Karon

IIRC Wags said that that's his own channel, he can post whatever he wants (almost, I'd say ). ED well, you know, DCS is their platform. Heatblur because they are the devs. Sales wise, I guess that purchases on Heatblur's site might reduce the size of slice of cake that ED takes on each sale for allowing them to develop on their enviroment and with their SDK. Too much effort writing your own theory? :music_whistling:

Nah, still not working here. I have dropped an email to them this early morning but no aswer yet. No rush of course since it's a long way to the release but the sooner my licence is bounded, the better. EDIT: how curious, it has now worked. I haven't done anything different from usual :dontgetit: Anyway, problem solved :)

Jesus what is this mass hysteria? HB is aware of the issue and so is ED. Their database hasn't been updated yet, when it is readly we will get the green light for redeeming our licences. Damn, the F-14 hasn't even been released yet so I don't really get all the tears and cries, some people behave like six-year-old. Calm down!

Isn't the serial written in the "download" email as well? I have the same problem btw, ED's site says my serial doens't exist. I guess it will work when the module becomes available. I've sent an email just for confirmation, I will report the asnwer when I get it.

If you are asking if the fact that the button is activated with the slider nope: one is a button, the other is an axis. DCS detect those two separately: you assign the slider in the "axis" controls section, the button everywhere else. When you pull the slider both trigger. I haven't found a use for that button yet but, for instance, it can be used to control brakes in game that doesn't support axis.

As I have posted in the other thread, replying to your very detailed and useful feedback: RTFM. All the basic operations are already available as well as a few of the advanced. You say Virpil has the worst software, damn, shall we talk about Saitek? Meh..

An account with 3 posts: one in spanish bragging that he's an engineer; two are copy-paste saying the same thing. His feedback souds like the ones left by the dumb folks which rate stuff 1 star on amazon because the delivery was late :doh: Here is my little advice for you. Once you've done that you will realize that the cfg software is actually quite good, despite being heavily WIP. It's still a long way from the holy CH Control Manager and its scripting capabilities but the number of options it offers already is not bad at all. TL;DR: read the bloody manual. Scripting excluded, you can change almost every basic setting already. Just spend 5 minutes on it (warning: it might require a little effort! :noexpression:)

Lads, I have opened a blog about Arduino, DCS and hardware. I'm writing a step by step guide about Arduino (a simple UFC with 3x 3-way momentary switches). The plan is covering every step from planning to wiring and coding, I will then upload the firmware and the wiring diagram. As you can imagine is quite empty now (I've been quite busy in the last few days) but I hope you will enjoy it anyway: https://karons.home.blog/ I'm happy to get feedback and ideas about new posts. As usual forgive me for the poor grammar :) yep, you get get the data you need from DCS-BIOS, then have arduino turn on and off the LEDs you want. The only problem I see is the number of pins you would require to both control a big number of buttons and keys and control back-lighting. Also, I'm not sure about how many LEDs Arduino can control and power by itself. You'll probably need to power them with an external power source and then control them by means of transistors. Another solution might be controlling back-lightning via a different arduino board (working via DCS-BIOS instead of HID) and use it as a dedicated controller for led and cockpit lighining. I use Leonardo for control boxes. I find it both easy to work with and cheap. The result is a HID peripheral that can work with any game or module you want. I have used an Arduino Uno just to control a TFT for sake of experimenting with DCS-BIOS. Which switches, mate? Momentary, 3-way momentary, 2/3/+ way latched or something else? Arduino Leonardo "talks" to any game you want via HID (same as mice and keyboards, for instance). It's no different from your HOTAS Warthog or Virpil T-50. You can use different wiring techniques depending on the type of switch. I plan to cover them on my new blog but of course it takes time. Momentary can be wired to a pin with the IN_PULLUP on (meaning, the pin is set as input and the pullup resistor is toggled ON) or be part of a button matrix or again part of a net made by a series of resistors. I normally wire 2-way latched "straight" to a pin with IN_PULLUP on but I know that a button matrix with diodes can be used as well. Finally, I usually control 3-way latched via simple tension dividers. Arduino can do whatever you tell him to do. If you plat to build a dedicated cockpit only for the F/A-18 then you should probably rely on DCS-BIOS instead of HID. If that's your plan I suggest you to look for the posts of Mr Hansolo, a fellow pilot of the 132nd Virual Wing. His work is terrific, this is his Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwpIaNrBMUUcnPiFQPl8YSg

Damn mate, who stole all your commas? :P Well, with arduino I write the code. I can have it do whatever I want (almost). For instance this morning a friend asked me to implement the use of a big red button - you know, the emergency one, something like that: in the cockpit he has build and I've written to code for. He wants to use it as the Eject button but that thingy has a sort of lock that prevents it to come in the original position once pressed. It cannot therefore be pressed 3 times but, since I write the code, I can have it send 3 times the "button pressed" message to the computer in one go by adding no more than a dozen lines of code. I can also have another input to work as a safety or stuff like that. Also, I don't understand this part: My boards are HID. Each of them is seen by the computer as a different joystick/game device with its name, PID and VID. You can play FIFA, Star Citizen, ArmA3 using my UFC as keyboard (sort of, I haven't implemented the multi-keypress because it wasn't needed - but you've got my point I hope). I think you are assuming I use DCS-BIOS for my boards. Not at all! I love DCS-BIOS but flexibility is more important for me. Take a look at my gaming devices in windows, for instance: So no "special software or configuration other than button assignment", exactly as you said :) I use DCS-BIOS for my TFT of course, since it has to display info straight from the game. Speaking of UFC, I've finished it and did a quick test. Yep my webcam sucks.. I still have to find a way to place some decent decals on though. I have also opened a small blog and currently writing a step by step guide about Arduino. It will take a while to cover every step of the building process (building it is faster than writing about it, for sure) and I'd appreciate if you can give me some hints about what to write or topics you'd like to see covered. URL: https://karons.home.blog/

Amazing! Although the best part is definitely the Winged Hussar on the fuselage :D

Thanks mate! A new project is coming! Testing the first 17 buttons:

You can find boxes almost everywhere: amazon, ebay, tons of chinese makes. Just google something like "abs enclosure". I use a screw gun. I wish I had more appropriate tools of course. Also, I've updated the first post with the new control boxes (in a few days another one will join the party. A F/A-18 UFC). This is my current setup:

Damn I though I've uploaded the whole folder. My bad!

I don't mean to be rude, but this feedback is very poor. The software is actually decent and suprisingly fexible despite being still heavily WIP. Of couse you need to RTFM. The road to CH Products' level is still long though. So, no mention to the gimbals (the main reason why someone would by Virpil or VKB), how custimizable it is, cams, springs, etc? You just mention the material so people would conclude that the main reason why you didn't like Virpil stuff is because of the plastic grip. Ergo sorry, but with such a poor review it's hard to beleave you. Add more info and impressions to your review :)

This firmware is almost one year old: https://www.dropbox.com/s/uvhangp4x606f3b/Firmware_vpc_%5BCNT-ATMEGA32U4%5D.hexc?dl=0 Mr V sent it to me when one of the two sensors stopped working (it has hardware failure, btw). Try if you want.

Yep, I did it. IIRC I set smoothing to 8x. Hold on, my bad, I didn't mean to small throttle but the antenna on the main throttle I use for zoom. I know it's a pot whereas the 3 throttles are hall sensors so some jitter is understandable. It's not even too bad but, since it's my zoom, sometimes I can't tell if I'm in VRS, I got hit or the the wheel has start its jitter dance and it scares the hell out of me lol

I can't help you about the pots but it should be easy: find out the specifics of those used in the CH Pro Pedals, open the device, replace them and put everything back. My pedals stopped working for the fairly common issue of wires cut. The reassembly is definitely quite annoying, you'll end up losing the bearings all over the place. The easiest way IMO is reassembly the whole thing upside down, with something keeping the plate raised and the pedals free to move (I've used a pair of dumbbells). You just need a bit of patience.

That sketch does include everything you need: libraries, code and examples. I haven't used rotaries with HID Arduino yet, but it should be quite easy. Use the aforementioned example and do the necessary amendments yourself. It should be quite easy.

The T-50 is finally back! I have also found a solution for Virpil's ultra-heavy throttle: You probably won't see it there, but it's sitting on the side of my chair. I am using a small box (similar to the one you see on the T-50 desk mount) to fill the gap between the throttle and the chair: the throttle is now even more stable and I've also eased the stress on the desk. Also, I haven't tighten the 4 screws under the throttle completely so it can slide and use less room when I'm not using it.

My T-50 is finally back and I've tested the software. Do you have any tips to reduce the jitter on the "small throttle" (apparently that's its name now lol)?

No worries mate. so, the 5-way switch is basically a standard 4-way hat that also support a push button function (you literally push it perpendicularly and is seen by DCS as a different button). If you are familiar with the CH Pro Throttle or TM TWCS Throttle, is the same concept with the bonus fact that actuating the push-button doesn't trigger any directional button. Which is great, I've never used the push function in any of those two throttle, it was almost useless. On the VP Throttle instead it works like a charm! The master mode switch simply works at firmware level and assigns a different logical buttons to the physical one. Depending on the status of the master mode switch, I assign a different HID button to a physical button. For instance: Mode I, Button 1 is seen by the game as "Button 1". Mode II, Button 1 is seen by the game as "Button 2". Mode III, Button 1 is seen by the game as "Button 3". Basically the master mode changes the logical function of a physical button. From DCS' point of view, they are completely different buttons, it's up to you what you wanna do with them. I'm not sure this is clear, hopefully I'm not confusing yourself even more :) I haven't tried the AB. Us rotor-heads don't need such frivolous things :P Jokes aside, I haven't tried, not even out of curiosity. AFAK the detent is soft and it's simply a small part of the movement envelope where the friction is harder. My fellow squadron mates weren't too happy when I told them about it but again I might be wrong. Button box? Nice, I have a few, it's probably the easiest way to increase the number of functions available with very little cost. Check the link in the description. That's my current set up (I've received the T-50 Throttle base plate to be fair, so it's a bit different): Start there, then ask me what you need.

Since ages ago, mate. The dev at Miltech-5 has left and Oliver managed to have his work picked up by another 3rd party.

HID is up to 128 IIRC. VpThrottle by default has 81 buttons. This is a quick test I did when it has been delivered.

I haven't used the software yet but if you have questions related to the hardware go for it, I'll try to answer if I can.

I don't remember, I haven't used the grip in a while. It should be a couple cm at least.