hoggydog Posted August 22, 2019 Share Posted August 22, 2019 Does anyone use a button box? Any issues or tips for using one? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibsonm Posted August 22, 2019 Share Posted August 22, 2019 Not really, my wife is the one into haberdashery. Sorry. Seriously, I have no idea what it is in a SB context. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSe419E Posted August 22, 2019 Share Posted August 22, 2019 I haven't got one but have thought of making one. Gibsonm, it's a, more or less, home-made game controller you can configure to match the specific game someone wants to make it for used in conjunction with other game controllers (HOTAS or steering wheels). They use software very much like the profiler for my joystick so there is no problem with the more than one controller issue. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkAngel Posted August 22, 2019 Share Posted August 22, 2019 A fang is a nice cheap option. I have one... It's pretty good:- 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawes Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7Sc4MJ8RPM Good video showing how to make your own. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggydog Posted August 23, 2019 Author Share Posted August 23, 2019 ordered this one, it seemed a reasonable price. Let's see how it works 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSe419E Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 8 hours ago, hawes said: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7Sc4MJ8RPM Good video showing how to make your own. Exactly the video I was thinking about. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggydog Posted August 24, 2019 Author Share Posted August 24, 2019 On 8/22/2019 at 9:36 PM, Gibsonm said: Not really, my wife is the one into haberdashery. Sorry. Seriously, I have no idea what it is in a SB context. Are you telling me sewing skills are not required in the Australian military? When I joined the Royal Navy we had to bring quite a comprehensive sewing kit and were taught basic uniform repairs! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibsonm Posted August 24, 2019 Share Posted August 24, 2019 (edited) I did say "into". I can sew a button if required but I don't have a box dedicated to collecting / storing them. Edited August 24, 2019 by Gibsonm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzer_Leader Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 On 8/23/2019 at 11:38 PM, hoggydog said: ordered this one, it seemed a reasonable price. Let's see how it works @hoggydog how did the button box go? I've been looking at similar, commercially-available button boxes but I'd be keen to hear your experience, and whether it adds value to the Steel Beasts or not, before pressing the button, so to speak. This is the one I'm thinking about: (https://www.ricmotech.com/RealGear_RACEpro_H22_Button_Box_p/rgr-rpbp-h22.htm) 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkAngel Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 2 hours ago, Panzer_Leader said: @hoggydog how did the button box go? I've been looking at similar, commercially-available button boxes but I'd be keen to hear your experience, and whether it adds value to the Steel Beasts or not, before pressing the button, so to speak. This is the one I'm thinking about: (https://www.ricmotech.com/RealGear_RACEpro_H22_Button_Box_p/rgr-rpbp-h22.htm) For that price you could build several. Start with a Leo bodnar or U-Hid board and an RS or Wiltronics catalogue Nothing in that box there is worth US$230 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawes Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 14 minutes ago, DarkAngel said: For that price you could build several. Start with a Leo bodnar or U-Hid board and an RS or Wiltronics catalogue Nothing in that box there is worth US$230 I'd recommend the U-HID boards as these can be programmed to act as a keyboard. The Leo Bodnar boards are good, but are recognised by Windows as Joysticks. Steel Beasts will only allow one Joystick to be used (unless you use third party software which looks like a pain in the arse to set up) Similar switches used in the RealGear RACEpro Button Box can be sourced on eBay for a few dollars each. You can print your own box if you have access to a 3D printer. If you don't have the tools to design your own box, email AFV Sim and we'll send you a few ready made designs. If you want to design your own box, send us a sketch with a few dimensions and we'll design one for you. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkAngel Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 Plus using a U-hid you can have up to 32 buttons 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkAngel Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 27 minutes ago, hawes said: I'd recommend the U-HID boards as these can be programmed to act as a keyboard. The Leo Bodnar boards are good, but are recognised by Windows as Joysticks. Steel Beasts will only allow one Joystick to be used (unless you use third party software which looks like a pain in the arse to set up) Similar switches used in the RealGear RACEpro Button Box can be sourced on eBay for a few dollars each. You can print your own box if you have access to a 3D printer. If you don't have the tools to design your own box, email AFV Sim and we'll send you a few ready made designs. If you want to design your own box, send us a sketch with a few dimensions and we'll design one for you. Leo Bodnar boards would be good if Esim supported them as they have the ability to handle Rotary encoders for traverse wheels. From what I've read the U-Hid claims to do rotary encoders but don't implement them well. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawes Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 55 minutes ago, DarkAngel said: Leo Bodnar boards would be good if Esim supported them as they have the ability to handle Rotary encoders for traverse wheels. From what I've read the U-Hid claims to do rotary encoders but don't implement them well. We got mechanical low-res encoders to work with the U-HID boards. The boards also support LED's. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkAngel Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 22 minutes ago, hawes said: We got mechanical low-res encoders to work with the U-HID boards. The boards also support LED's. Maybe that was the issue that i remember reading about, that they only support low res encoders 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawes Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 A simple design using 6 push switches and 6 toggle switches. This will give you 18 signals using 2 position toggle switches. With a custom design, you can choose your own type and quantity of switches and arrange them however you want. Contact AFV Sim if you want the .STL files to 3D print this design. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawes Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 2 hours ago, DarkAngel said: Plus using a U-hid you can have up to 32 buttons Also, the U-HID boards can be connected together and assigned their own ID's, up to a limit of 8 board. Potentially 8 x 50 signals. In practice, the ID's in Windows get a bit flakey after 5 or 6 boards, but I'm told this is a Windows issue. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoggydog Posted March 20, 2020 Author Share Posted March 20, 2020 18 hours ago, Panzer_Leader said: @hoggydog how did the button box go? I've been looking at similar, commercially-available button boxes but I'd be keen to hear your experience, and whether it adds value to the Steel Beasts or not, before pressing the button, so to speak. This is the one I'm thinking about: (https://www.ricmotech.com/RealGear_RACEpro_H22_Button_Box_p/rgr-rpbp-h22.htm) Works like a dream for DCS and other things build quality is good too with a nice long lead. However, trying to get SB to accept more than one controller requires more Joy2key fuckery than i have time for atm. Someone did post an excellent tutorial on how to do it elswhere on the forum I just need to find the will and the time. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzer_Leader Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 On 3/21/2020 at 12:48 PM, hoggydog said: Works like a dream for DCS and other things build quality is good too with a nice long lead. However, trying to get SB to accept more than one controller requires more Joy2key fuckery than i have time for atm. Someone did post an excellent tutorial on how to do it elswhere on the forum I just need to find the will and the time. Thanks @hoggydog, appreciate the feedback. I'm not sure I've got the patience for that right now either (plus cost / benefit outcome for Steel Beasts seems low, the only application I'd use it for) so might shelve my button box aspirations for the time being, maybe to revisit at some point in the future. Cheers 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanTDBV Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 On 3/21/2020 at 12:48 AM, hoggydog said: Works like a dream for DCS and other things build quality is good too with a nice long lead. However, trying to get SB to accept more than one controller requires more Joy2key fuckery than i have time for atm. Someone did post an excellent tutorial on how to do it elswhere on the forum I just need to find the will and the time. I found JoyToKey very easy to use once the profile is created and setup. It is faster to assign key presses to buttons than writing about it. I’ve boiled the JTK part from my Multiple Controllers tutorial down to this: https://www.steelbeasts.com/topic/13930-the-short-joytokey-guide/ 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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