F16 ICP Project

[tekadept]

The next thing I am working on is a self contained F16 ICP.

 

This is something that is obviously a key input device when flying the F16 and (to me) is more important than making panels so I am working on this first.

 

The goal is a fully functional backlit model with working potentiometers. I am planning on trying to make it expandable so this unit can take 2 inputs for some future MFD bezels so that this USB controls those and they don't require a seperate usb driver. Also there is a "slim" future possibility of me incorporating an Output functionality for a DED.

 

So far I’ve worked out the buttons, they are 1.6mm engraved ABS that I have glued to 4.5mm Opal acrylic, then glued to 3mm acrylic for the lip to hold in place. This gives me the height I am looking for in my unit for the keys

 

These keys will be going into a Middle plate, made of Opal Acrylic that will be used to diffuse the light evenly.

On top of that plate we of course need some engraved text! this is where the holes are a tad smaller on this which “captures” the keys with their “lip”

 

I have made up a PCB for the unit, and a self contained enclosure, currently MDF whilst Prototyping

More pics of this to come soon.

[BIGNEWY]

Looking nice!

[TheGuardian]

Very nice so far. Will be following this build for sure.

[Icebeat]

Look awesome, one detail, the enter button has to be higher.

[Burger]

Also button 5 should be CRUS (no 'I').

Looks beautiful tho.

[tekadept]

Also button 5 should be CRUS (no 'I').

Looks beautiful tho.

 

Cheers, Yep Spell check changed that on me it seems as I copied and pasted from word and remove the E and didn't notice :lol:

 

Look awesome, one detail, the enter button has to be higher.

 

Thanks for that, I have been looking for heights to see if any were higher, good to know.

Edited September 30, 2019 by tekadept

[tekadept]

Had limited time at the moment, but managed to make more progress on the F16 ICP Controller

 

First thing was to make some amendments to the buttons! correctiong the 5 “CRUS” button, and also making the ENTR key a bit higher to match the real world F16 ICP.

Next I twas time to have a look at the thumb-wheels and see what I wanted to do there, I decided for the moment at least to go White Acrylic, and I went for a COG Design which will allow the thumb to easily get traction to turn the wheel. I am using DShaft potentiometers so this make it easier to mount. This is made to be 6mm thick.

 

Then Looking at the DCS toggle I figured I’d go for 20mm High 5mm square and will align with the toggles (unsure on the real world, but this works for me)

 

 

Putting the unit into its enclosure, after prototyping in MDF the final product shown is Matt Black Acrylic.

Once we mount the plate in,I am not “Bolting” it in, I using a friction fit with the top plate, it holds it well enough while making it easier and less stress on any acrylic parts when physically screwing it.

Most people may not want this just sitting flat on their desk like this, so I went for a keyhole mounting at the back plate so it can be affixed to any surface with 4 M4 screws and slotted onto them.

The default mounting for me will be a MDF frame it sits in, and can use the 4 keyholes as well.. I worked on it sitting at 70 Degrees, this is what I found optimal.

Now I get it all plugged in and lit up!

 

 

I am going to be working on the light leakage to the sides of the wheels, (although it does look cool to me) with perhaps some thick reflective tape and next is some software coding.. Now that DCS Viper is released, I’ll look at HID as well as DCSBIOS.

[tekadept]

A bit of Aluminium tape down the sides helped to contain the light.

Done some coding for DCSBIOS and HID and cranked it up in DCS Viper for the first time

 

As with my other videos, for some reason there is a delay with the webcam so its not that delayed in real life. Not sure why it does that :/

[ron533]

Looks great! Very talented!

[gianlu320]

@tekadept

 

Amazing work you did there!

 

I have a question if you don't mind..

How did you manage to map the potentiometers to work with the rotaries in dcs world?

I have a viperwing icp and it doesn't use potentiometers, it uses some kind of encoder, and the software that comes with it lets you map the rotation of the encoder to a keyboard keypress.

So every notch gives a keypress to the keyboard.

 

The problem is...

If I open a word document and I turn them, I can see the keypresses.

Then I go into DCS and the keypress is correctly recognized in the imput assignments.

Then I go into the F16 and when I turn the encoders, the icp rotaries don't turn, they don't work no matter what.

But If I try to map my rotaries to any switch in the aircraft, they work flawlessly, I can turn on and off any switch no problem.

 

Have you come across this problem?

I don't want to hijack your building log but since you built the icp yourself I thought I would ask.

 

Thanks a lot

[tekadept]

@tekadept

 

Amazing work you did there!

 

I have a question if you don't mind..

How did you manage to map the potentiometers to work with the rotaries in dcs world?

I have a viperwing icp and it doesn't use potentiometers, it uses some kind of encoder, and the software that comes with it lets you map the rotation of the encoder to a keyboard keypress.

So every notch gives a keypress to the keyboard.

 

The problem is...

If I open a word document and I turn them, I can see the keypresses.

Then I go into DCS and the keypress is correctly recognized in the imput assignments.

Then I go into the F16 and when I turn the encoders, the icp rotaries don't turn, they don't work no matter what.

But If I try to map my rotaries to any switch in the aircraft, they work flawlessly, I can turn on and off any switch no problem.

 

Have you come across this problem?

I don't want to hijack your building log but since you built the icp yourself I thought I would ask.

 

Thanks a lot

 

Cheers Thanks.

No problems at all, I don't know how a Viperwing presents to windows, but I have mine presenting as a Joystick , and the potentiometers are an Axis.

All I did is go to settings and "Axis commands" and map the ICP axis to the axis of my "Joystick"

 

The fact as you say you see "keypresses" in Word, that means its not presenting as a Joystick device but rather a Keyboard which is a wierd way to do it. I don't know the viperwing product but does it have a way to configure it as a joystick?

 

If however you keep it as is are you assigned to the up / increase & down / decrease options for each control under ICP settings? that should work ok I would think.

[tekadept]

No build progress but I've been working on the software..

 

For the Next Iteration of this going forward,

I have now done away with the potentiometer for the brightness, I am going for holding down the WX and the dobber up and down to adjust in 10 stages..

 

I am also going to make it switchable between a Joystick or a DCSBIOS bios device via pressing some keys.

 

Not sure how stable DCSBIOS is going to be, the commands are there now and I have it working, but its unlikely they will change what are anybodies thoughts on that based on experience?

IE if i setup X command for Y key, is it likely to change?

Edited October 11, 2019 by tekadept

[gianlu320]

Cheers Thanks.

No problems at all, I don't know how a Viperwing presents to windows, but I have mine presenting as a Joystick , and the potentiometers are an Axis.

All I did is go to settings and "Axis commands" and map the ICP axis to the axis of my "Joystick"

 

The fact as you say you see "keypresses" in Word, that means its not presenting as a Joystick device but rather a Keyboard which is a wierd way to do it. I don't know the viperwing product but does it have a way to configure it as a joystick?

 

If however you keep it as is are you assigned to the up / increase & down / decrease options for each control under ICP settings? that should work ok I would think.

 

 

 

Thanks for your answer

No they are not seen as a joystick axis but as a keyboard press

Every notch you turn is seen as a keypress, actually every two notches are a keypress.

the first notch does nothing and the second is a keypress then third nothing and fourth again is the same keypress and so on.

I assigned up and down in DCS and when I assign them DCS sees the keypress in the button assignment page but when I then enter the viper they don't work.

if I assigh them to any other switch in dcs they work and they correctly turn the switch on and off

[HuggyBear]

No build progress but I've been working on the software..

 

For the Next Iteration of this going forward,

I have now done away with the potentiometer for the brightness, I am going for holding down the WX and the dobber up and down to adjust in 10 stages..

 

I am also going to make it switchable between a Joystick or a DCSBIOS bios device via pressing some keys.

 

Not sure how stable DCSBIOS is going to be, the commands are there now and I have it working, but its unlikely they will change what are anybodies thoughts on that based on experience?

IE if i setup X command for Y key, is it likely to change?

 

If I place an order now will it be the updated version?

 

Is there an option to have the USB cable at the rear of the ICP rather than the top?

 

Cheers,

 

- Bear

[tekadept]

If I place an order now will it be the updated version?

 

Is there an option to have the USB cable at the rear of the ICP rather than the top?

 

Cheers,

 

- Bear

Yes it will be the new version from here on, I am just awaiting a few parts which is why I have them as not available at the moment while I wait for them to arrive.

 

It is something I have been thinking of and I am just now thinking how I can mount the USB on the back. I will get back to you once I have an idea on what I am thinking.

[HuggyBear]

Cheers mate, PM inbound.

 

- Bear

[assafm25]

Any idea about the price and time for this product?

[showtime817th]

tekadept,

 

 

Is it possible to use your ICP with out the enclosure round it? I have a ICP replica box that I would use in my F16 simulator.

 

 

Also, does your ICP measure out H x W as the real one?

 

 

Thanks,

[tekadept]

tekadept,

 

 

Is it possible to use your ICP with out the enclosure round it? I have a ICP replica box that I would use in my F16 simulator.

 

 

Also, does your ICP measure out H x W as the real one?

 

 

Thanks,

Hi there, Apologies for the late reply, yes you could use it outside the box if you could find a way to mount it. Perhaps longer M3 screws would give you that capability.

 

The size of the top plate to its extents is 100mm wide by 79.5mm high.

 

Update:

Whilst awaiting some parts I went back to the drawing board on my original design

 

Firstly the Design has been modified so the USB Port is at the back. this presents a much cleaner option.

 

 

Also based small change was added where the keys were rounded as seen here

 

 

Also based small change was added where the keys were rounded as seen here

 

 

Lastly I have made a change that no longer requires a Potentiometer to adjust the brightness.

This is shown here by holding the WX Key and using the dobber up and down to change the brightness in stages.

 

 

As you can see in the pictures, the positioning of the text is sometimes a little wonky, I do the best I can, but this stage I have not found a better way to get it aligned. Overall it still looks great, but one of the foibles I have yet to overcome.

Edited October 27, 2019 by tekadept

[Canadus]

Wow. Just Wow. Will keep this in mind.

[VampireOne]

Anybody have a source for a pcb for this? I have a he front plate and the bits

 

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[tekadept]

Anybody have a source for a pcb for this? I have a he front plate and the bits

 

Sendt fra min SM-G975F med Tapatalk

 

I could provide my PCB alone, however not sure what bits you have or how they would fit?

[VampireOne]

I could provide my PCB alone, however not sure what bits you have or how they would fit?

I have the bits that came with the panel from hispanopanels.

 

 

Sendt fra min SM-G975F med Tapatalk