Description
The DCS-BIOS Mega Slave is the foundation of a panel in your home cockpit. It connects to your PC via the hub and master. It delivers both data and power to your panel via a single cable. Say goodbye to your USB and power cable mess! This board completely replaces the need for an Arduino Mega, separate RS485 chips, and a messy power setup. The Mega Slave is based on the ATmega2560 and can do anything a regular Arduino Mega does – and more. Basically, it’s an Arduino Mega on steroids.
Features
- GPIO – 51 Digital I/O pins whereof 14 are PWM capable. 2 digital pins are shared with backlight and aux light control. 16 Analog inputs. Many of the analog pins can also be used as digital pins. Maximum 40mA per digital pin.
- Memory – 256KB code, 8KB SRAM, 4KB EEPROM.
- Integrated RS-485 – The Mega Slave has an RS485 transciever and selectable termination resistor already on board.
- Integrated Power – Provides both 12V & 5V for your backlight, servos, steppers, etc. Up to 1A total.
- Integrated Backlight Driver – Allows you to keep your simpit backlight in sync with DCS World for a more immersive experience.
- Integrated Nextion Header – Easily connect a Nextion display.
- Screw Terminals – Convenient screw terminals hold your cables securely in place.
- Compatible – Fully compatible with the Arduino IDE and DCS-BIOS. Programmed via a separate programmer.
The DCS-BIOS Mega Slave brings the power and versatility of the Arduino Mega into your cockpit setup, offering more pins, increased memory, and all the conveniences of integration you need for an immersive experience.
Power Delivery
How much current can i draw? Please see table below. Testing has shown that an average panel with LED-backlight draws around 100mA, thus if you use all 3 buses you can connect well over 100 panels. So in practice, if you don’t go absolutely crazy, you don’t really need to worry too much about this.
Please use standard network cables (not the slim-type). At least 26 AWG is recommended, smaller numbers mean more power. Slim-type cables are usually 28 AWG and would limit your Slaves to about 500mA instead of 1A, although even this is usually enough for most panels. If your panels include a lot of servos, steppers or incandescent bulbs, you should calculate or measure your power draw.
| Component | Absolute Limit |
|---|---|
| System as a whole, limited by the Master Controller | 15A, 5A per Bus (180W) |
| Each Slave Controller, including backlight and auxiliary light drive. | 1A Per Slave (12W) |
| ⚠️ Warning! Do not hotplug any cables other than USB. Do not connect to home network, DCSBIOSKit uses RS485 and is not ethernet-compatible. Permanent damage will occur, such damage is not covered by warranty! Only connect DCSBIOSKit-compatible products together. |
| ℹ️ DIY Product! While much effort has been put into ease of use, this is still a DIY product and requires some basic knowledge of electronics and Arduino-programming. If you know how to connect a switch to DCS-BIOS using an Arduino – you will be able to use this product. If you don’t – I suggest you check out the instructions on this site or watch some DCS-BIOS tutorials like this one. |
Physical appearance may vary due to availability of components and other factors, functionality remains the same.
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