homepage Forums Technology Flight Sim Pit Builders Converting TM Elite pedals to USB

I have a Hall sensor modded set of TM elite pedals that use a game port connection. I would like to convert these to USB. I have tried various commercial Gameport to USB adapters but none of them work. Any of the expert's here know a way to do it ? Will a Bodnar board do the job ? If so which one and how would I actually wire the connection up ?

The boards from Leo Bodnar should do the job.
They measure voltage so you must use all three pins on the pot.
The outer pins go to 5V and ground, the middle pin conveys the output signal.
The boards have their pins clearly marked.

Which one to pick depends on what you want.
Just take a look at their specs at http://www.leobodnar.com/.

The BU0836 series have analog inputs as well as digital button inputs.
The BU0836 is the simplest and cheapest option.
The BU0836X has easy to use connector, high resolution inputs and a bunch of other features but is the most expensive.
The BU0836A has a higher resolution than the BU0836 at a slightly higher cost.
The BU0836LC is useful if you want to use a loadcell for a brake pedal.

The G25 pedal interface is very compact but has only three axes at sthe cost of a BU0836X.
Here is a pinout:

I would advise the BU0836 unless you want something that the other boards have.
It can serve as a nice basis for the rest of your simpit.

Thanks Jeroen. All I want is the minimum function as the pedals don't have brakes so all that is required is to provide Left and Right Yaw control.

I don't believe the OP was asking about the G25.

For the Elites it's

Pin Colour Function
4 Black GND
5 Brown 3 Axis detection
9 Orange +5V (Toe Brakes)
13 Blue L Toe
14 Green R Toe

No, but the adapter is one of the products offered by Leo Bodnar.

Yes, the L.Bodnar USB adapter is suitable to make (or convert) pedals too.

Leo bodnar Logitech� G25, G27Driving Force� GT, Driving Force� Pro
or generic pedals USB adapter.

Diagram to wire rudder pedals.



Sokol1

Cool. I didn't know about those.

The elite pedals were conceived to work on the old 15 pin gameport, or with the Thrustmaster rudder pedal port. The hall modded version won't work on a gameport because it will provide a variable voltage in place of a variable resistance. the original pinout for thrustmaster pedals with toe brakes is this:


For the hall modded version the right end of the rudder pot is tied to pins 4 and 5, like the pots used for toebrakes. So you get +5V on pins 1 and 9, ground on pins 4 and 5, the signal for yaw on pin 11 and left and right brake on pin 13 and 14 respectively. If you look at a DB15 socket you will see that the pin numbers are probably molded in the plastic portion. you can easily wire these to a BU0832, and don't even need to take the pedals apart as every signal is available on the plug. You could also try to use the guts from a cheap USB joystick as an adapter, or modify your joystick or joke to add an external rudder pedal socket that can be turned on at the flick of a switch.

Thanks for the replys it helps unfuddle my brain somewhat. I have tried contacting Leo via Email but no reply. I have applied for Forum registration but no return authentication ... he seems impossible to communicate with !

As to the BU0832 ... I cant find that on Leobodnar.com

I think he meant BU0836.

Ok thanks. Will the BU0836 work in Win 7 64Bit ?

Actually versions work.



If I remember correctly with firmware up to 12/08.

Sokol1

Thanks.

Forget about getting a response from Leo - he's just too busy, or has enough business to worry about people with questions! When I bought my first board from Leo, he did write back - but about a year later (about 3 months ago) no one was getting any replies, and I wanted two more BU0836A's. People's posts on Leo's forum and elsewhere seemed to indicate that he was still quickly sending his product out, so I put in my order and received the boards pretty soon after.

I cant even get a registration Email return for the forum !

Yeah, I wanted to post there that I had received the goods, but had to wait a week for it as well!

I'm still confused. I have the old TM RCS that currently plugs into my Cougar.

Can I get this http://www.leobodnar.com/products/DFPG25conn/

then connect it to my RCS? I do not have the TM Elite...just the old RCS which I love and I don't want to part with it.

Am I better off getting a new USB pedals?

Thanks for any advice.

You will have to change the wiring on the pedal's pot.
The RCS is gameport pedal and uses only two pins of the pot.
Leo's pedal adapter is made to use all three pins of the pots.
See the diagram posted earlier by Sokol1.

An even cheaper alternative is to buy a old USB controller on the cheap - Ebay or Goodwill - and use it's controller board.
You can assign their axes in any recent sim the way you like.
Some USB controllers - Logitech ATK3 and Microsoft Sidewinder USB - even work with Hall effect sensors.
Of course you can use regular pots as well.

I'm confused.

How do toebrakes work this way?

Do you have to modify the pedals to put toe brakes on because if the Elite pedals don't have the toe brake movement,how does wiring make toe brakes work?

Sorry I'm dumb.