Build a Better Button Box - Ignition Controls ?

[scottb613 1,188]

Hi Folks,

Hmm - been poking around looking for something to offload some of my functions from my HOTAS setup - like autopilot functions - aircraft lighting - and such...

I don't want FS specific replicas of cockpit equipment as I fly many different types of aircraft and I may have other uses for it as well...

Came across this company from the road racing genre - looks like an extremely well made button box...

I'm assuming I could use the rotary encoders for such tasks as dialing in HDG, CRS, SPD, ALT on the AP ?

From the website - this is seen as a joystick device by your system...

 

Does anyone have any experience with this company - PIREP ?

 

https://www.ignitioncontrols.com/Button-Box-p/0059.htm

 

 

Regards,
Scott

Edited November 1, 2018 by scottb613

[flyinpilot212121 724]

Looks like a pretty cool piece of equipment.

I almost feel like something like this would be possible to build...but I guess for the decent 200$ price it may not be worth building.

I know I didn’t help out to the original post but just wanted to comment that it really does look like nice hardware.

[scottb613 1,188]

Hi Gerry,

LOL - all comments are welcome...

Yeah - I'm definitely intrigued - they look like top end components - and the price seems reasonable...

I'm tempted...

Regards,
Scott

[scottb613 1,188]

42 minutes ago, flyinpilot212121 said:

Looks like a pretty cool piece of equipment.

I almost feel like something like this would be possible to build...but I guess for the decent 200$ price it may not be worth building.

I know I didn’t help out to the original post but just wanted to comment that it really does look like nice hardware.

 

[rich_cooke 4]

Hi Scott - Don't have that one but I went for one each of these:

https://derekspearedesigns.com/dsd-flight---flt1flt2.html

They are very strongly made and recognised as a joystick device in Windows so are easy to programme with default/FSUIPC/LINDA  or Spad.neXt.  I am very happy with them and about 25 buttons for that price is good, I think.  My only slight gripe is that the on/off rockers are in fact just one button, not like a toggle switch. The knobs are excellent though with a satisfying strong and positive click with effectively two buttons (clockwise and counter clockwise).  These give a lot of scope and I've used Spad.neXt to programme them for the three/four options knobs in the Majestic Dash 8, like the Radar knob Off/Standby/Test/On.

Hope this helps

Rich Cooke

[TonyD 131]

+1 for the DSD boxes - have lights and most autopilot functions mapped either directly or using spad.neXt

[scottb613 1,188]

Hi Folks,

Thanks for the responses - that looks pretty nice filling a similar niche - at a better price point - case looks plastic vs metal - so it would be up to the end user to determine which better suits their needs... Very cool...

I'll have to look at that Spad.neXt program as well - I've seen it mentioned but I never took the time to investigate...

Regards,
Scott

Edited November 1, 2018 by scottb613

[guenseli 1,580]

Or you could buy for 50$ a Leo Bodnar BBI card (or similar), buy some switches and have a lot more switches and you could make a layout as you like. It is of course some work, but I found this planning is a lot of fun.

In the end, for half the money you have the double amount of switches and as you like them. It is not that difficult. Just some switches and a little bit wood.

 

 

(and yes, I should clean it a little bit sometimes 😉 )

 

Edited November 1, 2018 by guenseli

[scottb613 1,188]

Hi...

Really nice work - that looks great - probably better when you build it up yourself...

I don’t have the time or patience to mess with it though - I’ll probably do better with an off the shelf product...

Regards,

Scott

Edited November 1, 2018 by scottb613

[flyinpilot212121 724]

5 hours ago, guenseli said:

Or you could buy for 50$ a Leo Bodnar BBI card (or similar), buy some switches and have a lot more switches and you could make a layout as you like. It is of course some work, but I found this planning is a lot of fun.

In the end, for half the money you have the double amount of switches and as you like them. It is not that difficult. Just some switches and a little bit wood.

 

 

(and yes, I should clean it a little bit sometimes 😉 )

 

This is exactly what I meant by building one, I’ve built a few things using Leo bodner cards and wiring to switches, Really really simple to use however I’m not sure those bodner cards are still available as this was 7 years ago or so.

[tjstreak 53]

Have you considered something like the Razor Orbweaver?  https://www.amazon.com/RAZER-ORBWEAVER-CHROMA-Progammable-Adjustable/dp/B013P0HW7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541133120&sr=8-1&keywords=orbweaver

 

Froogle did an episode on it.

[RMK_01 3]

Hi Scott (and everybody!)

Thanks for creating this thread. I happy you found Ignition, hope you'll like our products. Most of them created with sim-racing in mind, but some models will prove well in flight sims (and VR in general). 

As for pricing there are different models and price ranges, and different components used. Also custom designed/cut/painted metal enclosures aren't cheep... So look closely what you are paying for when comparing with other brands.

Anyway Im happy so to see some of you appreciate my work. If you have questions feel free to ask here, or contact me via email. (any suggestions are welcomed too!)

@guenseli thats's a qool looking panel, and functional for sure! We use Leo Bodnar PCBs in our boxes too. Always appreciated Leo his work for the sim community. He is a true legend. 😉

Cheers,

Rem

[scottb613 1,188]

7 hours ago, tjstreak said:

Have you considered something like the Razor Orbweaver?  https://www.amazon.com/RAZER-ORBWEAVER-CHROMA-Progammable-Adjustable/dp/B013P0HW7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541133120&sr=8-1&keywords=orbweaver

 

Froogle did an episode on it.

Hi Thomas,

I've looked at these before - I always thought the buttons were all keyboard macros - Froogle's video proved otherwise... Still - one of the big draws to the Ignition Controls box for me are the rotary encoders - if they work for controlling aspects of the cockpit that utilize the same in the sim...

Thanks for posting...

Regards,

Scott

Edited November 2, 2018 by scottb613

[scottb613 1,188]

2 hours ago, RMK_01 said:

Hi Scott (and everybody!)

Thanks for creating this thread. I happy you found Ignition, hope you'll like our products. Most of them created with sim-racing in mind, but some models will prove well in flight sims (and VR in general). 

As for pricing there are different models and price ranges, and different components used. Also custom designed/cut/painted metal enclosures aren't cheep... So look closely what you are paying for when comparing with other brands.

Anyway Im happy so to see some of you appreciate my work. If you have questions feel free to ask here, or contact me via email. (any suggestions are welcomed too!)

@guenseli thats's a qool looking panel, and functional for sure! We use Leo Bodnar PCBs in our boxes too. Always appreciated Leo his work for the sim community. He is a true legend. 😉

Cheers,

Rem

Hi Rem,

Glad to see you made it here - welcome aboard - thanks for providing that information in my emails to you... It would seem to me - your product could fill a niche around here as well... We - as a community - spend a considerable amount on hardware - and we're always looking for good quality stuff...

Regards,
Scott 

[julian46 21]

On 11/2/2018 at 7:40 AM, scottb613 said:

. Still - one of the big draws to the Ignition Controls box for me are the rotary encoders - if they work for controlling aspects of the cockpit that utilize the same in the sim...
 

Hi Scott - did you ever get the Ignition button box or the DSD FLT1/2 ? - do the rotary encoders work (using Linda or Spad or FSUIPC) for "HDG, CRS, SPD, ALT " etc ?

thanks - Julian
(interested in same)

Edited May 28, 2020 by julian46