NEW DCS Remote

Dennis posted:

I like the thumbwheel and have no desire to run my train with my phone.

Dennis

I call it an 'index finger wheel'.  My arthritis is already so bad in my thumbs that I have gotten pretty good operating it with my finger.  I bought a WIU as soona s they were on the market, and tried the phone app for quite a while.  I think it is really slick, but I had trouble using it.  The physical buttons on the remote work better for me.  Now I should get a second remote.  

Again, this is all my opinion of personal preference.  The WIU and app are the way of the future, and there are many advantages for the average modeler.  There I said it, I'm Abby-Normal!  

If you're into railroad operations, the phone or tablet is out of the question.  With the hand held remote most of us have memorized button locations and can watch the the train when positioning, coupling or uncoupling.  Operations would be difficult with tablet or phone as one would have to watch the phone or tablet and try to watch the train your maneuvering.  If you're just running trains or rail fanning the tablet/smart phone method should work just fine.

I love the freedom of walking around the layout with the remote. Don't even need to look at it to make some functions work. No problem with mine other than adding some fresh foam under the battery cover to secure the batteries. Might pick up an extra as a spare soon?

I love my Samsung tablet, but not to run trains with. Just another marketing gimmick to attract younger folks in which I really have to question the future of.

Hopefully some one can come up with a remote that will run our trains. There has to be a way to do this.

I have been known to have a remote in each hand to do more things at once.  try that with wifi

I find it very hard to accept that re-engineering a remote to use newer components is not feasible.  Digital signalling is no ricket science any more.  As we have seen on the forum, PC boards are cheap; components are cheap.  I suspect some of our gurus could design a new board, with new components, using the same remote shell and button pad to save dollars.

RJR posted:

 I suspect some of our gurus could design a new board, with new components, using the same remote shell and button pad to save dollars.

Perhaps if MTH actually released details of what was in the current remote. Otherwise, you're talking about a significant reverse engineering project!

Several times in my career I was handed a piece of avionics and asked to "clone" it.  Note that we had no information on the internal  modes or processing of the current unit.  I live to tell you, it ain't as easy as it sounds!  Yep, we had the actual working instrument in our hands.  We even knew what the interface looked like as that was documented by the aircraft manufacturer.  However, we didn't know what they had done internally, other than the general processing that was required to produce the output result.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

RJR posted:

 I suspect some of our gurus could design a new board, with new components, using the same remote shell and button pad to save dollars.

Perhaps if MTH actually released details of what was in the current remote. Otherwise, you're talking about a significant reverse engineering project!

Several times in my career I was handed a piece of avionics and asked to "clone" it.  Note that we had no information on the internal  modes or processing of the current unit.  I live to tell you, it ain't as easy as it sounds!  Yep, we had the actual working instrument in our hands.  We even knew what the interface looked like as that was documented by the aircraft manufacturer.  However, we didn't know what they had done internally, other than the general processing that was required to produce the output result.

John Curiosity is getting the best of me now “avionics” aircraft manufacturer” . As  a A&P/IA and an Aviation Safety Inspector, what area and where did you practice your illustrious  career in the field of avionics/electronics?

MTH did "accidentally" reveal the codes in the first few user manuals when it first came out.

They used the actual programmed  code names to give a "short-cut" name to each feature. 

However, they may have since changed those names.

Well I decided to do what I hope MTH is planning to do soon. I built my own customizable remote remote using the app.

Okay, I'm not very far along with this project but this is what a couple hours yielded and it got me past most of the major technical hurdles.

I have a Bluetooth controller designed for gaming connected to my tablet and remapping buttons on the controller to emulate finger touches on the screen.

Here is a picture and short video. So far I've mapped one button to control the Bell, and hope to work more on it this weekend.

I'm still planning my custom button mappings, the whistle pull rope will be the hardest but I'm hoping to use one of the analog joystick for that. Not visible in the photo are 4 buttons on top of the controller that are easily accessed with your index fingers so there are plenty of functions that can be remapped.

RJT posted:

John Curiosity is getting the best of me now “avionics” aircraft manufacturer” . As  a A&P/IA and an Aviation Safety Inspector, what area and where did you practice your illustrious  career in the field of avionics/electronics?

I worked the major amount of the time on fuel systems, but I also did a number of cockpit instruments and even an air data computer.  My last job before retirement was the X-47 UCAV fuel system.

Brilliant mate!   Thanks to your ingenuity I'm going to start shopping for a blue tooth wireless controller.   I'm thinking of this one, will let you know how it goes.

https://www.amazon.com/PG-9157...580306264&sr=8-2

I've still got two MTH handheld remotes that I plan to use when I build my new layout.  The Bluetooth control is cool but I don't plan to switch anytime soon.

Obsidian posted:

Brilliant mate!   Thanks to your ingenuity I'm going to start shopping for a blue tooth wireless controller.   I'm thinking of this one, will let you know how it goes.

https://www.amazon.com/PG-9157...580306264&sr=8-2

I'm going to watch for your report on this. 

H1000 posted:

Well I decided to do what I hope MTH is planning to do soon. I built my own customizable remote remote using the app.

Okay, I'm not very far along with this project but this is what a couple hours yielded and it got me past most of the major technical hurdles.

I have a Bluetooth controller designed for gaming connected to my tablet and remapping buttons on the controller to emulate finger touches on the screen.

Here is a picture and short video. So far I've mapped one button to control the Bell, and hope to work more on it this weekend.

I'm still planning my custom button mappings, the whistle pull rope will be the hardest but I'm hoping to use one of the analog joystick for that. Not visible in the photo are 4 buttons on top of the controller that are easily accessed with your index fingers so there are plenty of functions that can be remapped.

 

I'm looking forward to a how-to. 

Well I had some excellent progress tonight. Using a different game pad remote (the original one I used would have worked also). Below is a video of my progress.

Running the app can be done with the tactile buttons the remote diehards crave.

It's late, hopefully more will happen this weekend....

H1000, Pretty slick indeed!  You are doing a fantastic job!

Since MTH seems to have no interest in their Proto controls, perhaps Proto Throttle could be persuaded to come up with a DCS version:

I'd gladly forego the purchase of one or two locomotives to have one of these to control my fleet!

https://www.iascaled.com/store/MRBW-CST

H1000 posted:

Well I had some excellent progress tonight. Using a different game pad remote (the original one I used would have worked also). Below is a video of my progress.

Running the app can be done with the tactile buttons the remote diehards crave.

It's late, hopefully more will happen this weekend....

Needs to be one handed with tactile buttons

clem k posted:

H1000 posted:

Well I had some excellent progress tonight. Using a different game pad remote (the original one I used would have worked also). Below is a video of my progress.

Running the app can be done with the tactile buttons the remote diehards crave.

It's late, hopefully more will happen this weekend....

Needs to be one handed with tactile buttons

Everyone has there own MO... I can remap and run all of those functions with just the left or right  side of the controller and hold it with only one hand if I want to. There are also 1000's of remote controllers that can be used here. Shop around and you'll find the right one for you. Heck remapping voice controls with Google assistant or Amazon Alexa is within easy reach.  Now you don't need any hands!

looks like it would work using only one half of it.

H1000, very nice indeed! The fact you (you as in H1000, not other you's like me) can do that with a number of different remotes is also fascinating!

I've always liked those remotes that RTH posted above too. Nice looking and appear to be heavy duty as well.

Great Results H1000.  What remote is that?  Does it work with IOS and Android?  I assume mapping the keys was somewhat straight forward.

I was excited when I saw your first video and started researching remotes.  I found one that the phone physically connected to through the port.  So it did not need batteries and did not use bluetooth since it was a direct connect.  No bluetooth means no lag.  I figured the phone is already bluetooth to the wifi module.  No sense in stressing it out further.

I thought this was a winner until the company sent me an email today saying that the keys are not mappable.  The remote works with nearly 500 games, but MTH DCS Wifi is not one of them.  It was called the GameVice.

Just some friendly advice.  If you did not already map e-stop to a button... you will probably want to.  

Have Fun!

Ron

gunrunnerjohn posted:

RJT posted:

John Curiosity is getting the best of me now “avionics” aircraft manufacturer” . As  a A&P/IA and an Aviation Safety Inspector, what area and where did you practice your illustrious  career in the field of avionics/electronics?

I worked the major amount of the time on fuel systems, but I also did a number of cockpit instruments and even an air data computer.  My last job before retirement was the X-47 UCAV fuel system.

Quite something. First unmanned aerial vehicle to be air-refueled. Must have had a lot of technical issues (to say the least) to overcome to make this operational. They should have kept you around, John, to deal with the KC-46 issues!  

Did some more work and refinements on the DCS APP Remote.

Changed back to the "Switch" style controller from the "PS4" style remote. (I didn't have to remap any of my previous buttons!)
Add mappings for the headlight, Smoke, and Engine Sound buttons.
Changed the Horn/Whistle Mapping and moved the bell button to the left top button
      Horn is activated with the right top button & whistle now uses the left analog stick (better precision and able to hold rope position much better)
      Double tapping the horn button in whistle mode will toggle quill-able whistle if available on your engine.

Here's a another brief video:

Very nice H1000.  However, I am missing something because I know nothing about game controllers.  The last game I played was pinball, with real pins, flappers,  and metal balls.  How does the game controller connect to the smartphone or tablet?  Through Bluetooth is all I can think of.

Mark Boyce posted:

Very nice H1000.  However, I am missing something because I know nothing about game controllers.  The last game I played was pinball, with real pins, flappers,  and metal balls.  How does the game controller connect to the smartphone or tablet?  Through Bluetooth is all I can think of.

Yep, Both of the controllers featured are Bluetooth but also have the option of being connected to my tablets USB port via an OTG adapter. Bluetooth is just easier in this situation.

Keep in mind, I'm not limited to just gaming controllers with a limited number of buttons.  I could connect a Bluetooth keyboard and start remapping hundreds of functions... I'm not sure that would be a very practical or portable remote.

H1000 posted:

Mark Boyce posted:

Very nice H1000.  However, I am missing something because I know nothing about game controllers.  The last game I played was pinball, with real pins, flappers,  and metal balls.  How does the game controller connect to the smartphone or tablet?  Through Bluetooth is all I can think of.

Yep, Both of the controllers featured are Bluetooth but also have the option of being connected to my tablets USB port via an OTG adapter. Bluetooth is just easier in this situation.

Keep in mind, I'm not limited to just gaming controllers with a limited number of buttons.  I could connect a Bluetooth keyboard and start remapping hundreds of functions... I'm not sure that would be a very practical or portable remote.

Ah ha!  Since I don't have a tablet, I didn't know they or some have USB ports.  However, I agree if you can connect via Bluetooth, that woud be much more handy.  Thank you for the explanation!

Ron045 posted:

Great Results H1000.  What remote is that?  Does it work with IOS and Android?  I assume mapping the keys was somewhat straight forward.

I was excited when I saw your first video and started researching remotes.  I found one that the phone physically connected to through the port.  So it did not need batteries and did not use bluetooth since it was a direct connect.  No bluetooth means no lag.  I figured the phone is already bluetooth to the wifi module.  No sense in stressing it out further.

I thought this was a winner until the company sent me an email today saying that the keys are not mappable.  The remote works with nearly 500 games, but MTH DCS Wifi is not one of them.  It was called the GameVice.

Just some friendly advice.  If you did not already map e-stop to a button... you will probably want to.  

Have Fun!

Ron

Hi Ron,

The first remote is an iPEGA PG-9083S from Amazon (Purchased here) and the second unit is an 8bitdo SN30 Pro + also from Amazon (Purchased here), this also has a separate add-on holder that can be purchased if you would so choose. Really any one of the 1000's of these gamepad out there should work though. The Bluetooth has virtually no noticeable lag (watch my more recent video when I turn off the headlight on & off my f3).

I'm not sure about iOS compatibility but I don't see why it shouldn't work. Key mapping is being done through another 3rd app right now and still not 100% sold on this particular app yet. I am researching so others but to emulate screen touch with a game controller on top of an app that wasn't designed for a game controller was not something that any of these smart device manufactures had in mind.  8bitdo did include a screen mapper app on their website that should support any kind of app or game but I couldn't get it to work. 

Ultimately I'm hoping that the guys over at MTH (@MTH @MTH RD) take notice of what is happening here and realize that they should build support into the DCS app for alternative input instead of just the touch screen. It would make things so much easier for anyone to implement this on their own device.

During one of the recent "covid-19 bunker" MTH webcasts (Mondays at 4 PM EDT on their Facebook page) , I posted the question "Are the DCS remotes going to be replaced by the wifi set up". Rich Foster said the remotes are not going away. They are having problems finding internal parts for them so I'm thinking they will be a new/different remote.

@paulp575 posted:

During one of the recent "covid-19 bunker" MTH webcasts (Mondays at 4 PM EDT on their Facebook page) , I posted the question "Are the DCS remotes going to be replaced by the wifi set up". Rich Foster said the remotes are not going away. They are having problems finding internal parts for them so I'm thinking they will be a new/different remote.

I hope that's right. The DCS remote is probably due for a upgrade as well as the Z4000 transformer.