just a small handcrafted button box

Since flying a complex plane is easier with more controls available, i decided to create a button box for my needs.

In addition i fitted a small 7" touchscreen into the box.

The whole thin looks like this:

The box to the right is my first try, which i made earlier just to test out how it flies with more controls.

I know it isn't quite a home made cockpit, but available space (and my wife) constantly prevent building something bigger :D

Any thoughts on this?

I like it. Very cool. I am also a button box builder and I really like your screen idea.

You 3D printing your stuff and you using a controller board or DCS BIOS?

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actually i killed one of my old joysticks and used the buttons / hat for the buttons on this box.

the three analog dials on the right are the original joystick axis + thrust :)

the box itself is the upper body of a bought plastic box, but i found it fit the whole thing perfectly, so i didn't bother in (letting) print a body for this project

unfortunately i need to ask people to print for me since i don't own a 3d printer ;)

the next box (if there will be any?) will be with an arduino i think. it makes things much easier than hoping an old joystick would work.

but lucky me - the old thing just does its job perfectly well...

Its great, this MFD was the first panel I ever made before the Cougars came out.

I took apart a keyboard and used its control board to make some USB inputs, built a MDF Panel to fit around a 15" monitor and made my first MFD in a decent size!

Actually thinking about doing something similar but a little more refined on my latest F/A-18C inspired pit, I want a much bigger digital map than a cougar.

How is this done (making a button-box out of buttons, switches, pots, etc from Amazon or whatever)? How do you set them up so that you can connect via USB and map them in-game? I saw DCS BIOS mentioned; what other things can be used or added to that?

ElCuco you really need to browse through this forum where people have asked the same question 9,000,000 times before. It's not difficult to find ;)

I used an old joystick, so mapping things just happens the same as for every other joystick / joypad you can use in any game.

In my case this was because i want to use it in other games as well ... star citizen for example.

Using DCS Bios wouldn't allow me to do this, an old joystick otherwise would

the switches and the box itself is bought from my electronics store of trust in my home town, but you can get everything on amazon as well.

Actually the screen was bought on amazon, it's an 7" touchscreen utilized through hdmi and usb for touch.

@MrBurns: i like your build very much, looks similar to my first box :)

yeah building such things is really funny ...

so you built an f18 cockpit or you're planning to ?

I took apart a keyboard and used its control board to make some USB inputs

How do you get a second keyboard to work, I have tried a second number pad it is must mimics the normal num pad.

maybe you need to use some sort of multiplier to work properly.

otherwise you cannot use 2 different keyboards on dcs as different devices.

(not that i would be aware of ...)

How is this done (making a button-box out of buttons, switches, pots, etc from Amazon or whatever)? How do you set them up so that you can connect via USB and map them in-game? I saw DCS BIOS mentioned; what other things can be used or added to that?

Lots of ways, using metal or plastic boxes, wood, or DIY:

maybe you need to use some sort of multiplier to work properly.

otherwise you cannot use 2 different keyboards on dcs as different devices.

(not that i would be aware of ...)

A keyboard uses a simple matrix...mine is an 8 x 18 arrangement. The red group are pins 1-8, and the blue group are pins 9-26.

All key commands involve two connectors, one from each group.

For example, to make the letter "a" would require pin 1 and pin 9 would be connected. Pin 1 has a wire, and pin 9 has a wire. connect the two wires with a switch, and then locate the switch at the proper location.

The letter "g" ("landing gear") is connected to pin 3 and pin 22....again, each has a wire, both of which are connected to a switch (perhaps actuated by a large lever) and so the gear has an actual lever to raise and lower.

Yes, the secondary keyboard (modified for integration with a wired cockpit) is a duplicate of the actual keyboard, but it allows a switchable real-world cockpit, as simple or as complex as you want it. Money saving tip for the day: You don't need a new keyboard, a $3 one from a thrift store works just fine.

ElCuco you really need to browse through this forum where people have asked the same question 9,000,000 times before. It's not difficult to find ;)

Would it be safe to assume that pretty much any DCS-related problem has been gone over multiple times before?

I did actually use the search box, but didn't find anything that completely answered my question.

Lots of ways, using metal or plastic boxes, wood, or DIY:

 

Thank you for a very polite and helpful answer to my question. That's apparently a skill beyond the cognitive capacity of some people.

maybe you need to use some sort of multiplier to work properly.

otherwise you cannot use 2 different keyboards on dcs as different devices.

(not that i would be aware of ...)

Need a "interface" program to be able to use a 2nd keyboard and have individual key press from each.

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=156919&highlight=keyboard

wow, i never knew about this, seems definetely worth looking at

I have built something similar starting from that guy's video as well. Hopefully it can help (I don't want to hijack the thread, so if you have questions just ask them there): https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=3460373

How do you get a second keyboard to work, I have tried a second number pad it is must mimics the normal num pad.

I didnt, I just use A B C D E and mapped them to the MFDs.

A few of us tried to use software to use a second keyboard recognized as a different device but nothing worked too well. What I do now, is use the finger lever on the warthog as a multiplier and then you can use your USB keypad as a different device (although you have to press the multiplier obviously).

@MrBurns: i like your build very much, looks similar to my first box :)

yeah building such things is really funny ...

so you built an f18 cockpit or you're planning to ?

Not built it yet, Ive got some parts built, just working on the UFC but mine will look different as I fly A-10 as well, Im putting a small screen in to show the UFC Inputs and Warnings and a small keyboard rather than a keypad, that way in A-10C i can use the screen for the CDU and the Keyboard for the inputs.

Did a small update of my Button Box:

Exchanged the Joystick Board with an arduino, and used the rotational pulse dials just like in the video above.

It works much better now, because the analog ones weren't much of use in many modules unfortunately

Its pretty easy to do actually :D