Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: Delirium on June 07, 2008, 06:48:16 PM
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Huge thanks to Homeboy for helping me get this project completed!
My goal was to combine 2 CH Prothrottles in a single package, while allowing myself to use CH Control Manager and having the same feel as a single CHProthrottle. She isn't real pretty, but function rules supreme.
I lost the disk that showed the steps inbetween the beginning and the finished product, because there was a huge gap in the project. I had made a huge error and somehow fried a board for one side and had to wait for a replacement.
She isn't quite finished, I want to smooth out the edges where the old prothrottle connects to the new throttle for a smooth look and cover up the huge gaps.
(http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn270/DeliriumP38Lightning/MVC-001F.jpg)
(http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn270/DeliriumP38Lightning/MVC-002F.jpg)
(http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn270/DeliriumP38Lightning/MVC-003F.jpg)
(http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn270/DeliriumP38Lightning/MVC-004F.jpg)
(http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn270/DeliriumP38Lightning/MVC-005F.jpg)
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Really would like to know how well it works :D
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Needs a blender.
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It works perfectly, the only oddity I found was since I had to move the pot/controller for the right hand throttle backwards the axis is backwards as well. It isn't a big deal for AH since I can reverse axis, but for another game it may be a little more troublesome.
Thanks again, Homeboy!
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Dork
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Wait until I get my flight yoke, then it will be as close as I can get to the real thing without winning the lottery.
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Flight yoke?! I know what I'm saving up for!
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It works perfectly, the only oddity I found was since I had to move the pot/controller for the right hand throttle backwards the axis is backwards as well. It isn't a big deal for AH since I can reverse axis, but for another game it may be a little more troublesome.
Thanks again, Homeboy!
you can reverse the wires on the right hand pot and the axis will be correct.
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you can reverse the wires on the right hand pot and the axis will be correct.
Reverse the blue and the green, but keep the yellow where it is?
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Why would you need two throttles?
Oh wait, I get it.. bombers.. forgot.. sorry.
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Interesting contraption you rigged up there Delirium. Congratulations!
How do you work the hat panel on the left? I guess you slip you hand off the throttle to the left and work it huh? I could see you assigning bomb site calibration buttons, "salvo 2" type functions, etc. to those similar to how I use the row of switches across the front of the Throttle Quad.
Reverse the blue and the green, but keep the yellow where it is?
Yes, USB joystick pots all use three leads. The center lead is the "Reference" and the other two (referred to as the "Rails") are Ground and Vcc (+5v). If you reverse the Rails, you'll reverse the direction of the axis. It's also worth noting that all the pots in a controller share the same Rail leads. The only unique wires are the Reference leads. That means, for example, a controller with three pots only needs five wires total. That's Gnd for all three, Vcc for all three, and three reference wires. Many people when they're wiring up pots will not realize this and duplicate the Rails which unnecessarily adds wires to the circuit.
Just FYI, if you were willing to sacrifice the mini-stick on the PT, you can gain two extra axes one of which can be used for the other throttle axis. This means, you can actually build a dual-throttle out of a single PT. Here is a photo of a PT where I've replaced the mini-stick with two regular pots:
(http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n199/snomhf/CircuitDescription.jpg)
Your throttle reminds me of a project I worked on with a friend of mine who lives in England. He is a one-armed fellow who plays IL2 and goes by "Brando." Obviously, he needs to do everything with his left arm since he lost his right one in a motorcycle accident. He calls this thing the "TripeHound." Here is a photo of it:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v458/brando6BL/stickview_top.jpg)
That's a "lefty HOTAS" stick handle on there of course which was my contribution. The second "FighterStick head" is actually molded into the stick base on the left and he reaches down (sort of like how you access the "PT head" on your left throttle) to get access to all those controls. If you notice, the black rod sticking out the left side of the stick handle is actually his throttle. It's a pot with a "gear shift" type stick on it that is real easy for him to work. He's of course, mounted all sorts of other knobs and buttons around the base as well.
I understand he is quite a pilot and can manipulate all those controls with just the single hand. Pretty impressive! Brando is a great guy too. Quite an inspiration! He loves Spitfires so you'd be wasting your time calling him a "Spit Dweeb!" :D
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How do you work the hat panel on the left? I guess you slip you hand off the throttle to the left and work it huh? I could see you assigning bomb site calibration buttons, "salvo 2" type functions, etc. to those similar to how I use the row of switches across the front of the Throttle Quad.
The only reason I left it on the new throttle is eventually I want a yoke for the true p38 experience. Problem is, the CH yoke doesn't have much in the way of buttons so I figured if I could put as many functions on the throttle, it wouldn't be a problem.
Yes, I use it for stuff that I don't need often at all... like landing gear.
I also pulled my CH Throttle Quadrant out of storage and put it to the left of the throttle. From left to right controls; rudder trim, aileron trim, elevator trim, unused, RPM for engine 1, RPM for engine 2.
In retrospect, I think I'm going to move the hats on the right side a little more vertical, it is a little uncomfortable when moving around at full throttle.
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Your throttle reminds me of a project I worked on with a friend of mine who lives in England. He is a one-armed fellow who plays IL2 and goes by "Brando."
Interesting... when I was a Trainer in Airwarrior I did alot of work with a guy who only had one arm and live in GB. I'm still amazed by the discussion we had, went something like this;
Del: I usually put my view control on the hand that is doing the least amount of work, like the throttle hand/control.
Trainee: I only have one hand.
It was an interesting event, but he was a great guy and really worked hard to improve.
Homeboy, ask him if he flew in Airwarrior and under what CPID, if you don't mind.
Thanks again!
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yes switch the blue n green . the yellow (center) is reference ... oh yea what Homeboy said . (dont mind me I've been playing w/ my Gto all day)
Yea Brando's set up is pretty sweet .
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That knob on the bottom of ths stick looks like a choke or pull starter. :rofl
So when you submitting the mod to CH for you to make your millions?
:salute
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Del, have you considered placing the hats where they're more readily accesible without a lot of wrist breaking?
Homeboy, I just took another look at this ...thing from a nightmare you build, and I gotta ask;
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/Maj_Spotter/OMGController.png)
:rofl
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Holy Cow Homeboy!
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I did not build this. My one-armed friend Brando from across the pond built it. I just provided the lefty handle.
Here is the link outlining the development. Brando is a great guy and a tremendous inspiration.
http://www.ch-hangar.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3500&highlight=tripehound
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Holy necro-bump! Anyways, Del, from my experience on the CH quadrant throttle, I don't think it would be very convenient to use those switches left and right of the levers. IMO, if you could put 4 or 8-way hats on the BACK side of the throttle levers, IMO that would be most comfortable.
I usually end up resting my fingers on the lever balls rather than the palm of my hand. The way it sits, I can adust multiple levers easily and independently. However, I can't ready access the buttons on the base of the unit (and I doubt I'd be able to use the ones pictured that you made without seriously readjusting my grip). However, I could keep my fingers on the levers AND use the switches if they were on the backside of the lever, where my fingers naturally rest.
Just a thought in regards to custom layouts. I don't know if it's possible or not.
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Someone else is trying to do the same thing as Del did over at the SimHQ forums.
looking for suncom split throttle (http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2698809/1.html)
ack-ack
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Holy necro-bump! Anyways, Del, from my experience on the CH quadrant throttle, I don't think it would be very convenient to use those switches left and right of the levers. IMO, if you could put 4 or 8-way hats on the BACK side of the throttle levers, IMO that would be most comfortable.
About 2 weeks after I completed the throttle, I changed the angle of the hats to more closely mimic the original Prothrottle. I wanted the throttle to feel exactly like a Prothrottle so my fingers wouldn't have to relearn the view keys all over again.
I use the hat switches on the far left as macro keys, to fit the board and extend all that wiring wasn't worth the work involved.
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So when you submitting the mod to CH for you to make your millions?
:salute
It's Alive!!
You could call it the Frankenstick! :)
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So when you submitting the mod to CH for you to make your millions?
:salute
It's Alive!!
You could call it the Frankenstick! :)
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Very cool Delirium. Well done. I'll be on the look out for the final product.
:aok