Alternative TFT Screen for TM MFD Cougar

Hi,

So I have been trying hard to get a screen added to my TM Cougar MFD setup. There were posts where people are using the Liliput 8” display for this setup. These are great, but I simply can’t find anywhere that sells them to Australia for a good price considering how low the AUD is right now. Buying 2x would easily cost me AU$400+, so I went with an alternative.

My wife found this on eBay LCD board+screen for <AU$100 shipped.

I think it is perfect for my situation, I have 1xDVI and 1HDMI free ports on my graphics card and no need for additional converters or cables. Cheaper alternatives are there with only 1x HDMI.

Power supply was confirmed by the seller that it needs at least 1A 12Vdc supply. I happen to have few spare 1.5A adapters.

Here is the build:

What’s needed: double sided tape or a stick of ‘blu tack’ (really, this is very useful!)

Assembly complete for the screen itself, just plugging in the ribbon cables

Board testing, successful output of image to the screen.

Stick the cable interface board behind the screen, making sure no bend or kink on the ribbon cable.

Undo the ‘mounting plate’ behind the MFD. Stick the MFD to the screen and adjust screen according to your liking.

Next, stick the mounting plate back onto the back of the screen, place the LVDS board on the base of the MFD base plate. Fix the MFD USB cable so it does not push the LVDS board. I have also used large blobs of blu tack on the mounting screw holes of the LVDS board to secure it on to the MFD base plate.

Now the last piece of button PCB goes on to the locking pillars of the MFD, make sure you leave enough clearance for your monitor and power cable there.

And the final result…

I will then add a proper ABS plastic case to the LVDS board but right now the MFD looks almost complete as one single unit with its own display.

After all tested to work with Windows, it is time to work around the DCS monitor setup lua file.

When all works in harmony together, I’m so happy how well this worked out.

I hope this would help people who are looking for a cost-effective solution to adding screens to the MFD Cougar.

:pilotfly:

I use 2 of these plugged into a powered USB hub works great. They fit nicely behind the MFD's there is no stutter on maps or radar outputs, they're not too expensive and they are almost plug and play (you just need to install a driver first) very little setup involved. I love 'em

https://www.doublesight.com/product/detail/55.html

I'll try and post pictures later.

SD

Hi,

So I have been trying hard to get a screen added to my TM Cougar MFD setup. There were posts where people are using the Liliput 8” display for this setup. These are great, but I simply can’t find anywhere that sells them to Australia for a good price considering how low the AUD is right now. Buying 2x would easily cost me AU$400+, so I went with an alternative.

 

I found on eBay this development LCD board+screen for <AU$100 shipped.

 

I think it is perfect for my situation, I have 1xDVI and 1HDMI free ports on my graphics card and no need for additional converters or cables. Cheaper alternatives are there with only 1x HDMI.

Power supply was confirmed by the seller that it needs at least 1A 12Vdc supply. I happen to have few spare 1.5A adapters.

 

Here is the build:

 

What’s needed: double sided tape or a stick of ‘blu tack’ (really, this is very useful!)

 

Assembly complete for the screen itself, just plugging in the ribbon cables

 

Board testing, successful output of image to the screen.

 

Stick the cable interface board behind the screen, making sure no bend or kink on the ribbon cable.

 

Undo the ‘mounting plate’ behind the MFD. Stick the MFD to the screen and adjust screen according to your liking.

 

Next, stick the mounting plate back onto the back of the screen, place the LVDS board on the base of the MFD base plate. Fix the MFD USB cable so it does not push the LVDS board. I have also used large blobs of blu tack on the mounting screw holes of the LVDS board to secure it on to the MFD base plate.

 

 

Now the last piece of button PCB goes on to the locking pillars of the MFD, make sure you leave enough clearance for your monitor and power cable there.

And the final result…

 

 

I will then add a proper ABS plastic case to the LVDS board but right now the MFD looks almost complete as one single unit with its own display.

After all tested to work with Windows, it is time to work around the DCS monitor setup lua file.

 

When all works in harmony together, I’m so happy how well this worked out.

 

I hope this would help people who are looking for a cost-effective solution to adding screens to the MFD Cougar.

 

ilotfly:

The link doesnt work

Have you got a link to the screens? ..or even the name of the screens?

Cheers

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

Cougar MFD smaller than the original A-10C MFD. Who knows what the size of that of the original MFD?

Take a look here:

[ame]http://lynx.dk/blueprints/A-10C%20MFCD%20Dimensions.pdf[/ame]

That MFCD should be the same size as the original A-10C's

Hi,

--snippage--

 

 

I will then add a proper ABS plastic case to the LVDS board but right now the MFD looks almost complete as one single unit with its own display.

After all tested to work with Windows, it is time to work around the DCS monitor setup lua file.

 

When all works in harmony together, I’m so happy how well this worked out.

 

 

I hope this would help people who are looking for a cost-effective solution to adding screens to the MFD Cougar.

 

:pilotfly:

Nice find!! The one thing that I did was to cut and paint a thin aluminum/tin sign (For Sale signs, for example) with matte black paint and covered up the excess monitor screen. It's thin enough that you can get it under the MFD. Cheap and (I think) pretty effective. See example below

Nice, very nice!! They look great finished like Hans, you could even make a small panel of push buttons similar to the Cougar to stick on the blanked out bit.

The link doesnt work

Have you got a link to the screens? ..or even the name of the screens?

Cheers

 

 

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

Link is fixed now.

Or just search for "8inch LCD board" on eBay.

Look for one that your graphic card supports

Nice, very nice!! They look great finished like Hans, you could even make a small panel of push buttons similar to the Cougar to stick on the blanked out bit.

Hmm, not a bad idea. I'd have to reinforce the support of the monitor a bit..but totally doable. :joystick::joystick:

I use 2 of these plugged into a powered USB hub works great. They fit nicely behind the MFD's there is no stutter on maps or radar outputs, they're not too expensive and they are almost plug and play (you just need to install a driver first) very little setup involved. I love 'em

 

https://www.doublesight.com/product/detail/55.html

 

I'll try and post pictures later.

 

SD

Hi aren't 7'' LCD screens too small for the MFD Cougar ?

i put it vertically use two side glue tape on top of Saitek X65 so i can export more on LCDs

check also my setup in signature and

http://forums.eagle.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=118628&d=1434460566

Yeah, the 7" will leave a little gap between the bezel of the MFDs and the screen. Not terrible, but it will be there.

i put it vertically use two side glue tape on top of Saitek X65 so i can export more on LCDs

check also my setup in signature and

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=118628&d=1434460566

 

Another great idea. I'd do mine that way as well, but now that I use the Rift, the screen is kind of a moot point. But buttons, I still like even with VR HMD.

How are you getting the MFCD images on to the separate screen? Is it a straight forward configuration in DCS or do you need something like Ultramfcd? I am looking at doing the same thing and also a CDU but I would like to know how to configure the software to drive these screens.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

UltraMFCD automates it/makes it easier. But you can do it on your own as well

See: https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=2616874&postcount=799