Crazy idea

[mattcaron]

So, because I do weird hackerish things like this...

I currently have a CH Throttle and Fighter stick setup. The wife has basically said that she's going to get me an SCG gunfighter for Christmas (though I wish VKB made a metal Ultimate version of this too; that would be... so Metal). My intention is to use the CH throttle until the TECS comes out, but I fear I'll get annoyed with the awesome configurability of the gunfighter vs the no real configurability of the CH throttle.

And this got me thinking... CH uses a decent potentiometer and buttons in that unit, but it's limited by its ancient controller (8 bit ADC resolution, not programmable except via a windows only resident program, so NOT stored in the device). So, a common upgrade is to change out their controller for a BU0836A (http://www.leobodnar.com/products/BU0836A/). This got me thinking - is there a standalone NJoy32 controller that I can use as a replacement? Because then I have a nicely configurable stopgap until the TECS ships in 2030 ( ). I mean, the GNX HID Main says it's NJoy32 platform, but I assume this just means that it connects to the platform expansion bus, not that it can be used to make a custom joystick. So, is there anything that can be?

[Sokol1]

Years ago VKB used to sell Njoy32 for DIY, but today you need buy an Black Box - what they don't list standalone.
Or canibalize an Gladiator joystick for use their Njoy32 controller.

And will need connect CH PRO Throttle axes in internal connectors for analog axes - if exist in Black Box,* what require physical modification in Black Box for cables output.
BUS (an SYS in T-Rudder) connector is for digital communication and VKB MaRS sensors.

* See this topic, showing extra connections in Gladiator Njoy32 PCB: viewtopic.php?f=28&t=3626

Seems you will need convert PRO Throttle matrix (5x4) for Shift Register to be able to connect buttons in BM3 connector (serial connection), what mean redo all wiring in PRO throttle with 3x CD4021 shift register. To much headache.

GNX HID has no connector analog inputs, just connector (USB-C or JST) for the circuit already existent in the expansion modules.

Opera resume: VKB is an " Apple" for what you want is need an "Androide".

More easy and cheap just buy a Arduino PRO Micro clone (<$10) flash with MMjoy2 firmware and have a 10 bits USB PnP HID controller, for 12 bits need an extra MCP3208 ADC.
No internal re-wiring is need.

Rel4y in DCS forum (Input/Output) sell a "bolt in" replacement USB controller (based on PRO Micro+MMjoy2) @ 12 bits for CH's for less than an BU0836.

BTW - Unless you use this throttle as helicopter collective control, eg. for DCS helicopters; will see no practical difference of this extra resolutions.

[mattcaron]

I did some digging around last night and found the FreeJoy project which would seem to be a better choice than anything Arduino based

https://github.com/FreeJoy-Team/FreeJoy

And, honestly, the resolution is less of a concern than the other features such as mapping an axis movement to a series of button presses and to arbitrary button combinations (not sure that FreeJoy does the latter, but I know it does the former).

But, all that said, I'd still rather convert the throttle using NJoy32 especially if I can plug it into the blackbox from the SCG gunfighter (it has 2 inputs, right?)

[mattcaron]

Also, isn't this a standalone blackbox?

https://vkbcontrollers.com/?product=bla ... tand-alone