Gamer makes iPad an instrument for DCS A-10C sim

A gamer in the past few weeks has started up a project to turn the iPad into a unique peripheral for the combat flight sim DCS A-10C. The homebrew iControl DCS app uses the iPad to replace multiple instruments that would otherwise require moving the in-game camera away from the outside world. Shacknews member Boarder2's implementation uses Wi-Fi but transmits enough data to show live information from the Multi Function Control Displays (MFCDs) while still providing real-time control of buttons. Users tap to switch between different sections of the cockpit.

The app is possible through working with the game's official mod API, which lets users hook hardware and software into the game to expand the control beyond the main screen. A Saitek X-52 Pro joystick and a matching throttle controller, as well as a Vizio TV, make up the core of the complete setup.

Some features are still limited, but as of Monday it was displaying what amounted to "basically real time video." Future work should bring caution lights into the iPad app. It's currently in private testing and will hinge on how quickly it moves along. A rough estimate puts the finished version sometime in late April, however, and both controlled beta testing and a public App Store launch are likely to come.

By Electronista Staff

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industry, gaming, gadgets, Vizio, iPad, iPad apps, Saitek