How to build my own controller?

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[Wout]

In this topic the tutorial: Howto guide: Using real ship controls in Ship Simulator can be discussed. You can also post about your own work in progresses. Good luck!

[boarder25]

where can we get a pedentiometer thing also can it be used with a pedentiometer that has mor than two controls so it can be used for fs?
matt

[Kaj1]

where can we get a pedentiometer thing also can it be used with a pedentiometer that has mor than two controls so it can be used for fs?
matt

You can get potentiometers at various electronic parts stores.

About the more then two controls: you can use one potentiometer per control-connection on the print. If you want to use more potentiometers per control, it will use up more inputs on the print.

About fs, I guess it can be used, since it is recognised as a regular joystick.

[JHB]

So how much can it cost you to make this? What budget do I need to be ready before I start with the hazardous connection of electronic wires and circuits?  

[Sam]

Pff, I made one and it costed €10.

But I the only thing I had to buy where the potmeters.

I think, If you completely build it yourself, it will be around:

wood, wire, other materials: €20
Tools:€20
Elektronics: €50
=€90

But, most people have materials and tools at home, so for them it will only cost €50.


Mine is here:
http://www.freewebs.com/shipsimcontrolunit/buildinglog.htm

[boarder25]

so did u use that BU0836 Controller thingy and how do u know where all the connectors go on it?
oh and can i get the BU0836 Controller anywhere else?im thinking of making one for ss anf fs
and can i make the pedonemeter go so it read forward and backward movment like pushing the stick forward and back on a plane in fs then ill creat somthing to lock the movment for ss
matt

[Kaj1]

Sam used something different, he just used the com-port. The BU0836 uses USB. About the pins, did you read the tutorial, what did you not get about it, maybe I can edit it a bit and clarify it.

You can have the potentiometer map to a regular joystick. If you calibrate it right in windows, it would be able to do a regulat X/Y axis.

Pff, I made one and it costed €10.

But I the only thing I had to buy where the potmeters.

I think, If you completely build it yourself, it will be around:

wood, wire, other materials: €20
Tools:€20
Elektronics: €50
=€90

But, most people have materials and tools at home, so for them it will only cost €50.


Mine is here:
http://www.freewebs.com/shipsimcontrolunit/buildinglog.htm

- elektronics would just be around €25, since you only need the BU0836.
- potentiometers only cost a couple of euro's a piece. Usually < 7€
- Just use scrap materials, should be enough.

tools.. well everyone has some basic tools. Guess 30 euro's would do for a simple control.

[boarder25]

in the tutorial i dont think it explains enough about exactly where to put all the wires from the pedometers or i could just be being stupid
matt

[Sam]

No, it doesnt.

But the manual of the BU... controller explains it all!

It isn't pendometer, it is potentiometer.

[boarder25]

oh ok sorry  i get it now
do u know how to make a view hat thing like there is on lots of joysticks?
matt 

[Sam]

I just use my mouse as a view hat.

But with four push-release switches it will be possible, I guess.

I think the best is, that you firstly make a simple control unit.
Like mine, without hat switches and stuff like that.

With the BU... controller, I would make:
2 throttles
1 rudder
bowthruster
sternthruster
Some switches

And when you get some experience of that, you could make an other, more compicated controller with some of the hardware from your old controller.

Just do some research, draw the thing and build it!
There are many sites of people who builded their own cockpit, I learned a lot from those sites.

[LucAtC]

Surely this project is very interesting, but the electronic part will be the easy one, thanks to these USB controllers. Nevertheless, there is still the question of the control handles.
Sam's project is impressive, but it requires room, skills, time and patience. All these virtues (yes!) are necessary due to the high cost of the potentiometer mechanics.
I bought 5 years ago a Morse control, made of a €10 pot, plus plastic/Alu casing, 4 LEDs at €0.05, one micro pushbutton, reduction gears, at a price of €475 (with VAT)... Vetus, Commander, Rexroth, Kobelt and other ones were as expensive if not much more. If it can be accepted for a ships' control, I think spending as much money for a luxury potientometer is overkill, even a very nice one.
I would greatly appreciate if the author gave an idea of where to find, or how he himself built these controls.
Regards,
Luc

[Kevinmcg_ships]

Hey guys,

There seem to be a ship controller coming out this year. No price as yet, see:

http://www.raildriver.com/products/shipdriver.php

Sounds very interesting! I really hope they will be available in the UK and Europe   

[Jocke]

Yes, its looks perfect. I will keep a eye on that site.

Regards Jocke

[boarder25]

it looks great but also quite expensive but worth ceepin an eye on
matt

[Kevinmcg_ships]

it looks great but also quite expensive but worth ceepin an eye on
matt

Hi Matt,

If the US dollar exchange rate stays the same against the UK Sterling this year then we would be paying around half price.

For example if the ship controller cost $150, we would be paying around £75 for it. I think it's still quite a lot to pay for a controller, but I'm hoping online giants like Amazon or play.com will stock them and sell it cheaper.

Kev

[Kaj1]

Surely this project is very interesting, but the electronic part will be the easy one, thanks to these USB controllers. Nevertheless, there is still the question of the control handles.
Sam's project is impressive, but it requires room, skills, time and patience. All these virtues (yes!) are necessary due to the high cost of the potentiometer mechanics.
I bought 5 years ago a Morse control, made of a €10 pot, plus plastic/Alu casing, 4 LEDs at €0.05, one micro pushbutton, reduction gears, at a price of €475 (with VAT)... Vetus, Commander, Rexroth, Kobelt and other ones were as expensive if not much more. If it can be accepted for a ships' control, I think spending as much money for a luxury potientometer is overkill, even a very nice one.
I would greatly appreciate if the author gave an idea of where to find, or how he himself built these controls.
Regards,
Luc

The main problem is that the real shipcontrols are too damn expensive. The ones used in the example are priced over 1000€.  These are real controls, which came from Alphatron, a big player in the shipcontrol-industry.  I guess what can be tried is "ship-junkyards", if these exist, I have no clue. Otherwise, something like Sam's controller could be made. This can be made, if you have the skills, as nice as you want it to be. I was going to try to make a nice post about making you own controls as well, was just waiting on the OK from Sam to use his post .

Hey guys,

There seem to be a ship controller coming out this year. No price as yet, see:

http://www.raildriver.com/products/shipdriver.php

Sounds very interesting! I really hope they will be available in the UK and Europe   

That thing has been announced for ages, if I am not mistaken. However, that ofcourse is plastic and does not look all that nice. I'd rather have a wooden one. But, when it finally does come out, it would be a nice alternative for people who do not have the time or skills to make something like the tutorial.

[marcstrat]

Maybe an idea,of making a very detailed manual(with pictures)about to make this tool.
I've seen that some of you,are realy great to fix this thing together.
Me,as a rookie in this matter dont realy know how to start.
What potentio-meter should i buy,howmany??
So if you want to do this,start from the very beginning,and think as someone who does not know at all.
Put all the info that is needed.
Regards
Marc

[Sam]

@Marcstrat

I see you live is Morstel, so you shouldn't travel far for components.

You could buy potentiometers in Merksem and in Antwerp.
But the shop in merksem is the most specialised.

How many you buy depends on how much functions you want to use.
Things like bowthruster, rudder, throttle, ... need potentiometers.

It allso depends of wich controller u buy.
For the BU0836 you need potmeters betwean 1Kohm and 100Kohm.
I don't know which would be the best but I would choose a potmeter between 10 and 90 Kohm.
Make shure it are linear ones.

How many switches u buy allso depends on how much you want to use.
Things like horn, engine start, map, ... need switches.
Make shure u buy push-release buttons.
If you use the BU0836 controller, you allso need a diode for each switch.


Well, I would like to help you, but for me that would be a lot easier in Dutch.
So if you have more questions, PM me.

[Denis]

I personnally use The Saitek Pro Flight Throttle Quadrant, to control the thrust independantly for two engines. That works perfectly, and the Saitel quadrant isn't that expensive (I already had it for Flight Simulator).

Here's a link :
http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/quad.htm

for the steering control, I use a saitek X45 throttle command, and the rotary of the X45 throttle for the aft and bow thrusters.

This gives me a full hotas config, perfect for conventionnal ships. But that doesn't work at all for specific ships, like the bugsier tug, ocean star, or red funnel ferry ... I still don't know how to steer those ships, without the keyboard

I have the same doubt about the raildriver product : this won't work for this sort of ships, for the same reasons...

[Kenneth E. Stacey]

Hi Kaj1/Sam
Will you please give me details of the potentiometers that you have used, manufacturer and part number if possible.
The BU0836 website gives values for the pots from 1 to 100K and suggests if in doubt use 10K. Sam says use 10K to 90K.
Do the ones you are using have a central stop and be turned in both directions to give ahead and astern for the engine movements? Or is it necessary to use 2 pots, one for each of these purposes?
Same thing for steering port or starboard.
Are all the pots you are using the same values for all purposes?
Best regards,
Ken

[Sam]

Yes, they are all the same values.

The part number and manufacturer really doenst mather.

When you calibrate them, there should be no problem at all.

You most use one potmeter for each purpose.
Just the standard 3-pin LINEAR potmeter will do.

The size and kind of potmeter doesn't matter at all.

As long as you use a correct value.

[pigdog]

After reading the tutorial I decided to have a go myself and build my own controls using real ships equipment.

I took myself off to the nearest yacht chandlery and looked for second hand used controls, I stumbled across a set of volvo penta throttle controls which looked like they had potentiometers (pots) on them (bearing in mind I don't have a clue when it comes to electronics etc) so I tested them on a multimeter as per the tutorial and that confirmed that they were pots.

Fig.1/volvo penta controls

So now I know they are pots I ordered the BU0836 from Leo Bodnars website, as per the tutorial and that came within two days of ordering, so I then proceeded to solder the wires to the supplied pinheaders along with my fingers, I can still smell burning flesh.

Fig.2

This left me with six wires 3 for the port pot and 3 for the starboard pot, now I had to connect the other ends to the pots, luckily I had some small crimp connectors so I put these on the ends of the wires and then connected them to the pots.

Fig.4

Now the moment of truth, connecting the BU0836 to the computer (I used my old laptop for the initial hookup just incase!) Windows recognised it straight away so I went to the properties page in game controls in the control panel but there was nothing at all so after taking it all apart again and checking all the connections I tried again this time there was life but the picture in properties was nothing like in the tutorial I had solid values in the bars and when I moved the throttle lever nothing happened, so I took it all apart once again.

Nothing seemed to work so I contacted Leo Bodnar to ask his advice, he came straight back to me with his thoughts and a possible fix for the problem, which was in the end a wrong connection and my soldering (probably the flesh from my fingers on the terminals) so after a couple more emails I was ready to try again and this time it worked, although the port control lever was around the wrong way, it was a simple case of swapping them around, so I calibrated the controls in windows, started ss08 picked a small boat and away I went, I can't believe how much more control you have over the boats (I've only tried 3 fast boats and the harbour tug) but what a difference.

So steering is next I'll post some pics of that once I get it underway.

I just have to say a big thankyou to Leo bodnar and kaj1 for their help and advice, so if you're like me and have no clue as to electronics don't let that put you off building your own controls with people like them that supply the hardware for the job and great advice, you can't go wrong really so give it a go.

(just watch your fingers when soldering) those little pinheader things get pretty hot!!!!!!!!

[carl]

When I read this, I really want to make one.
I'm only very bad in electronics, but I think I will try it to make one

[carl]

Does anyone know where I can get a real second hand control or a cheap new one?