Mobile Driving/Flying Cockpit with Motion and Tactile ( Build )

[blekenbleu]

I have ZERO interest in building my own wheel and there is plenty of good stuff out there at least by my way of thinking.

For VR, perhaps a wheel with half dozen or so thumb wheels would be good,
but without cost, bulk and inertia of an LCD...

 

[RCHeliguy]

For VR, perhaps a wheel with half dozen or so thumb wheels would be good,
but without cost, bulk and inertia of an LCD...

The LM-PRO wheel that I pointed at has more controls than I would ever use on a wheel and has no LCD screen for the reason you mention. It's completely useless in VR.

I've not made use of all of the controls on my existing wheel and I have a button box for navigation.

 

[RCHeliguy]

After seeing what Peter is doing with his StreamDeck XL to control SimHub, I broke down and ordered one. Obviously not very useful in VR, but I think there are a number of things that I could do with one that would be useful. And it should be a LOT more convenient for iterating on any settings.

I expect to mount it on the right side of my rig, either a direct mount to my seat or off the profile where my h pattern shift is mounted. Having it nearly horizontal should make it easier to see by cracking my VR headset with my left hand while pressing buttons with my right hand.

Of course that's just a guess. I'll see how it feels in real life tomorrow and go from there.

 

[RCHeliguy]

It's a rough start, but I think this is about where I'd put it. I've already shortened the back brace to a corner brace rather than the 2 x corner.

The XL is 112mm front/back and 182 left/right.
I'll ride it up on the metal cylinder at the stick base and have it slightly off to the right.
When it gets here I'll measure the mount holes on the bottom of the XL and 3D print an interface layer that I can bolt to the profile and to the XL.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I just found out that the StreamDeck XL uses a magnetic mounting system.

So my interface layer is going to be more interesting. It will need recesses with magnets at the bottom of the recesses. I still have 5x2mm round magnets from my button box project.

Maybe something like this

Edit: Needs a USB cable hole!

I think I'm ready for a test print to see how close this is when the XL arrives.

Edit: Another 3 hours to go.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Tomorrow I'll find out if the Stream Deck XL fit into this.
If it all fits and seems reasonable, I'll install the magnets.

 

[RedBull48]

Can't wait to see the final product. I just finished my own build using the smaller stream deck and an arduino pro micro to handle a few momentary toggles, rotary encoders and an engine start button. I still need to setup the stream deck buttons but I am really happy with how it turned out.

 

[RedBull48]

Also in terms of VR. I personally do not find it completely useless. I have all my buttons mapped for seat adjustments, reset, and various other controls when I play AC in VR and I use it without issue. Maybe the XL makes this more difficult as it's more buttons to memorize. In my case I start at the top left of the board or use the ridge on the center button to orient myself without looking at the panel. Just my two cents.

 

[HoiHman]

For ne personally in VR the streamdeck is completely useless, but it's such a great add-on to any race rig for stuff like :

- Launching all simrace programs with one press of a button ( or killing them all)
- Shut down the PC
- Switch audio devices, monitors ect with one button press
- Launch games and their simprofiles
- Live control of effects ( Simhub and SFX)
- Kill and relaunch a programm
- Start steam vr

and so much more. @RCHeliguy you will love it and after only one day you will thinking "why didn't i get one sooner"

 

[RCHeliguy]

Also in terms of VR. I personally do not find it completely useless. I have all my buttons mapped for seat adjustments, reset, and various other controls when I play AC in VR and I use it without issue. Maybe the XL makes this more difficult as it's more buttons to memorize. In my case I start at the top left of the board or use the ridge on the center button to orient myself without looking at the panel. Just my two cents.

I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to imply that they were useless to everyone in VR.

Like HoiHman I have my in game bases covered. He has a beautiful ergonomic dashboard with switches and buttons etc. I have a joystick dedicated to my seat adjustment. Up/Down/Forward/Back along with an up/down toggle for tilt forward/backwards depending on what each title supports. I also designed my button box using almost all of the 64 inputs on the Bodnar button box board. I did my best to create 3D edges as well as using different controls that I could feel to break up logical groups of functionality.

However even with magnetic labels there are some things my button box can't do that the Screen Deck can. Having nested programable button sets could be very useful. I guess I'll soon find out.

 

[RCHeliguy]

Fits like a glove Time to install the magnets.
I still need to put the corner brace covers on as well.
I did create another version with sides so there is no gap like there is below.

This is with the stick back as far as it goes.

 

[Elaphe]

For ne personally in VR the streamdeck is completely useless, but it's such a great add-on to any race rig for stuff like :

- Launching all simrace programs with one press of a button ( or killing them all)
- Shut down the PC
- Switch audio devices, monitors ect with one button press
- Launch games and their simprofiles
- Live control of effects ( Simhub and SFX)
- Kill and relaunch a programm
- Start steam vr

and so much more. @RCHeliguy you will love it and after only one day you will thinking "why didn't i get one sooner"

You can do that with any button box and AutoHotkey.

RCHeliguy, is that red thing on top of your button box a phone holder?

 

[RedBull48]

I second that, I am not using anywhere near the full potential of this device yet but I love having nested folders based on game title or application type

 

[RCHeliguy]

RCHeliguy, is that red thing on top of your button box a phone holder?

Yup, custom fitted for my Galaxy S8, which means I'll likely have to design an new one with slightly different dimensions soon.

 

[RedBull48]

Yup, custom fitted for my Galaxy S8, which means I'll likely have to design an new one with slightly different dimensions soon.

I was looking for a red pla to create some accessory mounts for my rig. I have red anodized aluminum washers and I thought a red filament would pair nicely. Is that prusa lipstick red? If so what are your thoughts on it? I have been using galaxy black for quite some time as I first discovered it from your button box. Absolutely love that filament.

 

[RCHeliguy]

It's Pearl Red.

https://www.prusa3d.com/product/pearl-red-pla-filament-1kg/

 

[RCHeliguy]

I just started to configure the XL. I have the StreamDeck SimHub Plugin and icons from Peter, dMass and a couple others. I'll need to make a few more icons for my NLRv3 software, SimCommander, and a couple others.

BTW this is all just playing around. I'm not even close to having this where I want it. I'm not sure I even know where I want this yet. I'm not sure how many layers deep I want the menus. I'm not sure how many "stateful" buttons I want that change color if they have been selected. Lots of possibilities.

Printing the boxed in version. The USB cable hole is larger and the edges are rounded. I changed the front angle to 45 degrees so it would print better. That doesn't match the exact angle of the XL at the front which is shallower, but I think that will still look fine.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I'm liking this StreamDeck. I may buy one for my development computer.

With the magnet holes I have now, I can't place all three magnets in a row side by side because they will pull together. I can place the outer two of the 3 magnets in at the same time.

I've got 3 magnets per leg on the OOB base.
Red marker dots that will stay on top for magnet orientation
Super Glue
Ferrous Allen key to press the magnet in place.

Magnets in the new mount.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I think I'll call the mount done.
Now to actually play with the StreamDeck unit.

 

[RCHeliguy]

I like this StreamDeck XL so much that I pulled the trigger for a 2nd for my work computer. This thing is really nice. Incredibly flexible and it will save me a lot of time once I have it setup for work with my development tools, MS Teams, opening VPN clients, various browser windows, and on and on and on.