Building a gear lever.

[Sam Franklin]

So I'm getting and old joystick and using the control card so I'll have some free buttons to add in to my throttle quadrant set up. I was thinking of building a gear lever, how do you think I could do this? The joystick is a Logitech Wingman Attack 2. Any ideas?

[Aerosim Solutions]

Hi Sam,
I would recommend that you don't hack your joystick! Just buy a Leo Bodnar BU0836X controller card, this will give you 32 switch inputs and 8 analogue inputs (Potentiometers). They are really good cards and easy to set up, only about GBP50.00

Cheers Gwyn

[phil744]

You can always use an arduino, put it in DFU mode then the PC now sees it as an HID device like a joystick.  Obviously you need to start writing your own software in the arduino environment so its not what you call simple.  I started learning with arduino a year ago and now i can do whatever i like with it.  If a monkey like me can figure it out then......

For my setup (all flight controls) this is what i have done, linked several arduinos together now I have a HID input with unlimited inputs, for less than 60 quid you can interface something complex like a 757.  Supprised no one else has tried this

Food for thought

Phil

[Sam Franklin]

You can always use an arduino, put it in DFU mode then the PC now sees it as an HID device like a joystick.  Obviously you need to start writing your own software in the arduino environment so its not what you call simple.  I started learning with arduino a year ago and now i can do whatever i like with it.  If a monkey like me can figure it out then......

For my setup (all flight controls) this is what i have done, linked several arduinos together now I have a HID input with unlimited inputs, for less than 60 quid you can interface something complex like a 757.  Supprised no one else has tried this

Food for thought

Phil

Which one do I need to buy!?

[phil744]

you need to sit down and do some serious research mate.  IF you just want to "get yourself flying" go the hacked joystick method, or the Bodnar BU0836X route. simple and quick.

Arduino requires a lot of work, but the results are well worth it.  If you want to give it a try go for the uno

Phil

[Sam Franklin]

I plan to. The hacked joystick is being used for a throttle quadrant. This board looks like it could hold a lot of potential.

I get the impression you program it before you use it, so it wouldn't be 'Plug and Play'?

[phil744]

potential is an understatment, there is nothing you cant do with these.  Buy yes, you will need to compile your own software before using it, sounds daunting i know but there is so much support out there even a monkey like me can figure it out.

For you, hack a joystick, and a keyboard, thats how i started out many years back

[Sam Franklin]

I had a quick look this morning. Looks capable of handling most of the controls that I want to build and is much more reasonably priced than the Leo Budnar boards - I suppose you have to put a bit more effort in to these!

It handles analog (pots) and digital inputs and powered outputs so some cabin lighting may be nice. At the moment I'm using a family computer so everything has to be detachable so I'm thinking of trying to get the money together and get my own computer that's good enough to handle FSX so I can make a sim pit!