Connect the 7E to an android phone via cable?

Hey all; new here. I have a Devo 7E on its way to my home and am curious about this. I asked it over at RCGroups but haven't had any response, so thought I'd ask here as well.

I'm new to multirotors and it's winter, and I really need to practice. I know the 7E will hook up to a PC as a joystick and I can use it for PC multirotor sims so I'll definitely be doing that. (Already am, but with an xbox controller. Not ideal, but it works for now.)

But there are a couple cool RC Multirotor apps for Android as well.

So I'm wondering: can I plug this adapter (or similar) into the 7E, then plug my normal android charging cable into it and my phone (Galaxy Note 5), and use the 7E as a controller for those apps?

Or, is there another way? I read something about bluetooth and audrino (sp?) but that's a bit above my paygrade at the moment.

In any case, I'm going to give this a try once my 7E and adapter arrive...unfortunately they won't arrive until Feb 2!! Arg, the anticipation...

Thanks, and hello!

Not a definitive answer, but I just plugged my 6S into my Moto G2 (stock lollipop) with an OTG connector, and the 6S using the USBHID protocol; didn't try a sim, but I did get it navigating through the screens using the aileron and elevator!

RoGuE_StreaK wrote: Not a definitive answer, but I just plugged my 6S into my Moto G2 (stock lollipop) with an OTG connector, and the 6S using the USBHID protocol; didn't try a sim, but I did get it navigating through the screens using the aileron and elevator!

Sweeet! Thanks for the reply RoGuE_StreaK! As you say, not definitive, but very hopeful! A good point you make about OTG: I'll have to do a search and see if the regular charging cable is the same as OTG and if not just grab an OTG adapter to complete the setup.

I forgot to mention that the real point of this is because I want to spin up the Android App sims in VR and fly FPV with the controller. To that end I have a nice Google Cardboard on it's way (too lazy to make one myself).

Dang...is it Feb 2 yet???

Ok, OTG and Charging cables are *not* the same. But I just found instructions to make an OTG cable from stuff I already have lying around. So...about 20 minutes with a soldering iron (Heaven help us all...I'm actually thinking of using a soldering iron?!?) and an existing mini usb to usb cord that I already have from my ancient Galaxy S phone, and I'll be able to use the 7E as a controller on my phone.

Ugh...is it Feb 2 *now*??

How 'bout now?

The cable you linked above is an OTG adapter. Any of these adapters will convert every "normal" USB cable you have into an OTG cable, or more acurately will let you plug in any USB device/cable in OTG mode. For a buck each you may as well grab a couple of different types.

Oh...well, sweeeeet times 2 then! I'm really not good with a soldering iron, so this is good news.

Thanks again!!

Or if you get something like one of these OTG hubs you can also keep your phone charging while using it, connect up a mouse and keyboard, multiple USB sticks, etc

Ok; make that sweeeet times 3! I imagine vr will drain my battery pretty fast, so yeah...this is gonna get ordered soon.

Well, I'm shocked...my 7E arrived today! I've unboxed it and fired it up, loaded the latest deviation, setup model1 as "Joystick" with the USBHID protocol, and it works great with RC Desk Pilot on my Win10 machine!!

1st gripe: did they really put the usb port *there* on this thing??? Wow...absolutely hamstrings my ability to use it as a controller when plugged in with usb. I know what my first mod will be: move that usb port to the back!!

I haven't gotten my OTG cable yet, but my son has one, so I hooked it up to my Note 2 and my Note 5 and: no joy. Literally. I've messed with it and googled it for a few hours now, and it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to use this with a Samsung Note X. I can plug both a keyboard and a mouse into the OTG cable and both work flawlessly. I can plug the 7E into either Note and see the 7E's drive by switching on USB mode. But it just won't be found as a controller. For that matter, neither will my Rock Candy Xbox 360 controller...I plug it in, and it just blinks.

Ah, well; at least I can use it on my PC, and that was half the battle. And I can now hook my phone up to my PC and use a VR headset, so that'll be good (once my headset gets here).

Just gotta move that blasted USB port on the 7E!

Oh: I'll also eventually mod this for flying my MJX hex's, but I see that the MJXq protocol isn't included in the 4.0.1 release. It *is* included in v4.0.1-6a1c6ae; can I simply copy the protocol folder from v4.0.1-6a1c6ae to 4.01 and it'll work?

WildDoktor wrote: 1st gripe: did they really put the usb port *there* on this thing??? Wow...absolutely hamstrings my ability to use it as a controller when plugged in with usb. I know what my first mod will be: move that usb port to the back!!

Solution?

ww1.prweb.com/prfiles/2013/01/16/10332416/uad2.jpg

Mini usb right angle adapter!

ps. funny my devo7e arrived today as well.

WildDoktor wrote: 1st gripe: did they really put the usb port *there* on this thing??? Wow...absolutely hamstrings my ability to use it as a controller when plugged in with usb. I know what my first mod will be: move that usb port to the back!!

USBHID isn't available with the OEM software, which would have been a much bigger hindrance to your using it as a controller. That's what the trainer port is for.....

And since you've installed deviation, it's too late for moving the post to be your first mod!

Forget wired! Wireless much better
Take a look at midelic blog on RCgroups he did A7105 based usb simply dongle. There many ways wireless can be done.

Flicker: Good idea, but I think that connector will still be in the way
MWM: It didn't even occur to me that installing Deviation was my first mod! Funny...good catch.
SadSack: Solder an RX module to a usb connector and bind the Devo to it for wireless connectivity to PC sims??? That's just amazing. I have so much to learn...

BTW, since I'm not ready for a 2.4GHz connection to my PC just yet, I found an older mini USB cable, snipped off the plastic surrounding it and undid the metal cover, then carefully bent it backwards and put it back together. It works great and it's almost completely out of the way, and I didn't even have to solder anything!