Pre-manufactured control box for FIRST

[sanddrag]

I know injection molding isn't part of the sheetmetal business but if there was any way you could reproduce the old CH Flightsticks you would make millions! (Okay, maybe not millions but I know lots of people who would buy them)

[mechanicalbrain]

yeah if you could make a reliable 3D joystick that works on serial ports you could be one rich dude. And for those of you who say all you have to do is mount a potentiometer to the bottom i can say its much harder than that!

[Cory]

Originally Posted by sanddrag

I know injection molding isn't part of the sheetmetal business but if there was any way you could reproduce the old CH Flightsticks you would make millions! (Okay, maybe not millions but I know lots of people who would buy them)

Even though they're probably patented.

[mechanicalbrain]

Originally Posted by Cory

Even though they're probably patented.

well theirs allot of flexibility in that. One the patent could very well have expired. Also its hard to enforce a patent on something like a joystick. What is copying and what is a alternate design. This is an interesting issue that patent offices have to deal with. He might very well be able to make something similar.

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by mechanicalbrain

yeah if you could make a reliable 3D joystick that works on serial ports you could be one rich dude.

We're talking about using the IFI system here. Except for the dedicated radio connection, it doesn't have any serial inputs. The joystick ports are joystick ports, and must be directly connected to switches and variable resistors.

What would really be great is an OI that supports USB pointing devices. (Second best would be for someone to start supplying Flightsticks for the kit of parts again.)