New Cockpit ... and are USB hubs OK to use?

[MacThai_75]

I've almost finished building my open frame cockpit, and need to do the wiring up for it.

It's nothing compared to the authentic looking and amazing cockpits you guys build, but it'll get the job done and with VR goggles ... help bridge the gap between it being basically a glorified seat and the detailed versions I see here.

I'm using TM's Warthog HOTAS, a set of Saitek Combat pedals, a keyboard and mouse, and because the cockpit also doubles as a driving sim, I'll have 2 more USB devices (the TM shifter and the wheel with it's connected pedals).

 

I'm wondering if I can use a USB hub with this set-up, and if so should it be 3.0 and/or powered?

 

I do have a new PC I built for this project that has a water cooled, i7 6700K CPU Asus Maxumus VIII Formula, with a Gforce 980 Ti SC+ card and 32GB of 3200Mhz Rip Jaw memory, that has a charging 3.0 USB port, but am unsure of how long a cable run I can use if power from it is needed for the control components.

 

BTW: I've set my cockpit up so I can easily go from a flight sim, to a driver sim, and when in flight mode ... from a center joystick to a right side mounted stick, by simply unplugging the USB plugs and swapping the custom 'lift-off mounts" for the joystick to replace the same type lift off mount on the TM driver stick shift.

 

I'm also using a center mounted keyboard tray above the center joystick, with a side tray on it for a 10" Android in a "keyboard case" for a checklist and etc.

 

I also modified the stock OpenWheeler cockpit so the seat can swivel ... to make it easy to get in and out of.

 

Here's some pix of it (click for detail) ...

 

Original OpenWheeler driving sim set-up ...

 

After mods ...

 

Swiveled with center stick ...

 

Swiveled with right stick ...

 

Driver mode (with center stick support tube removed) ...

 

The seat also slides forwards and back (like a car seat) and so transitions from a driving sim to a decent flight sim is easy, as is going from a center to side stick and nothing requires any tools.

 

To maintain that ease of conversion, I'll be using bulkhead mounted USB adapters as needed to keep it all tooless/plug and play.

 

But since this is my very first sim cockpit build, I'm just really not sure about the USB hub thing being cool, nor if I can successfully use the power I might need for the controls from the Asus based PC's 3.0 charging port?

 

I'm hoping some of you more experienced folks can direct me in that end of this project.

 

TIA!!

Edited May 27, 2016 by MacThai_75

[Mr_Burns]

I use a USB hub without issues - 2 x GP Wiz, 2 x MFD, Head Tracker, Hotas and mini usb keyboard, powered no issues.

[Warhog]

I had a lot of issues with USB hubs. I would have 8 or 9 different devices all running at the same time and then all of a sudden one of them would drop out. Very frustrating, especially when on a multiplayer mission. I never discovered why that would happen but with the cockpit I'm building I wanted to make sure it would perform without issue. I found very little factual information to evaluate USB HUBs so I consulted with people working in the industrial/production areas where loosing a connection meant loosing money.

 

And this is what I ended up doing...

I stopped looking at $10.00 consumer HUBS from China and started looking at what is used in a production environment where they can't afford to have issues. To that end, I purchased a 12 port, powered, USB HUB for industrial use rather than home use. They are built much better, and stronger than the cheap consumer stuff and from discussions with users in production environments, they perform very well without issue. But they are expensive...of course they are. However, considering what I am spending on my cockpit and the piece of mind (I hope) I will have, they will definitely be worth every penny.

 

http://www.coolgear.com/product/industrial-12-port-usb-2-0-powered-hub-for-pc-mac-din-rail-mount

 

 

If that fails to work, this will be my next step...

 

http://www.coolgear.com/product/industrial-16-port-rack-mountable-usb-2-0-hub

 

John

[98abaile]

Yes, as long as they have sufficient power I believe.

[MacThai_75]

A huge thanks for the replies guys! :)

 

I'll go ahead and try a cheapie hub first, and if I run into trouble I'll go Warhog's route.

 

I'm just 'really' glad to learn that I won't have to run separate cables from each USB device to my PC.

That was my main concern, as the whole pit is portable (on casters) and it splits into two main sections by loosening a single knob, and sliding the front pedals and driving wheel section away from the seat and flight controls section, via a telescoping tube that connects each main part.

So having to mess with a bunch of cables that would need to go to each part ... every time I roll it out of storage to use it ... would have made setting it up a lot more of a hassle.

 

Until either Sony officially announces 'for sure' that they are going to make their VR goggles (Project Morpheus) both PS4 'and' PC compatible, or the latest Oculus Rift becomes more available, I'll be using the 90" Sharp flat screen in my living room for my monitor, as I have been for the different driving sims.

 

I'm a total flight sim rookie, and with after over 50 views to my post and no replies, I was getting concerned that I may have committed some sort of forum faux pas, maybe by calling it a cockpit in amongst posts of actual works of art that many of you guys have built, or possibly by posting in an area not usually receptive to these "minimalist" kinds of pits (basically just a seat and controls) so your replies are a big relief ... and very much appreciated. :)

I can move forward to complete it, and on to the real hard part of it all ... actually learning to fly and operate the flight sim programs. ;)

 

Once again ... a sincere "Thanks Guys!!" ... :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Edited May 27, 2016 by MacThai_75

[cichlidfan]

Yes, as long as they have sufficient power I believe.

 

Which can be a significant factor affecting cheap hubs. Always check the power supplied to the hub.

 

I noticed that the supply (purchased separately) for the hub Warhog linked, is putting out 6 Amps, which I consider satisfactory for a 12 port device. In fact, since I am just in the process of redoing my pit, that hub might be what I end up using instead of the cheaper units that I used previously, just for CYA reasons.