Did you ever do anything with the pots on the logitech? I picked one up tonight (for my rudder) and the wiring is a bit odd. The pots have only two wires...

I also did a mod with the Aviator stick, for a control panel with 18 switches and 5 pots (trims, prop pitch, etc) that worked great.

This stick is USB version?

Sokol1

PropNut, pots that are wired with two wires are typically being used as a resistance device instead of a voltage divider device.

The early PC joysticks used the pot to vary the amount of time a capacitor discharged and this was converted to a 0..255 value. Most "modern" joysticks or other analog input systems use the potentiometer as a voltage divider. This means that one wire is ground, the other is +5 and the third is the "wiper" of the pot. This wiper wire is what the input is derived from and is typically run through a component that will generate a 10bit or more (1024 vs 255) value for the input position.

Clear as mud?

g.

+1 Gene; Just for extra clarity, read up potentiometers and rheostats; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potentiometer#Rheostat - the pots on my suncom were wired up as rheostats, which caused me some head-scratching. Had some fun with my multimeter to figure out the proper wiring sequence on that one, and now that Leo's site appears to be up, I'm probably going to go back and hall-probe it at some point too.

Well I never did anything with the pots, after buying a few more joysticks I have all the trim wheels I could possible need without creating a need for more. I basically left them alone and crammed them into my project box.

Anyone ever tried cannibalizing some of the TM sticks for these types of projects? Not the expensive ones just the cheap ps3/HAWX type sticks?

With entry level Tm stick (or other brands) you do the same thing relate here, just use your USB controller to hook your new pots/sensors, momentary or toggle switch's.
The only exception is Tm.16000M, in this X an Y axis have a different connections - 5 wires
to work with Melexis 3D HALL sensor.

Pictures of disassembled T.16000M:

http://www.checksix-forums.com/showthread.php?t=164787

Sokol1

Once I get out of the range of entry level USB controllers I just bite the bullet and move onto X-Keys or similar. I have an X-keys 128 input device but haven't had a chance to start the project yet. But as Sokol points out its not different on the type of controller you're referring to. I chose my controllers based on availability around the house nothing else.... I had them and they were free lol.

I'd look at what you want out of the controller. Are you looking to build your own stick using the electronics? Or are you simply throwing some switches and trim dials in a box for a custom switch panel. For a controller you may want to hack a decent joystick so you have a quality base to work from. On the other hand if you're looking for some switches to flip any cheap USB stick will work. You can get some logitech sticks that sell for $20 and have close to 20 buttons and 4 axis'!

Another stick you may want to consider hacking is a T16000M ... 4 axes (2 of those are tied to its single hall-effect sensor, though), 16 buttons + 1 hat ... and programmable with TARGET.

It's certainly not as hacker-friendly as the Aviator, but ... worth considering at ~$30.00

As for wiring switches like the ones in your picture, you just solder a wire from the 2 contacts on the board to the 2 contacts on the switch (simplest option). If your switches have more than 2 contacts (such as a momentary toggle that can be pushed up or down from center, or a lighted pushbutton), you just have to make sure to connect the wires to the correct contacts.

For your type of switch or button, you'll want normally open contacts (so that a button press closes the circuit).

edit - wow, I apparently missed half the thread prior to posting that ... nevermind. :]

I think I am going to grab at least a single T16000M and incorporate it into my pit when I build it. I don't want or need a lot of switches but it would be good to use that for the trim functions and keep that stuff off my Warthog.