After being inspired to get FS2020 after some years away from such things, I would very much like to build and interface my own controls into the system.
So far, I've looked at a great thread here: 

 and am looking at the potential to interface various controls - flaps, trim, throttle and a few ancillary switches, to an external controller. The idea is to use an Arduino Uno or Mega (both of which I have), some rotary encoders and pots and switches - to extend the control input to the sim.

So far, I've looked at Mobiflight, which depends on FSUIPC for it's interface, with very little success in breadboarding a solution (bear with me, I',m new to this!)

Has anyone else started to look into this area yet with FS2020 - more likely those who have used FSX before?

Would be grateful for any pointers and tips in this direction.

For a lot of controls it is easy to just use the Leonardo or Pro Micro Arduinos since you can make them into native USB HID devices that show up as joysticks.

Also using the Leo Bodnar boards is even easier since they don't require you to build the code and wire the arduino you just use their units -- like the 8036X series that have multiple high Bit depth Axis, Hat Switch and Buttons.  They also have a configuration controller that makes assigning "buttons" to Rotary Encoders pretty easy.

I use both in my Sim and have had to work a little harder on the Arduino ones since the Rotary Encoder code is always the hardest part....

Now if your looking for two way communication then you can also look at Spad.Next but the interface is simconnect and then further you need to be able to write Arduino code and not expect something like Mobiflight...when it comes to Arduino two way....One way as Joysticks it's great (how I do my Landing Gear 100 Button controller and my GPS 530 I 3d Printed....)

Also note the MSFS is missing a lot from the simconnect library -- especially interacting with Cockpit "controls".  The FSX and P3D had "buttons" or Sim Events for things like the 400/430/500/530 GPS units and then also additonal ones for the G1000 MFD/PFD controls.  All of these are not currently present in MSFS....Its a pain currently for sim builders 😞

 

I tried a BU0836A that works in another sim.

MSFS detects the controller in the config page but insists that the pot is just a button and is not appropriate to control an axis.

Hopefully MSFS will eventually correctly interpret the Bodnar controller interface.

cheers

Stu

Edited September 3, 20205 yr by lenidcamper

Check http://www.desktopaviator.com/index.htm for parts and panels at reasonable prices. I say reasonable compared to some of the other panel manufacturers. They have a nice looking trim wheel setup at https://www.desktopaviator.com/Products/Model_2700/index.htm if you're looking for a trim wheel.

Edited September 7, 20205 yr by Phantoms
fixed spelling

Have just tested a FreeJoy- based throttle quadrant with FS2020- works like a charm, with all the axes and buttons behaving as they should. It's not an Arduino-based project, but the STM32 board it's based on is quite cheap and the flexibility it offers is second to none.

Mobiflight is great (I use it with Prepar 3D for B737 MCP, EFIS & radio), but until the new FSUIPC Ver. 7 for FS2020 is out of Beta stage (which also depends on the sim's complete SDK availability) we'll have to wait, I'm afraid. At least the guys are eager to update it as soon as possible.

On 9/3/2020 at 5:08 PM, lenidcamper said:

I tried a BU0836A that works in another sim.

MSFS detects the controller in the config page but insists that the pot is just a button and is not appropriate to control an axis.

Hopefully MSFS will eventually correctly interpret the Bodnar controller interface.

cheers

Stu

That's Odd, I didn't have that problem with my BU0836A. I connected both axial and slider potentimeters along with multiple encoders. MSFS2020 saw the potentiometers as axis and I was able to bind 3 slide potentiometers to Throttle, Prop and mixture. The binding for the encoders works well too, I can control AP Heading Sel, Alt Sel, VS sel all with rotary encoders. 

Make sure your potentiometer is plugged in correctly into the BU0836A before connecting to the computer, If you connect a potentiometer while the board is plugged in, it will not detect.