If you see, i'm new here First, I please you to understand my grammatical english mistakes. I'm from switzerland and still studing english
I'm gonna search for a arduino project and i had the idea to built a Gamer Interface to controll all the thousend functions in Microsoft's Flight Simulator X.
My first idea was to use the arduino to convert the incomming signals into a MIDI Signal so i can connect it to my audio interface. On my Computer is a programm installed, that converts the MIDI signal into Keyboard Shortcuts or even singel keys.
Thats the first solution.
The second was to communicate over the arduinos USB Port and convert the incomming serial Signal from the arduino and send it to a Game Controller under Windows.
What do you think is the better/easier Method? Do you have a better solution? Are there any Tutorials, that can help me?
I'm gonna search for a arduino project and i had the idea to built a Gamer Interface to controll all the thousend functions in Microsoft's Flight Simulator X.
i dont know, if i understand you question correctly. i would controll the functions of the flight simulator. Now i controll them with multiple keyboard shortcuts. i just wanna build a, eventually realistic looking controll panel. like that: http://www.saitek.de/prod/switch.html
do you have an idea to realise that with the arduino?
Whether it is possible for the Arduino to output data to control Flight Simulator, or not, I do not know. Assuming it is possible to do so, the Arduino has to be programmed to make decisions, based on some input, to generate the correct output.
What input will the Arduino get to be used in making the correct decisions to determine the correct output?
for example if i press a button, connetcted to an input on arduino, the arduino should send a signal to the computer. the computer converts this signal in a 'language' that the simulator understands for example a symple keyboardshortcut like Ctrl+W.
.. and your doing this by converting your interface into midi then from midi to keyboard short-cuts ?!
uuhm yes that was my idea.
but have you got a better idea to realise that? you said something about a PS/2 Keyboard. what does the arduino in this case exactly?
I don't really know whether midi will be the best way possible. On the playground you'll find several articles/projects on Midi Though.
I do know that it's possible to read an PS2 Keyboard using an arduino, with a little bit of luck it may also be possible to let Arduino behave like an PS2-keyboard. If that's possible you could add almost every knob/switch/stick you like and have arduino send the proper PS2-commands once you use one.
Most interesting would probably be the serial port. By plugging an Arduino to the PC USB-port it will show as an serial or Com:-port. Should you be able to let the flight simulator talk with a serial port... you can plug the aruino in without much extra components.You'll only need to check switches and send the right commands to USB/the serial port. Using Midi you'll need some extra components.
Although I don't fly much virtually, I managed to crash on my own house using Google Earths simulator only once, it seems to me non musical applications will have earlier and a lot more support for serial ports as Midi.
It's all free. You download the small utility, then you upload the sketch to your Arduino.
Any pin connected to ground (except 1, 2 and 13) gives you a key press or combination of key presses.
It's all fully programable and is a fantastic piece of freeware.
The guy who wrote it will also gladly answer any questions on it via the above forum.
I currently use it with an Uno and it gives me 19 inputs via USB. I believe a Mega will give you 56!
If anybody else is interested, it will also work with virtually anything that expects key presses.
As a test, I made a little control panel for CAD, very nice!
First, I please you to understand my grammatical english mistakes. I'm from switzerland and still studing english 