Pokeys55

Hi all!

Just ordered a Pokeys55 to play around with, making my collective come to life will be it's primary objective.. :)

Thought it seemed nice!!

Has anyone had any experience with it? Any suggestions or opinions?

Thx

i dont know anything for this but i think it is expensive considering that

with 50euros you can get 2 of these

http://www.opencockpits.com/catalog/usbkeys-card-p-53.html?cPath=21_35

that has 88 keys each....so you get 176keys total (x2) much more than 55...

i dont know anything for this but i think it is expensive considering that

with 50euros you can get 2 of these

http://www.opencockpits.com/catalog/usbkeys-card-p-53.html?cPath=21_35

that has 88 keys each....so you get 176keys total (x2) much more than 55...

I have looked at this, and it works as a matrix. This is fine for momentary switches, but if you have switches that say on, errors can occur ("Ghost" switches).

I have used the KE72 from www.hagstromelectronics.com and it has worked very well. If you need more, there's the "KE USB108" which has more inputs and a USB interface.

That's not to say the Opencockpits product isn't good. You just should understand its limitations.

Aero

I am reading the manual now, and it it's quite interesting!

- Every pin has five functions: Inactive, digital input, digital output, analog input and analog output.

- You can connect 25 rotary encoders.

- You can use the pins as keyboard matrix inputs for up to 8x8 keyboards.

- you can use the pins as PWM outputs (I'm thinking a "Force Trim Function" for DCS)

- You can assign macros to outputs

- You can connect LCD Displays to the Card. AND even have it display custom characters (cyrillic?)

- You can assign your own ID to each card if you connect more than one. It's possibvle to have 255 cards connected to one Pc.

- Connecting relays, LED's or switches is simple and straight forwards.

In general It's a nifty little IOCard that probably it usable for pitbuilding.

We just ned to find out it's ability to import and export values from LUA..

-

That's not to say the Opencockpits product isn't good. You just should understand its limitations.

I agree..! I've got an Opencockpits USBKeys card here, and it works fine for momentary switches, but not for Toggle switches..

I see they have a scope that looks pretty good, too.

Thx everyone for your input!!

It's supposed to have some support for Mach3 software (for CNC mills), so even if it does'nt stay in the cockpit it'll still be useful to me (I hope)..

Seams flexible though, I hope I won't have any trouble lighting things up via lua.. But in any case, keyboard or joystick emulation should be useful for the collective at the least..

Will be in the middle east for vacation for two weeks, after that I'll start playing around with this..

So after a bunch of confusion and trouble I've got it up and running :D

It's nice I thinks..

With the VERY easy GUI program one can configure;

The 5 analog inputs (which pops up as a 5 axis joystick when you plug it in), set up a matrix keyboard (8x8 maximum it seams) using desired inputs, you can then assign any keys (it does'nt differentiate between right and left when it comes to shift/ctrl/alt) or macros for the matrix or switches you might have on the inputs..

When the device is configured, one does'nt need to run any background program or anything, it just pops up as a 5 axis joystick and a keyboard..

One can also test LCD's and some other things with the GUI..

For the advanced user alot more can be done, there are examples of how to speak to it in C# etc.. Won't be looking into that just yet though..

So after a bunch of confusion and trouble I've got it up and running :D

It's nice I thinks..

With the VERY easy GUI program one can configure;

The 5 analog inputs (which pops up as a 5 axis joystick when you plug it in), set up a matrix keyboard (8x8 maximum it seams) using desired inputs, you can then assign any keys (it does'nt differentiate between right and left when it comes to shift/ctrl/alt) or macros for the matrix or switches you might have on the inputs..

 

When the device is configured, one does'nt need to run any background program or anything, it just pops up as a 5 axis joystick and a keyboard..

 

One can also test LCD's and some other things with the GUI..

 

For the advanced user alot more can be done, there are examples of how to speak to it in C# etc.. Won't be looking into that just yet though..

Hail Bazong! From your report Pokeys55 looks like the wounderful combination of BU0836+Open cockpit display card/digital numaber card,can control button/switch/rotary encoder/LCD/analog axis/PWM....I have great interesting on it. And Looks like you got nice understand about this, so I would like to ask a question:

This card looks like support output for LED/lamps in BS or other flysim(like LOMAC and Falcon), how does it read data from sim and control the on/off of lamps?

I'd bought a display card from open office and it need SIOC and script language to control the outputs (lucky enough I got LOSIOC and FAST to do these for me), does Pokey55 need this too? should I need to understand C language to program it?

Hail Bazong! From your report Pokeys55 looks like the wounderful combination of BU0836+Open cockpit display card/digital numaber card,can control button/switch/rotary encoder/LCD/analog axis/PWM....I have great interesting on it. And Looks like you got nice understand about this, so I would like to ask a question:

 

This card looks like support output for LED/lamps in BS or other flysim(like LOMAC and Falcon), how does it read data from sim and control the on/off of lamps?

 

I'd bought a display card from open office and it need SIOC and script language to control the outputs (lucky enough I got LOSIOC and FAST to do these for me), does Pokey55 need this too? should I need to understand C language to program it?

Hi! I don't know how to make it read data from the sim (yet), I think it would have to include some third party app though. I only saw C# mentioned in the manual, but I have'nt looked very closely yet..

Hi!

PoKeys can control inputs/outputs from external software. Plugin to support sim software can be easily done in any programing language. Samples for C# and VB are published on www.poscope.com.

If you can link us to sim software which is most used and inform us which person shold we contact for support, we can consider about making plugin for sim software.

best regards

Boris

Hi!

 

PoKeys can control inputs/outputs from external software. Plugin to support sim software can be easily done in any programing language. Samples for C# and VB are published on www.poscope.com.

If you can link us to sim software which is most used and inform us which person shold we contact for support, we can consider about making plugin for sim software.

 

best regards

 

Boris

Hi Boris! Very much appreciate you taking the time to post here!! :thumbup:

I believe there are a few IO-solutions for Flight Simulator X/2004 which are reasonably easy to use for cockpit building even if one does'nt know much about programming.

I have'nt been able to find any for DCS or IL-2 though, that's why I like your GUI - makes it easy to get going with momentary switches and rotaries at least...

If there were a plugin for DCS I think you'd get quite a bunch extra sales :smilewink: It's a promising simulator and with the A-10C module on the way it'll find a much broader audience once that is released.

From what I understand it's relatively simple to interface with DCS if one has the knowledge, plenty of information on that here on this forum..

Damn Great! Look what BIG FISH we have get Bazong!:D

Borisz, I'm the idiot who send a mail to ask the price in several days ago.:P

I think your product is very promising to sim/pit building guys, and since it support analog axis/key stroke output/rotary encoder as a joystick and keyboard, the plugin you need to make is read data from sim to show lamps/indicators/LCD screens and even power some PWMs.

The popular fly sims I known for pit builders are:

1.M$ FS series:FSUIPC provide most of shared data I think.Although most guy already use EPIC/open cockpit/PHCC cards, Pokeys are still advantaged in it's smaller size and versatility.

2.LOMAC and DCS Black shark:You can get datas from this forum.:P LUA script will provide most of data out easily.

3.Falcon 4 series: Mainly are Open Falcon/Falcon Alliance Force. I didn't fly Free Falcon so don't know if it use same shared data format. I think Falcon have most of pit builders than other combat flysims. Most data can get from Viperpit.org, below is some shared memory data link I can find (sorry I'm not a programmer and don't know if they are useful).

4.IL-2, Strike Fighter series and other games : Don't know if there flysim provide shared memory for 3rd appl to read.

Since I mainly fly Open Falcon/LOMAC/DSC, for my selfish opinions I wish you can provide Open Falcon/Flight simulator/LOMAC/DCS plugins. These series have good shared data format for you to use. And with your great GUI, I believe interfacing Pokeys with these flysims will be more enjoying than any other control cards!:P

P.S:I'd post about Pokeys55 in Viperpit.Not too much respond yet although...:P

Damn i forget the links of Open Falcon:

http://www.viperpits.org/smf/index.php?topic=3358.0

http://www.viperpits.org/smf/index.php?topic=4373.0

Wish they are useful.

I think your product is very promising to sim/pit building guys, and since it support analog axis/key stroke output/rotary encoder as a joystick and keyboard, the plugin you need to make is read data from sim to show lamps/indicators/LCD screens and even power some PWMs.

 

Yes outputs from lamps and lcd's, but also inputs for switches (since almost all the keycommands mappable in game are toggles) so as to assure sync between physical and ingame switches..

Agree,I would like to know if the keystroke matrix of PoKeys55 need diodes to prevent ghost key when use them as toggle switchs.

And for sync between real switchs and ingame switch...this need a nice programming to scan every real switchs status every frame, if they can make a plugin to do this, Pokeys55 will be my best choice for simpits!

Agree,I would like to know if the keystroke matrix of PoKeys55 need diodes to prevent ghost key when use them as toggle switchs.

 

And for sync between real switchs and ingame switch...this need a nice programming to scan every real switchs status every frame, if they can make a plugin to do this, Pokeys55 will be my best choice for simpits!

I don't know about diodes for the matrix - I thought ghost keys was inevitable if anything but momentary switches was used in a matrix..?

Indeed, it's a very affordable card I thinks.

If one could do these things via the GUI, alot of people scared of programming and scripting would be introduced to cockpit building..

The Mach3 (for cnc machines I thinks) plugin for the card makes me think that it could - with an addon card - run stepper motors for physical instruments also..

I don't know about diodes for the matrix - I thought ghost keys was inevitable if anything but momentary switches was used in a matrix..?

 

Indeed, it's a very affordable card I thinks.

If one could do these things via the GUI, alot of people scared of programming and scripting would be introduced to cockpit building..

 

The Mach3 (for cnc machines I thinks) plugin for the card makes me think that it could - with an addon card - run stepper motors for physical instruments also..

I'd learn how to avoid the ghost keys that use key matrix as momentary switches from BU0836. Add a diode in every key combination (like A1-diode-B2) can do the trick. Since this is very common to every key-matrix design so I wounder Pokeys55 have the same issue and need to avoid at first.(build a matrix board etc)

And for the stepper moter parts, I think so because Pokeys55 support 1 PWM with 6 channels output, this is interesting...I don't know how many channel are needed for a stepper or R/C motor ,but these should be used for real instruments like you said.

Pokeys55 is so capable from many factors and so affordable, I think it worth be introudce to simpit community with more attention. With more understaing and more plugin peoples will be more glad to use it. (2 order is hold here for answer from Borisz:P)

Hi!

For Matrix: It is organized for momentary keys,

For steppers: It can not be driven for now

For R/C servos: That is the reason we added PWMs. You can control 6RC servos with 6 PWMs

If I will not answer within 48 hours, please drop me private message.

regards

Boris

Hi!

 

For Matrix: It is organized for momentary keys,

For steppers: It can not be driven for now

For R/C servos: That is the reason we added PWMs. You can control 6RC servos with 6 PWMs

 

If I will not answer within 48 hours, please drop me private message.

 

regards

 

Boris

Thanks Boris! I would like to ask you some more questions:

1.For Matrix: It is organized for momentary keys, trhen what will happen if I hold a "key" and didn't let it go?the keystroke will repeatly send out like normal keyboard? no other way to modify to send out only 1 keystroke even been hold after press?

2.could I add diode to matrix to prevent ghost key?

3.Will you making plug-ins for games we mentioned?:D

Wow, how has this not been mentioned here before? Great find, Bazong!

questerymj: Programming a macro of the keystroke(s) should keep it from auto repeating.

boris: As long as we're flinging suggestions/requests in your general direction... :music_whistling: I' would personally love to see a controller that supports OSRAM displays and aircore movements. Currently, the only affordable option I know of is PHCC, which is a home brew project requiring extensive programming knowledge. This would definately fulfill many a pit builder's dreams of a complete, all in one solution that is afforable and accessible.