3x4*5micro button pad & Arduino (Mega2560R3) = 60 DCS USB buttons?

Using Arduino Project Guidance
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3x4*5micro button pad & Arduino (Mega2560R3) = 60 DCS USB buttons? (for a flightsim)

These (Ebay US $1.86) 4x4 + 4xtra buttons (+8 led’s) microbutton pads are possibly suited to be made in MDI buttons (landscape 4rows x5buttons),

3 of these make 3*20=60 buttons

So, I could buy 3 of these = 60 buttons (3x4*4 and 3x4), an Arduino (Mega2560R3), and with an adjusted (Linux?) “256 joystick button” Arduino sketch I can plug an Arduino USB in, and have 60 additional button in DCS?

Errr, how could that be accomplished, could anyone explain this in somewhat kindergarten English?

  • I can solder and copy paste Arduino .ino in the IDE and made the USB interface for a Logitech race wheel shifter
  • I am on a Windows PC

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I could also buy 5x 4x4 matrix pad = 60 buttons

which is a lot easier?

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There are libraries to make using a keypad easier: Arduino Playground - Keypad Library
along with lots of tutorials on how to use them.

You could also add i2c port expanders then you would only need 2 pins(the i2c pins) to connect all 3-4 keypads. Tutorial here: https://www.brainy-bits.com/i2c-explained-i2c-keypad/

The tutorials explain how to use 1 keypad to use more just do the same thing agian with a different name for each keypad and unique characters to represent each key(botton)

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