Need some help on the Leo Bodnar Joystick Controller

[No Longer Active]

Hi people!

Newbie here so be easy on me lol, its a new world sim building lol !

Very serious about purchasing a Precision Joystick Controller BU0836 from Leo Bodnar, i need to wire up 12 simple push buttons and 3 throttle levers.

Firstly, im finding it VERY hard to find a 100mm 100k Linear Slider Pot for my throttles (i need 3 of them) in UK, firstly, i know i can get a 60mm version, will the 60mm version be ok as a substitute? and does it really need to be a 100k pot or will 50k or 10k be ok?

Secondly, how do you wire up buttons to the interface card, i know that you can wire each pin of your push button to each pin on the ROW/COLUMNS input on the card and then wire the 2nd pin of each switch in series to GND, then you will have a total of 12 switches (maximum limit), IF i was later on to add more buttons then i know i can do this if i switch to the MATRIX MODE and have upto 32 buttons + hat switch (4), HOW DO YOU WIRE A MATRIX???

Is this how you wire it?

Column 1 > Switch > Row 1
Column 1 > Switch > Row 2
Column 1 > Switch > Row 3
Column 1 > Switch > Row 4
Column 1 > Switch > Row 5
Column 1 > Switch > Row 6
Column 2 > Switch > Row 1
Column 2 > Switch > Row 2
Column 2 > Switch > Row 3
Column 2 > Switch > Row 4
Column 2 > Switch > Row 5
Column 2 > Switch > Row 6

etc, etc until

Column 6 > Switch > Row 6

Im pretty certain that im right but im just double checking, im sure you guys must have loads of experience in the bag!

How have you wired your matrix (if you have done)?

Sorry to be a real pain, and i really appreciate any help you can offer!

Cheers fellow sim builders!

Alex J

[jonnydaz53]

hi alex havent got an answer from you .. but can i ask what part of essex are you from as im from essex too. !

regards john d

[skywatch]

50K or 10K pots will be OK with this, but where have you looked? try CPC on the web or maplin for starters......

The matrix is as you describe, BUT, it needs diodes in there as well afaik.

the BU0836X does away with diodes but may not do what you require. I have one but have had little time to play with it but do know it skips encoders when turned moderately fast (eg altitude and heading changes). otherwise it's good.

Skywatch

[No Longer Active]

Hi there,

John D: Im from sunny Basildon Lol !

You ask where have i looked for pots? Answer to that is where havent i looked? Ive looked Everywhere on the web both searched through google, yahoo, msn etc, the only 100k slider pots ive seen so far are all the 60mm versions OR 100mm version but for audio which is anoying, i dare anyone as a mission to find a 100mm 100k linear slide pots and pref from UK, ive looked in maplins but they only have the miniture version!ebay brings a few up but again the 60mm version, there are tons of 100mm 100k sliders on ebay but they are ALL audio versions, need a linear version, i heard ALPS are good but try finding one? i mean i have looked and searched hi and low and cannot find one anywhere.

Also can anyone confirm how to wire up buttons in simple mode to the controller.

I am using simple push buttons, non latching as in the same type of button on a door bell, i thought you didnt need diodes to do this in simple mode also i only need 12 buttons (all simple non latching push buttons, just straight forward on/off switch)

i wont need diodes will i in simple mode?

[skywatch]

will any of these do?

http://cpc.farnell.com/variable-sliding

Skywatch

[No Longer Active]

Hi skywatch

This is the best im going to get i recon, so thanks for the site, massive help!

What would be better the 10, 50 or 100k?

And will it matter that much choosing a 60mm instead of a 100mm?

Thanks

Alex

[jonnydaz53]

benfleet here !


john d

[jmig]

Hi skywatch

This is the best im going to get i recon, so thanks for the site, massive help!

What would be better the 10, 50 or 100k?

And will it matter that much choosing a 60mm instead of a 100mm?

Thanks

Alex

I bought some 100mm 10K Bourns slide pots from Mouser just recently. Look for part number 652-PTF01-152A-103B2. If you want single track the part number is 652-PTF01-152B-103B2.

I am using them with a BU0836X from Leo. They work well.

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

just reading your post........
this is not difficult at all. if you purely want to connect only 12 switches, you do not need to get into this matrix thing. all you need to do is connect your switches to the 6 rows and the 6 columns (one side) and to any of the Potentiometer Ground connections on the other side. No need to use diodes on an installation like this.
have a look here http://www.leobodnar.com/products/BU0836/
there's a diagram down the page on the right.
if you want to build a matrix later, then here's a little document which may help you.
http://www.737ng.co.uk/usbkeysconnections.pdf
this is how i used to use the Opencockpits USBKeys card. i also used to use this method with the BU0836 cards as well, but i've now exchanged all the standard boards for the X version which has done away with all the matrix boards.
secondly, you're in essex. have a look at this:
http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/Resistors-Potentiometer/Control-Potentiometers/Slide-potentiometers/65234
this is a company called Rapid Electronics. i get the vast majority of my bits from them. and as a bonus, they're not far from you. chelmsford i believe. they have a trade counter, so you can go and pick up what you need.
hope that helps you out.
have a great day.
regards from wales..... ian

[skywatch]

Hi skywatch
And will it matter that much choosing a 60mm instead of a 100mm?
Thanks
Alex

that depends on what you need in terms of travel. If 60mm is not enough you could always have some sort of lever arrangement to 'gear' the ratio of travel of the pot to the throw of the control you want to use.
I would suggest a prototype to test with first and then onto the real construction when you are happy about how you are going to do it.

Skywatch

[No Longer Active]

Thanks guys for all your posts!

IAN: WOW love your sim, as soon as i move out my flat into a house, i have no choice but to build a 737 cockpit, i LOVE the 737, in my eyes the best airliner in the world, i don't care if it takes me 10 years! lol, anyway 1 things first, i've got to build my C182 cockpit first and learn to fly that before i make my way up to jets...loooong learning curve! But anyway i admire your work, and thanks for the advice.

JMIG: Mouser seems a good choice and cheaper than many other sites ive looked at. looks like my best choice so far, since you say it worked with leo's board nicely then i might have to buy what you recommended, as you say it works then i take your word for it, thanks!

SKYWATCH: I like the idea of gears, but i dont know too much on how to go about using gears and ratio's etc, can you buy a gear kit to experiment with like different cogs etc for different ratio's etc? Thanks for the idea! Muchly apreciated!

JONNYDAZ53: Benfleet ha? Just down the road pal! What are you building?

NOW NEXT TOPIC:

Does anyone know how to implement a warning system for a C182, using 3 LED's? Is there an interface small enough that can produce a warning system? Maybe i'm just asking for too much!

[Michael Carter]

There is no warning system that I'm aware of aboard a stock C182 except for the stall warning and a gear warning if it's a C182RG.

There is an answer for you about your gauges at FS.com forums.

[No Longer Active]

I have been thinking about throttle levers for my Cessna 182 quadrant and drew up a design that uses rotary linear pots instead of slide pots, again using a 10k pot, the design is only rough for now but can someone look at the concept to see if it would work with leo's board?

Many thanks (again)

Alex

Ive attatched a design of the pic, sorry its small but you have an upload limit on the forum so i had to cut it down in size but you get the priciple of it! obviously the rod will be much longer and everything will be in proportion!

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

alex.....
did you see these from steve at desktop aviator?
http://www.desktopaviator.com/Products/Slide/index.htm
i have some of these on my test rig attached to Leo's card. they work a dream.
i think steve also makes a set of 3 in a faceplate. you know throttle,mixture and pitch.
ideal for what you want. go on, be adventurous.....go for it.
have a great day tomorrow......
regards ... ian

[No Longer Active]

Hi Ian,

Yeah i saw the throttle quadrant on DA its where i got the idea from, but steve at DA takes forever to reply to you and im a lil bit put off buying from america, hence i have maplin not far from me so can buy all the bits and maplin sells the rotary pots so thats why i was wondering if this would work, and also it would be nice to make a throttle quadrant in a different way, as slider pots slighty driving me crazy now (£15 For 3 slide pots is quite expensive compared to 3 rotary pots for £3 on ebay is lot cheaper)!

Cheers Ian !

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

hi alex....
slide pots from rapid electronics are 70p each. have a look at the link i sent you in a previous post. i use these in my yokes.....they're the biz.
ciao... ian

[No Longer Active]

Hi Ian

You know, im looking at soo many sites for these pots they im getting all muddled up, raplid online IS cheaper than ebay and mouser and the others, so im def going to order from rapid now, 70p each a bargain!

Ian, your turning out to be a bit of a guru for me! (you know alot!)

Keep it flying!

Cheers

Alex

[Desktop Aviator]

Hi alexpilot2008,

For the life of me, I can not see why you would post to this forum that Desktop Aviator (DA) takes forever to answer emails. All emails received are answered in a timely manner usually within 6 to 8 hours. Try to get an answer to a question in that amount of time from Saitek. I hear that Saitek doesn't even respond at all.

Steve Sokolowski
DesktopAviator.com

[XOrionFE]

I can also vouch for Steve and DA. He is very responsive, great to do business with and gives 200 percent to taking care of his customers. You must have had him confused with someone else.

Scott

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

yes siree, steve is always 'on the ball' when it comes to his customers.
i have had several exchanges with him over the last couple of years and i have to say
doing business with DA is easy. he even sent me a christmas card......
so if you are considering any DA products, don't worry about support, it's guaranteed.
have a great week captains..... ian

[No Longer Active]

Hi,

I just remember emailing DA once for a quote on delivery to UK and i had to shoot the same email twice to get a reply 1 week later! It was definately DA, thats why i went looking for other manufacturers and come across Leo's card on this website, hence why i bought it from him, i just didnt have the time for waiting for replies,

Sorry if i offend DA customers, but this was my DA experience at the time and its those 'little' things you remember the most which decides if you buy from them or not.

Im sticking with leo!

(By the way thats not the main reason i went to Leo instead of DA, im put off buying from america as im sick of US retailers failing to charge me import tax and getting the bill on my doorstep, im keeping local!)