Rotary encoders and other with Raspberry Pi and Arduino Mega

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Detlef
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Re: Rotary encoders and other with Raspberry Pi and Arduino Mega

#11 Post by Detlef »


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Sling
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Re: Rotary encoders and other with Raspberry Pi and Arduino Mega

#12 Post by Sling »

Detlef wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 1:32 pm This may be a dumb question:
All I need to do to prepare a Raspberry Pi Pico for Airmanager is, start Airmanager and use it to transfer the needed standard program image into the Pico. And for that I have to press the Boot Select button on the Pico while connecting the USB cable of the Pico. Right?

Thank you
Detlef
You got it.

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jph
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Re: Rotary encoders and other with Raspberry Pi and Arduino Mega

#13 Post by jph »

Detlef wrote: Thu Jul 22, 2021 1:48 pm
Joe,
that helps a lot, thank you! I see you are a fan of the Pico already!
Regarding the USB hub: I don't mean one inside a PC, but inside my overhead panel, so that I have just one USB cable going to the PC.
Regarding a BOOTSEL button. As you say that, it does sound easy enough. I am thinking about the CZH-Labs Electronics Salon screwshields, because I like the one I have for the Mega.
https://www.czh-labs.com/products/screw ... ry-pi-pico
I hope it is still possible to solder a wire to the TP6 pad.

Thank you for the schematics also.

Thank you
Detlef
Hi Detlef,
I am a fan certainly ;) but.. I don't consider is totally ready (yet) for AM. I would, IMHO, consider it, and use it, as a beta. By all means get one. I would certainly encourage anyone to, but use it for testing and experimenting only at this stage. It WILL be the future of AM I am sure, but may not be ready for primetime just yet.
The MEGA is still a perfect solution for most things. On reflection of a few things that are in need of slight correction in AM for the PICO at this stage, I would say now - go for the mega, but, definitely get a pico and experiment.
Regarding the USB hub, I only linked to the page of Inateck with the PCIE cards as an example. If you look under products you can see the various hubs -
https://www.inateck.com/collections/usb-hub
Do you have USB C on your system ? (not really an issue as you can get a smalls A type to C type adapter) - only worth bothering with on a 3.1 gen 1 or 3.1 gen 2 usb3 A port ..
I actually prefer to have an on board PCIe USB card (if you need more !) - My MoBo has, for example, 17 USB ports available out of the box - yes - 17 !!! ;) - Gigabyte Aorus Elite Z390.
So why use a hub ;) .. usb cables are dirt cheap and running a bunch from the PC to something like cockpit is no big deal really. As a lot of the ports on the MoBo are already a part of some kind of HUB arrangement then it is potentially adding a layer of complexity in control by adding a 'hub' to and existing 'hub' (on the mobo.) if you see what I mean ?.
Hence, if you haven't go many USB ports on the mobo (and don't forget the internal connectors which can be brought out to the back) then a PCIe card is a great way to go and can save you a huge amount of grief.
Regarding the PICO break out board ! - nice. They are coming down in price all the time., I expect to see a 5 dollar one in a month or so on aliexpress.
As for soldering / adding the bootsel connection, then it is easy to solder to the TP6 pad as it is large enough.
Sorry if that seems to complicate issues :shock: :) . but as mentionedm I gave it some thought last night and the comments re USB / hubs etc I stand by - especially using MoBo ports - from a reputable Mobo manufacturer. and also my revised comments today about - perhaps - sticking with the superbly proven MEGA, but definitely get a pico and breakout to experiment with as it is the future.
Joe
Joe. CISSP, MSc.

Detlef
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Re: Rotary encoders and other with Raspberry Pi and Arduino Mega

#14 Post by Detlef »

Hello Joe,

thank you for your thoughts here. I have an Asrock Z490 Taichi motherboard, so yes that also has lots of USB ports. When I got the PC I had the shop install an internal USB hub in addition to the mobo USB ports. I currently have the Mega and Knobster on the USB hub. I will change that when I do other changes with the cockpit. THere is also a free USB C connector at the rear side.

I was seaching arround today in my working cellar (dont want to order things I have) and found a Waveshare 2.4 inch LCD display still in the box. It needs 3.3 V. So maybe that will be my first Pico project, when the time comes. For this current project, to fill my three remaining overhead slots, I am almost decided to go with two Megas. Even so, I don't think any Airmanager issues with the Pico would really affect me, because it is actually pretty much standard stuff I want it to do (LEDs, Switches, Rotary encoders).

Detlef

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jph
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Re: Rotary encoders and other with Raspberry Pi and Arduino Mega

#15 Post by jph »

HI Detlef, what a superb Mobo - top of the range !. Asrock cheap boards are not the best, but the higher end ones blow away the competition - by far ! - way better than the very best that companies like ASUS etc tend to offer. You already have 13 available USB ports including the internal connectors. Also, it has one of THE BEST power delivery regulators on the market. An overclocker's dream.
My Aorus Elite mobo was bought 'mainly' because of the absolutely quality VRM so I can O/C my 9900k to 5.2 Ghz all day on all cores. What processor do you have with that ? - I bet it is a dream combo. ?

Regarding PCIe add in cards for USB. Just for clarity, this is definitely not a hub on hub situation as the cards acts independently of anything on the mobo. As opposed to plugging an external hub into an existing USB port where you can definitely have hub on hub.

Also, if you are using an Nvidia card then on the later models like the RTX etc then there is also nice 'free' a USB C port which is a totally standard high speed USB C port that can be used just as any other. (some think it is for VR etc - it is not - but can be used for that)
It is also incredibly fast as it is a 3.1 Gen 2 - 10Gb/S unit (which is the same as USB 3.2 Gen 1X2 / 2X1 10Gb/s) which is amazing. so for any NV users with a card with a USB C on board, you have another amazing high speed USB C port as well.

Just for info for anyone that may be interested in the USB formats - USB C is simply a port connector specification - at least until USB 4 comes along which will still use the C format connector but a standardised 40Gb/s transfer). It is a superb design that can be inserted either way). However, at the moment, there is no set standard for actual speed of the port. For this, you need to dig into the specification and generation. Most are at leas 5Gb/s, (same as USB 3) better ones are 10Gb/s, and the very best are 20GB/s.
Joe
Joe. CISSP, MSc.

Detlef
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Re: Rotary encoders and other with Raspberry Pi and Arduino Mega

#16 Post by Detlef »

jph wrote: Sat Jul 24, 2021 9:40 am HI Detlef, what a superb Mobo - top of the range !. Asrock cheap boards are not the best, but the higher end ones blow away the competition - by far ! - way better than the very best that companies like ASUS etc tend to offer. You already have 13 available USB ports including the internal connectors. Also, it has one of THE BEST power delivery regulators on the market. An overclocker's dream.
My Aorus Elite mobo was bought 'mainly' because of the absolutely quality VRM so I can O/C my 9900k to 5.2 Ghz all day on all cores. What processor do you have with that ? - I bet it is a dream combo. ?

Regarding PCIe add in cards for USB. Just for clarity, this is definitely not a hub on hub situation as the cards acts independently of anything on the mobo. As opposed to plugging an external hub into an existing USB port where you can definitely have hub on hub.

Also, if you are using an Nvidia card then on the later models like the RTX etc then there is also nice 'free' a USB C port which is a totally standard high speed USB C port that can be used just as any other. (some think it is for VR etc - it is not - but can be used for that)
It is also incredibly fast as it is a 3.1 Gen 2 - 10Gb/S unit (which is the same as USB 3.2 Gen 1X2 / 2X1 10Gb/s) which is amazing. so for any NV users with a card with a USB C on board, you have another amazing high speed USB C port as well.

Just for info for anyone that may be interested in the USB formats - USB C is simply a port connector specification - at least until USB 4 comes along which will still use the C format connector but a standardised 40Gb/s transfer). It is a superb design that can be inserted either way). However, at the moment, there is no set standard for actual speed of the port. For this, you need to dig into the specification and generation. Most are at leas 5Gb/s, (same as USB 3) better ones are 10Gb/s, and the very best are 20GB/s.
Joe
Hello Joe,

thanks again, I will keep that in mind (USB, overclocking and all). I really need to concentrate now on getting the hardware for my panels. The processor is an Intel S-1200 i9-10900k. I did not look on the price tag so much when buying my first PC after well over 10 years, and with finally having the time to intensify the flight sim hobby...

Detlef

Detlef
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Re: Rotary encoders and other with Raspberry Pi and Arduino Mega

#17 Post by Detlef »

panels1-small.png
Hi Joe, @jph and all,

wow, I see this is a pretty old conversation by now! But, just to let you know ....
I have the hardware panels including software working for the FF A320 just fine by now! Thank you for the advice provided.

As with my whole cockpit, it it not a replica of the original A320 or B737 or other. One reason being my limited hand crafting abilities :)
I like to have a universal cockpit for many aircrafts. Basically I have those knobs and buttons that I touch often during a flight, which are many A320 FCU buttons, seat belt, heat, parkbrake, flaps, gear, autopilot modes and some other. I also included Boeing-related buttons CWS A/B, AB disconnect, level change, speed intervene, alt intervene. The Boeing buttons are white, the others black.
And I have included some simulator-specific funtions: save situation, pause sim and camera. So I can fly without using mouse and keyboard now, which was my goal.

Oh and yes, the two Arduino Megas do manage all dials and knobs just fine using the standard flash image provided by Siminnovations. So no programming needed except in Lua.

In order to be able to keep flying during my hardware work I made a camera instrument, that has the same functions as the hardware. I attach it here.
You may use it to move arround in the cockpit and outside. Long presses store the camera position so that the instrument can be used for different aircrafts and uses.
A dark and a blue background image are provided, selectable per AM user property.
All for Xplane only I am afraid.

Camera instrument:
Generic - Switch Camera.siff
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