MJOY16 Controller Update

[Buddym]

I have finsihed testing on the MJoy16 joystick interface. It was easy to build and seems to work perfectly. It has the following capabilities:

8 axis, 10 bits resolution
64 button inputs
16 dual-input toggle switches
4 rotary encoders
1 8-way hat switch

It has NO outputs...but I am working on another solution for that....

I have tested all of the funtions and they work very well. Other featues of note are:

The rotary encoders have a unique feature where turning a knob slowly generates one input and turning it quickly generates a different input. This can mapped in a handy fashion to use fast-turning to adjust the whole part of a value (such as comm frequency) and slow-turning to adjust the decimal part. Very slick.

The analog axis have a auto-center feature than can be enabled/disabled with a jumper.

This interface cost me about $25 to build, so far I like it very much. It is comparable to the Bodnar board in my opinion. The inputs are responsice and the axis are quite smooth.


I may have some PC boards made for it, I am prototyping one now on my CNC machine.

This project is pretty stable, there have been some sharp people working on it a few years now... I just picked it up when I thought I would not be able to get the Bodnar boards or support for it anymore when Leo was MIA around Christmas. Not to slight Leo or his cards in anyway....I love my Bodnar card.

I would be happy to share any info to anyone wanting to build one, or help building one. If you don't have the skills, desire, or time to program the chip I would be happy to do it for you for the cost of the chip and postage, about $7.00 USD I estimate. If you really want one but don't want to wire it up yourself on perfboard The PC boards would be about $20 each from PCBexpress.com. (this was not included in my cost to build, since I assembled mine on a small prototyping board). By the time you get it built with a commercially made PC board, it will be about $45 USD I would say. Not bad for the number of inputs it provides. I love building electronics so it's win-win for me. I put screw terminals on the one I built but if I do a PC board it will use the press-type terminals similar to Leo's board.


It is an open-source project that has been around a while... There are many web pages out there that offer schematics, PCB layouts, and the hex file to load into your AVR chip to make the thing work. There are also quite a few retail boards out there that are based on this design, actually I think I counted over 14 of them. Here is the link that I found most helpful in building:

http://www.powernet.pl/~krzysiek/ele...y16/mjoy16.htm


There is also a version (the original I think) that uses a smaller, cheaper chip, and has fewer inputs. This version is refered to as MJoy, not MJoy16


Cheers,

BuddyM
A320 builder
Tampa, FL USA

[willemb]

Hi,
same here.
I also built an Mjoy16 and have never looked back.
At first i was interested in one of Leo's boards but as you say he went awol for a while which made me look for alternatives.

I had a fun time building the thing, and also learned a lot. The pcb i purchased from a guy in the Netherlands.

I did find you need the soldering to be very good, because at first i had some axes jumping around and switches working erratically.
Programming the chip was a breeze, just follow the instructions as found on the Mjoy site (you can still find it in the internet archives, the original site is down).

Only thing i run into occassionally is that the device seems to loose its usb-id. This is annoying because then you loose your axes assignments and such.
Don't know what's causing that, might be my computer acting up.
Just plug it in and reprogram the chip is the solution.

All in all i am happy with the product.
Oh and don't forget to check out the mjoy mapper utillity, which allows you to map mjoy button presses to keyboard presses.
Together with a registered version of FSUIPC this allows for ultimate programmabillity of your sim controls.

grt
Willem
Netherlands

[metradon1]

Hello Mr. BuddyM,

Can you please help me. Can you build one for me. I cannot find the parts here in Saudi Arabia. I have to purchase the parts from the net which would cost me more than your suggested price. Can you build it for me and I'll just pay you plus labor and shipping. Plus The switches it self. I need it for my cockpit project. The MJOY would look like the best thing for my project. Is this compatible with windows 7. please send me an e-mail with your phone number so I can explain my needs like aileron and rudder trim tabs and the switches.. I'll be the one to call you. Please reply. Thank you so much.


Prem Rangwani
System support Engr.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
FILIPINO FRIEND, MABUHAY!!!
+996552501265
p.rangwani@gmail.com

I have finsihed testing on the MJoy16 joystick interface. It was easy to build and seems to work perfectly. It has the following capabilities:

8 axis, 10 bits resolution
64 button inputs
16 dual-input toggle switches
4 rotary encoders
1 8-way hat switch

It has NO outputs...but I am working on another solution for that....

I have tested all of the funtions and they work very well. Other featues of note are:

The rotary encoders have a unique feature where turning a knob slowly generates one input and turning it quickly generates a different input. This can mapped in a handy fashion to use fast-turning to adjust the whole part of a value (such as comm frequency) and slow-turning to adjust the decimal part. Very slick.

The analog axis have a auto-center feature than can be enabled/disabled with a jumper.

This interface cost me about $25 to build, so far I like it very much. It is comparable to the Bodnar board in my opinion. The inputs are responsice and the axis are quite smooth.


I may have some PC boards made for it, I am prototyping one now on my CNC machine.

This project is pretty stable, there have been some sharp people working on it a few years now... I just picked it up when I thought I would not be able to get the Bodnar boards or support for it anymore when Leo was MIA around Christmas. Not to slight Leo or his cards in anyway....I love my Bodnar card.

I would be happy to share any info to anyone wanting to build one, or help building one. If you don't have the skills, desire, or time to program the chip I would be happy to do it for you for the cost of the chip and postage, about $7.00 USD I estimate. If you really want one but don't want to wire it up yourself on perfboard The PC boards would be about $20 each from PCBexpress.com. (this was not included in my cost to build, since I assembled mine on a small prototyping board). By the time you get it built with a commercially made PC board, it will be about $45 USD I would say. Not bad for the number of inputs it provides. I love building electronics so it's win-win for me. I put screw terminals on the one I built but if I do a PC board it will use the press-type terminals similar to Leo's board.


It is an open-source project that has been around a while... There are many web pages out there that offer schematics, PCB layouts, and the hex file to load into your AVR chip to make the thing work. There are also quite a few retail boards out there that are based on this design, actually I think I counted over 14 of them. Here is the link that I found most helpful in building:

http://www.powernet.pl/~krzysiek/ele...y16/mjoy16.htm


There is also a version (the original I think) that uses a smaller, cheaper chip, and has fewer inputs. This version is refered to as MJoy, not MJoy16


Cheers,

BuddyM
A320 builder
Tampa, FL USA

[Buddym]

Hi Prem,

I would be happy to help out with getting you the parts and sending them, but I don't have the available time to build a production/prototype from scratch. In your particular case I would suggest that you look at a commercial product like Leo Bodnar's boards. They are plug and play, work very well, and are well-supported. I am working son getting some MJoy PCBs made, I will keep you posted on that. Also, over on www.x-simulator.de you will find a guy named frakk that has some spare PCBs for sale. In fact, here's the link: http://www.x-simulator.de/forum/mjoy...-t726-400.html

If I get a PCB going it will much much easier to build these and sell them to folks, although it would only be the charge of actual parts and assembly since this is an open-source project. Wiring a fully-pinned MJoy with point-to-point hand-wiring is just too time consuming. The spirit of the project is open-source for those that enjoy building or can't afford commercial boards, plus there is no need to offer further competition to guys like Leo who have a great product that our community needs to support when possible.

Tha said, anything I can do to help support you otherthan building the card wouold be my pleasure.

Buddy