My Elite Dangerous control panel (cheap jury rig/improvized setup)
Now Updated (see bottom of this post for new pics)
I've got a lot of spare parts lying around, including some disused keyboards. I figured I'd cannibalize one of them in order to make a custom Elite Dangerous keyboard to go along with my Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS setup. But being a cheap my goal was to make something spending as little as possible. See what you think.
Basically the idea was to pop out any unused keys, leaving only the ones I have mapped to ED. After that, I realized that the arrangement of the keys could be clustered into more definable groups, making things easier to find. This was the first stage, where I got the key layout the way I liked it and had a cardboard cover exposing the used keys.
Ideally I wanted to paint the key clusters in distinct colors, but again, being cheap I couldn't afford several cans of spraypaint (hand painting just wouldn't look good). I had access to some basic black and white spray paint, so I spray painted the keys white, and a rubber mat cover that replaced the cardboard black (no plastic sheeting of convenient cutable thickness lying around...). So this is the end result.
I used my laser printer and some spare label stickers to create the key tops. Double sided tape to keep the sheet cover in place (no point in gluing it, I might need to add more keys at some point!)
As you can see, the keyboard is raised and angled on this contraption I had lying around (made up of two plastic paper trays I had glued together for a different project a long time ago). It has velcro keeping the keyboard secured in place.
Final steps will include an actual plastic cover over the keys once I'm sure it's the way I want (and can find said plastic), and perhaps a black baseboard where all three items can be secured with velcro so they don't move around in-game.
Sure it's not a slick or expensive rig, but my table does feel a bit more like a cockpit now
UPDATED:
To ring in the new year, here's what my rig looks like now.
So, the basics, here's the large overview of what it looks like. Sandro's old hat I consider part of my rig. My headtracker/headset/microphone beside it. There is a new desk that is smaller but wider, and high enough for me to slip my lets right under so I can get the chair right up to the edge. You might notice that I pulled out the panel on the right hand side so that the computer could rest in its nook but not overheat from lack of ventilation.
The keyboard now has the PS3 eye permanently mounted on it, which gets it closer to me without blocking the TV screen in any way. Also gives it that "HAL" vibe Raising the angle of the keyboard makes it look/feel more like a control panel and less like a keyboard. The mini logitech keyboard (for detailed communication needs) fits nicely under it between the HOTAS...speaking of which...
I mounted a bracket into the throttle of the HOTAS and added a simple numerical keypad to it, spraypainted to match the control panel's color scheme. It is a solid fixture now, no give at all, and positioned perfectly for ease of use. While I don't have the keys assigned yet I'm hoping to get it to be a "Quick Comm" panel, allowing me to send standard pre-written hails for most situations. Any other suggestions as to what it could be used for will be welcomed.
Now, I know this isn't as flashy or elaborate as some cockpits out there, but the misspelled title says it all - this is a jury rig and improvised setup, meant to be done on a super-budget for those who want something more but can't afford expensive customized kit. The initial keyboard was a spare I had lying around, and the numerical keypad was something I found over the holidays. The HOTAS I've had for ages (and is the best budget joystick on the market anyway) and the PS3 Eye is only going to get cheaper as time goes on (and the forums here had helpful advice on how to adapt it to FaceTrackNoIR).
Update. I decided to turn that dummy panic button into a real button. It now operates the Jettison All function. That freed up room for something every pilot needs these days for many different missions: an LCD clock set to Galactic Standard Time
update. Pulled out the number keys on the control panel and mounted a track ball mouse in its place
update. added a mount to the chair for an iPad to act as an information resource (eddb, etc...) without Alt-tabbing. Make it so!
Now Updated (see bottom of this post for new pics)
I've got a lot of spare parts lying around, including some disused keyboards. I figured I'd cannibalize one of them in order to make a custom Elite Dangerous keyboard to go along with my Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS setup. But being a cheap my goal was to make something spending as little as possible. See what you think.
Basically the idea was to pop out any unused keys, leaving only the ones I have mapped to ED. After that, I realized that the arrangement of the keys could be clustered into more definable groups, making things easier to find. This was the first stage, where I got the key layout the way I liked it and had a cardboard cover exposing the used keys.
Ideally I wanted to paint the key clusters in distinct colors, but again, being cheap I couldn't afford several cans of spraypaint (hand painting just wouldn't look good). I had access to some basic black and white spray paint, so I spray painted the keys white, and a rubber mat cover that replaced the cardboard black (no plastic sheeting of convenient cutable thickness lying around...). So this is the end result.
I used my laser printer and some spare label stickers to create the key tops. Double sided tape to keep the sheet cover in place (no point in gluing it, I might need to add more keys at some point!)
As you can see, the keyboard is raised and angled on this contraption I had lying around (made up of two plastic paper trays I had glued together for a different project a long time ago). It has velcro keeping the keyboard secured in place.
Final steps will include an actual plastic cover over the keys once I'm sure it's the way I want (and can find said plastic), and perhaps a black baseboard where all three items can be secured with velcro so they don't move around in-game.
Sure it's not a slick or expensive rig, but my table does feel a bit more like a cockpit now
UPDATED:
To ring in the new year, here's what my rig looks like now.
So, the basics, here's the large overview of what it looks like. Sandro's old hat I consider part of my rig. My headtracker/headset/microphone beside it. There is a new desk that is smaller but wider, and high enough for me to slip my lets right under so I can get the chair right up to the edge. You might notice that I pulled out the panel on the right hand side so that the computer could rest in its nook but not overheat from lack of ventilation.
The keyboard now has the PS3 eye permanently mounted on it, which gets it closer to me without blocking the TV screen in any way. Also gives it that "HAL" vibe
Raising the angle of the keyboard makes it look/feel more like a control panel and less like a keyboard. The mini logitech keyboard (for detailed communication needs) fits nicely under it between the HOTAS...speaking of which...I mounted a bracket into the throttle of the HOTAS and added a simple numerical keypad to it, spraypainted to match the control panel's color scheme. It is a solid fixture now, no give at all, and positioned perfectly for ease of use. While I don't have the keys assigned yet I'm hoping to get it to be a "Quick Comm" panel, allowing me to send standard pre-written hails for most situations. Any other suggestions as to what it could be used for will be welcomed.
Now, I know this isn't as flashy or elaborate as some cockpits out there, but the misspelled title says it all - this is a jury rig and improvised setup, meant to be done on a super-budget for those who want something more but can't afford expensive customized kit. The initial keyboard was a spare I had lying around, and the numerical keypad was something I found over the holidays. The HOTAS I've had for ages (and is the best budget joystick on the market anyway) and the PS3 Eye is only going to get cheaper as time goes on (and the forums here had helpful advice on how to adapt it to FaceTrackNoIR).
Update. I decided to turn that dummy panic button into a real button. It now operates the Jettison All function. That freed up room for something every pilot needs these days for many different missions: an LCD clock set to Galactic Standard Time
update. Pulled out the number keys on the control panel and mounted a track ball mouse in its place
update. added a mount to the chair for an iPad to act as an information resource (eddb, etc...) without Alt-tabbing. Make it so!
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