Tutorial Bluetooth wheel buttons with BlueHID

While getting help setting up my simucube from Jason Jodarski (ty) over at Iracing forums, he pointed me toward this little device. It has an onboard charger and is Bluetooth 4.0. It can be used for pedals, buttons, keyboard, quaderature, and many other types of input. It has a config utility with an amazingly simple GUI and needs no drivers or software to run except for BT4.0. It can also control LEDs.
http://www.u-hid.com/home/overview_bboard.php

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Below is an overview as well as a basic setup guide.

My experience with the BLUEHID over the past 30 or so days has been purely positive. I have only charged it once (beyond the initial charge). and it is very reliable in game with no noticable lag.
the overview states as follows


"Connections can be assigned as:

• Keyboard key
• Gamepad Button
• Gamepad analog axis with or without auto-calibration and center dead-zone.
• Gamepad POV Hat.
• Mouse button (including double-click)
• Quadrature Mouse Pair. X or Y axis. Normal or reverse direction.
• Quadrature left/right button presses.
• PC-controlled LED output using special software
• PC Num/Scroll/Caps lock LEDs
• Blue-HID locally-controlled LED output based on the state of any switch.
• Logic level output (20ma max)
• Ground

Features:

• 
  
  
  • Power-saving modes which are the most advanced in their class. Not only does the board enter a progressive low-power state but it also sets connected devices to low power states.
  • No special drivers or application changes needed except for PC-controlled LEDs which has an API with code examples.
  • Simple open pin-header connectors allow use of separate or composite modular wiring harnesses.
  • U-Config configuration utility allows the connections to be configured for each device type, and keycodes and other attributes set.
  • Configuration information is sent “over-the-air” from a PC equipped with a standard Bluetooth interface.
  • Switches handled by super-fast logic using an individual de-bounce state counter for each input giving ultimate performance for gaming applications.
  • No key ghosting or blocking ever.
  • Advanced keycode/button programming with in-built shift feature. Includes macro capability
  • 12-bit analog axis support
  • Configuration utiity interacts real-time with the board and all settings stored instantly in Flash ROM on the board.
  • Optional CR2032 battery holder. Or Optional USB power connector and on-board charging circuit for external battery.
  • Single Mini-USB connector for PC (or MAC) connection. No separate power needed
  • 36 Truly independent inputs allow all switches to be commoned to ground. No matrix or diodes
  • Modular 8-way + ground harnesses available.
  • Extended switch harnesses available.
  • ESD protected inputs. Vital for high-footfall public applications.
  • All settings stored in Flash ROM and retained after power-off.
  • Configuration can be changed on-the-fly using a command-line. The board can assume a completely different layout instantly.

Advanced Features:

Key and Button functions can have one primary and one secondary code assignment.
Secondary assignments are invoked by first activating a “Blue-HID Shift” connection.
Any connection can be assigned as a shift.
Unique separately-programmable “button down” and “button up” events allow use of all types of normally-closed, normally-open, or active high/low controls.
“Button down” and “button up” can be separately assigned as primary or secondary codes.
Controls can be assigned as “normal” or “pulse”.
Toggle (push on-push off) and flip-flop modes available.
Programmable analog offset and scale factor for all analog axes.
X and Y axes can be configured with adjustable center dead-zone and auto-calibration.
Extended macro capability.
User-upgradeable firmware for future enhancements and customizations.

Examples of control types which can be connected:

• 
  
  
  • Pushbuttons
  • Switch-type joysticks
  • Toggle switches
  • Toggle switches with integral LED (does not require a second connection for the LED)
  • Momentary pushbuttons with integral LED (LED can be controlled without any host application, or can be host-controlled)
  • LEDs associated with a switch. (LED can be controlled without any host application)
  • LED indicators driven by a PC application.
  • Other devices can be controlled either directly or via an external high-current driver
  • Analog joysticks
  • Incremental Rotary encoders (Spinners).
  • Low-resolution rotary encoders (360 degree volume control type)
  • 12-way or N-way rotary switches used as encoders (requires simple diode circuit)
  • Trackballs
  • Pots
  • Optical steering wheels
  • Pot-type steering wheels
  • Pot-type throttle pedals
  • Analog Voltage sources (0-5 volts).
  • TTL logic signals.

Control counts which can be configured:
Total 36 connection pins.

Max 6 analog axes on 36 possible pins.
Max 32 Gamepad buttons.
Max 3 Quadrature mouse axes (X, Y and Z)
Max 36 keyboard keys on 36 possible pins.
Max 16 LEDs in any combination of PC or Blue-HID controlled.
Max 36 low-current output drivers."

First make sure you have bluetooth 4.0 support.
If you have a windows 7 pc you will need a CSR dongle. along with the CSRSTACK software.

WARNING THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO WINDOWS 10 DO NOT INSTALL CSRSTACK ON A WIN 10 MACHINE.



When it arrived I was surprised at the small size. The battery is the one that Ultimarc offers.
As you can see it is simply a 1000mah lipo @3.7volts. this is a very common battery and can be redily found at a discount on ebay like this one for a couple dollars.
I got the unit all charged up then decided on a simple layered acrylic "project box". (files coming shortly).





Your gonna love this lol. So next I used HOT GLUE to fix the battery and circuitboard to the @RacingMat QR. there are 4 layers of 3/16 acrylic which is plenty of room for the "spaghetti" wiring.

The next step is to download the U-Config Utility. This GUI is what sets the Bluehid apart from other solutions such as leonardo/promicro and teensy, although those are great low cost devices.


As you plug in switches, buttons, etc., I used N.O.( normally open) buttons and switches, you will be able to define the function in a number of ways. also any pin can be assigned as a ground this expands the wiring options.


There are a few ways to save power. I use the wake any pin with a long delay. I just press a few buttons as I'm mounting my wheel. Others are putting a power switch on pins J2-6 and using the appropriate setting.



GLEnjoy!!!!

@SilentChill , @Nick Moxley I hope this answers some of your questions regarding this device.

So you dont even need a switch ? Wow that's super handy and limits the amount of stuff needed in the end.

The board wasn't exactly cheap for me to bring in, 41 + 18 shipping + conversion totaled 82$ CAD...so while more expensive than the Teensy, it has its upsides....I plan to explore some more BT options when i show this board to Circuit board buddy and see what he has to say.

You will like it. I spent about the same. Was $71. I was apprehensive at first but I will buy more. It's just so simple to use. Besides @Nick Moxley you use jrks your used to pricey electronics right

Roughly how many hours did you get out of the 1000mah ? I know i can run a solid 45 min on 900mah in RC with a pair of Hungry 1/8 servo's....but as to what a Button plate draws in mah/h.....no clue.

I dont mind charging more often to get a smaller pack.

It would be fine I'm sure. Next one I'm just using a 650mah. I have a bunch from drones.

I got three weeks, racing a couple hours almost everyday, with only 10% higher capacity. Good thing is if you let it die it will run with the cord (power/charge only there is no serial/usb interface).

I plan on a button box with this device. I am gathering parts. Less wires the better.

Brilliant thanks matey it will help me out a lot I have ordered yesterday cost me £50 including delivery so not too bad and got a 1000mah battery off ebay

This is a wheel spacer, electronics box. I would be happy to share the files but they are .mdr format for moshidraw(the app my laser runs from). Unfortunately it doesnt allow export to anything other than image files like bmp and png.

If you could post in PNG i, can convert that to pdf, then convert from pdf to DWG/DXF. To be honest it would probably be quicker to just draw it lol. What be the outer diameter of the disc Mate

88mm. I can post it later. I just wasnt sure if it was useful that way.

Yea thats fine mate cheers. As long s i have 1 known dimension it works

@bruce stephen I think this is basically what you have. Have you glued some bits together?

yes
when you stack them you will want the part on #2 to lay on the part from #3. this will separate the holes and provide strength.

the top piece is clear. i am going to experiment with sidelighting the clear layer.
then i glue just the three pieces together 2x#3 and 1x#2.

I plan to mount my Battery and my Board inside my Wheel enclosure with no real easy access where it will be installed. Therefor I need a header to extent the Micro USB port on the board itself.

These should suite nicely.



http://www.ebay.com/itm/311713710994

Im also contemplating how i can do a quick change battery tray of sorts for the enclosures.,,..but im coming up blank with ideas.
Smallest reasonable Mah pack i can find is 43 x 24 x 10 so the room in the enclosure is limited.

funny you should mention it. I just got these in the mail yesterday. I will be using it to charge the battery it has charge indicator leds the blue hid doesnt have this.. thw switch is used so the Bluehid can be left in always on state. On long oval races the board will shut down during a long green flag run.always on prevennts this.

https://www.adafruit.com/products/1904

This is how the circuit will be wired. this will also let me use very common usb-c (most new phones) to charge. 650mah battery shown.