iRacing -> Button Box Build

[mrbean_phillip]

Hello Everyone,
For years, I have been enjoying GTR/GTR2, whilst living in the Republic of South Africa.

In 2006, however, I was transferred by the Company I worked for, to head up the National Services Manager position in Australia. The new role required quite a lot of attention the first 3-4 years, and as a result, I thoroughly neglected my sim-racing.

Well, Moptimus guided me in the right direction, and just last week, I have taken up iRacing. My job nowadays is a dual-role, but, somehow, I can manage to squeeze sim-racing in again.

Really enjoying iRacing, a lot of effort needed to progress through the license-classes, which is a good thing, as it mostly preclude those brain-dead arcade-racers to muck your race up.

Ok ok, still pretty agressive drivers, but, you won't make it without a bit of competitive spirit - it is every bit as serious as normal racing.

With the history lesson over, let's get onto the project of the day/week/month

Due to me being a fairly large guy, I typically destroy the more affordable Logitech wheels and pedals during a season/or less of competitive sim-racing, so 8 years ago, I got myself the indestructable ECCI Trackstar 6000 Wheel and Pedals.

While I have done the 6-button mod on my wheel, as anyone would know, in sim-racing you always need more buttons, and the more realistic the sim, the more additional mapped buttons you need.....well, this brings me to Project Button Box.

The ECCI Wheel's 14-bit controller can support an additional 24 buttons, or something such, they are matrixed, and as such, may suffer from ghosting....

So, as a seperate stand-alone controller, I will be using the venerable Ultimarc U-HID - pictured here with a Leo Bodnar unit, and a dual quadrature encoder with push-button.



and another angle, to give you an idea of the (tiny) size of this unit, which can accept 50 inputs, varying from mere digital (push-button) to analog, and optical and mechanical encoders.



Here is a pic of the ABS JayCar special plastic housing I will be using, 197mm long x 112mm wide x 65mm deep. Please note the 10x toggle-switches are all dual-pole dual throw momentary switches, i.e 2 switches in every single unit - to make best use of the relatively small housing's real-estate, it makes sense to use those.

In other words, the switch toggle will normally sit in the center position, flick it up, you can for example move your cockpit seat forward, flick it down, move backward...

In most button boxes available, this action is done by 2 seperate push buttons - nice, but takes up double the space.



All measured and marked up, with buttons positioned to see how practica and reachable they are - the starter/ignition buttons and encoder will most likely swap...



Now, for those using toggle switches in their day-day lives, the most annoying thing is when they loosen up, and start to rotate around - with that in mind, I have drilled small holes in the rear of the front plate, to positively locate/fix them in place - this small plate has a pin, that goes into a receiver-slot in the switch housing, preventing in from turning off-center.

Annoying if that should happen, where instead of up/down, you have to go left/right mid game



Decided to have the Ignition as a key-switch, top left, and Engine Start right next to it....here you can see the front panel drilled, and ready to receive all the buttons.



Next picture shows the DPDT momentaries fitted, I even rounded them off by fitting nice rubber-caps...



Here is a picture of all buttons fitted, and in the positions they will go....the quadrature encoder far-right, as mentioned, is dual-axis, with 4 buttons on the 2 independant shafts, as well as a momentary push-button switch in the cap.

This will beused to adjust things like brake pressure increase/decrease on the one shaft, and using the pushbutton to accept the settings, while using the 2nd shaft to adjust some other chassis/drivetrain setting, with shift+pushbutton accepting that one.

The U-HID supports the shift-function, so that bit is easily doable.

For your pleasure...

[mrbean_phillip]

For your information, the design is using 18 pysical devices, but have a total of 32 switch contacts. Nice and compact, and using the shift-function, you can have 64 switches for the 18 physical units installed

Next steps:

1) Draw up the front-panel in AutoCAD

2) Mark positions of switches, and assign practical grouping of clusters of switches

3) Circle those grouped devices

4) Add text bits for functions

5) Save and send the dxf/dwg file to someone who can do me a nice laser-cut and engraving of the front-panel.

6) Can be plastic or aluminum.

7) Have the engraver paint the text

Once I have the front-panel part back, I can start with the physical wiring - or, I could always design the fron-panel that it fits over the buttons -won't look as neat, but me 100 times more practical.

Should anyone wish to have more info, ask away, I will answer what I can.

Anyone here that knows someone who can do the front-panel bit for a decent price? I guess all they realy need to do is engrave the thing, based on the dimensions I give - I can then do the holes myself....

[Timbojones0123]

subbed!
Very nice job.

[bobbth]

Also subbed, pretty awesome project. The only problem I could foresee it the buttons look like they would be easy to confuse, which in the middle of a race could be catastrophic. I guess the engraving should fix that though.

[Optimus.]

Looking very exciting Beano, will be keeping an eye on it. Especially keen to grab some inspiration as I've got a bunch of buttons and kit on it's way to me this week to modify my Logitech wheel - so don't lead me astray!

[BigDave]

You sir are a craftsman

[mrbean_phillip]

Hey Guys,
Thanx for looking, and the feedback, as always, appreciative

@ Optimus: Let us in on the secret - what are you planning, something similar?

In hindsight, probably cheaper to buy one of Derek Spear's button boxes, but you know how it is- if you diy,you can make it the way you like it. With that said,his boxes are very good quality,and a pretty decent layout.

@ bobbth: I guess it'sthe same as with any repetitive task, do it enough times, and it will stick. Most important in game for me is really the pit-limiter, as well as the brake-bias adjustments.

And of course, the general chat buttons, to thank those kind enough to get out of your way, tell off the arcade-racers at turn 1, and tell everyone goodbye at the end.



The rest won't be to much used, probably seat aft/forward, and seat-height up/down.

Have had a bit of time on AutoCAD this afternoon, taking shape nicely-will do a quick printout at work, and see how it look, and make adjustments during the week.

Will keep you posted.

[Optimus.]

I'm going all pre-fab and no risk with one of these: http://www.leobodnar.com/products/SLI-PRO/

I'll make a thread when the time comes - it's not the same level of skill and wizardry as a scratch-built button box! Interested to see the metal work 'coz I'm going to have to drill too.

[mrbean_phillip]

Originally Posted by Optimus.

I'm going all pre-fab and no risk with one of these: http://www.leobodnar.com/products/SLI-PRO/

I'll make a thread when the time comes - it's not the same level of skill and wizardry as a scratch-built button box! Interested to see the metal work 'coz I'm going to have to drill too.

Ah, I luv those! If I had known you were going to get one, I would have clubbed in to save on shipping, as I want to get one too. Been eyeing it for a while

[mojododo]

Great looking project mate! im using the bodnar load cell board s extra 32 buttons from my cst pedals on my button box for about 12 buttons, and the sli pro for wheel mounted extra buttons and lcd data. great product the sli pro.

the only suggestion i can make is that ive found over a few designs is that a plain square box can be "annoying" to use ingame in the heat as you need to take your eyes to the panel to find the exact button. my latest layout is to have the buttons spaced out round the dash of my cockpit round the wheel area.
other than that thats a great build.

Also, youll love the sli pro optimus!

[Caffeine Dealer]

A nice project
I started a budget version of this about a month ago using a Logitech Wingman USB controller and the next sized box down from yours.
I Purchased the switches from china and Jaycar but i have too many projects going on right now so it is on the back burner.... along with my iRacing subscription
I also recently picked up a 5" shift light tach for free from my brother so i need to investigate how to hook that up now.

I should be back on iRacing within 2 weeks. Just waiting for parts to arrive from the US so i can free up this rig to play on.

[mrbean_phillip]

Originally Posted by mojododo

*snip* the only suggestion i can make is that ive found over a few designs is that a plain square box can be "annoying" to use ingame in the heat as you need to take your eyes to the panel to find the exact button. my latest layout is to have the buttons spaced out round the dash of my cockpit round the wheel area.

Good input, thanx Mate. Yep, if I had a cockpit-style sim, I would have done exactly the same, literally put the buttons as you would in a normal race-car. Would make sense, and much easier to get used to a 'familiar' layout.

Send some pics, would appreciate what you are doing

@ Caffeine Dealer: I was in the same boat as you, actually, the U-HID and Encoder was going to become the input device to my Centrafuse Front End in the F6 Tornado I had.

Buying house of course forced me to sell the 400rwkw monster unfortunately, so I have those bits left over, to do duties in the virtual racing world - good for me!

You will enjoy iRacing, there are seriously good/gifted guys out there. We had an unoffical event last night with the Mazda Cup, and my best round was still about 3 seconds of their quickest, and averages about 2 seconds off.

Will get there eventually, and tremendous fun.

[Caffeine Dealer]

I don't usually have any trouble keeping up with other racers. I have trouble finding the time to get on iRacing now with my studies taking a lot of my time up.
I look over my shoulder now and see all my sim gear squished to one side of my desk and it makes me sad and mad! lol

[mrbean_phillip]

Was the same here, beautiful expensive sin-racing gear, and sitting unused for years. Well, busy rectifying that part

Keep us posted on your endeavours too!

Ok, a tiny update - spent a bit of time on BricsCAD last night, and have the outlines of what the covering plate will look like - still some changes to be done, and input will be appreciated - you can clearly see the lack of any artistic skills on my side

Anyway, one or 2 notches better than masking tape



of course, that will sit ontop of this part here....

[kangathekat]

looks great need to do something similar myself, can't wait until my house is done so i can bring my cockpit out of storage. i already have my
Samsung MD230X3 ready to go on it.

i have my own custom made pvc cockpit with reverse mounted pedals and also have some custom bass shakers on it as well

all it needs is a button box and you have inspired me to get one built!

miss my iracing, can't wait to get back into it!