X-Keys Professional as UFC, partial CDU and more

I've been debating for awhile whether it was worth buying or building something that could work as a UFC in DCS:W, and finally settled on one of the simplest solutions: buying a 58-key X-Keys Professional. At $200 it's a bit pricey, but its versatility will hopefully make up for it -- an important point for me, as I didn't want to put too much money into something that would be too DCS:W-specific.

Programming it is fast and easy, and the keys have removable clear covers under which you can place labels. I used a template from their website and copied little thumbnails of the UFC/CDU/etc. keys I wanted from a DCS:W screenshot I took, then printed it out and cut them up.

I've got the entire UFC, the CDU's FSKs & FA & CLR (pretty much all you absolutely need because so many of the UFC's buttons also control the CDU in FUNC mode), all the Navigation Mode Select Panel buttons, the LASTE autopilot function buttons, and the IFFCC switch (which I couldn't fit on the AHCP I made using TigersharkBAS's instructions in this forum).

All in all I'm quite pleased with it. Simple, versatile, and feels fairly realistic.

Thanks for the post and the picture. I have been recently looking into options for adding more keys to my layout and I kept coming back to x-keys as the best choice.

I have the same unit sitting on my Amazon.com wish list, but I havent pulled the trigger yet becuase I wasnt sure it was worth the investment.

Now that I see you've got it working, It may be time.

$200!! - I understand the versatility (and it does look good!) but $200!!

What makes it so bloody expensive, why is there not a simple emulator or filter that takes a USB keyboard and turns it into a separate controller, something like PPjoy or something?!

I am in no way mocking your choice or you, I really want to do the same cos I like the idea but Im not paying $200 for a keypad. Damn lack of flight simmers to drive competition!

Ive just been reading a thread on input/output devices, they have a UFC thread, it mentions http://www.hidmacros.eu/whatisit.php

Do you think this could take a usb key command and programme it to a different button, that way, any usb input is effectivley programmable?

Anyone using this software?

EDIT 1

Im at work so had a quick play, I just programmed my mouse to print MRBURNS when I pressed the RMB. With the programme running I used my laptop mouse to open word, pressed the RMB on my USB mouse and it typed MRBURNS in word. It recognises the mouse on the laptop, the keyboard and the usb mouse.

Might be worth having a look here, does anyone see any issues assigning multiple keys such as LSHT+K = USB1 can you change all settings in OPTIONS to assign a key command to the UFC?

EDIT 2

And then I found this small keyboard for $20. What about this:

Could blank the other keys off by removing them and putting a thin sheet of aluminium over it.

You can change the UFC keypresses. I currently use my keypad on my keyboard for the numbers, enter as the enter key, period as the function key, plus as the Master Caution, and I set my up and down arrow as the SEL rocker. I also changed my backspace to the clear button. Works fine until I can buy or build a real looking UFC.

$200!! - I understand the versatility (and it does look good!) but $200!!

 

What makes it so bloody expensive, why is there not a simple emulator or filter that takes a USB keyboard and turns it into a separate controller, something like PPjoy or something?!

 

I am in no way mocking your choice or you, I really want to do the same cos I like the idea but Im not paying $200 for a keypad. Damn lack of flight simmers to drive competition!

No offense taken, I'm in complete agreement with you. That's why I debated for so long, and did so much research on the net, before finally settling on the X-Keys. I wasn't at all happy paying $200, but, given that I imagine I will use this in sims for quite a few years now, and it's so easy to program, and is not sim-specific, I decided to just do it.

It does look good and like you say is generic enough, thats one thing Im thinking, if I make something too sim specific, what if I prefer the F/A 18 DCS next release to DCS A-10, it certainly happened to me when playing Blackshark and A-10 came out.

nice, I actually went with the XK-24 for just the UFC and I'm pretty happy with it...

I spent about 80 bucks less than you did, but for less than half the keys...

I would love the 58 key...I just don't have the darn room :)

My UFC solution

Nice solution GregP & you other guys too.

This is what worked for me given the physical restraints I had to work with. My goal was to have a working UFC that fit between my MFCD's mounted on my desktop panel.

I would have loved to make a UFC replica, but it won't fit between my MFD's this isn't for a full cockpit

Having the UFC above the MFD panel isn't an option for me, it would block the bottom of the main monitor.

I chose a Genovation 682-U Keypad (USB version shown above) as it would fit between the MFD's. It has 35 programmable keys and a second key layer that adds 35 more (using one key as a shift key to choose key layers). Each key can be programmed to do multiple key strokes or with key modifiers (CTRL, ALT,SHIFT, etc) with one push of the programmed key. I tried to keep the original UFC key layout as best I could except for those keys that are not used by the sim. The keys that were left I used for other things I thought would be handy to have on the keypad. The CTR Track IR key is on this keypad because the keypad has F 13 - F24 keys that can be assigned. By using F13 I don't have to use any other keys for the Track IR centering key that conflicts with the default sim key assignments. I plan to take the top and bottom enclosure off the UFC keypad/PCB unit. Then fire up the router to lower the keypad/PCB unit into the panel so the keys aren't sticking out so much from the panel.

So here's the front view with everything hooked up and DCS A-10C running. At the lower left I have a piece of wood under the panel base to tip it up slightly, just testing now to find the proper angle. I will attach two blocks to each side after the testing period. The bottom lip is below the desktop so the panel will not move away from me in the heat of battle.

For more details go here.

Did you have any issues getting the xkeys to work with DCS? I am trying to set one up but it's interfering with other controllers in the options.

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?p=1779186#post1779186

You might want to check out the following link for fully programmable POS keyboards.

I picked one up from eBay a few years back for F4 don't see why it wouldn't work for DCS!

http://www.prehkeytec.com/products.html

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