How to Build a Button Box (tutorial)

[-322FG-Wimwam]

I spent the last 5 weeks banging my head against a wall trying to build my own button box for IL2 and have finally succeeded! If you want to do the same, I've put together a video tutorial.

 

 

It covers everything from picking components, designing, wiring to coding. The best thing is, you shouldn't need to be an expert in coding or electronics to follow along.

 

 

[Sokol1]

You can use toggle switch (ON-OFF or ON-OFF-ON) for things like landing gear, because the position of switch lever (up or down) give you visual/tactile feedback of landing gear position.

Just need in code add function for ON and OFF state of switch, send a momentary pulse. LYNX CUB firmware for Arduino's do this.

[-322FG-Wimwam]

Yea I maybe should have mentioned that was possible but I just wanted to keep the video as simple as I possibly could, so I didn't include it.

[milktoast]

Im planning on building a box of my own and your video has been great help. I have some questions though, im planning on using quite a few potentiometers, would I have any trouble mapping controls? My joystick has a knob (that im guesing is a potentiometer based on your video) and im unable use it with controls that require switches like the trim on the hs129 and the h-stab trim on the fw.

[Sokol1]

You can use pot'metrs for game controls that allow use an analog axis.

 

Fw 190 trim don't allow use a analog axis for trim  - RL plane use a electric control based in buttons, so for this case a pot'mtr will not help.

 

But you can use encoder, that physically looks a pot'mtr, use knob but press a button when turned clockwise, and another when turned counterclockwise, what may help in this case.

 

However, you need a firmware with encoder support. E.g. the popular ready to use USB controller L.Bodnar BU0836 support, or freeware firmware MMJoy2, FreeJoy for Arduino PRO Micro an STM32 respectively support.

 

Quote

 

My joystick has a knob (that im guesing is a potentiometer based on your video) and im unable use it with controls that require switches like the trim on the hs129 and the h-stab trim on the fw.

 

 

If your joystick with "knob"  is VKB or VirPil with micro-stick, you can make then send buttons press, or work as relative axis, what are not influenced by micro-stick return to center spring. 

But again, in game don't allow use analog axis for a given command, no joy.

Edited August 19, 2020 by Sokol1

[BP_Lizard]

Very helpful and informative. Thanks.

[-322FG-Wimwam]

On 8/18/2020 at 7:51 AM, -3JCG-Twiddle-Diddles said:

Im planning on building a box of my own and your video has been great help. I have some questions though, im planning on using quite a few potentiometers, would I have any trouble mapping controls? My joystick has a knob (that im guesing is a potentiometer based on your video) and im unable use it with controls that require switches like the trim on the hs129 and the h-stab trim on the fw.

 

Another concern might be that the code I have will get a bit laggy if you include more than 3 or 4 pots. You might want to try something like mmjoy2  instead