Choose a controller board around the job it must do

Decide what must happen between the panel and PC

List inputs and outputs separately. Reporting twelve buttons to a simulator is different from driving twelve warning lights from simulator states. A board may support both, but that must be confirmed. Add analogue axes, encoders, displays and the update behaviour you need.

Choose the PC connection next: should Windows see a USB game controller, or should an application exchange messages over a serial connection? That choice determines the firmware. A recognised device and a lit power LED do not prove a simulator function works. Write one sentence describing the required result before shopping for a board.

Distinguish the controller, development board and expansion

A microcontroller, or MCU, is the programmable chip. A development board adds features such as power circuitry, a USB connector and accessible contacts. A breakout board exposes a component's connections; a shield or expansion board adds functions. Those names do not guarantee a particular input type or voltage conversion.

Arduino is an ecosystem containing different processors and boards. Names such as Nano, ESP32 or Teensy also need an exact model before they belong on a shopping list. A Raspberry Pi running an operating system is a single-board computer; the Pico range contains microcontroller boards. Both may have a place in a cockpit, but their roles differ. Record the maker, model, revision and schematic address.

Work out a connection budget

Without a matrix or expander, twelve buttons need twelve digital inputs. Two ordinary quadrature encoders use four more for their A/B signals. If each encoder also has a push button, add another two. Two potentiometers need two suitable analogue inputs. You are therefore planning eighteen digital inputs and two analogue channels before allowing for outputs or buses.

A pin that can serve as either analogue or digital is still one physical connection. Reserve UART, I²C or SPI pins according to the actual circuit; having a bus does not make every display compatible. List each pin, its function and any conflicts. Only then does a board's advertised pin count become a useful comparison.

Compare board families by their intended job

Use the table to make a shortlist, then check the exact variant and its documentation. It is not a compatibility promise for a particular program. A classic Nano, for example, is not interchangeable with every newer board carrying the Nano name.

Clock rates across different architectures are not a complete performance comparison. Memory, libraries and firmware design also determine reliability. A larger processor cannot fix blocking program logic or a wrongly connected encoder.

Native USB is a capability, not a finished joystick

The Leonardo's main controller supports USB directly, allowing suitable software to implement different USB device types. The usual UNO R3 connection to its sketch is serial. A sketch that prints numbers to the serial monitor is not thereby sending game-controller buttons to Windows.

Check the supported-board list of your chosen HID library or firmware. Arduino Joystick Library documents its own board support; it is not a universal driver for every Arduino. Modifying a USB converter is not a sensible default beginner route when a suitable documented board exists. Follow the USB input assignment guide once the expected device is recognised.

Check supply voltage, logic levels and current separately

A USB connector carrying 5 V does not mean every GPIO tolerates 5 V. A supply input is not an interchangeable signal input either. Check operating voltage, permitted input levels and current limits for the exact revision. A connector that physically fits does not answer those questions.

Do not assume LED groups, motors or other loads connect directly to GPIOs. Depending on the task, you may need current limiting, drivers and a separate supply. Allow room and connections for them before building the panel. Continue with power supply and logic-level planning before wiring the circuit.

Compare supplied firmware with writing your own

With your own firmware you take responsibility for reading inputs, debouncing, message formats and error handling. A supported board may provide a documented implementation, but its supported devices and features still set the limits. Panel construction, cables and simulator assignments remain part of the project.

Our 4SB Input Card 128 is an input product in development; pricing and availability have not been announced. Do not base a purchase decision on an announced feature alone. Check the confirmed status in the hardware catalogue. The input and output board guide explains what evidence to look for before installation.

Test the whole choice with one input

Begin with a documented example for your exact board. Check the board selection and firmware version, then confirm that the expected device type appears in the intended PC tool. Disconnect power before connecting one supported button according to the matching instructions. Observe both press and release.

Assign the function in the simulator and check it after restarting the application. If you only see a COM port, first establish whether HID firmware is intended at all. If values jump or a button stays active, investigate wiring and input configuration before buying a larger board. Record expected behaviour, actual results and the versions used.

Finish the choice by identifying the remaining questions

Before ordering, settle the task, pin budget, firmware, PC interface, logic levels and mounting method. Check that USB and reset remain accessible without dismantling the panel. Spare capacity helps, but unused features cannot replace a documented connection.

Cockpit Suite provides one software environment for supported simulators; the compatibility overview sets out the available combinations of module, device and function. If you are choosing between two approaches, bring your connection list to the forum. Exact model names and expected behaviour make it easier to help before you invest in an unsuitable route.

Continue with a practical build