Building usb panel box

[v0idmp3]

Hi,

 

Im building a little usb button box which should have a few panels from A10 cockpit. I have to ask people with more experience in building and flying, which panels you recommend to have on my box (fuel panel, electrical panel...)? My microcontroller have support for 64 buttons, 8 axis and two 8-way switches and I want to use them all

 

Cheers

[agrasyuk]

hi, it is really up to you to decide which ones you'd like to have.

you probably will enjoy having the 4 arm switches from AHCP, landing gear is also good to have. rest are not really mandatory, if you already have HOTAS WH you might want to build up the fuel panel above the throttle . or perhaps you might want to take on some sort of UFC. many many choices :)

 

make sure to post your setup whatever you build

[Zeke]

Hi, which microcontroller are you using? I'd like to get something with more then 32 buttons too.

 

I've just built two panels this winter, my first one was a panel for the buttons I use while flying the most. It has the: master arm, Gunpac, TGP, Laser, Auto pilot settings, position flash, anti-collision, counter measures mode dial, flaps, landing gear, eject, and two toggles for engine start and stop (I have a cougar throttle).

 

I also built a UFC box.

 

Works for me...

 

Good luck, have fun!

[v0idmp3]

@zeke

I'm using ATMega 16 microcontroller. You can find more specifiaction and "how-to" on this link: http://www.x-simulator.de/forum/mjoy16-usb-avr-joystick-t726-70.html#p15777

 

I dont have HOTAS joystick, I have simple Genius f23, but I want to build on this button box three controlers: one for left engine, one for right engine and one for rudder/wheel. And also I'll install two 8-way hat just for HOTAS.

 

I didnt fly a lot with A10c just because I didnt have so many buttons, and i found that it's really complicate to remember all keyboard shortcuts or position of buttons when you need to activate something in the flame of battle. Can you make for me a list of most used buttons on a10c (about 50 buttons)? I'll be very gratefull :)

 

I'll publish all pictures and steps when I start to build this, ofc. And I'm want to help anyone, when I finish it. But for now It's just a project in my head :)

[Zeke]

What I did is to just write down buttons I used a lot while flying and then just made a box with those buttons. Just built a UFC and mated two USB 8" monitors with two Cougar MFD's. Now I'm thinking of putting together another panel with all the start up buttons that I don't have mapped yet. So far this has come to 35 extra buttons.

 

Looking forward to seeing your build.

[v0idmp3]

@Zeke

 

Like I said, I dont have any experience with DCS A10c because I dont want to start with complex simulation without right gear. Can you make a list for me with those buttons, and add a few more? Without that I cant even start with projecting box and electronic because I dont now how many buttons I need.

[metalnwood]

You are already doing it hard with the kind of joystick you are using.

 

If it were me... I would use the cheat key to start the aircraft. I am using helios with a touchscreen as well, if I were not then cheat startup for sure.

 

Once you have the sim starting the aircraft then I would go back to basics and whats really required like mentioned above AHCP, landing gear, maybe mapping things used on the hotas that you dont have buttons for as they are used more than most panel buttons.

[v0idmp3]

Ok, I'll learn about starting and weapon deploying, and I'll choose panels that I need. What do you think about radio panel? And do you use that computer on right panel (not at front)? And one more question :) Can I find somewhere some documents about panels, and buttons functions

[metalnwood]

All the docs will be inside the game folder. I forget where but search for the PDF's and they will appear. You want to look at the one for the A10, the others wont help for a10 specific buttons etc.

 

The CDU is useful but it has just shy of 70 buttons on it. The CDU is often repeated on the MFD as well.

 

Here are a couple of tips as you are new and may not already do it. Read about and search for how to manipulate the views to create custom views. This way you can map some of your buttons to go to a custom view quickly, e.g. the CDU.

 

If you orientate it with the right zoom you can have it pop up with a front on view at a good size so it becomes very easy to manipulate the buttons with your mouse, just like an on screen calculator. Similar for mfd's if you want or other frequently used cockpit panels eg the radio panel.

 

 

As far as the radio panel you can connect rotary switches to your controller so that they can be turned left/right corresponding to tuning the radio. Of course there are 4 rotaries per radio so 8 buttons each one, they go quick and depending how you want to sread your 32 buttons around you may just want to program a front on view for the radio panel anduse the mouse.

[v0idmp3]

Can you recommend to me a software for designig whole project? I need software for designing PCB and "box", but all in one...I have to see complete project in 3D so I can predict errors or dysfunction.

 

Where you design your procets? What software you use?

[metalnwood]

All in one? That will give you some issues. There is good software about but not only will the learning curve take longer than building the box but it is all very expensive.

 

On the cheaper side of things you can use google sketchup to to the box and designspark for the pcb.

 

http://www.designspark.com/page/designspark-pcb-home-page

 

I am not sure of what all in one software there is but some software will allow you to export the fully built up pcb's as 3d models in to other software like solidworks. - or google sketchup I imagine.