Community Event / Creation Arduino - Building a new controller for Elite - Dangerous
- Thread starter Xain
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Hi guys,
I'm a complete noob at this, I just want to ask a couple of questions if you please...
Is it possible to use a wireless Xbox 360 pad and receiver to achieve something like the OPs project without doing the programming?
Would it be possible to incorporate toggle switches onto the Xbox pad circuit board somehow?
If you could point me to somewhere where someone has had a go, at such a project it would be much appreciated.
Cheers
I'm a complete noob at this, I just want to ask a couple of questions if you please...
Is it possible to use a wireless Xbox 360 pad and receiver to achieve something like the OPs project without doing the programming?
Would it be possible to incorporate toggle switches onto the Xbox pad circuit board somehow?
If you could point me to somewhere where someone has had a go, at such a project it would be much appreciated.
Cheers
my question is about the switches.. especially the one with the covers.. when its "off" and the cover down, then the circut is broken and no input being sent.. however, when you flip the cover up and flip the switch to "on" regardless of what its function is, wont it just continuously be sending a keystroke to the game as if you had a stuck key on your keyboard?...
Ive looked into doing something like this, however, ive been looking at momentary switches since they "reset" back to zero position and dont lock on.. however, there isnt any that i have found that also have covers..
were you able to find a switch that had a cover that didnt "toggle" on, but rather return to the neutral position after being switched on?
Ive looked into doing something like this, however, ive been looking at momentary switches since they "reset" back to zero position and dont lock on.. however, there isnt any that i have found that also have covers..
were you able to find a switch that had a cover that didnt "toggle" on, but rather return to the neutral position after being switched on?
Not sure if anyone has mentioned this already. You can flash an arduino Uno to behave directly like an HID device so that you can skip the serial to key process. I've made a panel too, but using an arduino micro which acts like a keyboard right out the gate. The Pro trinket is $10 and can also act as a keyboard. That's probably what I'll use to make panels for my friends.
Have a look on eBay for momentary toggle switch. You can get the covers/guards separately for any toggle switch there too.
Cool stuff. I used this pre-made USB board to do the same thing for racing sims instead of having to work with the arduino. It's plug and play and even comes with all the wires,just stick them onto whatever buttons and switches you choose. Gives 12 buttons plus 4 more if you use the d-pad slots as well for 16 total buttons. Might be an easier solution for those that don't want to solder and fiddle with software.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171040534955?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
http://www.ebay.com/itm/171040534955?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
Not a problem since the arduino is programable. You don't have to rely on mechanical circuit logic. In my own project I use a variable to track the state of the switch and make it only press a key once when the state changes.
BTW Frontier, if you're reading this, more key bindable functions please!
As a VRinsight TT panel owner I strongly support this!
There's a good tutorial for making an Uno into a USB HID device here: http://mitchtech.net/arduino-usb-hid-keyboard/
Whether ED will see it correctly is another thing though. In theory, if you get it all set up right you should be able to go to the normal control mapping place and then flick the switch on your board.
Whether ED will see it correctly is another thing though. In theory, if you get it all set up right you should be able to go to the normal control mapping place and then flick the switch on your board.
For a whole host of ready done USB input options, check out those done by Leo Bodnar - http://www.leobodnar.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=94
Seriously, consider getting a £5 Arduino Pro Micro. Like THIS ONE.
Download the free MMjoy software (discussion HERE, Google download page HERE).
The software is basically a new firmware for the Arduino, and turns it into a fully customisable controller - buttons, potentiometers, rotary encoders, toggles, whatever. You load it onto the Arduino (instructions HERE) and configure it all with a Windows based GUI. When you've finished the final product is 100% standalone.
It has some very neat features too - such as smoothing 'noisy' analogue inputs, custom USB VID/PID, polling rates, etc.
Download the free MMjoy software (discussion HERE, Google download page HERE).
The software is basically a new firmware for the Arduino, and turns it into a fully customisable controller - buttons, potentiometers, rotary encoders, toggles, whatever. You load it onto the Arduino (instructions HERE) and configure it all with a Windows based GUI. When you've finished the final product is 100% standalone.
It has some very neat features too - such as smoothing 'noisy' analogue inputs, custom USB VID/PID, polling rates, etc.
Good call Rog!
I'd suggest though that if you're working on a new FIRMWARE, Arduino UNO is not a bad place to start off, especially if new to Arduino in general. It's not too unwieldy in terms of number of pins, you can mount it on a base for a good steady paltform, and you can run similar software to test the basic switching logic, that you would use on the Leonardo which is a more specialist platform and hardwire soldered.
Because pin headers, rather than soldered, if you do blow it up (unlikely at 5V, but what if you want to control the room lights / beer cooler too??
) you won't need to resolder, just switch out the UNO pin for pin. (Try not to though eh?) Once you've got to grips with the switches, laid out as hardware, you can solder them over to Leonardo, then grab a rotary encoder next, work out how it's connected / controlled, by retasking your UNO.+1 to whoever suggested keyboard ASCII emulation (USB HID) I think that's probably the way forward here OP but I'm waiting for an API from the cockpit (FDEV if you're listening) to generate some outputs to my GERTY companion, see "Moon" (as if you haven't already). A cheapo TFT screen (I think I paid £3 for it) that came from the Philippines so if anyone has any tips on grabbing keystrokes from controller level, that's what I'm trying to do. Mainly because I don't have the rig to play ED at all yet, and I'm not about to build a sim panel until I have a CPU! I'll just watch the OP develop his, and subscribed.
Currently the face makes a random emotion after a random time (biaised to be on the happy side) but I'd like him to "look alarmed" if I deploy hardpoints .. lol .. he could wire inbetween the OP's switches and the USB controller, getting cues from the physical switches, rather than the Keyboard/ Virtual ones .. and easier probably than decoding the USB (keyboard) shunting off TTL, then coding the TTL back into USB though I think that could be done.
Anyway .. if interested, and as someone asked me to make a video .. here's "Geraint" .. in defence of (tm) .. in all his core tested glory!
[video=youtube;_efsxLPzoeI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_efsxLPzoeI[/video]
So your saying that when its down, its down, you lift the cover and it will return to the neutral position... then you would just flip the switch up and it would return to the center "off position" and then you would flick the cover back down and it will push the switch down?..
I understand momentary toggle switches.. but from my experience the ones i have tried to do this with have been to stiff and the cover would never stay closed properly.. so i was looking for some covers that allowed the switch to stay in the neutral position, but never found those..
maybe i just need to re-look at some switches that went from an auto shop wearhouse, and find ones that were lighter to switch... Thanks!
Leonardo is designed (native) to be a controller, yes .. but UNO can be programmed to achieve the same thing by parceling the serial message (0 1 bits) into a full byte (8 bits) before sending it over ...
USB on the receiving end (computer) knows to decode (parse) the serial message in chunks, from a tag (uint8_t), added by the UNO
The UNO doesn't post any bits before it's built a whole byte!
and not as bad as it sounds, check the first part of ZMO's excellent answer .. here
edit:
USB on the receiving end (computer) knows to decode (parse) the serial message in chunks, from a tag (uint8_t), added by the UNO
The UNO doesn't post any bits before it's built a whole byte!
and not as bad as it sounds, check the first part of ZMO's excellent answer .. here
edit:
by way of a ps. the patch notes on the link above refer to a main article here
Note: you WON'T need to do ANYTHING to your Arduino unless it's old
connect UNO on USB ..
use PC control panel to look up UNO properties
(find under control panel> device manager > ports)
If the UNO device driver (version) is 1.0.0.0 ... you're golden
and if it looks too tough .. get a Leonardo
Note: you WON'T need to do ANYTHING to your Arduino unless it's old
connect UNO on USB ..
use PC control panel to look up UNO properties
(find under control panel> device manager > ports)
If the UNO device driver (version) is 1.0.0.0 ... you're golden
and if it looks too tough .. get a Leonardo
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Awesome idea - I too hate the arduino IDE, so I migrated to eclipse - has a much more professional feel, plus I've used it for PIC projects (MPLABX)
You can do capacitive touch relatively easily (wire and a piece of foil stuck behind the plastic would do), and I'd consider re-doing the USB stack on the arduino to make it recognise as a HID device (damn, too new, can't post the URL)
A little bit of tweaking, and you can identify as a keypad or other device, map it in ED, and skip the intermediate piece of software. Hmmmmm, now I'm thinking that a cheap glass panel may be doable....
You can do capacitive touch relatively easily (wire and a piece of foil stuck behind the plastic would do), and I'd consider re-doing the USB stack on the arduino to make it recognise as a HID device (damn, too new, can't post the URL)
A little bit of tweaking, and you can identify as a keypad or other device, map it in ED, and skip the intermediate piece of software. Hmmmmm, now I'm thinking that a cheap glass panel may be doable....
I made my own XB360 compatible Arcade Joystick by canibalising a wired XB360 gamepad and soldering wires from the arcade buttons to the PCB of the gamepad. So it is possible, not sure on the wireless - but if the PC can pick up the wireless pad you ought to be able to do the same.
All you do is replace the buttons and stick it in a new enclosure.
The analogue triggers are another matter though but if you have the crafting chops you might be able to place the trigger mechanisms in whatever dials etc you want.
Also, by using a wireless pad you have the issue of accessing and charging the batteries / battery pack. But perhaps you could just expose / relocate the mini-usb port at a suitable point.
Also, this thread would also belong in Elite Dangerous Fan Creations a bunch of other peripherals and gaming stations etc in there, some really good stuff going on for ED
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Wow, thanks for all the great feedback!
I've looked into all the solutions mentioned and I'm finding MMJoy to be the most promising. Only problem is the Arduino Leonardo has been sold out everywhere. Going to have to order online. Hoping to have this project working by release. Everything is functioning as expected except for inputting the controls into the game. Sadly, I haven't had any time the last couple of nights after work to figure that part out.
Someone did mention that the Arduino Uno could be set up as an HID keyboard. I might give this a try first if the software side becomes more difficult than I anticipate. Which was to virtualize a HID keyboard or Gamepad using VJoy which has a SDK and examples in C# to get me started.
Once I get something working I'll update you guys. Thanks again for the positive feedback, info, and support!
Anyone had any experience with Teensy? Teensyduino looks pretty good. Might have to order it up.
I'd really like to incorporate some buttons, a nice screen, and some LEDs to really make this thing look really awesome. Is it possible to get more digital pins? or to configure this to have more inputs for switches and buttons. As it stands, the UNO r3 is only capable of 14 Digital pins and 6 analog.
Thanks again!
I've looked into all the solutions mentioned and I'm finding MMJoy to be the most promising. Only problem is the Arduino Leonardo has been sold out everywhere. Going to have to order online. Hoping to have this project working by release. Everything is functioning as expected except for inputting the controls into the game. Sadly, I haven't had any time the last couple of nights after work to figure that part out.
Someone did mention that the Arduino Uno could be set up as an HID keyboard. I might give this a try first if the software side becomes more difficult than I anticipate. Which was to virtualize a HID keyboard or Gamepad using VJoy which has a SDK and examples in C# to get me started.
Once I get something working I'll update you guys. Thanks again for the positive feedback, info, and support!
Anyone had any experience with Teensy? Teensyduino looks pretty good. Might have to order it up.
I'd really like to incorporate some buttons, a nice screen, and some LEDs to really make this thing look really awesome. Is it possible to get more digital pins? or to configure this to have more inputs for switches and buttons. As it stands, the UNO r3 is only capable of 14 Digital pins and 6 analog.
Thanks again!
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To get more inputs, you use a diode matrix (just a diode for every button/switch basically), so 14 inputs could give you potentially 7x7 = 49 separate inputs.
Like this:
View attachment 3968
For diodes, 1N4148 or 1N4004 are fine - get a bag of 100 on eBay for next to nothing.
MMjoy will run on the pro-micro, Teensy 2, and the Leonardo. The pro-micro is the cheapest option - just mount it on a piece of perf/vero board. £5 from eBay, nice to experiment with. If you screw up, you can always re-load the Arduino firmware.
Here's the pins for the pro-micro:
BR = button row
BC = button column
ADC = analogue pin.
Like this:
View attachment 3968
For diodes, 1N4148 or 1N4004 are fine - get a bag of 100 on eBay for next to nothing.
MMjoy will run on the pro-micro, Teensy 2, and the Leonardo. The pro-micro is the cheapest option - just mount it on a piece of perf/vero board. £5 from eBay, nice to experiment with. If you screw up, you can always re-load the Arduino firmware.
Here's the pins for the pro-micro:
BR = button row
BC = button column
ADC = analogue pin.
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