery win though :-)

Hell, if I win the lottery, I'll build a whole Type IX!

wonder what the cost would be???

The probability for you to win the lottery is about the same as for me to get my USB elektro-mechanical TDC finished this century :D

Uboat command room... mmmmmmmm... with 360' screens on bridge and periscope view...
:drool:

To be honest, I'm pretty much pulling this out of... somewhere the sun doesn't shine. The cost of a Type VII is not exactly easy to find.

A brand new Type 214 submarine cost about $330 million US in 2008. It weighs about 1700 tons.

A brand new Type VIIB u-boat cost about 4.8 million RM, with rough conversion to today's money is $182.3 million US. That weighed 750 tons. A Type IX would cost much more (bigger, more equipment, etc). For arbitrary sake, let's say a IXB cost 50% more, for $273 million. They weighed 1050 tons.

But except for "F=ma," technology is no longer at 1940 standards!

More efficient and powerful propulsion could be fitted to the IX. Batteries have advanced in weight and capacity since WWII, if more expensive.

Weapons (armament and launching systems, guidance) have become more and more expensive, if looking at the US Navy budget is any indicator. Radar and sonar... also exponentially expensive.

Modern subs need to go deep. Really deep... make the IX's skin thicker with higher quality steel. That would also necessitate better depth-keeping equipment (ballast regulation, compressors, etc) lest we repeat USS Thresher. Add in extensive streamlining if we want better underwater performance... pretty pennies right there.

My head hurts now. All my idle sketches of "Type IXH/2030" modernized u-boats are getting more and more expensive. My newest estimate at cost is $300 million in 2008. $320 million for inflation.

The largest US Mega Millions lottery paid out $462 million off the bat, before enormous taxes. New York taxes would leave you with $420 million.

...the lottery will be enough. Maybe.

Thinking about it, I'd probably just get a bigger screen then...

Good idea :har::har::har:

Best regards.

Fubar2Niner

If I won the lottery I'd hire a team and create a new subsim, the way I think it should be done.

Of course I'd get a lot of flak from people who hated it and thought I should have done this, that and the other thing differently.
:rotfl2:

Well what about for a.. whats the word, I'll call it vintage 1940's era Type VII or Type IX, I mean basically a working replica, with the same tech or close to the same tech. Because I know a good chunk of that cost has to be the modernized equipment and upgrades.