For my dash I need to have 4 buttons:

Up
Down
Select
Menu


I was wondering if anyone knows of a thumbwheel that gives an output I could use to do the first three all in one go?

Like for example I know that some car stereos stalk controls have a thumbwheel that you can push, so it has an up function and a down function and another one as well, but what sort of format is the output? Is it as simple as a common in and then 3 wires out or am I not going to get that lucky?

 

I know it sounds stupid.

But would something out of an old Dual Shock PS2 controller do the trick?

Ignore, I just realised what a thumbwheel was.

What about getting one out of a mouse? And just get a small button for the menu.

 

What aboutusing a thumb wheel for the up and down and the self centering toggle switch for the select and menu ? failing that have a look at bmw steering wheel switches i think the have a press function or Audi .

 

most self contained stuff from cars these days will be CAN, except at the very component level but you're talking tricky surface mount stuff then.

 

The issue with most other switches is they wont have a momentary action ?

You want a push to make non latching switch to make the screen change ?

I'd think most rotary or other would be latching ?

What about a small joystick type switch ? Should be able to get a 4 position that would do that ?

 

Yes a joystick type switch would probably be good, was just hoping for something i could stalk mount easily which made me think of the stereo control that have a thumbwheel but like nick says they are no doubt CAN, thanks for the input lads.

I guess other option is two buttons each side.

 

Something like this do ?

 

What about finding a second hand head unit with a thumb stick of sorts and un picking it from the face plate . it should also have the press to select feature you were after ?

 

Yeah that could be an option too.
Really wanted something I could easily feel though and a thumb wheel you are never going to press wrong button etc.

 

what about something a bit like the BMW idrive controller ie some sort of knob with a press function? and maybe even more? maybe RS components/maplins do somehting like that?

wouldnt been on the steering wheel mind...

 

Thats essentially the same functionality as the thumbwheel im on about, turn one way for up, one for down and press to select.
Thats exactly what I want, but its a case of finding something where it has 4 pins:
common = pin 4
rotate one way = connect pin 1 to common
rotate other way = connect pin 2 to common
push button = connect pin 3 to common

thumbwheel is better than a idrive type dial as its easy to stalk mount (clio 172 has it for stereo control for example)

 

RS components has SOOOO much stuff it's a nightmare to browse. but perhaps something like this with a push output too? there must be somehting on there...

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/thumbw...tches/6932372/

 

Ps the 5 series E39 wiper stalks have a wheel for variable speed with a button on the side for wash. theyre CAN tho, plus the wheel isnt self centering


so actually thats a USELESS peice of informaiton

 

LOL!

 

These look very neat, but I think might be harder to operate while in the middle of a track sessions:
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/rocker-switches/2650168/


This looks like it might work well functionally though even if its not as pretty:
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/rocker-switches/7346867/

Not the wheel I had hoped for, but still easy to operate while driving

 

i think that bottom one with a non-push wheel would be the perfect combo. big chunky, clicky wheel like the 12pot boost controllers with that nice chunky clicky button...

 

On my ST, I am going to try and get someone to reprogram my stereo controls to change the Dash2:

 

That would certainly be a really elegant solution if you can, my car hasnt got stereo controls cause its too old, lol



but was thinking I could retrofit some 172 ones or similar if I could get the buttons to do what I wanted to.

 

most mouse thumbwheels have an integrated momentary push switch to do scroll lock, so three functions on one "switch". You just need a simple switch then for menu.

 

But what output do the mouse thumbwheels give?
If its a pulse for up, and a different wire pulsed for down then it would certainly be onto a winner.
I suspect not though given that they tend to be either USB or Serial.

 

Just asked one of our electronics guys, would need to build a control circuit, he rattled on about manchester encoding and stuff and generally lost me, TBH it sounds like a lot to go wrong just to have a wheel, he said just stick to a rocker type switch that does MOM-OFF-MOM instead, its simple and more impotantly reliable!
Plus only costs Ł1.43, lol

 

i would speak to the guy on here with the 4wd civic turbo.
guy looks a genius with stuff like that.cant mind his name but he has got resto thread on the car.

 

I'd say in a race environment with gloves on a thumbwheel would be terrible anyway. Especially one you are trying to rotate without pushing, and also pushing to select different menus.

A joystick would be much easier and more accurate. Or as has been suggested, a pair of up/down rocker switches....much like electric window switches ?

 

Yes thats a very good point actually about accidental pressing and scrolling too far etc, I think that say 2 presses on a rocker type switch would be a lot easier to perform, so am going to go with that instead now.

One of those cases of over thinking things I think

 

A couple of electric window switches ( assuming not CAN ) would work well, especially if from that model of car. They'll already have a holder and be convenient to the driver ?

 

They would if I still had door cards, lol

 

Pah, damn stripped out cars. Dont you guys like any comforts ! lol

 

Lol, on these little hatchbacks making them light is key to getting some reasonable performance out of them, we dont all have cubes and blowers like you, lol

 

The chaps called Chris and has Whiteford-Davies Motorsport and you are correct - he is very bloody clever!!

Thats the guy i went to as he is a mate of a mate and he has managed to design a converter to use pretty much any stereo controls and convert it to control pretty much anything (the dash2 in my case). Top bloke and great part!