Pot configuration for BU0836X

[lasseh]

Hi,

I'm having a rather annoying problem when interfacing a slide potentiometer (100k lin.) to my BU0836X card.
It's recongnized both by the windows game control and the software from Leo Bodnar, so guessing it has nothing to do with the wireing?

The problem is that the movement of the axis is very uneven. It freezes for a while, then moves, then a little more freeze etc. I don't get that nice and smooth continious movement as i would like.
I've tried for all analog inputs on the card, and the problem occurs for all 8 of them.

Can anybody help me out here? :)

Thanks,
Lasse

[mach7]

Hello lasseh. Do you have a number of other USB devices connected? It sounds like a power problem to me...that is you should have the board connected to a powered usb hub...however if it is the only device connected to your PC then it should not be a problem.

[Brodhaq]

Hello Lasse,
did you test also other pieces of this potentiometer type to ensure that the problem is not caused by mechanical quality of the pot? Any chance to test the same pot with other type of joystick card?

Is the pot linear or logarithmic? Some of slide pots used in audio mixing units used be logarithmic which I dont know if Bodnar is able to handle...

Pavel

[lasseh]

I have tried several pots - all linear 100k's - and all are giving the same problem.

I have the BU0836x card connected to an external usb hub with it's own power supply (5v).
The board is the only thing connected to the hub. Other than the hub i have a mouse, keyboard and a modem for wifi connected to the pc's other usb hubs.
Would that be a problem? I have a very limited expertice in pc, hardware etc. so anything you guys are suggesting is much appreciated! :)

Thanks,
Lasse

[Brodhaq]

It should not be a problem... It there is a problem with USB power the whole device would stall and windows would ding-dong a window with error message about USB unsufficent power.

Maybe you could connect the pot to your multimeter and measure if the resistance is changing nicely to ensure that the problem is in the Bodnar, could you? Just connect one "side" pin and the "signal" pin to your probes of your multimeter and switch multimeter to suitable range (for example 200k) and try moving the pot.

Pavel

[mach7]

I just re-read your post Lasseh....do you have all 8 post connected the 836x card? if you do then they will not work.

I went through the same problem...i am not sure of the numbers, but the card will only support a certain amount of pots even though there is space for more. I am not sure the reason for this...but my post is on here somewhere regarding that problem and the response (I believe) was from Leo himself

Try disconnecting 2 or three pots from the card and see how that works with the remaining.

[mach7]

Found it!

http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/i-o-interfacing-hardware-software/22346-bu0836x-problems.html

Basically Leo says the 836 card will only handle 6 assignments as this is an FSUIPC issue...the rest can be dealt with in FS.

This might be part of your problem

[lasseh]

At the moment i have only one pot connected, so it is'nt a problem caused by to many analog inputs.
I have a suspicion that it might be the potentiometer itself though. My multimeter only goes to 1 k, so will have to get a new one tomorrow and try measure with that.

Do you have any suggestions on specific slide potentiometers with a decent quality, that will operate smooth with the board and fsuipc if it turns out to be a poor quality causing my problem?

Thanks,
Lasse

[mach7]

Lasseh, I use the
ALPS - RS6011Y50K - POTENTIOMETER
You can purchase them just about anywhere...but here is a website in the UK you can take a look at for reference.

I have had good luck with these pots and use them throughout my sim
RS6011Y50K - ALPS - POTENTIOMETER, SLIDE, 50K | Farnell United Kingdom (http://uk.farnell.com/alps/rs601150k/potentiometer-slide-50k/dp/1191732)

[lasseh]

I have measured the potentiometer's today, and it gives me a smooth change in ohm on the multimeter. So nothing wrong with those.

But i've noticed something strange. I connected a few more buttons today and when i went to the windows game controller to test, i realized the responding time was waaay longer than usually. Up to 1-2 seconds for a button press to be recognized!

Guess it's a problem within the BU0836x card then! But without the analog inputs connected, there's nothing wrong with the buttons.

Lasse

[iwik]

Lasse,
Have you tried the card on another PC.?
Les

[lasseh]

Yes, the same thing occurs on my other pc.

Lase

[iwik]

Lasse,
If your buttons are slow to respond with no analogue inputs connected I think maybe the card is Faulty.
Ive never experienced this with his cards. Just plugged them in and looked in Windows game controller
tester and everything worked great. Leo has a good support and says his controllers are virtually indestructible
so maybe contact them and see what they say.
Good Luck

Les

[lasseh]

I'll try and contact them and see what will happen.
Thanks for your help! :)

Lasse