IOIO board for SN10 to Samsung Galaxy Note 4

[Sean Fidler]

I'm looking to build this integration and put my miserably outdated Oudie out of its misery. Of course I am looking to run XC Soar or Top Hat on the Galaxy Note 4.

Has anyone built this specific IOIO board to date? If so please send me any lessons that you may have learned along the way.

I am ordering parts this weekend.

Thanks in advance!

Sean

[waremark]

I prefer SYM to XCSOAR - fully flexible screen layout and really easy to do what you need whether on the ground or in the air. I now have an Oudie IGC with bright screen, all day battery life, IGC logger (with wireless download), backup audio vario, and seamless integration with SeeYou for file setup. Please tell me what you prefer about XCSOAR other than that use of it is free.

[[email protected]]

The device you're getting the source data from isn't really relevant as long as you can figure out what pins the TX, RX and Gnd (and maybe +5v if you want to draw power off of the SN10) are on. Pipe those into an RS232 to logic level converter and then into the IOIO and you're good to go. I used the IOIO OTG board and the MAX 3232 breakout board (both from Sparkfun.com). I'm pulling GPS, wind, MacCready and bugs from a 302 into IOIO UART 0 (pins 3, 4) and FLARM traffic data into IOIO UART 1 (pins 5, 6). The 3232 board can handle two TX/RX pairs so it works beautifully.

Robert

On Saturday, May 9, 2015 at 7:57:18 AM UTC-5, Sean Fidler wrote:
> I'm looking to build this integration and put my miserably outdated Oudie out of its misery. Of course I am looking to run XC Soar or Top Hat on the Galaxy Note 4.
>
> Has anyone built this specific IOIO board to date? If so please send me any lessons that you may have learned along the way.
>
> I am ordering parts this weekend.
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Sean

[jfitch]

On Saturday, May 9, 2015 at 6:54:49 AM UTC-7, waremark wrote:
> I prefer SYM to XCSOAR - fully flexible screen layout and really easy to do what you need whether on the ground or in the air. I now have an Oudie IGC with bright screen, all day battery life, IGC logger (with wireless download), backup audio vario, and seamless integration with SeeYou for file setup. Please tell me what you prefer about XCSOAR other than that use of it is free.

In my opinion, XCSoar has a better UI in most respects than SYM. If those were the only two choices, I would pay for XCSoar even if SYM were free. Fortunately those aren't the only choices.

[Sean Fidler]

1) The UI
2) The flexibility of the Modern Android devices
3) The vastly higher resolution touch sensitivity of the modernAndroid devices (try using Oudie with your fingers and not the stylus)
3.1) pinch to zoom, two fingers to pan, etc.
4. The software itself (XC Soar vs SeeYou mobile which is essentially unchanged in a decade)
5) The ability to use cellular broadband data connectivity for a whole host of applications:
5.1) SKYLINES
5.2) Weather
5.3) Retrieve applications
5.3.1) GPS coordinates, etc
5.4) Device integration with SPOT or Delorme InReach Bluetooth connected applications
5.5) etc, etc, etc.
6) The VASTLY superior resolution of this the terrain map.
7) Automatic calculation of Final Glide over terrain.
8) I can go on and on and on and on....

[Sean Fidler]

Thanks Robert. Great info. Soldering iron warming up...

[[email protected]]

I too am in the market for a change for a flight computer (actually a secondary flight computer). eInk seems best but all current production models...like Nook...are too big in my opinion. Please understand I am not challenging your direction but have a few questions.

What specific transition electronics are you planning to use? Sparkfun? Have you you had a Galaxy Note 4 in a cockpit to confirm it will be visible in bright sunlight?

Thanks for sharing.

forOn Saturday, May 9, 2015 at 8:57:18 AM UTC-4, Sean Fidler wrote:
> I'm looking to build this integration and put my miserably outdated Oudie out of its misery. Of course I am looking to run XC Soar or Top Hat on the Galaxy Note 4.
>
> Has anyone built this specific IOIO board to date? If so please send me any lessons that you may have learned along the way.
>
> I am ordering parts this weekend.
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
> Sean

[Sean Fidler]

Ink screens are great but lack smartphone data connectivity. I just want one device. Also color screens are rapidly improving in brightness specs. Especially the phablets (large ones).

Here are some quotes about the Note 4. It is widely considered to be the brightest and highest contrast of the new generation of OLED displays. They are exceptionally displays and so bright that they begin to hurt my eyes at times in less that bright light. I also have an iPhone 6 plus and it is considerably less bring that the note 4.

Link to article on Note 4 brightness: http://www.displaymate.com/Galaxy_Note4_ShootOut_1.htm

QUOTE: As a result of its high Brightness and low Reflectance, the Galaxy Note 4 has a Contrast Rating for High Ambient Light that ranges from 71 to 93, among the highest that we have ever measured.

More importantly, on the Galaxy Note 4 the Maximum Brightness can go much higher when Automatic Brightness is turned On, so that users can't permanently park the Manual Brightness slider to very high values, which would run down the battery quickly. High screen Brightness is only needed for High Ambient Light, so turning Automatic Brightness On will provide better high ambient light screen visibility and also longer battery running time.

When Automatic Brightness is turned On, the Galaxy Note 4 reaches an impressive 750 cd/m2 in High Ambient Light, where high Brightness is really needed - it is the brightest mobile display that we have ever tested. As a result of its high Brightness and low Reflectance, the Galaxy Note 4 has a Contrast Rating for High Ambient Light that ranges from 100 to156, the highest that we have ever measured for any mobile display. See the Brightness and Contrast, the High Ambient Light and the Screen Reflections sections for measurements and details."

[Sean Fidler]

bought 2 kinds listed on the XC Soar forum. Sparkfun was back-ordered any Android IOIO on that list should work well. It's a simple matter of mapping out the pins carefully.

I may start a little business making these. I have a very bright neighbors kid who wants a summer job!

I have used Luke's IOIO (Gen 1) in my Lak17 with a V7 vario and a Dell Streak. It was great. This setup should be far better than that was and I'll have full Verizon data (when not flying contests).

I'll post a video once I get it tested.

[waremark]

Thanks for replying. I think some of that is a bit like saying the Porsche 911 is unchanged in 50 years. I always use fingers not stylus on SYM without difficulty, find zoom and pan easy, and by the way Oudie now has connectivity using bluetooth via a phone. The SYM UI works really well for frequent tasks like task entry which is slicker than XCS. Each to their own.

[Dan Marotta]

Yeah... But my big brother can beat up your big brother...

Each of these HW/SW systems has its advantages and disadvantages when
compared to the others. Each of us has his own concept of what works
best for him and what doesn't. Why not simply tell the pluses and
minuses of your system and not waste everyone's time by hammering all
the things you don't use? Note: This is not intended as an attack on
any one person but a comment on years of reading RAS.

On 5/10/2015 5:39 AM, waremark wrote:
> Thanks for replying. I think some of that is a bit like saying the Porsche 911 is unchanged in 50 years. I always use fingers not stylus on SYM without difficulty, find zoom and pan easy, and by the way Oudie now has connectivity using bluetooth via a phone. The SYM UI works really well for frequent tasks like task entry which is slicker than XCS. Each to their own.

--
Dan Marotta

[Sean Fidler]

I would not want to be on the Oudie side of the debate table when debating any aspect of software, hardware or especially innovation potential. ;-). The Oudie is a cheap (and wildly overpriced), old product in my opinion. Sure, it does "work" and it does have integration solutions (Goddard cables, etc, also quite overpriced in my opinion) for most (also outdated usually) soaring electronics. What can I say, I have one too.

I still use an SN10 for example. Not the fountain of youth either but it works very well for everything except the infamous HAT task.

When it comes to affordable, innovative tech in the cockpit (once smartphones are fully allowed to shine) smartphones will be truly revolutionary for their simplicity and capability. That time is already here for non US contest flying. In fact it is quite painful to have to literally DISABLE my smartphone for a contest flight.

I agree, to each their own. I think be going a little further (building the IO board, etc) I will have a lot more fun soaring and learn a lot along the way...

Go flying!

[waremark]

"I would not want to be on the Oudie side of the debate table when debating any aspect of software, hardware or especially innovation potential."

As I said, each to their own.

[kirk.stant]

On Saturday, May 9, 2015 at 4:42:25 PM UTC-5, Sean Fidler wrote:
> Thanks Robert. Great info. Soldering iron warming up...

Sean, this is EXACTLY why many of us prefer the Oudie to building a "supposedly" superior system out of more "up to date" technology and software.

Buy it, hook it up, configure the displays to your liking (or use the defaults if you are really lazy or computer-challenged) and go fly. Oudie does that, at a fraction of the cost of the higher end systems.

Myself, I'll probably stick to my SN10+Oudie2+PF setup until something significantly better is available (and I don't see XCsoar as "significantly better" than SYM, in the ways I use my moving map). Right now, what I'm watching is the evolution of iGlide and the sunlight readability of the big iPhones - when they meet my personal criteria of features and cost-effectiveness, then I might retire my Oudie. My SN10, OTOH, stays until it dies, I like it so much...

And, as a big believer in redundancy - I would never want my primary nav display to also be my retrieve phone, etc. That's just asking for Murphy to have a go!

Meanwhile, have fun with your science project and keep us posted!

Kirk
66

[[email protected]]

Kirk - I'm not sure I understand your point here. Are you saying that choosing to "roll our own" custom HW interface solution is a negative? If someone either doesn't have the skills or simply doesn't want the hassle then they can purchase any one of a number of pre-built cables and interface solutions that will work with XCSoar. This is no different than hooking an Oudie up to instrumentation - you can "roll you own" or buy a pre-made cable and interface kit. Maybe I missed the point...

On Monday, May 11, 2015 at 12:31:34 PM UTC-5, kirk.stant wrote:
> On Saturday, May 9, 2015 at 4:42:25 PM UTC-5, Sean Fidler wrote:
> > Thanks Robert. Great info. Soldering iron warming up...
>
> Sean, this is EXACTLY why many of us prefer the Oudie to building a "supposedly" superior system out of more "up to date" technology and software.
>
> Buy it, hook it up, configure the displays to your liking (or use the defaults if you are really lazy or computer-challenged) and go fly. Oudie does that, at a fraction of the cost of the higher end systems.
>
> Myself, I'll probably stick to my SN10+Oudie2+PF setup until something significantly better is available (and I don't see XCsoar as "significantly better" than SYM, in the ways I use my moving map). Right now, what I'm watching is the evolution of iGlide and the sunlight readability of the big iPhones - when they meet my personal criteria of features and cost-effectiveness, then I might retire my Oudie. My SN10, OTOH, stays until it dies, I like it so much...
>
> And, as a big believer in redundancy - I would never want my primary nav display to also be my retrieve phone, etc. That's just asking for Murphy to have a go!
>
> Meanwhile, have fun with your science project and keep us posted!
>
> Kirk
> 66

[kirk.stant]

On Monday, May 11, 2015 at 6:31:13 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> Kirk - I'm not sure I understand your point here. Are you saying that choosing to "roll our own" custom HW interface solution is a negative? If someone either doesn't have the skills or simply doesn't want the hassle then they can purchase any one of a number of pre-built cables and interface solutions that will work with XCSoar. This is no different than hooking an Oudie up to instrumentation - you can "roll you own" or buy a pre-made cable and interface kit. Maybe I missed the point...

Robert, perhaps I didn't make myself clear enough. I think it's great that you guys are putting together systems to integrate new displays with new software in interesting ways - but please go back and look at your previous post; to most of the glider owners in my club it would be totally incomprehensible! For them (and me, largely because I'm not interested in spending the time putting together a custom made system) even as simple a system as the Oudie seems too complicated. So when Sean makes long statements about how superior his custom approach is to something like the Oudie, he doesn't realize that for many, his approach is totally out of the question.

I personally like SYM because I can customize it to do exactly what I want. I'm sure XCsoar can be setup equally well, but I'm not interested in learning a whole new UI for no real performance difference. TopHat looks interesting on a Kobo mini eink tablet as a stand-alone device for club ships. I've used WinPilot (OK) and tried StePla (too "german"!); even looked at LK8000 (too many numbers that I really don't care about) - but keep coming back to SYM because I'm used to it.

iGlide looks really interesting...

Anyway - whatever a person uses is fine if it makes the soaring experience more fun and safer!

Cheers,

Kirk
66

[[email protected]]

LK8000 on Mio and cabled to Power Flarm and V7.

Pros: Forum support that is excellent, beautiful interface, easy task declaration to Flarm, fully utilizes pitot, barometric sensor, etc of V7/Flarm. Handles Turn area tasks and MATS easily. Simulator for PC

Cons: Requires some "hacking" of chosen device. Requires windows based platform. Only source of MIO compatable cables (my device) is glidertools. Requires home study to fully understand and configure many options

Lane
XF

[[email protected]]

Well, you're certainly right that my original post is generally incomprehensible to anyone who is not already familiar with an IOIO interface. But, in my defense, the post was not really meant to describe how to actually build one - its pretty clear that Sean was already experienced with it.

This gets me thinking, though, how many people may actually be interested in putting an Android XCSoar device in their cockpit, connect it to their 302 or Flarm, etc. but are afraid to do so because of a lack of very detailed instructions. I wonder if there would be much interest in an article in Soaring Magazine that shows in detail how to build and use an IOIO based solution? Anyone out there want to read such an article?

Robert


On Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 11:53:27 AM UTC-5, kirk.stant wrote:
> On Monday, May 11, 2015 at 6:31:13 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> > Kirk - I'm not sure I understand your point here. Are you saying that choosing to "roll our own" custom HW interface solution is a negative? If someone either doesn't have the skills or simply doesn't want the hassle then they can purchase any one of a number of pre-built cables and interface solutions that will work with XCSoar. This is no different than hooking an Oudie up to instrumentation - you can "roll you own" or buy a pre-made cable and interface kit. Maybe I missed the point...
>
> Robert, perhaps I didn't make myself clear enough. I think it's great that you guys are putting together systems to integrate new displays with new software in interesting ways - but please go back and look at your previous post; to most of the glider owners in my club it would be totally incomprehensible! For them (and me, largely because I'm not interested in spending the time putting together a custom made system) even as simple a system as the Oudie seems too complicated. So when Sean makes long statements about how superior his custom approach is to something like the Oudie, he doesn't realize that for many, his approach is totally out of the question.
>
> I personally like SYM because I can customize it to do exactly what I want. I'm sure XCsoar can be setup equally well, but I'm not interested in learning a whole new UI for no real performance difference. TopHat looks interesting on a Kobo mini eink tablet as a stand-alone device for club ships. I've used WinPilot (OK) and tried StePla (too "german"!); even looked at LK8000 (too many numbers that I really don't care about) - but keep coming back to SYM because I'm used to it.
>
> iGlide looks really interesting...
>
> Anyway - whatever a person uses is fine if it makes the soaring experience more fun and safer!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Kirk
> 66

[[email protected]]

Yep

On Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 7:42:24 PM UTC-4, wrote:
> Well, you're certainly right that my original post is generally incomprehensible to anyone who is not already familiar with an IOIO interface. But, in my defense, the post was not really meant to describe how to actually build one - its pretty clear that Sean was already experienced with it.
>
> This gets me thinking, though, how many people may actually be interested in putting an Android XCSoar device in their cockpit, connect it to their 302 or Flarm, etc. but are afraid to do so because of a lack of very detailed instructions. I wonder if there would be much interest in an article in Soaring Magazine that shows in detail how to build and use an IOIO based solution? Anyone out there want to read such an article?
>
> Robert
>
>
> On Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 11:53:27 AM UTC-5, kirk.stant wrote:
> > On Monday, May 11, 2015 at 6:31:13 PM UTC-5, wrote:
> > > Kirk - I'm not sure I understand your point here. Are you saying that choosing to "roll our own" custom HW interface solution is a negative? If someone either doesn't have the skills or simply doesn't want the hassle then they can purchase any one of a number of pre-built cables and interface solutions that will work with XCSoar. This is no different than hooking an Oudie up to instrumentation - you can "roll you own" or buy a pre-made cable and interface kit. Maybe I missed the point...
> >
> > Robert, perhaps I didn't make myself clear enough. I think it's great that you guys are putting together systems to integrate new displays with new software in interesting ways - but please go back and look at your previous post; to most of the glider owners in my club it would be totally incomprehensible! For them (and me, largely because I'm not interested in spending the time putting together a custom made system) even as simple a system as the Oudie seems too complicated. So when Sean makes long statements about how superior his custom approach is to something like the Oudie, he doesn't realize that for many, his approach is totally out of the question.
> >
> > I personally like SYM because I can customize it to do exactly what I want. I'm sure XCsoar can be setup equally well, but I'm not interested in learning a whole new UI for no real performance difference. TopHat looks interesting on a Kobo mini eink tablet as a stand-alone device for club ships.. I've used WinPilot (OK) and tried StePla (too "german"!); even looked at LK8000 (too many numbers that I really don't care about) - but keep coming back to SYM because I'm used to it.
> >
> > iGlide looks really interesting...
> >
> > Anyway - whatever a person uses is fine if it makes the soaring experience more fun and safer!
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Kirk
> > 66

[[email protected]]

>I wonder if there would be much interest in an article in Soaring Magazine that >shows in detail how to build and use an IOIO based solution? Anyone out there >want to read such an article?

Absolutely!

[Sean Fidler]

I'm going to put a video up of the process from my end. I'm estimating an hour or so of actual work to get this running. We will see how that estimate works out. Parts are on route.

[Dan Marotta]

There are serial to Bluetooth converters and multiplexers out there to
buy off the shelf. No need to build anything. Simply plug the
converter into your computer and connect your moving map via Bluetooth.

On 5/12/2015 5:42 PM, wrote:
> Well, you're certainly right that my original post is generally incomprehensible to anyone who is not already familiar with an IOIO interface. But, in my defense, the post was not really meant to describe how to actually build one - its pretty clear that Sean was already experienced with it.
>
> This gets me thinking, though, how many people may actually be interested in putting an Android XCSoar device in their cockpit, connect it to their 302 or Flarm, etc. but are afraid to do so because of a lack of very detailed instructions. I wonder if there would be much interest in an article in Soaring Magazine that shows in detail how to build and use an IOIO based solution? Anyone out there want to read such an article?
>
> Robert
>
>
> On Tuesday, May 12, 2015 at 11:53:27 AM UTC-5, kirk.stant wrote:
>> On Monday, May 11, 2015 at 6:31:13 PM UTC-5, wrote:
>>> Kirk - I'm not sure I understand your point here. Are you saying that choosing to "roll our own" custom HW interface solution is a negative? If someone either doesn't have the skills or simply doesn't want the hassle then they can purchase any one of a number of pre-built cables and interface solutions that will work with XCSoar. This is no different than hooking an Oudie up to instrumentation - you can "roll you own" or buy a pre-made cable and interface kit. Maybe I missed the point...
>> Robert, perhaps I didn't make myself clear enough. I think it's great that you guys are putting together systems to integrate new displays with new software in interesting ways - but please go back and look at your previous post; to most of the glider owners in my club it would be totally incomprehensible! For them (and me, largely because I'm not interested in spending the time putting together a custom made system) even as simple a system as the Oudie seems too complicated. So when Sean makes long statements about how superior his custom approach is to something like the Oudie, he doesn't realize that for many, his approach is totally out of the question.
>>
>> I personally like SYM because I can customize it to do exactly what I want. I'm sure XCsoar can be setup equally well, but I'm not interested in learning a whole new UI for no real performance difference. TopHat looks interesting on a Kobo mini eink tablet as a stand-alone device for club ships. I've used WinPilot (OK) and tried StePla (too "german"!); even looked at LK8000 (too many numbers that I really don't care about) - but keep coming back to SYM because I'm used to it.
>>
>> iGlide looks really interesting...
>>
>> Anyway - whatever a person uses is fine if it makes the soaring experience more fun and safer!
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Kirk
>> 66

--
Dan Marotta

[Sean Fidler]

I'll post a quick demo in the morning...