Question about Joysticks

[Radiator251]

The new CH Flightstick only comes in USB, and we plan on using USB-Serial convertors, but does anyone know if there would be any problem with connecting it to the IFI control board?

[jgannon]

Originally Posted by Radiator251

The new CH Flightstick only comes in USB, and we plan on using USB-Serial convertors, but does anyone know if there would be any problem with connecting it to the IFI control board?

Yes. Using an adapter to connect a USB joystick to the OI will not work, because the protocol is not what the OI uses. (Also, I think that the adapter you're picturing converts from game port to USB, not the other way around.) The most efficient way to connect a USB joystick to the OI would be to open it up and wire the potentiometers and switches to a 15-pin connector.

[ChuckDickerson]

I am not exactly sure if this is what you are asking but the 15 pin joystick ports on the OI are NOT serial (e.g. RS-232) they are analog. There seems to be a common misconception that the joystick ports on the OI are serial. They are compatible with the old DOS 15 pin analog joysticks. Good luck finding those these days. A USB to serial converter converts USB to RS-232 and will not work at all to make a modern USB joystick work with a OI. In fact, they are not even the same connector. The USB-serial converters are usually 9-pin and the Joystick ports are 15-pin. And no, you cannot make a 9-pin to 15-pin conversion cable work either because there is no serial data coming out of the joystick only analog values from the potentiometers and digital switch contact closures.

I am just trying to shed some light on what I have seen to be a common misconception about these joystick ports. Not picking on you.

[computer411]

I have found that going to CH products OEM division you can get the 100k potentiometer josticks and wire them yourself with the 15-pin connector that they do sell. The only thing is that you have to find a distrubutor, and they are super small(thumb controls). They also have no buttons and you have to mount them to something. Our team used them this year and they worked awesome. No wobble in the center.

[sanddrag]

I'd say ebay is your best bet for old joysticks.

[Daniel_LaFleur]

I'm not sure but this might work

Check here

or here

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Daniel_LaFleur

I'm not sure but this might work

Check here

or here

those won't work. Those output rs232 serial, not pure analog like what is required.


What you can do is take the USB joysticks, and rewire them yourselves so they output pure analog (which isn't ver difficult). You just need to wire up a connector for the OI, then the other end hooks up the the pots and switches on the joy stick.

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by cromat44

those won't work. Those output rs232 serial, not pure analog like what is required.


What you can do is take the USB joysticks, and rewire them yourselves so they output pure analog (which isn't ver difficult). You just need to wire up a connector for the OI, then the other end hooks up the the pots and switches on the joy stick.

RS-232 is 9- or 25-pin [DB-9 or DB-25]. These are 15-pin [DB-15] analog connectors.



More info on RS-232

More info on Joystick port

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Daniel_LaFleur

RS-232 is 9- or 25-pin [DB-9 or DB-25]. These are 15-pin [DB-15] analog connectors.



More info on RS-232

More info on Joystick port

I'm not sure why you quoted me... We agree with each other...

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by cromat44

I'm not sure why you quoted me... We agree with each other...

Actually, you don't.

The links there point to DB15 connections, which are the standard gameport layout. If they were to function as joysticks, there would be NO serial data.

That said, I distinctly remember our joysticks this year having male pins, not the female pins of that adapter. I don't think they would work.

[Daniel_LaFleur]

Originally Posted by Billfred

Actually, you don't.

The links there point to DB15 connections, which are the standard gameport layout. If they were to function as joysticks, there would be NO serial data.

That said, I distinctly remember our joysticks this year having male pins, not the female pins of that adapter. I don't think they would work.

It looks like you are correct. These Look like they are to hook a Analog joystick (DB-15) into a USB port (USB-A) not a USB joystick into an analog joystick port.

Good catch. Guess I'll have to keep looking

[Noah Kleinberg]

Originally Posted by DeepWater

A USB to serial converter converts USB to RS-232 and will not work at all to make a modern USB joystick work with a OI. In fact, they are not even the same connector.

If you were really determined to get this to work, and didn't want to open up the joystick, you could probably use a PIC to convert the RS232 or USB into plain analog signals that you need for the joystick port.

The rules say that you can't have a 'portable computing device' connected to the joystick port, but I think that that's supposed to mean a PDA or laptop.

[AdamHeard]

Yeah, you're right...

the first time I looked at the pics I thought they were 25 pin... sorry about that