Newbie questions about Arduino and DCS-BIOS

[MG111]

We are starting a simulator project using real airplane parts. And DCS-BIOS. At the beginning of the design, I would have a couple of questions to consider.

1. connecting several Arduino boards to the computer.
For example, there will be hundreds of switches in the cockpit (ok, there are some that don't need to work, but still). Dozens of servos on gauges etc. In any case, there will be a lot of Ardunio boards. What is the easiest way to connect them to the computer? Using usb? Is it possible to make Arduinos work through hubs? Or is there any other easy way. We would prefer to use ready-made systems, this would make it easier to service and maintain the simulator in the future.

2. The most efficient way to use Arduinos
In order to keep the number of Arduinos under control, is it possible to use a PCA9685 PWM driver or similar with the DCS-BIOS, for example when connecting the servos? What about connecting switches, is there any possibility to connect more switches to one card than the number of individual pins on the card?

I'm happy to listen to advice and tips on what to consider during the planning phase. 

[lesthegrngo]

Two related but different answers

While you can run switches from Arduinos, USB 'button box' devices like Bodnar's BBI-64 are a very reliable and easy way to control switches and rotary encoders, and some of Bodnars devices work well with potentiometers as well. They are pretty bullet proof and you can connect lots of input devices to them. Also, they work outside of DSC Bios, requiring you to only set the assignments in the DSC controller setup page

For controlling OLEDs, LCD displays, Stepper motors for gauges, advanced input devices and also LED indicator light outputs etc, Arduinos over an RS485 network is the way to go, check out the DCS Bios over RS485 sticky thread at the top of the home cockpits forum page. A note on trying to use one Arduino to power multiple devices, you can find that over RS485 the way the data is streamed seems to make the refresh of things like steppers slow, whereas over USB it seems multiple steppers can be run off one Arduino more easily. However don't run any steppers that move a lot on the same Arduino as an OLED, my experience is that the refresh of the stepper is timed by the refresh rate of the OLED. As a result I bit the bullet and made one Arduino Nano for each device when I went the RS485 route

You can run both types of devices (USB button box and Arduino controlled devices) in parallel. I am a complete dunce when it comes to electronics and all the programming stuff and even I was able to make it function (although with a great deal of input from the great people on this forum)

I'm certain that there will be lots more replies to this!

Les

[MG111]

10 hours ago, lesthegrngo said:

While you can run switches from Arduinos, USB 'button box' devices like Bodnar's BBI-64 are a very reliable and easy way to control switches and rotary encoders, and some of Bodnars devices work well with potentiometers as well. They are pretty bullet proof and you can connect lots of input devices to them. Also, they work outside of DSC Bios, requiring you to only set the assignments in the DSC controller setup page

Thanks for the answer.
A good point of view is that you could use USB 'button box' devices. I have considered Bodnar's joystick card for the implementation of flight controls. I have only had good experiences with them in previous projects. But I didn't think that switches etc. could be easily implemented with them as well. This is definitely something worth exploring. Do you have experience connecting Bodnar cards to a computer via a USB hub? Will there be problems if the cards are not connected directly to the computer?

I need to study the RS485 system more closely, that could be an option.

[No1sonuk]

I will add that you should use the Flightpanels fork of DCS-BIOS, not Hub.  Hub isn't currently actively updated.