Difference between revisions of "Simucube wireless wheel system"

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<b>This page is under construction. Do not believe anything written here until this notice has disappears.</b><br><br><br>
 
 
 
{{Infobox electric device
 
{{Infobox electric device
 
| name  = Wireless button plate module
 
| name  = Wireless button plate module
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communicates these button and encoder state changes via USB to the user’s PC.
 
communicates these button and encoder state changes via USB to the user’s PC.
  
{{info|This product works only as combined with [[About SimuCUBE|SimuCUBE]] controller. Do not try to purchase this if you are not sure how to use this.}}
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{{info|This product works only as combined with [[About SimuCUBE|SimuCUBE]] controller. Do not try to purchase this if you are not sure if you need this.}}
  
===Basic operating principle:===
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===Basic operating principle===
  
* Button plate manufacturers integrate the button plate wireless module in their designs simply by plugging the module to their PCB connector board and configuring the module with provided button plate configuration tool. The button plate configuration tool is introduced later in this document.
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* Button plate manufacturers integrate the button plate wireless module in their designs simply by plugging the module to their PCB connector board and configuring the module with provided button plate configuration tool.
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* Customers connect the wireless button plate to their SimuCUBE controller by simply pressing both paddle shifters simultaneously.
* Customers connect the wireless button plate to their SimuCUBE controller by simply pressing both paddle shifters simultaneously
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* The current SimuCUBE version needs an add-on receiver board (SimuCUBE Wireless Adapter, sold separately) to interface with these wireless button plate transmitter modules.
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* The next generation SimuCUBE versions will have this receiver module embedded in their design.
* The current SimuCUBE version needs an add-on receiver board (SimuCUBE Wireless Adapter, sold separately) to interface with these wireless button plate transmitter modules
+
+
* The next generation SimuCUBE versions will have this receiver module embedded in their design  
+
  
 
[[File:buttonplate overview.png|800px]]
 
[[File:buttonplate overview.png|800px]]
  
 
==Button plate module features==
 
==Button plate module features==
* Connect up to 28 input devices, or 5 encoders + 18 buttons wirelessly to Simucube force feedback controller.
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* Connect up to 28 input devices wirelessly to SimuCUBE force feedback controller.
 
* Incredibly low energy consumption. Single battery will last over 3 years on daily hard-core use.
 
* Incredibly low energy consumption. Single battery will last over 3 years on daily hard-core use.
  
==Simucube wireless adapter==
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==SimuCUBE wireless adapter==
* Wireless wheel support may be added to all existing Simucube boards by plugging in a wireless receiver on the SC board (receiver sold separately).
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* Wireless wheel support may be added to all existing SimuCUBE boards by inserting a wireless adapter
* Possible problems with signal quality may be solved by placing the Simucube board and the wireless adapter closer to the wireless wheel.
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* Insert a wireless adapter to a SimuCUBE board as shown in the following pictures.
* Insert a wireless adapter to a SimuCUBE board like shown in the following pictures.
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<br>
 
<br>
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{{damage|Do not insert or remove SimuCUBE wireless adapter when the SimuCUBE board is powered!}}
 
{{damage|Do not insert or remove SimuCUBE wireless adapter when the SimuCUBE board is powered!}}
 
{{picturebox|AKZ_1018_E.jpg|caption=Insert the SimuCUBE adapter to the SER-DISP header like this}}
 
{{picturebox|AKZ_1018_E.jpg|caption=Insert the SimuCUBE adapter to the SER-DISP header like this}}
{{info|A metallic or conductive case around Simucube board will have a negative effect on the signal quality, and in these cases a window or hole near the wireless adapter may be needed.}}
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{{info|A metallic or conductive case around SimuCUBE board will have a negative effect on the signal quality, and in these cases a window or hole near the wireless adapter may be needed.}}
  
 
==Button plate usage==
 
==Button plate usage==
* Turn on by inserting a battery and / or from switch.
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* Turn on by inserting a battery and switching power on from possible power switch.
* Button plate module goes into discovery mode, and it's status led starts to blink rapidly. The button plate can be found only when in discovery mode.
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* After starting, a button plate module goes into discovery mode, and it's status led starts to blink rapidly. The button plate can be found only in discovery mode.
* Find and connect to your button plate from Simucube configuration software.
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* Establish a connection to your button plate from SimuCUBE configuration software.
* The status led blinks 3 times in moderate frequency, and the button plate is ready to use.
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* When connecting a button plate to a SimuCUBE board for the first time, the connection must be opened manually from SimuCUBE tuning software.
* When connecting a button plate to a Simucube board for the first time, it must be connected manually by from Simucube tuning software.
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* SimuCUBE board and wireless button plate remember each other, and later will connect to each other automatically.
* Simucube boards and wireless button plates remember each other after the first connection, and a button plate will then connect automatically to Simucube board.
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* After connecting, the status led blinks 3 times in moderate frequency, and the button plate is ready to use.
* Check the signal quality and battery voltage from Simucube configuration software.
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* SimuCUBE boards and wireless button plates remember each other after the first connection, and a button plate will then connect automatically to SimuCUBE board.
* The button plate is now ready to use. Input device events can be seen in Simucube configuration software.
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* Check the signal quality and battery voltage from SimuCUBE configuration software.
 +
* The button plate should be ready to use. Input device events can be seen in SimuCUBE configuration software.
 
* When connected, the connection may be closed by pressing both paddle shifters for over 5 seconds.
 
* When connected, the connection may be closed by pressing both paddle shifters for over 5 seconds.
 
* When not connected, the discovery mode can be started again by pressing the paddle shifters simultaneously for over 2 seconds.
 
* When not connected, the discovery mode can be started again by pressing the paddle shifters simultaneously for over 2 seconds.
* The button plate will stay in the discovery mode for 30 seconds after releasing the paddle shifters, or until connecting to a Simucube board.
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* The button plate will stay in the discovery mode for 30 seconds after releasing the paddle shifters, or until connecting to a SimuCUBE board.
  
 
{{info|Do not leave a wireless wheel in state where one or both of the paddle shifters are pressed for a long time. Having paddles pressed may deplete the battery in a few days.}}
 
{{info|Do not leave a wireless wheel in state where one or both of the paddle shifters are pressed for a long time. Having paddles pressed may deplete the battery in a few days.}}
  
==Simucube configuration tool wireless settings==
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==SimuCUBE configuration tool wireless settings==
  
When a simucube board has a wireless adapter connected to it, a "Configure wireless devices" button should appear in the hardware setup tab of SimuCUBE configuration software.
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When a SimuCUBE board has a wireless adapter connected to it, a "Configure wireless devices" button should appear in the hardware setup tab of SimuCUBE configuration software.
 
By clicking this button, a dialog opens for managing wireless button plate connections.
 
By clicking this button, a dialog opens for managing wireless button plate connections.
  

Revision as of 12:23, 31 January 2019

Wireless button plate module

Buttonplatev1.jpg

SimuCUBE wireless adapter

Sc1wirelessmodule.jpg

PDF documentation of the wireless button plate module for button plate manufacturers. Download.

The SimuCUBE wireless wheel system enables users to connect sim wheels wirelessly to the SimuCUBE force feedback controller. The sim wheel buttons and incremental encoders are connected to a wireless button plate logic module, which communicates with SimuCUBE force feedback controller’s wireless adapter via Bluetooth. The SimuCUBE controller in turn communicates these button and encoder state changes via USB to the user’s PC.

Basic operating principle

  • Button plate manufacturers integrate the button plate wireless module in their designs simply by plugging the module to their PCB connector board and configuring the module with provided button plate configuration tool.
  • Customers connect the wireless button plate to their SimuCUBE controller by simply pressing both paddle shifters simultaneously.
  • The current SimuCUBE version needs an add-on receiver board (SimuCUBE Wireless Adapter, sold separately) to interface with these wireless button plate transmitter modules.
  • The next generation SimuCUBE versions will have this receiver module embedded in their design.

Buttonplate overview.png

Button plate module features

  • Connect up to 28 input devices wirelessly to SimuCUBE force feedback controller.
  • Incredibly low energy consumption. Single battery will last over 3 years on daily hard-core use.

SimuCUBE wireless adapter

  • Wireless wheel support may be added to all existing SimuCUBE boards by inserting a wireless adapter
  • Insert a wireless adapter to a SimuCUBE board as shown in the following pictures.


AKZ 1017 E.jpg

The SimuCUBE SER-DISP header and a SimuCUBE wireless adapter

AKZ 1018 E.jpg

Insert the SimuCUBE adapter to the SER-DISP header like this

Button plate usage

  • Turn on by inserting a battery and switching power on from possible power switch.
  • After starting, a button plate module goes into discovery mode, and it's status led starts to blink rapidly. The button plate can be found only in discovery mode.
  • Establish a connection to your button plate from SimuCUBE configuration software.
  • When connecting a button plate to a SimuCUBE board for the first time, the connection must be opened manually from SimuCUBE tuning software.
  • SimuCUBE board and wireless button plate remember each other, and later will connect to each other automatically.
  • After connecting, the status led blinks 3 times in moderate frequency, and the button plate is ready to use.
  • SimuCUBE boards and wireless button plates remember each other after the first connection, and a button plate will then connect automatically to SimuCUBE board.
  • Check the signal quality and battery voltage from SimuCUBE configuration software.
  • The button plate should be ready to use. Input device events can be seen in SimuCUBE configuration software.
  • When connected, the connection may be closed by pressing both paddle shifters for over 5 seconds.
  • When not connected, the discovery mode can be started again by pressing the paddle shifters simultaneously for over 2 seconds.
  • The button plate will stay in the discovery mode for 30 seconds after releasing the paddle shifters, or until connecting to a SimuCUBE board.

SimuCUBE configuration tool wireless settings

When a SimuCUBE board has a wireless adapter connected to it, a "Configure wireless devices" button should appear in the hardware setup tab of SimuCUBE configuration software. By clicking this button, a dialog opens for managing wireless button plate connections.

Tuner1.PNG

When a wireless adapter is successfully attached to a SimuCUBE board, a button should appear in SimuCUBE configuration tool

This dialog let's user to manage connections to SimuCUBE wireless wheels. In this dialog it's possible to find, connect, disconnect and forget wireless wheels. Scanning can be started by pressing the "Scan for new devices" button. After clicking the button, information about nearby wireless wheels are shown in the list below.

Wireless sim wheel names and MAC addresses can be used to identify different wheels. Names are set by wheel manufacturers, and therefore e.g. all wheels of same model may have same name. On the other hand, the MAC addresses are unique, so they can always be used for identifying.

Tuner2.PNG

A dialog for managing SimuCUBE wireless wheel connections

Tuner4.PNG

The SimuCUBE configuration tool shows information about connected wireless button plate on it's overview tab

Availability

Ask wireless button plate availability from your button plate manufacturer.