The JC32 is an extremely easy to use but power joystick controller. It can be used to add analog axis, push buttons, rotary encoders or toggle buttons to your projects.

Characteristics

The main characteristics of the JC32 joystick controller are:

• 32 separate digital inputs.
• It can handle push buttons, rotary encoders (up to 16), toggle switches.
• Unlikely the JC24 joystick controller, the digital inputs are not organized in a matrix, but each input has its own input terminal. This also means that connections are extremely simple and diodes are no longer required.
• 4 10-bits (1024 steps) analog inputs are available for connecting potentiometer, pedals etc…
• All the inputs of the JC32 Joystick Controller use screwless terminal. Just push the wires into the terminal.

How to connect buttons and analog inputs to the JC32 Joystick Controller

Because each digital input has its own input terminal connections are very easy. Each button connects to its dedicated input terminal and to the GROUND input.

Analog inputs (typically potentiometers) connect to the 5V, GROUND and analog inputs like illustrated in the picture above.

Rotary Encoders

Rotary Encoders are special devices with 3 pins. Each rotary encoder replaces 2 buttons: When the encoder is rotated clockwise a press and release of one of the buttons is simulated. When the rotary encoder is rotated anti-clockwise, a press and release of the other button is simulated.

Connecting a rotary  encoder is simple:

• the pin in the middle connects to the GROUND terminal of the JC32 Joystick Controller.
• the 2 pins at the sides of the rotary encoder connect to 2 adjacent digital inputs of the controller, for example B01 and B02, or B03 and B04….   Don’t connect to B10 and B11 but to B09 and B10, or to B11 and B12. The lower number is always odd.

Toggle Switches

Toggle switches can be moved to the ON and OFF position and the corresponding input will be displayed as continuously pressed or released.

If properly configured Toggle Switches can simulate a button press and release every time they are moved form the OFF position to ON and vice versa. This is useful when a function in the simulator is activated/deactivated using the same input and a toggle switch is more appropriate than a push button. Think of car lights for example.

The Configuration Tool

The Configuration Tool is available in the Download area of the website and is used to configure which digital inputs of the JC32 controller are connected to push buttons, rotary encoders or toggle switches.

The Pulse Width settings is the length, in milliseconds, of the button press that is generated when a rotary encoder is rotated or a toggle switch is flipped.

You probably don't need to modify this setting and the default value of 20ms is going to work in every situation.

A pulse width of 5ms or 10ms could be too short to be detected by some simulators, like IRacing or Assetto Corsa.

The last configuration setting, is the position of rotary encoders' detents. The detent position is where you feel a click when you rotate the rotary encoder.

If you get multiple button presses when you rotate the rotary encoder one click, it means you have to uncheck some of the positions. The rotary encoder's datasheet will contain all the information you have to know in order to configure this settings correct. Alternatively you can just try different combinations, considering the number of possible configuration is limited.

The picture below shows in blue how signals at pins A and B of the rotary encoder change when it is rotated clockwise (CW) or counterclockwise (CCW) (the center pin is connected to ground). The possible four detent (click) positions are marked in black and correspond to four different states of pin A and B.

Custom Firmware

If you would like to integrate the JC32 Joystick Controller in your products, like button boxes, wheels… a custom version of the firmware that reports the names of your company and your product is available. This is a free service but a minimum quantity order might be required.