If you're going to add a new piece of hardware to your desktop, don't forget about a cheap Xbox/game controller.

https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-940-000110-Gamepad-F310/dp/B003VAHYQY

Obviously, you can't label the buttons easily 😉 but it still allows for many of the most important AP buttons to be programmed. The biggest benefit to me, though, is that the joysticks on the gamepad make using the external views, and especially the drone, a breeze.

2 hours ago, CJ1045 said:

I use Matric with an Android Tablet next to my system. It is excellent, completely configurable and looks brilliant. It is also very, very cheap if you have a phone or tablet already that you can use. It is simply software that runs on your MSFS pc and then links to the tablet or phone running the Matric app. You simply assign key strokes to the buttons that you have created for your controls. A couple of examples of what is possible:

Oh, that looks very useful. Downloaded. Looks like it might take me hours to figure it out!

This topic is about the PFD and MFD instrument knobs..

The only solution would be pop-up windows for the entire instruments not just for the screens. I cannot understand why Aesobo did not implement that. 

59 minutes ago, spacedyemeerkat said:

Oh, that looks very useful. Downloaded. Looks like it might take me hours to figure it out!

All you need to do is have it installed on your PC and also on your phone/tablet. The latter requires a very small in-app payment to open up the full functionality (think this as about £7 in the UK). Then when you open up the desktop app there is a link to 'Get More Online' under the Library banner. If you do that then your browser fires up. Show the downloads by 'Recent;y Added' and there is one called 'Magic Man's Flight Simulator 2020'. Download that. Double click on it in your download folder and it will be loaded into Matric. It is pretty awesome and has 14 screen you can flit between to control the plane easily. All the buttons are pre-configured for the default MSFS2020 keyboard buttons.

As ever there is a bit of a learning curve but once you have it working it is pretty cool and quite easy to edit the creations.

One guy has even gone a bit wild linking up with vjoy too and has working levers/throttles etc. As I have a HOTAS I have less need for the extra work that will involve to setup.

Oh and one more thing, you are not limited to one tablet/phone, you can have multiple at once.

CJ

Edited September 21, 20205 yr by CJ1045

6 hours ago, JaimeC said:

I was hoping it would detect it as a different device with different assignments within the simulator.

Still, it's a great idea. I am already looking for stores to buy one.

But of course I am not going to put your stickers on my main keyboard 😉, maybe on the auxiliary  (as long as they are not subject to copiright) 😄

you can get simple 20 key USB keypads for about $35 US that are fully programmable via a simple interface on the screen to program.  Can also do macros.  I think what he showing here is the very basic, non-programable 10 KEY numeric keypad extension (made for laptops) - so like he says numlock has to be set to AP in game.  With a programmable pad one can use the default MS AP key(s) and assign it to any button on the pad.

46 minutes ago, Mike S KPDX said:

you can get simple 20 key USB keypads for about $35 US that are fully programmable via a simple interface on the screen to program.  Can also do macros.  I think what he showing here is the very basic, non-programable 10 KEY numeric keypad extension (made for laptops) - so like he says numlock has to be set to AP in game.  With a programmable pad one can use the default MS AP key(s) and assign it to any button on the pad.

Yup, although you can make your own stuff for a lot less than 35 quid with a leo bodnar board which can include rotary encoders, which is probably better for an autopilot if you want to change values; the advantage of that one I made with a laptop numeric keypad, is that it was literally five quid to buy it off amazon and it took about two minutes to make it with some stickers and a pen. I really just did it really as an experiment to see how useful it would be for something which costs next to nothing, and it turns out it is quite usable.

Edited September 21, 20205 yr by Chock

4 hours ago, Chock said:

Yup, although you can make your own stuff for a lot less than 35 quid with a leo bodnar board which can include rotary encoders, which is probably better for an autopilot if you want to change values; the advantage of that one I made with a laptop numeric keypad, is that it was literally five quid to buy it off amazon and it took about two minutes to make it with some stickers and a pen. I really just did it really as an experiment to see how useful it would be for something which costs next to nothing, and it turns out it is quite usable.

understood, no problem.  I like your idea but could I not achieve the same by literally assigning the setting to my keyboard's numpad?

5 minutes ago, Mike S KPDX said:

understood, no problem.  I like your idea but could I not achieve the same by literally assigning the setting to my keyboard's numpad?

Yup. But if you don't want to put stickers all over your regular keyboard and would prefer something smaller on your desk when flying which looks a bit more like an MCP, that's kind of the purpose of this thing. Obviously it's not super-realistic, it's just kind of a fun thing to do which only costs a fiver to make.

9 hours ago, roland said:

This topic is about the PFD and MFD instrument knobs..

A fair point, but I would say that the thread hasn't derailed off topic when people are providing an interesting (geeky ) workaround until a digital? fix is made.

Luckily I have no turbulence! **Ducks**

Some great ideas there, thanks guys.

 

 

37 minutes ago, Chock said:

Yup. But if you don't want to put stickers all over your regular keyboard and would prefer something smaller on your desk when flying which looks a bit more like an MCP, that's kind of the purpose of this thing. Obviously it's not super-realistic, it's just kind of a fun thing to do which only costs a fiver to make.

got it... good idea, thanks for showing us.

13 hours ago, roland said:

This topic is about the PFD and MFD instrument knobs..

The only solution would be pop-up windows for the entire instruments not just for the screens. I cannot understand why Aesobo did not implement that. 

That's the obvious solution and why there is still a case to be made for 2d panels with popup menus that can be initiated through a simple keystroke.  Yet some think that is heresy as if virtual 3d cockpits were always the norm.

VR might provide a solution, but the VR rig is going to have to be beefy and it better have really granular detection of your hand motions.  When I tried Aerofly FS2 "under the hood" the VR controls were just not there yet.  Trying to move your "floating" blue hand around the cockpit was an exercise in frustration.

i love the idea of a USB 10 key keypad.  Much more cost effective than that CH Products control pad with the velcro buttons.

There is a program that allows you to distinguish between different USB keyboards and assign key combinations - luamacros. However, setting it up requires some very basic scripting. Used it for a while with XP and FSX quite successfully.

I'm going to make a separate post about this at some point, but I have recently found the following piece of software that replicates the G1000 on an Android Tablet, and links it to FS2020. It works really well for me and gives you touch screen control to change the various different settings:

https://www.peixsoft.com/

Requires download of the Android App, desktop software and FSUIPC. Some small costs associated with it but you can currently trial all of it for free.