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Bignewy's simple pit project


BIGNEWY

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I am looking for a board that can handle the 46 inputs I require for my CDU,

 

I have an Arduino UNO but dont have the knowledge to get it going, does anyone have any other suggestions for a usb plug and play board that can handle that amount of inputs ?

 

Arduino can be turned into an HID device, but from what I read on it, it didn't look particularly easy/convenient.

 

There is an Arduino derivative called the Teensy. The Teensy++2.0 variant has a 46 I/O pins. It will work with GenericHID to act as an HID device (might need to be flashed for that). I wouldn't call it 'plug and play', but it's a pretty powerful offering for a mere $24 USD. Note that I am not claiming it can give you 46 inputs as an HID device... you'll need to read up on it, and GenericHID to see what it will do for you. At that price, if you need 2 of them, it's not real painful.

 

http://www.pjrc.com/teensy/

 

You can compare the various Teensy versions there, and find links to all related subjects/code/answers.

 

I'm pretty sure that the analog inputs are not as high of a resolution as the Bodnar boards are. Keep that in mind if you start contemplating using one for a stick (or whatever) project.

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I am looking for a board that can handle the 46 inputs I require for my CDU,

 

I have an Arduino UNO but dont have the knowledge to get it going, does anyone have any other suggestions for a usb plug and play board that can handle that amount of inputs ?

 

Some follow up / additional info.

 

This is a link to a way to use an Arduino Uno as a joystick HID device, with up to 40 inputs (still short of what you desire).

http://hunt.net.nz/users/darran/weblog/15f92/

 

Edit: Additional info... a 64 button shield for Arduino. I don't know if you can use it in combination with the joystick HID code above.

http://www.makershed.com/64_Button_Shield_for_Arduino_p/mkskl11.htm

 

Also, if you get that macetech board, be careful to read the information carefully, as it can fry your Arduino Uno unless you clip a lead on one of the chips.


Edited by CyBerkut
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thanks for the info CyBerkut, I will have a read of it all this morning :)

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my last purchase for this month as I have over spent :)

 

942299_10152290004221091_1117495541_n.jpg

 

the wife is not happy :music_whistling:

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Had a good result with the FM radio, the seller apologised for sending it late due to the bank holiday weekend, and so sent me a better quality unit :)

 

As this is an older FM radio the first dial only has 2 and 3 not up to 7 which is what we have in DCS ( huey anyway ) but this is easily modified. It will keep me busy for a few weeks :thumbup:

 

419441_10152298286306091_1910496536_n.jpg

 

 

934906_10152298286486091_1557703975_n.jpg

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UHF in and wired, first test found I have an issue with one of my rotary's not working and the ADF switch is playing up, I used the original rotary for the ADF, and it seems now it is wired up it is activating multi-pule switches so I need to have a look at that.

 

 

 

946903_10152301086876091_877807763_n.jpg

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Had a bit of bad luck this week with my pc, faulty Ethernet adapter on my motherboard, its still under warranty so has been taken out and will be sent back for RMA.

 

As I am grounded for the time being I have started to work some more on the pit.

 

First job is upgrading my collectives controls. I was not happy with only three switches and a four way hat switch, so using the Huey as inspiration I have started to make my own version to suit my needs.

 

Original below

S5000957.JPG

 

and work in progress pics

1002953_10152313609496091_2114049689_n.jpg

 

10784_10152313609691091_466633674_n.jpg

 

995314_10152313610096091_1276215485_n.jpg

 

Still W.I.P but I am happy so far, knowing I have all of the function for the Huey covered with this new setup.

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Looking good!

 

Can you provide a bit of detail on how you take an actual aircraft radio and wire it up for DCS. Seems like a cool thing to do and would give me a reason to scour ebay for some actual radios.

Coder - Oculus Rift Guy - Court Jester

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Looking good!

 

Can you provide a bit of detail on how you take an actual aircraft radio and wire it up for DCS. Seems like a cool thing to do and would give me a reason to scour ebay for some actual radios.

 

Its a case of improvise adapt overcome :)

 

every radio I have is different internally, I have tried were possible to keep the mechanism's intact, then I find a way of connecting rotary encoders to the shafts of the dials.

 

the easiest one was the FM radio as I just removed the ceramic rotary's and replaced them directly with rotary's

 

934906_10152298286486091_1557703975_n.jpg

 

 

 

Rotarys I use http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=75&products_id=191

 

Then it all gets wired up and connected to leobodnar boards

 

http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=86&zenid=2a9e4e7818698ec784801c63449f745b

 

 

 

The COMM and NAV radios were the most difficult to change

 

943453_10152284231716091_336363190_n.jpg

 

they are currently held together with tape ( the head of the rotary to the back of the original shaft, they work well but I am hoping to change them eventually for custom made sleeve's to bind them together.

 

 

977805_10152283177471091_2134094293_o.jpg

 

I am ashamed to show this bodge together radio, but it works for the time being lol

 

remember the fun is in the trying to make them work :)

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been working on the collective again today, just waiting for some 4mm vinyl lettering to arrive to finish it all of

 

944102_10152314632596091_813274129_n.jpg

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Its a case of improvise adapt overcome :)

 

every radio I have is different internally, I have tried were possible to keep the mechanism's intact, then I find a way of connecting rotary encoders to the shafts of the dials.

 

the easiest one was the FM radio as I just removed the ceramic rotary's and replaced them directly with rotary's

 

934906_10152298286486091_1557703975_n.jpg

 

 

 

Rotarys I use http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=75&products_id=191

 

Then it all gets wired up and connected to leobodnar boards

 

http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=86&zenid=2a9e4e7818698ec784801c63449f745b

 

 

 

The COMM and NAV radios were the most difficult to change

 

943453_10152284231716091_336363190_n.jpg

 

they are currently held together with tape ( the head of the rotary to the back of the original shaft, they work well but I am hoping to change them eventually for custom made sleeve's to bind them together.

 

 

977805_10152283177471091_2134094293_o.jpg

 

I am ashamed to show this bodge together radio, but it works for the time being lol

 

remember the fun is in the trying to make them work :)

 

Thanks for the information. Always trying to learn and get better.

Coder - Oculus Rift Guy - Court Jester

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You sir, are an inspiration, and potential cause of impending strain on wallet and relationship with missus! :) Your thread kept me up late last night, as I read it in it's entirety, and I now find myself browsing Leobodnar and Maplins...

Keep up the fantastic work and keep us all posted; I'll let you know if I've caught the bug or not!

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You sir, are an inspiration, and potential cause of impending strain on wallet and relationship with missus! :) Your thread kept me up late last night, as I read it in it's entirety, and I now find myself browsing Leobodnar and Maplins...

Keep up the fantastic work and keep us all posted; I'll let you know if I've caught the bug or not!

 

 

Thank you for your kind words.

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Big Newy looking good fella loving your build just the sort of thing I want to attempt making a universal pit for all aircraft.

Problem for me so far is SPACE is at a premium as I have to share my office space with the misses grrrr may be I should put her rent up and then she will move out into another office lol.

Going to try to build mine as a pull out pit which pulls out from under my desk, as unfortunately I still have to use it for my work.

Loving how you got those radios and what not from real aircraft to work I didn't even think that was possible nice for the real feel and nostalgia.

About your collective that's where I want to start first, what type of pot did you use or did you find some way of getting the collective you purchased to work through a board of some kind as I am loving the huey at the moment and really want to get a collective on the go.

 

Cheers

Jay

Eagles may soar high but weasel's don't get sucked into jet engines.

 

 

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Big Newy looking good fella loving your build just the sort of thing I want to attempt making a universal pit for all aircraft.

Problem for me so far is SPACE is at a premium as I have to share my office space with the misses grrrr may be I should put her rent up and then she will move out into another office lol.

Going to try to build mine as a pull out pit which pulls out from under my desk, as unfortunately I still have to use it for my work.

Loving how you got those radios and what not from real aircraft to work I didn't even think that was possible nice for the real feel and nostalgia.

About your collective that's where I want to start first, what type of pot did you use or did you find some way of getting the collective you purchased to work through a board of some kind as I am loving the huey at the moment and really want to get a collective on the go.

 

Cheers

Jay

 

Hi Jay

 

My collective runs on a bodnar board, a early version of this one and I used Spectrol 5K Linear 10 Turn Potentiometer 534 series. But any pot will do really :)

 

good luck with your build, and dont worry about the misses, they give in, in the end lol

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  • 4 weeks later...
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After a long and difficult think I have decided Vr and Oculus rift will be the way to go for me, I have pre-ordered Leap motion as well, which I am hoping will be a good companion for the oculus.

 

I have started to revamp my projector pit and make it more of a work station than a sim pit.

 

I am going to be selling my radios and cdu soon, before they go to ebay I will list them on these forums for anyone who is interested, I will sell them at the price I paid and also include the potentiometers I have been using.

 

If anyone is interested in the meantime feel free to PM me, I should have them up in the hardware section before the end of the day.

 

:thumbup:

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I'm interested bignewy. I was actually thinking about you yesterday while looking at ebay for radios. I ended up winning this gem:

 

am-War-Era-AN-ARC-51-UHF-Comm-Military-Aircraft-Radio-Control-Head-Box-/121137347802?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&nma=true&si=sCqQpOQ9OXFrx12lXe24kwY%252BMrQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

 

Was going to ask you your advice for getting it to work in DCS.

 

Are your radios and CDU all wired up for USB already? because that would be a good selling point.

Coder - Oculus Rift Guy - Court Jester

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Hi Roiegat, they are wired in at the moment, accept the CDU which I have taken apart so it could be housed in its original casing.

 

The radio's are wired in, and are very much in a prototype state lol I am sure someone with greater skills than me would have done a better job :)

 

Link the radio again and if I can help I will :)

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Here's the link:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vietnam-War-Era-AN-ARC-51-UHF-Comm-Military-Aircraft-Radio-Control-Head-Box-/121137347802?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&nma=true&si=sCqQpOQ9OXFrx12lXe24kwY%252BMrQ%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

 

My though was going to see if I can find a pin out reading for the connector and see if I can work on detecting the changes that way. But it might not be that simple.

Coder - Oculus Rift Guy - Court Jester

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Very nice !

 

The thing is these radios all have different mechanisms so until you get inside to look you can not tell.

 

My FM radio was the easiest as I just replaced the shafts with potentiometers, the NAV and FM were much harder, but the basic premise was to connect the origional dial shaft with the potentiometer. I did mine in a very basic way using tape to bind them, but someone with more skill than me would do a better job, probably by creating a metal sleeve to pinch them together.

 

Once it arrives pm me I will be happy to help in anyway :)

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Yeah my skills aren't that great. I know how to do basic solder and how to wire things up. Haven't done a potentiometer yet so I'll pick a couple up to get some practice on.

 

I had a crazy idea this morning thinking about this. Near my area there are some colleges that cater to technology (Drexel and Temple are two big ones). Maybe I should put a listing in craigslist to see if I can find an electrical engineer who loves aviation to help out.

 

Ideally, would be awesome to have real radios actually working well in DCS.

 

I like your idea of using the Oculus. I've been looking at that myself for a bit and waiting to see how much traction it gets in the DCS community. I think it would be amazing to fly with it. I like your idea of using leap motion to do buttons with it. I was thinking someone would design a power glove type deal that could be used in the sim to flick the sim switches.


Edited by roiegat

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FM and NAV radio for sale, selling here before I take them to ebay

 

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=1811958#post1811958

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