DirectX adapter for Brunner FFB Joystick ready

[SDirickson]

For any one confused with the instructions (like I was), this is as simple as buying an Arduino Micro, plugging it into your PC, and installing the BrunnerDX software. Use BrunnerDX to install the firmware on the Arduino, set up a few settings in CLS2Sim and away you go. BrunnerDX has the firmware for the Arduino as part of the package, and the connection between the Arduino and the Brunner base is entirely virtual. No hardware, wiring or soldering required. 

Initial impressions in DCS: Stick shaking at the edge of stall and force trim effects are great! Unfortunately, I think the original Brunner software does a better job changing the force of the stick with relation to airspeed. I have a hard time using stick forces alone to judge airspeed (I'm talking about the WWII aircraft, specifically) via BrunnerDX like I could using vanilla CLS2Sim. - Edit: This was user error on my part. I had enabled the 'return to center' option on the trim page. This is not necessary in DCS (or Il-2). The FFB effects from DCS already command a return to center force upon the stick, commensurate with airspeed. The effect is identical to the stock Brunner software.

I would love to see a way to tweak the strength of the various FFB effects within the BrunnerDX software, specifically the effect of IAS on control forces.

This is a great, cheap way to bring DirectX FFB to the Brunner hardware and worth buying a Arduino Micro to experiment with.

Edited December 6, 2022 by SDirickson

[markturner1960]

Hi, so I recently got a Brunner CLS-E base and had a frustrating week or so figuring out how the software works to get it how I want…….but pretty much there now. I have also got the arduino and installed BrunnerDX (thanks Chuls!) However, perhaps I am missing something but, compared to my tweaked profile in CLS2 software, when using the BrunnerDX script, flying the F14 (which is my reference jet, being the best modelled and pretty much only FFB coded non FBW jet in DCS) I find the resistance forces in the stick way too low for my liking, even with FFB at 150% in DX and not really any noticeable improvement over using with the CLS2 software, which is more tuneable and gives a huge number of variables to tweak. 
I am not trying to be negative about what Chuls has achieved here, but I wonder what the huge difference that so many DX users in this thread are Feeling that I don’t? 

[MadMonty]

A stupid question - why do you need BrunnerDX (with Arduino)? The CLS2-Software supports DCS and it works fine. Or does BrunnerDX provide additional features that CLS2-Sim does not?

[Shrimp]

9 hours ago, MadMonty said:

A stupid question - why do you need BrunnerDX (with Arduino)? The CLS2-Software supports DCS and it works fine. Or does BrunnerDX provide additional features that CLS2-Sim does not?

With BrunnerDX you retain trim interaction with DCS (displaced neutral) that you lose with CLS2SIM and that is not fully compensated by ‘Hardware trim’.

Additionally, lots of DCS modules lose trim functionality completely, being the only makeshift solution the ‘Hardware trim’ option.

[MadMonty]

I have now also got the Arduino and installed everything. The whole process took a few minutes and worked absolutely smoothly.

My big compliments to @Chuls for the ingenious implementation. FFB now works so much better with DCS!

I always had problems with the exact centering of the joystick via CLS2SIM. To get it exactly centered, I had to increase the forces, but then it started oscillating. If I reduced the forces, I was minimally off-center left and right and could, for example, not use the heading autopilot (HSEL) in the F18, because it only overrides the joystick at exact center position. Now the stick is where it should be, precisely in the center with well adjustable forces, without oscillation.

Also the helis can be set up great. I was first irritated, because CLS2SIM just does not automatically center the stick, which is desired in the heli, but BrunnerDX still returns the stick to the center. In the Huey I then saw that I can (or must) deactivate the center position in the heli itself via "Force Trim Off" switch to be able to use the stick without centering, so the functions of the helis are really passed on 1:1 to the stick - simply brilliant.

THANK YOU for this implementation - that makes the Brunner CLS-E a so much better joystick!

[markturner1960]

How do you have the trim set up in Brunner DX? Do you map only in the DX GUI and not in DCs? And do you use the  Roll / Pitch strength slider? 

I am giving BrunnerDx another try as I am not sure I had it properly set up previously in the light of some of these new comments....

In the F14, I tried with trim mapped to my trim hat in the Brunner GUI, roll/pitch strength slider at zero and trim mapped to the CLS joystick column in DCS controls. This gave the result of nuetral displacement effect on the physical stick, which is great, but none of the trim inputs I applied registered on the trim dial in the cockpit, although they were physically affecting the jet.....

With the same bindings  etc as above, in the F5, it works as expected, IE nuetral displacement trim and trim inputs affect physical stick position in the jet as well as registering on the trim position dial. 

Why the difference? 

Shrimp, I would also be interested in your opinions regarding the pros and cons of BrunnerDx vs CLS2. Using BrunnerDx means no individual profiles and relying on the direct Xinputs from the module. Do you think this gives a better result or does it depend on the module? IE, would using CLS2 be better for some modules and BrunnerDX for others? 

Edited January 11, 2023 by markturner1960

[MadMonty]

3 hours ago, markturner1960 said:

How do you have the trim set up in Brunner DX? Do you map only in the DX GUI and not in DCs? And do you use the  Roll / Pitch strength slider? 

I am giving BrunnerDx another try as I am not sure I had it properly set up previously in the light of some of these new comments....

I played around a bit with BrunnerDX without knowing exactly what I was doing at first.

First of all, I specified the buttons of my POV hat as trim in BrunnerDX. With it I had then in DCS (e.g. with the F18) no success, since in DCS the trim assignments were deleted, because I had trimmed before over CLS2 and wanted to avoid a "double" trimming.

I have then assigned the trim to the POV hat in DCS in the same way as in BrunnerDX. Now DCS trims the joystick and BrunnerDX returns exactly the joystick positions from DCS to the Brunner stick.

Yes, there is the disadvantage of not being able to save the profiles differently. But in the end there are only 2 sliders you have to manage. One is "Force" which sets the maximum strength of the stick. This is then not constant, but dependent on the DCS module. With a BF109, for example, I have lower forces in slow flight than at high speed, because DCS (apparently) delivers this as output.

The second slider (whose name I can't think of right now) is under trim, it determines the centering force. For airplanes I set it rather higher, for helicopters rather lower. More can and is not to be tuned, however.

I was initially surprised with the helicopters, because the stick first wanted to return to the center position and only when I kept the trim depressed, it could be moved freely and after releasing the trim, the new position was the new center position. I wasn't sure if this is correct for helis (in this case Huey) until I noticed the Force Trim On/Off button. If I press it (center console cockpit) the centering force goes to zero and the stick is free to move, if I turn it on, the centering force comes back. The real trim of the Huey seems to have been implemented here 1:1 (without that I am a Huey expert, but otherwise the Force Trim switch would make no sense).

It may well be that some modules are better to fly with CLS2, but it is only 2 mouse clicks to configure CLS2 again as the main software. In this respect, BrunnerDX is very worthwhile, at least for me.

 

[markturner1960]

That is useful, thanks......I have it working pretty well now, although,  I wondered if I may get some help with an issue I have had when using it with the Tomcat.  3 times when pulling to almost max deflection, the joystick has suddenly " let go" and gone floppy for several seconds ( obviously this is not great in the middle of a break to land!) . When this has happened previously, its usually a precursor to thermal overload, but my temperatures were low (34, which is well in the trouble free range of temperatures, prevuious cut outs have been when temp was over 50) so I am baffled....in the logging window, corresponding with each occurrence is a message saying "Error elevator 2" & " Driver fault @ elevator 2". Can anyone tell me what they think may be going on? I am quite keen to keep using BrunnerDX as it saves swapping profiles and I have noticed that the effects are subtly different for each jet. Its different to CLS2, but also good. I have force set at 100% in Brunner DX which is fairly light, compared to what I can generate using CLS2 without getting any cutouts...( if that was what I experienced..) Thanks! So I am wondering if this is something to do with the DX recieved from DCS, a Brunner hardware ( or software) issue or something else. Hoping someone might have an idea......

Edited January 12, 2023 by markturner1960

[Shrimp]

Hi @Chuls

I'm having an issue with BrunnerDX v2.7.1 that says a new version is available and halts. Is there a later than v2.7.1 version?

May I suggest that on future versions the version number appears on the BrunnerDX window?

Edit - the program does not halt. Everything works OK except the warning that it is not the latest version. Thks

Cheers

Edited January 13, 2023 by Shrimp
New info

[markturner1960]

I get the same message, I updated, to 2.7.1 ( more likely uninstalled and reinstalled the same version!!) but the message is still there.....

[Gunfreak]

So I'm gonna order an brunner soon. But when I Google Arduino Micro.  I just find a circuit board looking thing? How am I gonna plug that in?

[MadMonty]

12 hours ago, Gunfreak said:

So I'm gonna order an brunner soon. But when I Google Arduino Micro.  I just find a circuit board looking thing? How am I gonna plug that in?

With an USB micro cable (not included)

[Gunfreak]

37 minutes ago, MadMonty said:

With an USB micro cable (not included)

I only see 1 possible place to attach anything here.

https://store.arduino.cc/products/arduino-micro are just gonna plug it in with that one USB? 

is there a housing for it. Looks rather delicate and easy to break as is.

Edited January 22, 2023 by Gunfreak

[MadMonty]

7 hours ago, Gunfreak said:

I only see 1 possible place to attach anything here.

https://store.arduino.cc/products/arduino-micro are just gonna plug it in with that one USB? 

is there a housing for it. Looks rather delicate and easy to break as is.

 

Yeah - just plug the micro USB - done! It is very tiny and lightweighted, so I leave it hanging on the cable. Of course you can put it in a tiny box or something.

[DrQuinn]

Getting this setup for the Apache and the trim release doesn't seem to work in-game. Stick aways wants to re-center no mater what I do. I do have the latest Brunner firmware which has "DirectX FFB Objects Autostore ". Not sure if that is causing the problem and the stick now supports DirectX FFB?

[MadMonty]

Apache does not have force trim off like the Huey. So while pressing trim button in the Apache you can move the stick freely to a new center position, after release force trim brings the stick always back to the (new) center. So are you missing creating a new center position or a real force trim off (no recentering) which I think is just not available in the Apache?

[DrQuinn]

It's not creating or staying at the new "center" position. 

[Chuls]

4 hours ago, DrQuinn said:

It's not creating or staying at the new "center" position. 

can you try not using BrunnerDX trim options and do it inside DCS? you might be having both programs trying to control the trim position. I don't have DCS but it seems like this video does a great job of explaining it with a MSFFB2 (which BrunnerDX tries to emulate so should work the same way)

 

[Gunfreak]

When I follow the setup and get to the part about remote control, when I hit those options, everything is grayed out and I can't lock ok, just cancel.

My brunner app says, Selected USB device not found. Have you disconnected the USB cable, or connected it to another device? Please open connection settings, check your configuration and click OK.

'And it looks like this. Brunner DX can't connect to the sim app.

 

Edited February 22, 2023 by Gunfreak

[Gunfreak]

I got it to work kinda(I have to restart the PC several times before the brunner software connects)

When it works it works on DCS, doesn't work at all on IL2.

[Gunfreak]

On 4/27/2021 at 5:30 PM, Lynchsl62 said:

IL-2 is not as sophisticated as DCS and appears to limit the number of input devices that it will use.

 

Go to the input devices folder and open the devices.txt document.

Mine is located at C:\Program Files (x86)\1C Game Studios\IL-2 Sturmovik Great Battles\data\input

 

Is the Arduino listed? Mine is listed as device number 6.

Step 1

If the Arduino is there is it listed as the same number as the axis for Pitch and Roll in the button mapping settings. If not I simply swapped the start number for the Arduino (in my case 6) to the axis that is listed in the button mapping setting - remembering also to renumber the input device that was being used by IL-2 to the original Arduino Input Device Number

Step 2

If the Arduino is not listed, originally I was able to delete the entire input folder, only connect those devices to the computer I wanted, e.g Throttle, Control Panel, Rudder, Arduino, Brunner CLS-E (andRealsimulator F16 grip mounted on the Brunner) and restart IL-2 and go through button mapping, then to the previous step above about renumbering the input device to match the Arduino.

Step 3

Somehow this did not work after the last IL-2 update and I eventually performed a clean install and repeated Step 1 

 

The Arduino does work with IL-2 it is just a pain to get it to be recognised as the control axis, once working it is good.

 

I still can't get the Brunner to work with IL2, I've changed the Arduino to 9(which is the port shown in BrunnerDx) but still nothing happening, I've done a fresh install of the game today.

[Lynchsl62]

2 hours ago, Gunfreak said:

I still can't get the Brunner to work with IL2, I've changed the Arduino to 9(which is the port shown in BrunnerDx) but still nothing happening, I've done a fresh install of the game today.

As said Il-2 is really basic. It only accepts upto 8 input devises and anything else will be listed but not used. If you are getting Force Feedback in DCS then everything is working, it is just Il-2.

 

I suggest to delete your existing input devises file located in the input directory. Disconnect all unnecessary controllers and just have those you want for Il-2, then run the game control settings in Il-2 with those you want to use including the Arduino and the CLS-E. Sadly you will have lost any button programs you have already set for all the controllers. I set the pitch and roll axis in the in game control settings, but this was for the CLS-E joystick and was joystick_0. I then opened the devises file in the input directory and cut and paste the Arduino joystick to the 0 configuration, and the CLS-E to the setting of the Arduino which in my case was 7

 

E.g.

0,%220b136e90-6d56-11eb-0000545345440180%22,Arduino%20Micro|

7,%22f9041c70-3d47-11ea-0000545345440180%22,CLSE%20Joystick%20HOTAS|

I then backed up the input file to another location just in case there was a corruption during any game update

[Chuls]

I think you are not using the Arduino at all for this if I look at the screenshot. You are using a plugin that Brunner has created for DCS. That's fine, but it won't work with IL-2. Also, the effects are the ones that Brunner created, not the ones that the creators of the DCS module programmed (which might be better or worse depending on the module and your preferences).

Anyway, just follow the set up instructions in the wiki and you should have IL-2 working in no time:
https://github.com/jmriego/brunnerdx/wiki/Setting-up

[Berniyh]

Brunner just put a note out that they do now fully support DirectX:

https://forum.brunner-innovation.swiss/forums/topic/directx-driver/#post-3001

[DrQuinn]

7 hours ago, Berniyh said:

Brunner just put a note out that they do now fully support DirectX:

https://forum.brunner-innovation.swiss/forums/topic/directx-driver/#post-3001

At least for me the USB app that it works with will not run properly, hopefully it's an easy bug for them to fix.