There are several cars out which have a built in control stick (or something similar on the steering wheel). Has anyone experiences with that built in control sticks? I'd prefer using the builtin stick instead of installing another stick which doesn't really fit anywhere.
Anyone any thoughts about that?

TeeMcBee
Got my Mk2! # 080000143

Big John got one working. His page is linked in the FAQ item on this subject.

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Tony Fabris

Thanks, I've already seen this. But I'd like to know if others have some solutions, too. I'd like to implement the best (and simplest) solution in my car.

As many cars have a board-computer which interprets the signals of the control stick and gives them to the factory radio it's maybe something similar to a serial interface. But I'm not too sure about that and didn't get some spec's from the manufactorer of my car. So maybe someone's out there which knows a bit more about communication between control-stick and board computer and factory radio...

TeeMcBee
Got my Mk2! # 080000143

In that case you'd probably get more response if people knew what kind of car you're talking about.

Walter.
Reg:1934/Mk1:158/Mk2:380

Someone around here did a project to read the steering wheel buttons on a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Then they changed those signals into a IR remote command to use on a Sony head unit. The signal was a simple one wire setup analog voltage. Different voltage levels produced different commands.

Alex Lear

I've got a 2000 Peugeot 406. Big John has a Peugeot, too. But I've seen his page - and his control stick is hooked up differently than mine is.

TeeMcBee
Got my Mk2! # 080000143

Thanks - though I'd like a hookup via the serial...
Does anyone know if the sony stick has a built in logic - or are there just some switches... the connector of the sony stick has 3 pins, right? So I think there's some built in logic. Maybe I could use this to built in that logic into the peugeot's stick and then hook it up to the serial the same way the sony is hooked up.

TeeMcBee
Got my Mk2! # 080000143

Given Sony's partnership with Philips, there is a good chance that the 3-wire interface may well be an I2C bus.

One of the few remaining Mk1 owners... #00015

Wouldn't I2C only require 2 lines? I thought SPI was the 3-line serial?
Jason

_~= Dearing =~_
"WAY too happy about having #99."

**Ulp**

Well spotted, that man. How embarrassing; you are of course correct.

I suspect the only way you are going to suss it is to get a 'scope on it.

One of the few remaining Mk1 owners... #00015

The sony X1S looks just like an ir remote without the ir carrier signal. The pins are gnd, power and signal. As for the X2S, X3S, and X4S I believe they use a binary weighted resistance on each switch. For example 1k, 2k, 4k, 8k. Although I do not know the the values sony is using.

-Finally received my Mark2 no thanks to customs.

It is very simple. There are three connections on a standard 1/8" stereo headphone plug. The ring (contact nearest the wire) is GND, the tip is SIGNAL and the middle contact is SHIFT. Shift is just a switch to GND which closes when you push in on the seek ring (don't know what else to call it). Signal is just a resistor to GND. The resistance depends on which button you're pressing. No buttons pressed is infinite resistance. The values are:

Resistance	Button
0	OFF
2.2k	SOURCE
4.4k	MUTE
6.6k	LIST(DISP)
8.8k	SEEK DOWN
12.1k	SEEK UP
16.8k	VOLUME DOWN
23.6k	VOLUME UP
33.6k	SELECT
48.6k	MODE

(up/down assume stick is pointing to the right)
There are no active components in the stick, it's just switches and resistors.

Fantastic table, thanks!

I have a spot on my steering wheel (the back side of the cruise control pod) that I'd love to wire up with my own set of buttons.

Theoretically, I could emulate the Sony control stalk by chaining up resistors to my custom buttons, and use the serial interface (either the simplified one or Big John's) to connect to the empeg.

Does this sound right?

I'd definitely prefer this to the Sony stalk because the Sony stalk is butt-ugly and very visible. I'd rather go the "stealth" route and have buttons on the back of my steering wheel.

Now, to find some low-profile buttons. Any suggestions? The crap Radio Shack sells won't cut it- too big, sticks out too far and protrudes under the mounting surface too far.

___________
Tony Fabris

Now, to find some low-profile buttons. Any suggestions? The crap Radio Shack sells won't cut it- too big, sticks out too far and protrudes under the mounting surface too far.

Already thought about using buttons as they are on the remote? I don't really know where you could get them from - but some buttons like these would be the right thing for you I think.

TeeMcBee
Got my Mk2! # 080000143

As there are some people interested in hooking up a control stick (an I think there were more if it wouldn't be too complicated) - has anyone thought about producing the serial connector for the empeg (Mk2) with a 3.5mm jack on the other side to easily hook up the sony-control stick (or the self modified existing control stick) and sell it to interested persons? Something like building on request...



TeeMcBee
Got my Mk2! # 080000143

has anyone thought about producing the serial connector for the empeg (Mk2) with a 3.5mm jack on the other side to easily hook up the sony-control stick (or the self modified existing control stick) and sell it to interested persons?

Yes, Big John was going to do this. I haven't heard the latest on it, though.

___________
Tony Fabris

Big John (as Tony said) is working on one, details in this post.

CharlieP is also working on one, details in this post.

CharlieP's seems to have some issues, which I believe Hugo is working out.

-Trevor

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Mk 2, Green 12GB 080000349

I'm not working on the issues, CharlieP can easily manage it by himself :)

Basically, the clocking didn't work right with my PIC's internal RC oscillator. I've never had a lot of luck with the internal RC for generating serial data, though it's fine for other things (mk1's button control was done with a 12c508, mk2's power control is one too. Button moved to a 16c54 as it does a shedload more like dimming too now and there weren't enough pins on a 508!)

Hugo

Sorry Hugo, I didn't phrase that well. In another post, Rob had said you built one of CharlieP's interfaces, which didn't work for you, and you were trying a fix on it.

Rob said:

---

Funny you should say that. Hugo built one today but it doesn't run (very well). The internal oscillator doesn't appear to be stable enough for repeatable timing of the capacitor discharge, or for timing the RS232 bitrate.

Hugo's going to try fitting a small oscillator tomorrow, which will hopefully fix the problems. I think it'll still fit within a 9W D hood.

---

I didn't mean to imply you were helping CharlieP with the design.

I'm on vacation, so I'm more tired than usual. Why is it that I always feel more tired after a vacation than before?

-Trevor

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Mk 2, Green 12GB 080000349

So - where can I get this adapter and how much will it cost?

TeeMcBee
Got my Mk2! # 080000143