In helping @jross test his latest project, DCS DEPLOYED, I’ve really found the need to be able to copy clearances, directives, and other important mission details onto a virtual kneeboard. I’ve been trying the dictation feature of the VAICOM kneeboard, but find it slow at the best of times, glitchy and unresponsive the rest of the time. Occasionally, it locks your kneeboard into dictation mode, consuming your SA while in the AO. I’m sure that I’ve woken my wife a few times yelling, “End dictate!”
Hardware wise, I have an Apple Pencil, but my iPad Pro is way too big to strap on a knee. I also have a smaller Android tablet that’s the right size but no digital pen yet. Do any of you VR types use Openkneeboard and if so, what hardware do you use?
"Graphics tablets are supported, but not required; OpenKneeboard supports most graphics tablets; these are generally marketed to artists. Phones and tablet computers such as an iPad, Microsoft Surface, or similar are a different kind of device and not supported.
Wacom tablets seem to have the most trouble-free drivers; the small Intuos S is the most popular
Huion tablets are also popular and well-tested, especially the H640P; the drivers do have noteable issues leading to more complicated setup instructions"
Have you looked at ScratchPad? (SP) I’ve not looked at Open Kneeboard so SP may be pretty primitive in comparison: you just type stuff into a window that you bring up.
Oh, and in DEPLOYED…
KNEEBOARD
How about a text box where you can type in what you want in the kneeboard? I can then transfer that text to the kneeboard I programmatically generate (put it in another one)?
That would certainly help, but since DEPLOYED is generating missions outside of DCS, would you be able make that an integral part of the mission? And wouldn’t that add another layer of complexity?
If you mean writing to a kneeboad inside of dcs then, i’ve seen it done but some of them are kinda kludgy and/or use the dialog system, which is what ScratchPad does - you input your info and it saves it (everywhere, even when back, say, in the mission editor).
I just don’t think DCS is setup for this (outside again of how SP does it). They have ways to edit fields in an exiting [background image of a kneeboard - it’s just an image] kneeboard but I’m thinking it uses the same system as SP does.
Anyway, I’m not going there (too much going on righ now) and if I did it would only duplicate what SP does already…assuming I’m following you correctly.
HB seems to have a ‘thing’ that looks cool. But not sure it will work outside their products. They have the talent (and resources) I do not.
I bought a One by Wacom pad but I kind of regret it, because it has no buttons. As it is I use mouse buttons for next/previous tab and page, plus brightness up/down.
I would really like to have buttons on the pad for that, so probably going to buy one of the Huions with 6 buttons or so.
Other than that, Open kneeboard works really well. The radiolog is very helpfull.
This is what I’ve been using, though I could probably be using it smarter than I am. I tend to put everything on the same page, which requires a lot of scrolling sometimes. I should put them on separate pages.
I used Virtual Reality Kneeboard with an old Wacom digitizer/tablet for quite a while.
Eventually though, VRK stopped being updated and I switched to a G2 from the Rift S. Open knee board has been my go to ever since. Once it’s set up it usually works great. You can add pdfs or checklists, it even picks up the kneeboards in DCS mission files and will display those. Once my old Wacom tablet died. I picked up an Intuos S with Bluetooth at a Best Buy when it was on sale. I turned it 90degrees and velcroed it to an old Sporty’s kneeboard. It’s been a solid addition to my VR setup. I almost never use the built in DCS kneeboard anymore.
Thanks for all of the input guys. It sounds like OpenKneeboard is the way to go. I’ve ordered the small Intuos wireless kneeboard from Amazon. Will report back how it goes.
