USB Board That Looks Like Game Controller

[JD-Slow-Thumbs]

I am building a helicopter collective and I want a smallish USB board that looks like a simple game-controller to my computer, no fancy drivers, just a simple game-controller. I am trying to interface two potentiometers (preferably as sliders) and three momentary switches. Yes, I have heard of Arduino, Leo_Bodnar, Teensy, and a few others. I want very much to hear your recommendations for the most trouble-free (cheap would also be nice but the priority is on trouble-free).

Thanks in advance
JD

Right now I am hacking an old joystick and trying to interface to more normal size parts.

[Westozy]

Leo Bodnar - BU0836X is the ideal card for flight controllers. I use them in all my plug n play products I sell and have Leo's permission to do so! 8 analogue axis and 32 switch inputs for about GBP50.00 - a bargain!! Cheers Gwyn

[OmniAtlas]

Gwyn, do you offer the cards direct from your store? I might order from you next time so I don't have to wait for the shipment from the UK...which as you know can take a long time.

[Westozy]

Gwyn, do you offer the cards direct from your store? I might order from you next time so I don't have to wait for the shipment from the UK...which as you know can take a long time.

Hi Ben, I don't actually stock them as a product but I always keep a couple of them as spares for my sim. If you ever need one urgent we can work something out! I don't get any discount btw I just order the same as anyone else would. Cheers Gwyn

[aburkefl]

I've seen Leo Bodnar mentioned several times in this thread. One of their small gadgets is the BBI-32 board. It's small, USB already built in (you just need a "B" cable to connect it), it looks like a controller to the PC (no axes controls, just buttons/switches) and the "connectors" are built in - you just shove the wires into slots and you're ready to roll. A push on a button allows you to smoothly remove the connected wire.

You'll have to provide your own switches and/or buttons but the whole process is so easy it's amazing. I don't remember the exact price, but they must be pretty inexpensive or I would never have bought the one I have! Leo Bodnar has several others that may even fill your bill better.

Art - N4PJ
Leesburg, FL

[JD-Slow-Thumbs]

Thanks for the advice,
I am looking into getting one of the Leo_Bodnar products.
JD

[Geremy Britton]

Certainly recommend Leo Bodnars products. Those cards dont control LED's though. If you didn't already know that.

[aburkefl]

Certainly recommend Leo Bodnars products. Those cards dont control LED's though. If you didn't already know that.

Yes, that's absolutely correct. As far as I can tell, the bulk of the Leo Bodnar "devices" look like joysticks. That's not the "end of the world," as FSUIPC can recognize a host of joysticks (and that makes for a gob of buttons).

I'm certainly not an expert (although I've bought some neat stuff from Leo Bodnar and it's great quality and great docs) but it looks like if you want to home-brew stuff with knobs, buttons, switches *and* LEDs, some kind of Arduino project possibly delivers the best bang for the buck.

Between my lack of space (and resistance from my "better half!") I can't build a bona-fide cockpit. I've compromised with a couple of Saitek devices (multi-panel and multi-radio panel), two sets of rotary encoders from DTA and a keyboard encoder. I have (at the moment) four planes I fly on a pretty regular basis. I have changeable labels for my switchbox (that's the box with all the switches and houses a Hagstrom encoder board). The switchbox (my equivalent of a panel) currently has 41 switches/buttons. My friend who owns a sheet-metal shop made a new "top" for me and I'm going to drill it out to accommodate 72 of them. A Leo Bodnar "device" is going to the be focus for my GPS device so I can control everything on the GPS remotely.

Good luck on your end.

Art - N4PJ (most of my extra space is taken up with a ham-shack for both me and my wife)
Leesburg, FL

[Japmaco]

Whats the easiest way to have an LED segment up n running for a com/nav stack? Is it linkfs or arduino thats the only option and the mobiflight?

[aburkefl]

Whats the easiest way to have an LED segment up n running for a com/nav stack? Is it linkfs or arduino thats the only option and the mobiflight?

I think what you're referring to *is* the Arduino solution. The mobiflight tutorial includes the use of an arduino device.

My prime "gadgets are a keyboard encoder and a couple of Saitek panels. The Saitek devices do not support any additional LEDs and the keyboard encoder doesn't draw any power (other than what it takes to run a USB device).

Unfortunately, there are often compromises involved in cockpits and pseudo-cockpits. Thus far, I've dug my heels in as far as doing any additional programming.

Art - N4PJ
Leesburg, FL