DIY Joystick using ATMega8 PIC Chip?

Has anyone tried to get the ATMega8 "MJoy" to work, using the MJoy_V1.1.ZIP package?

With a bit of help from Mouser, I found a set of ATMega8 PIC Chips I was hoping to expand my MSFS-X "Yoke."

I have pieced together the required hardware to get the MJoy.HEX file into my USB Interface, but no matter what PC I tests the circuit on, all I get is "Unknown Device" and I never see the Joystick "Test/Setup" screen.

I dug into the Internet a bit and found MJoy Version 1.3 and I have the exact same results when I plug in the USB cable.

Comments Please! Ron

To all! I found the answer on my own! I found I had the factory default 1 MHz Internal Clock running, which I discovered when I removed my 12 MHz crystal, I got the very same results, Unknown Device. Digging into page 46 of the ATMega8 PDF document, I set the "Config & Security Bits" in PonyProg2000 to a high-speed external crystal. I checked SUT0 and CKSEL0 only, all other CKSELs unchecked and up it came! Remember to WRITE the bits and not just hit the OK button! I went back to this web sites version 1.1 of MJoy.HEX and all is well. I have the six-channels of analog pots and the 24 fire-buttons, when all I need are five-channels and five fire-buttons. F.Y.I. I am pulling high the one pot lead I don't need and it gives a clean MJoy Properties screen under WinXP Control Panel game controller! Thanks all! Ron

Good to hear.

I looked but only found an update for the open source programming software. (not my thing, but I think that's sort of tlike a bios flash. Flashing a chip.)

 

Anyway, that update was from 2014, so I assumed you had found it by now.

 

Glad to hear you got it working. Picture perhaps?? I'm curious!:D

You really want a picture? Well, we'll see if I can add it to this message... What you should see in a JPEG file, is my desktop setup, which comes from the world of Apple II Plus Flight Simulation. It has since evolved to a Sound Card Joystick port on an IBM and now runs on this Windows 7 PC over a Radio Shack USB/Joystick DB-15 adaptor. As I rebuilt this "yoke" to include rudder pedals, it was "designed" in the actual "feel" of our Piper Cherokee 180-C model, which my wife and I flew for seven years. I have used small, plastic, short-throw yokes and it never gave me the "wheel in the gut" feeling you get during the flare of our Cherokee. The wooden system makes my practice approaches more the genuine feel, so I put up with it. The second monitor makes "key position" (VFR) issues to deal with and now, with "MJoy.HEX", I can replace the Radio Shack interface and gain a "Trim Wheel!" Here it goes, hope my "before" picture come through? Any luck you'll get my project GIF file as well? Enjoy, Ron

Thanks Ronald! But that wasn't what I meant really.

I thought you were talking about a Joystick when you said ATMega8 "MJoy".

I was hoping for a picture of said home-built Joystick.

(Or yoke, if that is what it is)

I expect it looks pretty cool!!

 

The schematics might help someone else. But me, well, I do know how to solder and I'm pretty good at fixing broken devices. But buying resistors and such and building something from scratch is not something I do.

 

I did flash a few Bios's on old mainboards, and brought a pc back from the dead once. But again, just applied madness. I didn't write that Bios myself.

 

Much respect for getting all that done!

 

Happy Flights!

il.

il, I tried to include a "before" JPEG photo of my Apple/IBM/upgraded "yoke" and rudder pedals, but it did not come through to this forum. Not sure why, maybe because it was too big? I even tried a GIF version so you could see my "wooden" desk-mounted control assembly. When I finish and test it out, I'll try again, doing a GIF set of photos at a small resolution like 320 or so? I am happy how all my USB tests with MJoy are going, I'm picking up a Prop (manifold pressure) plunger and my flaps are on and toggle switch, etc. because I never was good in the real thing with Prop pitch controls. So you could say I am still learning, even though there are no Cessna Hawk XP's nor 182's to rent around here anymore. I am beginning to miss my Cherokee, after being years away from it, I still love the science of flight and MSFS-X has been the best thing I've run in all my years. I have X-plane 9 but never got it working right, maybe with MJoy that will change too? Ron

The images you upload here have to be jpg, jpeg, png or gif

and must be smaller then about 490 kb

Don't worry about it too much, just glad to hear you're enjoying your controls.:)

Merry Christmas.:cool:

Happy Holidays here, MJoy Project is a complete success! After working out a few "long-wire" noise issues and putting MJoy Version 1.3 to work, I have both a Trim Wheel and a Manifold Pressure control. The C177RG (from the downloads section) proved a real test with all the flap, gear and Prop controls worked smoothly as level flight throttle was pulled back to a fuel flow of around 12 gal. an hour. As I pulled the Prop knob back, the tach RPM dropped to "match" the manifold pressure reading. Boy! Does this Cardinal go! This DIY / USB upgrade has changed how my practice session go. Any luck, I'll have the final diagram and a few photos attached as well? I recommend this USB Upgrade to anyone who has made their own controls for MS FSX. Ron

I have been trying to find MJoy version 1.3 for atmega8, but it seems the guy who made the firmware has erased his website, which is a shame. I have only been able to find V1.1

 

Would you be kind to point me to a link or send the firmware to my Email?

 

Thanks!