BODNER MODULE

[manhattan]

..........So I have re-built my sim, and I am ready to use my new Bodner module. So far, I can only get results from the 'slider' input? I can assign anything to this input, and it will work - but the other inputs will not produce any results? I need to interface two throttles, Prop, Mix and Rudders........but I'm stuck with only one input working!!
Does anybody understand the designations built in to the module?
X Y RX RY RZ SLD DIAL.
Do they relate to specific functions? Even if they do, when the 'assignment' panel comes up, and I move the potentiometer, it seems that I am offered a random choice that I cannot change? There is a box that says 'click here to clear the box and select a different key' Does anybody know how to do this? Are there any procedures for operating the module that I might have missed?

The fact that the 'slider' works presumably means that the module is OK?

Desperate for help.

TONY UK

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

hello tony........
the marking on the card are the designations that the windows joystick routine recognise as the inputs.
personally, i use the X, Y & Z axes and the RX, RY and RX inputs if i am connecting to the card.
one thing to bear in mind (if you need to use a centred axis like aileron, elevator or rudder), is that only
the X & Y axes can be centered in the joystick calibration utility in the windows/game controllers/properties
page.
if you are not getting any response from an axis input, it is usually either you have not calibrated it first in the
windows joystick calibration routine, or that the potentiometer connected to that axis is not correctly connected.
first thing to do is check your connections for the 5v-(axis)-gnd are correct and then secondly, goto the calibration
routine and do the biz there.
can guarantee that Leo's board will be 100%. just check that your connections are good and that you have calibrated
the inputs.
any more hassle, just PM me and i'll go thru it with you step by step.
good luck and hope you get it sorted.
regards from wales .... ian

[manhattan]

hello tony........
the marking on the card are the designations that the windows joystick routine recognise as the inputs.
personally, i use the X, Y & Z axes and the RX, RY and RX inputs if i am connecting to the card.
one thing to bear in mind (if you need to use a centred axis like aileron, elevator or rudder), is that only
the X & Y axes can be centered in the joystick calibration utility in the windows/game controllers/properties
page.
if you are not getting any response from an axis input, it is usually either you have not calibrated it first in the
windows joystick calibration routine, or that the potentiometer connected to that axis is not correctly connected.
first thing to do is check your connections for the 5v-(axis)-gnd are correct and then secondly, goto the calibration
routine and do the biz there.
can guarantee that Leo's board will be 100%. just check that your connections are good and that you have calibrated
the inputs.
any more hassle, just PM me and i'll go thru it with you step by step.
good luck and hope you get it sorted.
regards from wales .... ian

Hello Ian.

Thanks for the comments. I discovered that I had not looked at 'sensitivities' and discovered that they were at zero (hard to the left). After pulling the slider across to the right, I got responses from the pots.
I am only using pots for Two Throttles, One Prop lever, One mixture lever, One tiller lever, and One Rudder input- six inputs in all.
From your experience, can you suggest which of the Bodner inputs would be best for each of the 6 pots that I have mentioned? I am ready to connect, but still a tad confused!

Hope you can help.

TONY. Devon.

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

hi tony........
the tiller and the rudder are both axes that need a 'centred' point. thus i would suggest that you connect these to the X & Y axis inputs
to which you can set a centre point to in the windows joystick controllers calibration routine.
the other axes can be attached to any of the other inputs i suggested because they act on a complete range and are not reliant on
a centre position.
don't be confused, we're her to help if we can.
good luck captain ......
regards ... ian

[manhattan]

hi tony........
the tiller and the rudder are both axes that need a 'centred' point. thus i would suggest that you connect these to the X & Y axis inputs
to which you can set a centre point to in the windows joystick controllers calibration routine.
the other axes can be attached to any of the other inputs i suggested because they act on a complete range and are not reliant on
a centre position.
don't be confused, we're her to help if we can.
good luck captain ......
regards ... ian



Me again Ian.

I understand the inputs now, but calibration is very difficult due to a lot of jitters (spiking). Smooth operation is impossible! When I built the throttle quadrant, the outputs from the pots were fed to stereo jack sockets at the back of the unit and jack plugs are on the leads that go to the interface. The leads are made from 6 core alarm cable (using black/yellow/red for the connections). The lead lengths are about
3m each.
I am wondering if using jack sockets is a bad move, offering an inefficient connection. Also the leads might be too long? Do you think that I should be using screened (shielded) cable, or shorter leads?

Sorry to bombard you with questions. Hope you can help.

Many thanks so far.

rgds

TONY. (sunny Devon)

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

hello tony.......
glad that you have got a handle on the axis situation.
from your post, you say you are using 'twisted pair' alarm wire for the connections and that you have a 3 mtrs run from the pot
to your card. for me, therein lies part of the problem and you actually answered the question at the end of your post.
the problem with long runs from the pot to the card is that you can pick up electrical noise. in my early days, i suffered
exactly what you are going thru, but i was using ribbon cable to try to keep the installation tidy. whenever i turned the
strip lights on, i had problems :o(( the wiring was picking up noise from the flourescant lights.
so, lesson learnt, ever since i have kept the wiring from the pot to the card as short as possible.
additionally, i now have no connections betwen the pot and the card.
just a little experiment, wire up a pot with 50cms of standard wire, connect it to the card and see how much of a difference
that makes.
never appologise for asking a question captain, that's what a forum is all about.
good luck and if you need any more help, just ask ... my pleasure to help out.
enjoy your evening ...
regards from oswestry ...

ian

[manhattan]

hello tony.......
glad that you have got a handle on the axis situation.
from your post, you say you are using 'twisted pair' alarm wire for the connections and that you have a 3 mtrs run from the pot
to your card. for me, therein lies part of the problem and you actually answered the question at the end of your post.
the problem with long runs from the pot to the card is that you can pick up electrical noise. in my early days, i suffered
exactly what you are going thru, but i was using ribbon cable to try to keep the installation tidy. whenever i turned the
strip lights on, i had problems :o(( the wiring was picking up noise from the flourescant lights.
so, lesson learnt, ever since i have kept the wiring from the pot to the card as short as possible.
additionally, i now have no connections betwen the pot and the card.
just a little experiment, wire up a pot with 50cms of standard wire, connect it to the card and see how much of a difference
that makes.
never appologise for asking a question captain, that's what a forum is all about.
good luck and if you need any more help, just ask ... my pleasure to help out.
enjoy your evening ...
regards from oswestry ...

ian



Continued thanks Ian.

As an ex DJ I am used to building/servicing audio amplifiers, 'hum' was often a problem where earthing/screening was not effective enough. This is why I figured that using microphone cable connecting ground to the braided screen, and wiper and positive to the two inner wires, might help? I always wondered why pots to card did'nt need protection of this sort? I will give this a try along with experiments with short cable runs as suggested. The cables that I have been using by the way, are ordinary six core (six colours) cable normally used for alarm installation in a house. I bought this from B&Q on a 50 m drum for £10. It is not specialist twisted pair or anything fancy.
I have abandoned the jack plug/socket idea in favour of direct connections as I noticed that plugs could turn in their sockets causing problems as well!
Back to the soldering iron!

Thanks again.

Sleepy Devon.

[manhattan]

hello tony.......
glad that you have got a handle on the axis situation.
from your post, you say you are using 'twisted pair' alarm wire for the connections and that you have a 3 mtrs run from the pot
to your card. for me, therein lies part of the problem and you actually answered the question at the end of your post.
the problem with long runs from the pot to the card is that you can pick up electrical noise. in my early days, i suffered
exactly what you are going thru, but i was using ribbon cable to try to keep the installation tidy. whenever i turned the
strip lights on, i had problems :o(( the wiring was picking up noise from the flourescant lights.
so, lesson learnt, ever since i have kept the wiring from the pot to the card as short as possible.
additionally, i now have no connections betwen the pot and the card.
just a little experiment, wire up a pot with 50cms of standard wire, connect it to the card and see how much of a difference
that makes.
never appologise for asking a question captain, that's what a forum is all about.
good luck and if you need any more help, just ask ... my pleasure to help out.
enjoy your evening ...
regards from oswestry ...

ian



Hi Skipper!

PERFECTION!

Shorter leads away from electrical stuff, and everything is running smoothly! Screened leads make no difference at all - so forget that idea!

Thanks for all your help.

Regards,


TONY (Devon).

[ian@737ng.co.uk]

hello tony.........
my pleasure to help, been there, done it and hate to see a grown man 'rip his hair out' :o
have a great evening ...
regards from oswestry.....

ian