InterACTIVE Digital Devices introduces... PC Pedals(TM) (PATENT PENDING) PC Pedals(TM): The PC Pedals is the center piece of the InterACTIVE Digital Devices, Inc. (IDD) PC Product Group line-up. It is a combination game device as well as a switching center for multiple game products. The unit is designed to be used with any game card equipped PC compatible computers. The PC Pedals can be used with many types of games and software like flight simulators, car simulators, adventure games, and many more. And of course, the PC Pedals is also compatible with the Commodore Amiga computer when used in conjunction with the IDD Amiga Smart Port (TM). The PC Pedals uses steel construction for all of the major components. The unit measures 17-1/2" wide by 10" tall and 12" deep. The weight of the PC Pedals is approximately 30 lbs. The PC Pedals(TM) unit includes: - A stylishly designed steel enclosure - Three steel pedals with separate Military Spec sensors for extremely high reliability, accuracy, and durability - Four game device input ports - Expansion port for use with three additional modes - A 6-foot interconnect cable - A solid state, 8-way switching system with LED mode indicators - A coupling/decoupling system to mechanically switch between car and airplane modes - Resume mode feature - Operating and Instruction Manual Input/Output Connectors: There are five 15-pin connectors mounted on the left side of the PC Pedals. The four input connectors are used to connect: Joystick 1 Joystick 2/Throttle IDD's PC Stick Shift(TM) IDD's PC Steering Wheel(TM) The Joystick 1 connector is the primary joystick port. This port can be used with any of the PC style analog joysticks, including advanced joysticks such as, CH Industries FlightStick(TM), the Kraft Thunder Stick, Thrust Master's Flight Control System, as well as several other yoke systems. Joystick 2 connector is for use by the secondary joystick/throttle. The other two connectors (Ports 3 and 4) are used to connect new products soon to be released from IDD, the PC Stick Shift (TM) and the PC Steering Wheel(TM) (see New Products description below). A flight yoke can also be used in the steering wheel port for race car games. The fifth connector is used to connect the pedals to the computer with the included 6 foot interconnect cable. Mode Switch: The mode switch was incorporated so that the user never has to connect or disconnect wires and cables from the computer game port again! The PC Pedals DOES NOT use mechanical switches! After years of testing many different types of switching arrangements, we chose a complete solid state switching system. The mode switch is a flush mounted push button switch located on the upper left front face of the enclosure. By simply pressing the mode switch, the solid state electronics will connect the required lines to the computer. Any one of the eight (8) modes can be selected. Each time the switch is pressed, the LED indicator light will change to display the current mode. The mode state is battery backed-up to allow the unit to resume the last mode. Table 1 gives an overview of the various modes. TABLE 1: PC PEDALS(TM) SWITCHING MATRIX MODE ANALOG INPUTS (1-4) DIGITAL INPUTS (1-4) ------- --------------------- ---------------------- MODE 1 Steering Wheel Steering Wheel Horn CAR 1 Accelerator Stick Shifter Brake Stick Shifter Clutch Stick Shifter MODE 2 Joystick 1 (X-axis) Joystick 1 - Button 1 CAR 2 Accelerator Stick Shifter Brake Stick Shifter Clutch Stick Shifter MODE 3 Joystick 1 (Pitch) Joystick 1 - Button 1 AIRPLANE Joystick 1 (Roll) Joystick 1 - Button 2 1 Joystick 2/ Throttle Joystick 2 - Button 1 Rudder Pedal Joystick 2 - Button 2 MODE 4 Joystick 1 (Pitch) Joystick 1 - Button 1 AIRPLANE Joystick 1 (Roll) Joystick 1 - Button 2 2 Joystick 1/ Throttle Joystick 1 - Button 3 Rudder Pedal Joystick 1 - Button 4 MODE 5 Joystick 1 (X-axis) Joystick 1 - Button 1 DUAL Joystick 1 (Y-axis) Joystick 1 - Button 2 JOYSTICK Joystick 2 (X-axis) Joystick 2 - Button 1 Joystick 2 (Y-axis) Joystick 2 - Button 2 MODE 6, 7 & 8 Expansion module will contain instructions for equipment connections in this mode Expansion Port: Due to the fast changing environment of game software, we decided that the PC Pedals should have a way of adapting to any new game port device which may be developed over the next several years. The Expansion Port was our answer to this challenge. Two 37-pin connectors can be found on the left side of the unit. These connectors are reserved for expansion modules which can be plugged directly into the connectors. Three modules can be "piggy-backed" together into this port. Modes 6 , 7, and 8 can be accessed through the expansion port. Without a module plugged in the side, the mode indicator light will cycle from 1 to 5. On the next button cycle the unit will return to Mode 1. With each additional module, the electronics will allow the system to cycle to the respective mode to access that module. For example, plugging in one expansion port module will allow the solid state switching to cycle from 1 to 6, then back to 1. All electronic features of the PC Pedals can be accessed through the expansion module, including features like a remote control mode switch! Look for new expansion modules in the future from IDD! Military Spec Sensors: The PC Pedals uses three (3) Military Spec rotary sensors for high accuracy, reliability, and cycle life. The sensors are mounted such that they eliminate the need for adjusting the center and limits of travel. Axes Direction Switches: Two axes direction switches are located on the upper left side of the unit. These switches are used to reverse the X and Y axis lines for use with some games (mostly used with the Amiga Computer, more details discussed below in the Commodore Specific Features). Mechanical Coupling System: Using the "T" handle, located on the right side panel of the unit, the user can disconnect the mechanical linkage which couples the two outside pedals together. In this mode the user can use the pedals independently as a clutch, brake, and accelerator pedal. The brake pedal, in the center, has less travel then the outer two pedals. It also incorporates a two force "feel" gradient. That is, after the first 1/4" to 3/8" of travel, the pedal becomes "stiffer" just as a real brake pedal. By turning the "T" handle and pressing the accelerator, the outside pedals can be coupled together to be used as airplane pedals. In this mode when the user pushes the right pedal in, the left pedal is pushed outward. Likewise, when the left pedal is pressed, the right pedal is pushed outward. There is a "light" centering force when both pedals are released. Floor Mounting Due to the hearty steel construction, the PC Pedals is fairly heavy. Just placing the unit against the wall is enough to keep it from moving. The unit does not need to be secured to the floor. However, the PC Pedals is equipped with four 1/4" bolt holes on the bottom panel to make it extremely easy to mount the pedals to a flight control or car simulator station for game enthusiasts. Construction plans are included with the PC Pedals to build your very own aircraft simulator cockpit or race car cockpit with a few hand tools and lumber from your neighborhood store. COMMODORE AMIGA SPECIFIC FEATURES There are three unique features which were incorporated specifically for the Commodore Amiga computers. These are: Axes Direction Switches Analog Mode Auto-Trigger for the Amiga Smart Port LED Indicator Strobe Mode Axes Direction Switches: The axes direction switches are included to allow the user to switch the computer lines associated with the X and Y axes. Due to the lack of standardization and/or to incorporate advanced game functionality, some games have these lines reversed in the software. The user only has to flip the appropriate switch in order to reverse the lines. One software game which makes use of the axes direction switches is Fighter Duel Pro by Jaeger Software. This game uses rudder pedals while simultaneously using a two button mouse on the same port. To allow the rudder pedals (which is normally located on the X-axis) to operate on the Y-axis, the direction switch for Amiga Mouse Port 1 must be set to the reverse mode. Analog Mode Auto-Trigger for the Amiga Smart Port(TM): By far, the easiest way to use the PC Pedals with the Amiga is by using the Amiga Smart Port (from IDD). The Amiga Smart Port incorporates an auto-switching feature to turn the individual ports to analog mode. However, the user may not always own two joysticks to switch both ports to analog mode. By pressing the mode switch for about 1/2 second, two short trigger pulses will be sent to the Smart Port to switch both ports to analog mode. With this feature, the user can remain in the same mode and simply switch the Smart Port on by quickly pulsing the mode switch. That is, pulsing the mode switch will emulate pressing both fire buttons on two separate analog joysticks. If the switch is held longer than 1.5 seconds and released, the system will switch to the next mode. LED Indicator Strobe Mode: Due to the low power output of the Amiga 500, the LED Indicator Strobe Mode was added. Instructions included with the PC Pedals describe the procedure for removing the bottom panel of the unit and moving a jumper from the normal mode to strobe mode. When using the strobe mode, the indicator light will continue to illuminate for approximately 3 to 5 seconds, then go out. This is to prevent continuous power drain from the indicator light. This mode is only necessary when using the PC Pedals with the Commodore Amiga 500. A BRIEF NOTE on the DESIGN HISTORY of the PC Pedals (TM) The PC Pedals was one of the first products begun by InterACTIVE Digital Devices. However, the development evolution took longer than expected (it usually does!). The first unit was a steel flat bar and plywood construction built in the mid-1980's. It resembled the leading product now on the market. However, we found it unacceptable for a number of reasons. Safety Issues: First and foremost was the safety issues. We concluded, that to be as safe as possible, the unit should not have any exposed "pinch spots" such as rotating bars and open pedal edges which can pinch toes and fingers. The majority of the time we expect adults and older children to use and operate the PC Pedals. However, it was conceivable to us that younger children could also use the device without parental supervision. This made it imperative that the PC Pedals be as safe as we could possibly build them. Why make it only Aircraft Pedals ? ... It was during construction of the second generation pedals that the designers saw their first race car simulator. The obvious question immediately came about, "If we are going to design these pedals for computer games, why not include the ability to play race car games as well? That way the owner only has to buy one set of pedals!" It made sense. This question and the subsequent search for a good solution to both types of game pedals probably added about 3 to 4 years to the development cycle. This simple question kicked off a whole chain of events and subsequent questions like: Not only did the pedals have to work well for airplane games, but it now had to include a third pedal to be used in the car simulators. There had to be a quick and easy method for coupling the outer pedals in airplane mode and then disconnecting them for the car mode. In order to make the car simulator more realistic, there should be a stick shift and steering wheel for use in the car mode. If the user has a joystick, throttle, stick shift, and steering wheel, there should be some easy way of switching the electronic system from car mode to airplane mode to dual joystick mode without having to plug and unplug all of the peripherals. This would require a sophisticated switching system. If we use a preprogrammed switching system, what happens if someone develops a new game device and would like to plug it into the PC Pedals? The definition for the PC Pedals soon became clear. It had to be a complete automotive/aircraft pedal system and game port switching center. Human Factors: The PC Pedals was designed by people with several years of human factors design in military aircraft. A whole slew of human factors questions were asked and addressed during the research for an adequate solution to the dual mode pedal system. The highlights of the logic tree is summarized below. Design Styles: There are two basic types of motion which can be used for pedals; a hinged pedal or a sliding pedal. Sliding pedals produce a linear or near linear motion. This type of pedal can be found on some types of aircraft. The mechanics for sliding pedals can be accomplished by a number of methods including tracks or 4 bar mechanisms. With the sliding pedal design, either the foot has to slide along the floor or the entire foot and leg weight has to be supported in a pedal/stirrup system. The majority of aircraft pedal systems using the sliding method is usually accomplished with a steel base plate for sliding the heel of the shoe along the floor. However, this requires a large integrated foot rest and could be painful if the user is playing with bare feet! Designing the pedal to support the entire weight of both feet and legs is also very challenging. The difficulty comes in designing this type of system strong enough to support the weight without excessive wear over time, while keeping it inexpensive enough to afford. Furthermore, to make fine controls with a displacement control systems, the user usually resorts to a "vernier" technique. That is, a portion of the body is anchored on the table, floor, or nearby structure to provide a fixed reference position by which to judge inputs. For example, when turning a control knob, the operator will normally place a finger or portion of the hand on the panel before adjusting the position. With any of the sliding pedal designs, the user cannot use this technique because the whole foot and leg has to move with the pedal. It is also difficult to design a sliding pedal system without "pinch spots". To do so usually includes sliding covers and other mechanisms. Lastly, the sliding pedal does not easily lend itself to pedals which can be used for a car simulator. Hinged pedals can be hinged from the bottom or top. While it may seem more natural to hinge the pedal at the bottom, this is not the case. With a lower hinge position, the highest displacement of the pedal occurs at the top of the pedal. As the pedal rotates, it sets up a motion which forces the foot to slide up and down relative to the pedal. This sliding makes it difficult to position the pedal accurately. Using the upper hinge style pedal minimizes most of the adverse effects discussed above. By positioning the pivot point high enough to allow for the ball of the toe to contact the bottom of the pedal, the heel of the foot can remain in one place to provide an anchoring point for judging inputs. The ball of the toe rotates about the bottom of the pedal which minimizes relative sliding motion. This arrangement also happens to be the most common style of pedal design for automotive pedals and can also be found in many aircraft. Furthermore, by constructing the enclosure to completely cover the pedals along with a circular cover at the bottom of the pedals, all "pinch spots" were eliminated. This design style became the obvious chose. All designs subsequent to the first unit used the upper hinge pedal design. The second, third, and fourth version of the PC Pedals looked very similar in appearance. The only differences in these units were the mechanical and electronic switching systems. After several months of beta testing of the fourth generation prototype unit, several good suggestions were made. They following list gives a summary of the findings. - The top of the PC Pedals was changed from a sloping top to a flat top. This gives the user a very nice foot stool when not using the PC Pedals for games! - The mode select switch was moved from the top of the unit to the upper left corner on the front face. The switch was also changed to a flush mounted switch. This prevents the operator from kicking the switch knob or causing injury to the foot. - The input and output connectors were moved from the back panel to the left side panel. This not only made assembly of the unit much easier, but also cleared the rear panel so that the operator can push the pedals against the wall for added stability. - The LED indicator lights were moved to the front face for improved visibility. - The mechanical coupling handle was moved to the left side wall for ease of construction. The final changes were made in the sixth generation of the PC Pedals. These were: - Adding the expansion module port - Resume mode state feature by incorporating a battery back up circuit - Amiga 500 strobe mode - Slight redesign to the enclosure to allow for easier manufacturing. The production version of the PC Pedals is based on the sixth generation prototype. NEW PRODUCTS FROM INTERACTIVE DIGITAL DEVICES! PC Stick Shift(TM): The PC Stick Shift is a very authentic replica, in motion and feel, of a standard transmission equipped automotive stick shift. The shifter is spring centered and has positive engagement "feel" when the user pushes the shifter into gear. The PC Stick Shift has an adjustable clamping device which allows it to be attached to a table, a chair, or some other convenient fixed surface. The PC Stick Shift can be used with a PC style analog joystick using a standard "Y" adapter in the game port. However, the PC Pedals contains a port specifically designed for the PC Stick Shift. Along with the PC Pedals, the user can obtain a high degree of realism for clutching and shifting a standard transmission equipped automobile. PC Steering Wheel(TM): The PC Steering Wheel is a realistic reproduction of a sports car steering wheel. The Steering Wheel contains a clamping device to allow the user to secure the unit to a table. The wheel contains a spring centering system, along with light damping, to yield an incredibly realistic "feel".