Git repository: make a wireless steer, buttonbox or shifter with esp32 for little money

[beastdjw]

During my christmas holiday I have made software for a wireless wheel with paddles and buttons using a (cheap) esp32. If you made a wired solution with an arduino, maybe this software and the esp32 can replace this.

Features:
-batterywarning (i use 3 AAA batteries)
-standby mode
-bluetooth ble
-range: 30 meter (i dont know why you should need it but its a feature ;-) )
-40 hrs with the 3 aaa batteries (in standby mode this is of course a lot longer)

it's on: https://github.com/beastdjw/bluetoothGameControllerESP32
If you got any questions/remarks let me know.

Its work in progress...

 

[Erik Green]

By default all the gpio pins defined in the .ino file are enabled by default?

In other words, if I can get your firmware installed, all I need to do from there is attach buttons/encoders etc. to to correct pins and will be up and running?

Thanks for the info.

 

[beastdjw]

Yeah, thats correct. When you use the latest version (from yesterday 2021 04 26) you have 25 buttons, where 4x3 gpio's are for the rotary encoders. If you need any help, drop me a message.
Gl,
Dennis

 

[blekenbleu]

Any particular version of Arduino?
Did you employ some commodity dev board (e.g. NodeMCU or ESP-WROOM-32)?

 

[Erik Green]

IIRC I have several ESP-WROOM-32's. Thanks for the info. Will let you know in a few weeks.

 

[Erik Green]

OK.
Sorry but my first time with Arduino. Not a developer, more like a system integrator. I leave the genius heavy lifting to you guys........

-Arduino IDE installed.
-Added lemmingDev/ESP32-BLE-Gamepad library.

How do I go about opening/adding your respoitory in the IDE?

 

[Erik Green]

Copied your archive to my drive, opened the .ino file and IDE knew to go get the .cpp and .h files.
Closer.
And Got it to compile for my WROOM32 board using the FireBeetle board definition.
Uploaded
AND...........................
Connected as WheelBeastDJW. Will have to take some jumpers and my new encoders to work tomorrow.
Does/Can it recharge a battery pack?
Battery recommendation?

Thank you!

 

[Erik Green]

Wired in an encoder and button this morning. Works.
However, once a button or the encoder is actuated, joystick buttons 9,10 and 12 show and remainpressed

 

[beastdjw]

Hi Erik,
That's great news!!!
I updated some info in the Git repository.
Some gpio's need some real resistors, because they dont have internal ones. (gpio 36,39,27 and 35)

I use rechargeble 3xaaa batteries.

Further good to know: some bluetooth (cheap) adapters are not working well. I'have had one that misses too much button presses. Now I have good a solid one and no missed button presses anymore.

happy testing!
Dennis

 

[Erik Green]

Thanks for the info Dennis.
Works but for the three pressed buttons so far. Will Check which inputs I chose.
Get this while compiling:

sketch\RotaryKnob.cpp: In member function 'boolean RotaryKnob::isReleaseNeeded()':
sketch\RotaryKnob.cpp:57:1: warning: control reaches end of non-void function [-Wreturn-type]
}
^

 

[blekenbleu]

sketch\RotaryKnob.cpp: In member function 'boolean RotaryKnob::isReleaseNeeded()':
sketch\RotaryKnob.cpp:57:1: warning: control reaches end of non-void function [-Wreturn-type]
}

Change the last 3 lines of that function from:

  return releaseNeeded;
  }
}

.. to

  }
  return releaseNeeded;
}

 

[Erik Green]

That solved the compile error. And the BUTTON9,10 and 12 showing as pressed are GPIO's 35,36 and 39. So for now I just commented those 3 out.

 

[beastdjw]

Great! And what battery you use and what are your experiences regarding battery life?

 

[Erik Green]

No battery as yet. I believe I will go with a LiFePo4 since I bought 5ea. of these basic Wroom32 boards with no onboard battery control. Later I thing I'll get an

Adafruit HUZZAH32​

It has onboard LiPo charge capability.

 

[Erik Green]

Cannot get the board to wake from sleep.
Can this line:
esp_sleep_enable_ext0_wakeup(BUTTON1, LOW);
I have no resistors or anything to any of the pins and everything work well except wake.
should it be LOW or HIGH? Or should LOW be replaced with 0?

 

[beastdjw]

hi Erik,

Those lines are responsible to wake up from standby:

bluetoothGameControllerESP32/mainSteerBlueTootButtonsEncoders/mainSteerBlueTootButtonsEncoders.ino at b5025685b2b7818a6d8e9125f4b4dc4ab2dbe305 · beastdjw/bluetoothGameControllerESP32

Make a bluetooth (ble >bt4.2) connection with your own buttons, rotary encoder, potentiometer - beastdjw/bluetoothGameControllerESP32

github.com

//Configure pin as ext0 wake up source for HIGH logic level to activate esp32 out of sleep (standby)
esp_sleep_enable_ext0_wakeup(BUTTON1, LOW);

Low means 0 Volt in this case. You use pull up resistors (internally), and when you push a button Low means Active. This line you have configured this button:
#define BUTTON1 GPIO_NUM_32

Further you initialise this button on line:
Button button1(BUTTON1);
And that calls the constructor, which is initialised a pullup resistor internaly:

bluetoothGameControllerESP32/mainSteerBlueTootButtonsEncoders/Button.cpp at b5025685b2b7818a6d8e9125f4b4dc4ab2dbe305 · beastdjw/bluetoothGameControllerESP32

Make a bluetooth (ble >bt4.2) connection with your own buttons, rotary encoder, potentiometer - beastdjw/bluetoothGameControllerESP32

github.com

With this line you can change the time in minutes to change the time when it goes in standby (obviously ), handy for debug purposes. :
#define MINUTES_TO_STANDBY 10

Good luck with testing! And let me know when any questions arises.

 

[beastdjw]

No battery as yet. I believe I will go with a LiFePo4 since I bought 5ea. of these basic Wroom32 boards with no onboard battery control. Later I thing I'll get an

Adafruit HUZZAH32​

It has onboard LiPo charge capability.

 

[beastdjw]

thats a good idea, keep in mind that 500 mAh is a bit low regarding for this solution. I use 3000 mAh (3xAAA) and on usage time (not standby time) it holds approxiamately 40 hrs. This means 500 mAh is 7hrs.

 

[Erik Green]

Your software is working well. The encoder input does not seem very sensitive. Have to roll thru quite a few detents before it registers a button click. What aspect of the code could I change to make it more responsive.

 

[beastdjw]

hi Erik,
I ve did a massive update on the software including: Buttons now are interrupt driven and encoders are now more sensitive (with memory so that every pulse will be remembered and send). Try: https://github.com/beastdjw/bluetoothGameControllerESP32/tree/feature/try2InterruptForButtons

And if you have any feedback, pls let me know.

greetings,
Dennis