rabidscoobie

I've looked into Joystick Gremlin and liked what I saw. Only issue I had with it was it didnt seem to register for mouse clicks. I also play space games like Star Citizen and the default weapon groups are bound to mouse. This game is also like IL-2 in that on reboots it shuffles the joystick id's around. I could rebind them from the mouse but again I would have to remap those controls every time windows shuffles the id's. So i converted 3 CH sticks. 2 Combatsticks and 1 throttle. The 2nd COmbatstick I also converted to a lefty for dual stick setups in space games. Turned out really good. I do appreciate all the help everyone has given here, especially Sokol. You've been a big help.

Thanks. Ive messed with the calibration and made the throttle usable without being able to really notice. Gonna do some more research and see what I can do to get this correct. As for the pots im just wanting a couple that has at least 270 degree range for some rotaries to use. The joystick pots I used are just too small range and really sensitive for what I want them for. So linear taper 10k b-type is all I need? Yeah we dont have any electronics stores anymore. I'll just order from DigiKey Im not far from them so it only takes about 2 days to get them and is cheap on shipping. Or at least they ship from close by me. As for the complete HOTAS conversion and mods they are working really well now that Im getting them tweaked in the software side. But I need to find a decent software to make profiles with for them. A couple games Ive played doesnt always keep the joystick numbering the same after a system reboot. I just dont know what is the best and somewhat simple/easy to use. I tried Pinnacle Game Profiler since I already had it for something else but its a pain to try and figure the software out, not very straightforward. Im up for any suggestions.

I read your post again. The be more exact, the post will only go into the assembly one way. The pot still turns in the correct direction, just not to its fullest unless I take it out from assembly then turn by hand. I took it out and tried different ways of putting it back but now the instead of the 5+-890 it now reads 25-1023.I'm assuming there must be a certain way on installing it thats just not making sense to me,it will only go 1 way in. For now until I can figure it out I added a +5 to the dead zone to help it but I really rather have it correct. I also tried 2 other pots in the throttle that I have laying around and they do the exact same readings. :crash: I also tried different ports on the Pro Micro but same results. But all other pots I have on the throttle give correct readings. So my conclusion is that it must be installed wrong but again it only goes 1 way. EDIT: One other question about pots from earlier since I used the incorrect ones for my rotaries. Are the full range rotaries just 100k or less linear pots? Reason I ask is Ive played guitar since the 80's and I have a ton of linear pots laying around that I could use.They range from 100k to 1mohm and lots of them are CTS since thats all I buy for them.

No I never work on anything while still connected to USB. Ive messed with and built PC's and tech work for 20+ years. Ive tried assembling the pot several different ways but it always stays almost exactly the same everytime. If take the pot out of the assembly and just turn the wiper it will do the 0-1023 but not in the assembly.

Seems to go full range with meter. Has something to do with the mounting, at least I assume.

I'll check with the meter. What I dont understand is the original CH pot was working perfect. It slid out of its holder and off the arm that controls everything. I put it right back in the only way it can seem to fit and now I get the odd readings. Its almost like it did not go back together into its holder the way it should and is throwing it off. Like I said if I remove it from the arm and move the wiper I will then get full range again. But as soon as I put it back into its original holder/mount I lose the full range. Thats what has me lost. It will only go 1 way that I can see. Does that still sound as if its a pot issue?

I clicked your link, tells me its $332.00 USD

Here is a pic showing what i mean. Before the issue I descibed in last post the value row would match the value processed. But now I get what you see. Also when moving the throttle grip forward it now hits full %100 just over 3/4 full and then from full coming back to about 3/4 it does nothing at all until I hit that point again. The only thing that changed was the original pot fell out of it location where it controls the plastic arm. I put it back in what seems to be the only way and I have had this issue ever sense no matter what I try. So I'm lost. Any ideas?

Ok I see where the problem is now with what you said here. Yes they are basically old joystick pots. They were from an old racing wheel. From the pedals to be exact. So I just needed some regular linear pots. But now I had another slight issue. While I had the throttle apart cleaning up wire routing the main pots fell from where it sits. I put it back in what seems to be the only way. But now in MMJOY the values no longer read from 1-1023 like they did before. Now the read about 5-893. I cant seem to figure out whats going on. If I remove the pot from the mounting location and just turn the pot it will do the full 1-1023 but not with the arm connected. Everything else is just fine.

To make things a bit clearer. In the picture the dark green is how much the pot turns. The light green between the the 2 red points is all the actually does anything at all. I know some pots only have a certain variance. I guess what I really needing to know is if I want to get variance between the 2 black marks: Is it a wiring issue? DO I need different pots? Is there a way to add a resistor or something to change to what I need? I'm just not quiet sure what I need to do to get data changes between the black lines instead of the red lines in the pic below.

Got some questions. I have mostly finished my sticks and throttle but I have an issue with my extra pots. I think maybe Im using the wrong type for what I am wanting to do. On my CH throttle I added 2 pots on the grip and 2 on the base. Now they do function but their range is very little. Meaning that they have almost a full 360* range of motion but in MMJOY they dont actually change any values until almost half way but then the value changes very fast over a short distance. What I would like is for them to be less sensitive and the value change over a bigger range in the turning and not in such a short distance of movement. So what does it sound like is the issue? Anyway to fix this? Also would like to note that I have no real clue how to use the axis special functions tab. I dont really understand the curves etc.... The pots I'm using were some I took out of an old gameport racing wheel(3 to be exact) that I've had for years plus another from an old broken joystick. They all work exactly the same way as above. Like I said I may not be using the correct pots for what I'm wanting. If that is the case then what pots do I need? Im wanting them for things like engine management and such in the WWII sims.

i'll give that a try. The broken one is just an extra now.

Good skills with those. Im sure I could do either one of those,I'd be leaning more to the putty version though. Im also a scale modeler. I do alot of custom scratch building and parts casting so I know I could make them look like they were meant to be that way. Just most of my tools are in storage since I moved a few months back....I miss my garage. How well does the putty version stay in place?

Nah everything is working great. Pots are good now that I solder + wire better. Button issue was somehow a couple buttons were switched to "Switch ON" mode or something like that causing the buttons to act really weird. Tried it out in a game and everything was good to go. Well it was overly sensitive to stick movement,had to to turn it down a bit. Now I just need to fabricate a palm rest that sits higher,my hands are not that big. Thinking some 2inch or so Foam Pipe Insulation might work, just need to get some. I have 1" but needs to be a tad thicker.

The spike was just a loose wire that I missed soldering. And the buttons that were acting somehow got changed to switch mode...dont remember doing that but all is working great now. Thanks for all the help.

Also while in game a couple buttons act as if Im letting off the button really fast even if I hold it down. I know its something in the MMjoy setup but Im not sure what I need to do to correct this.

Everything works great mostly. My pitch axis will sort of spike when pulling up or back on stick. Forward/Down works fine. So not sure if its the programing with the ProMicro or a flaky pot. I suspect a flaky pot but not sure.Any ideas. Here is a pic,areas marked between the green is my issue.

Well 1 ProMicro USB is completely off and useless. The other I thought was bad usb port coming off but nope,just bricked but I was able to recover it. Now working again. So far everything looks good. Just gotta finish tidying up everything. Next replacement board I may just try and epoxy the USB port. These PCB's really need the USB pins to solder through to the back of the board to make them a bit stronger.

LOL. I did almost the exact same thing plus a few inches on the cable I used a zip tie that allowed to mount a screw through it and screwed it into one of the sticks original PCB screw holes. Still broke. I guess it doesnt hurt to try and solder,its already junk as it is.

Good new and bad news. Good is I got it working...... Bad is the damn USB ports are very weak,both boards ports or either off or loose and not working. I even dremeled off the little catches that are on the USB cable so not to have to pull hard on the cable. I even secured the cable inside the stick so it would not cause any stress at all on the port. Nope none of it worked. So next question, Is there a way to solder on a cable straight to the PCB itself? I know I could solder PWR and GND onto the VCC and GND pins, but anyone know if the same could be dont for the data? Im assuming the data leads have to go where the USB should be but didnt know if the other pins on the PCB would work also.

Thanks Sokol. Yup there was a tiny, and I mean tiny trace on 1 switch I overlooked. It was easy to miss. Could only see it under magnifier and a really bright light. I got at least one hat working.....at least looks that way. Thanks again.

OK been working at the wiring a bit today. I can wire up the 4 post switches in matrix fine, but only using 3 posts.not an issue. But those Hat switches have me stumped. Im using 1x 8way,1x 4way and 1x 2 way. All the hat switches have 2 posts to wire to. If I try to use the same wiring at the regular buttons I get nothing on the hats. Ive seen 2 different wiring diagrams for the hats. 1. One diagram shows to wire the hats in matrix just like the other buttons.... 2. The diagram you posted above has 2 switches wire into the button matrix then the other 2 switches wire straight to the PCB. Im sure Im just overlooking something simple.will mess with it some more but any info is most helpful. Thanks.

Yes these symbols "-|<-" are my diodes. So my diagram is workable. I should have labeled "-|<-" as diodes to make it more understandable. Quote: "Erase trails means cut PCB trails near switches, with X-Acto or similar hobby knife, Dremel cut disk... easy to do. This will interrupt the existent connections between switches and allow you use your matrix diagram." No problem thats easy enough, I was thinking you meant to trace them,now that would be a bit much for me. Then I think I understand enough to accomplish what Im wanting to do. You have been a huge help so far. Thank you.

Ok thanks. So looks like I have the idea correct. If that is all the buttons I have in total then I would do the 3 down 6 across switches. Once I get the stick in I'll look it over and decide if I want to add another button or 2. You mentioned the diodes, did I have mine right? or did I miss something? I thought I had the diode on one pin of each switch? I'm not too sure about my ability yet to erase the PCB trails. As for the the Shift modifier,Im just gonna set one up only in the stick and keep the brain in both....seems more simple and less complicated for learner. Thank you again.

Would that be reversed? Leave stick brainless and use controller board in throttle? I can use the x52 throttle alone but cant use stick without throttle. Would make more sense to me the way you have said,leave brain in stick. Unless I mixing something up. Also was I correct in my wiring diagram above? Thanks again.