Understanding how to use a Knobster in VR

Support for the SimWareKits Knobster in combination with Air Manager and Air Player

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krazycanuck2011
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Understanding how to use a Knobster in VR

#1 Post by krazycanuck2011 »

Hello everyone, I just finished my DIY Knobster. I flashed with the latest AirManager Beta. My question is this, I use Xplane 11 primarily in VR with my Pimax5k+ and Vive controllers. While in VR is there anyway to click the knobs on the aircraft dash while in VR using the vive controller and than use the knobster physically or do I need to use Air Manager Panels and instruments in order to always interact while in VR? Its kind of a pain to take the headset on and off to click on an instrument knob or gps knob to use the knobster. Is there anyway to do this while still in the headset and use the knobster accordingly?

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Sling
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Re: Understanding how to use a Knobster in VR

#2 Post by Sling »

I think you are crossing over the real vs VR divide here. You use physical flight controls Right? It’s kinda the same. If you know where to find it you can use it but the whole idea in VR is in the name, it’s virtual. Perhaps i’m missing something but isn’t it a choice between building a physical panel, which is where knobster really excels or going VR.

krazycanuck2011
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Re: Understanding how to use a Knobster in VR

#3 Post by krazycanuck2011 »

Sorry, there is a need for the physical knob for virtual. If you were using XP11 and tried to dial a GPS with a vive controller you would know the pain... The knob is definately the answer for XP11

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Sling
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Re: Understanding how to use a Knobster in VR

#4 Post by Sling »

OK, I understand the concern. Like I said its probably similar to using flight controls. If you place somewhere where you can easily locate it everytime then it could work. There are others on here who have made a knob box (not knobster) with aural feedback. Essentially its a small box that has a knob and some buttons to select the mode. I suppose you could get away with a single button to cycle through the modes. Each mode controls a particular function say like hdg bug, baro, alt selector, etc etc

I'm not a VR user so not 100% sure on what you see in VR from AM. I suspect the knobster will not work in this application as it was designed to use the AM touch interface as the means of mode selection.

This VR down side and the lack of decent resolution to allow reading of the instrumnts are a couple of the reasons I haven't been interested just yet. The immersion of course is the big plus side.

Tony

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Ralph
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Re: Understanding how to use a Knobster in VR

#5 Post by Ralph »

The Knobster does not interact with dials in the X-Plane cockpit, nor can you show your Air Manager panels in VR. We're releasing an application soon that allows you to use the Knobster in VR, but this only counts for the new Knobster, not the Arduino version.

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russ
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Re: Understanding how to use a Knobster in VR

#6 Post by russ »

Okay I will go ahead and “spill the beans” and provide a link to my as yet unlisted video demo of the KnobXP plugin for X-Plane. I kicked around the idea but Corjan did the programming magic. My ultimate dream would be to be able to touch the sim’s knobs in VR to select but this is a simpler solution that is ready now. We also discussed the possibility of bringing Air Manager panels into VR which I think might be useful at times until HMD resolution is higher. Until hand tracking is available any solution still requires picking up and placing down the controller to free your hands to select and use hardware controls.. This solution does have the advantage of being able to select different knobs with only the Knobster. I will make this video public soon when a new shipment of Knobsters is received by Ralph but in the meantime enjoy the Early Access here on the forum.


Russ Barlow
Air Manager Evangelist

krazycanuck2011
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Re: Understanding how to use a Knobster in VR

#7 Post by krazycanuck2011 »

When is the plugin going to be available to download? - strange that this is only for V2. Really......????
Last edited by krazycanuck2011 on Sat Dec 07, 2019 12:51 pm, edited 2 times in total.

krazycanuck2011
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Re: Understanding how to use a Knobster in VR

#8 Post by krazycanuck2011 »

You can take any window that is viewable on your PC and use either Oculus Home 2.0 and pin it inside the cockpit or in steam vr you can use OVR Toolkit and pin the window somewhere in your virtual cockpit. So that way you CAN actually bring AM panels into the vr world and than just select the knob.

It seems foolish that Sim Innovations would try to confine people that build their own knobsters into trying to buy a new knobster to gain access to the KNOBXP plugin. You can easily work around this and actually gain far more functionality by doing the above method in the Oculus Home 2.0 pin method or OVR Toolkit and just bring the whole AM panels into VR....

Kind of disgusted that the KnobXP plugin is being designed to be used only with Knobster 2. Its a plugin, Air Manager already cost an arm and a leg to buy. This is consistant that SI with their hand out looking for more money. If people want to buy a Knobster I am happy for them. For those of us that build cockpit knobsters or other instruments to increase our enjoyment I would not penalize them after buying your software in the hopes they will now buy Knobster V2....

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Ralph
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Re: Understanding how to use a Knobster in VR

#9 Post by Ralph »

You are of course welcome to create your own solution.

The reason why we don't support the older version is mainly because it does not have native USB. The new version of the Knobster has native USB and is recognized by KnobXP immediately, no configuration needed.
Another reason is obviously business related. KnobXP is going to be a free application, yet it took and takes time to develop. Since we are a business, we have to earn back our time which was put into it.

Be aware that you do not need Air Manager to use KnobXP, just the Knobster and a free plugin.

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Corjan
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Re: Understanding how to use a Knobster in VR

#10 Post by Corjan »

Hi,


It always amazes me how upset people can get about something that is optional!
If you don't like it, don't buy it. Simple.

And please don't accuse us of stuff you don't know nothing about, it is dumb and very rude in my eyes.
For me personally, I would make more money and have better benefits if I would just take a "normal" programming job here in the Netherlands instead of working for SI (SI is more fun though :-) ).


Corjan

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