ATR 500 display

[Martin Gregorie[_4_]]

I have a Filser ATR 500 that can be hard to read under some lighting
conditions. I'm not using the display backlight.

I'd be grateful if any ATR 500 owner who has tried using the backlight
can tell me if its worth disturbing the wiring harness to turn it on and
if so, is there a further benefit in making the backlight switchable?

TIA,
Martin


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

[Gavin Short[_2_]]

At 00:04 09 December 2008, Martin Gregorie wrote:
>I have a Filser ATR 500 that can be hard to read under some lighting
>conditions. I'm not using the display backlight.
>
>I'd be grateful if any ATR 500 owner who has tried using the backlight
>can tell me if its worth disturbing the wiring harness to turn it on and

>if so, is there a further benefit in making the backlight switchable?
>
>TIA,
>Martin
>
>
>--
>martin@ | Martin Gregorie
>gregorie. | Essex, UK
>org |
>

Martin,
I have had an ATR 500 for the last 2 years but never had the need to
consider using the back light. I have checked the manual and it is
possible to wire up the back lighting to be remotely switchable and
dimmed. That function is also available through the Vol/SQ control
sequence as is the contrast function.

IIRC I set the contrast up just lighter than the screen 'becoming dark
blocks' around the numbers and it is good for all light conditions and I
haven't had to touch it since.

Have you lost control of the contrast or is your ATR 500 mounted in a
place where it doesn't get any ambient light?

Is your screen failing? I hope not!

To date it has worked well. The only initial problem was setting the
microphone sensitivity to match the electrect microphone. After a couple
attempts it was correct.


Gavin
Std Cirrus, CNN now G-SCNN, #173
LSV Viersen, Keiheuvel, Belgium

[Martin Gregorie[_4_]]

On Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:30:03 +0000, Gavin Short wrote:

> That function is also available through the Vol/SQ control
> sequence as is the contrast function.
>
I missed that, probably because the manual entry for setting the
backlight is confusing and implies that this is almost not needed.

> IIRC I set the contrast up just lighter than the screen 'becoming dark
> blocks' around the numbers and it is good for all light conditions and I
> haven't had to touch it since.
>
I'll try that. Thanks.

> Have you lost control of the contrast or is your ATR 500 mounted in a
> place where it doesn't get any ambient light?
>
Its in a shady place. Its second from right in the bottom row of four
instruments in a Libelle panel and overhung by a GPS on a flexi-stalk.

> Is your screen failing? I hope not!
>
No problem there. Mine is about the same age as yours and works well with
a dynamic mic. Its installed position has never been great, but thats
about the only place it can go. The top row is reserved for T&S, ASI and
vario. Left lower row has two 80mm instruments that can't be moved and
the right lower is a blank that sprouts the GPS stalk. The stalk is
needed because there's no way to shoehorn a GPS II+ into my panel without
throwing out something essential.

This query was triggered by the recent discussion of the readability of
surface satnavs vs PDAs. Next season I'll be swapping the GPS II+ for a
Binatone X350 satnav running XCSoar. This needs a very minor wiring
change and that reminded me that the ATR500 brightness may need
increasing since it will be on a similar sightline to the bright X350
display.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |