10-bit or 12-bit joystick controller

Hi everyone,

I am the first to admit that I am no expert when it comes to electronic components, so I am looking for some answers.

I am going to buy a USB joystick controller board and pots to make my throttle quadrant. I am buying from Leo Bodnar's site. I have decided to go with the Vishay Spectrol 249 pots (I thought about going with the 357 models but they are quite a bit more expensive, does anyone know if this will make a big difference?).

However, I am a little stuck on which USB controller to get. Leo has a 10-bit and a 12-bit model. Obviously the 12 is a little more expensive. They both have the same amount of axes and buttons and all that. I know that the 12-bit has like 4 times more steps, but what difference would that make?

I am running FS9, in case that makes a difference to your answers. Any help would be much appreciated!

Best regards,

Matt

Hi,
well 12 bits obviously should give you more accuracy on your analogue inputs.
This might be of interest should you have some pots that do not or cannot make use of their full physical range of movement.
For instance if you make a throttle lever with a potmeter as its pivot, in this case you might only effectively use less than half of the available travel.

I'm using an Mjoy-16 which is 10 bit and find the accuracy quite sufficient. However i do make use of slider pots for my throttles which do use the full range of movement.
On the other hand i have been using the standard CH usb yoke levers for years and never found them lacking in the accuracy department either. And these levers do have a limited travel. (don't know whether it is 10,12 or even 8 bit...)

I guess if you have the budget, you might consider the 12 bit solution. This gives you the most freedom of construction in the long run i think.
It really depends on budget and your own wishes.

Just my five cents...

grt
Willem

Hi

For a Joystick controller (and if you have the Budget) I would prefer the 12bit Solution!

I have a Question in same direction: How I can reduce the 10bit of the BU0386 in FSUIPC to 8bit? That means in the raw Axis configuration the 10bit writes 0-1023... I need for the brightness controll 0-255....

Any Ideas?

Daniel

Thanks for the replies guys! That makes perfect sense about the range of motion. I am going to use rotary pots, so I do need to consider that.

However, I was planning on using gears to move the pots, that should give me a better range of motion, correct?

Does anyone have any place they could recommend that supplies plastic gears?

Regards,

Matt

Matt,

I've had good service from Serv-O-Link (www.servolink.com) when buying delrin gears.

Thanks Mike!