Sim Racing Button Box Selber Bauen

Button Box

While many sim racing wheels accept an extensive selection of buttons and rotary encoders, I yet apply a button box considering it makes the whole sim experience more graceful and realistic. Also not unimportant: it just feels more authentic! In this blog I explain why you too, if you don't have one yet, want a button box. There are two options:

Purchase a set up-made button box or;
Opt for a do-it-yourself solution (DIY Button box).

Are you lot handy with a soldering iron and do you like to make your own sim racing button box? So read on. In this article I explain how you can brand a fantastic DIY sim racing Button Box yourself and I share my experiences how I did this!

diy button box — Make your own push button box in these piece of cake steps!

What is a sim racing push box?

For those who are new to the world of sim racing and don't know what a button box is. As the name implies, information technology's a box of buttons But there'south more than just that! In improver to buttons, a push box (unremarkably) has rotary encoders, toggle switches and switches. This combination of parts makes a push button box indispensable in the world of sim racing.

Transmission: Make your own button box in 8 steps!

Earlier I tell you how to make your own button box in viii piece of cake steps: all credits for this fantastic tutorial become to AMSTUDIO. For but $5.30 you become a comprehensive xviii like shooting fish in a barrel-to-follow manual guide that explains stride-by-step how to make this button box with 32 functions yourself!

The video beneath clearly shows which steps you need to take to get started yourself! It is incredibly simple and even without technical knowledge y'all can make this DIY button box. If you have the skills and experience you tin handle information technology, picket the video below from AMSTUDIO which explains the whole procedure in relatively like shooting fish in a barrel to sympathize steps.

Which parts exercise you lot need?

Earlier nosotros starting time building we need parts. You lot tin easily guild these online. I myself ordered the following parts through Aliexpress.

Parts Listing

10x – 12mm button buttons
4x – three way (On/Off/On) iii pin momentary toggle switch
4x – Multi-function rotary encoder with push button
1x – Arduino ProMicro
1x – Micro USB cable
2x – ii way momentary toggle switch switch
2x – Toggle switch with plastic cover
1x – Plastic box (195x115x60 mm). It may likewise exist slightly larger.
4x – Rotary encoder knobs
Wire to solder

Listing of tools

To make the button box you volition need the following tools:

Highlighter
Drill and drills
Digital caliper
Tape measure / ruler
Key
Allen central
Soldering Iron and Wire
Tweezers
Screwdriver
wire cutters
wire strippers
tool knife
Prophylactic equipment

Step ane: Select all buttons and switches

The first pace in creating this button box is to select the various switches we need. These switches provide a total of 32 functions on your push box. Encounter the 'parts list' section higher up to notice out which switches and buttons you volition need for this project.

Each push or switch has its own function. From a uncomplicated ON/OFF push button to a 2-piece ON/OFF switch. But besides a 3 piece (ON/OFF/ON) switch and a iii functional rotary encoder. The rotary encoder is an electromechanical device that converts the position or movement of an centrality into analog or digital output signals. The rotary encoder used in this project likewise has a temporary push function.

Step 2: Design the button box layout

Take a piece of paper (A4) and blueprint your own layout for your new button box. Digital processing is of course as well possible. I myself take used the layout from the manual of AMSTUDIO. The 32 operation button box from the video has the post-obit switches, buttons and encoders:

2x – 2 mode toggle switches (ii functions)
4x – 3 manner toggle switches (eight functions)
10x – momentary push buttons (10 functions)
4x – Rotary Encoders with push function. (12 functions)

Footstep 3: Install All Parts

The adjacent step is to measure the diameter of all switches and buttons using a (digital) caliper. So mark it on the elevation of the plastic box and drill the mounting holes. Tip: first drill the holes with a smaller drill. This ensures a nicer and better cease.

The next step is optional, only highly recommended. Once all holes have been drilled, yous tin finish the encompass nicely with a carbon vinyl wrap. This ensures a robust and real racing look. Finally, install all switches, buttons and encoders on the box. So, information technology starts somewhere on the corpses! In the next pace we volition connect the wiring to the Arduino ProMicro board.

Step 4: Connecting the Wiring

This push button box uses a 5×5 Matrix grid for wiring the buttons and switches. Each carmine dot in the diagram represents a pressure switch. For a full diagram and connexion diagram of all switches, I recommend purchasing the manual from AMSTUDIO to support this project.

Step 5: Wiring Diagram

This is the step where the magic-happens! Grab your soldering iron considering nosotros are finally going to do some real technical work. In this step we are going to connect and solder all switches, encoders and button buttons to the Arduino board. Follow the wiring diagram from the transmission. This takes a lot of patience and extreme precision to exercise this right. And so take your time for this! The next step is to program the Arduino lath.

Step 6: Configure Your Arduino Board

Download the Arduino software and install it on a PC. Then connect the USB cable from the PC to the Arduino ProMicro lath. Next you open up the Arduino software and we need to add together some libraries. When you have purchased the transmission, you will receive a 'Push Box Sketch' file. You can and then open and upload this file in the Aruino software.

Step 7: Install GitHub Libraries

Once you have installed the Arduino software, download the Joystick Library on GitHub. Click on 'Clone or Download' and salvage the file to your PC.

Open the saved file and brand a copy of the Joystick folder on your desktop. And so place the Joystick folder in the folder: ..\Arduino\Libraries

The next step is to install the 'Keypad.h' library. You exercise this as follows. Get to 'Sketch > Include Library > Manage Libraries'. And then search for 'Keypad.H' by Mark Stanely, Alexander Brevig and click 'install'. And then click on 'Tools' select 'Board' and click on 'Arduino/Genuino Micro'.

Finally, go to Tools > Port > COM17 (Arduino/Genuino Micro)

Step 8: Upload your sketch to your Arduino lath

Nosotros have arrived at the last step! Fortunately, this is a fairly unproblematic stride. Finally, click on 'Verify' so on 'Upload'. The software will now be uploaded to the Arduino. Well, that worked out! This sketch (software) remains stored on the Arduino lath, fifty-fifty if the power/usb is disconnected.

Congratulations! Yous made your own sim racing button box

Congratulations! Yous take successfully made your own button box with no less than 32 functions! And now: let's play! Starting time your favorite racing game and map all functions to the new button box.

Equally yous can see, they are all quite simple and piece of cake to accomplish steps. Yes, it will take you some fourth dimension. But that is more than than worth it! Even without any technical noesis and background, I found creating a very nice project which gave me a lot of satisfaction. Yes, you demand to have some patience for this. Specially ordering all parts through Aliexpress took a while. But in one case everything was inside, the edifice could start and the higher up video and manual helped me through it hands.

My experience: offset today!

In full it took me most 2 evenings to build. I especially liked the soldering and programming of the Arduino board. I am very proud of the end upshot! For a few bucks you lot accept a fantastic button box for years of racing fun!

I hope this blog has inspired you to become started on your own. Do you now desire more DIY projects for your sim rig? Likewise take a look at this 'DIY Sim Rig Edifice' blog!