Product Announcement – tiltBoard

This is the announcement for the official release of my first product “tiltBoard”. Pre-order here.

TiltBoard is a device that outputs a linear voltage with respect to it’s degree of tilt. It has 5 inputs/outputs: V+, GND, Yout, Xout, and Vref. The maximum voltage output by the board is variable depending on the voltage put into the VREF input. The minimum voltage output is 0 volts. The board outputs the max/min values for the Y-axis when it is tilted 45 degrees or more up/down. The board outputs the max/min values for the X-axis when it is tilted 60 degrees or more left/right. When it is between 0 degrees and the maximum tilt degree, it outputs a voltage linearly proportional to the degree of tilt and the maximum tilt.

This means that this board works great for taking the place of potentiometers. You simply take the high voltage of the potentiometer and apply it to the VRef pin. Then you apply either the Xout or Yout output to where the center pin of your potentiometer went. Now tilting your tiltBoard does the same thing that turning the potentiometer used to do! (Be sure to disconnect the center pin on the potentiometer from the circuit)

Because most game controllers use potentiometers (an analog stick is just two potentiometers) the tiltBoard is capable of taking over one of the analog sticks on a game controller and allowing you to use the tilt of the controller to move. I did this with the Xbox 360 tilt controller. The tiltBoard is not Xbox 360 specific and should work with the original Xbox, PS1, Ps2, Gamecube, etc.

The tiltBoard comes in both a 5 volt and a 3 volt version. The 5 volt version will work on applications that run off of 5 volts and the 3 volt will work on applications that run off of around 3 volts. For example, the Xbox 360 wireless controller works on 3 volts. This means that if you wanted to install the tiltBoard on a wireless Xbox 360 controller you would want the 3 volt version. The wired Xbox 360 controller (and original Xbox controller) work on 5 volts, so you would want the 5 volt version of the tiltBoard for that.

Even though the tiltBoard works great on game controllers, that is not its only application. It works great for taking over any potentiometer. Have a good idea for something to use the tiltBoard for besides a game controller? E-mail me.

The initial shipment of these will be soon, and low volume. If you want in on the initial shipment, pre-order soon!

7 Replies to “Product Announcement – tiltBoard”

  1. Im looking to get a 3V board for a wireless controller. How do I buy one? The pre-order page has nothing on it.

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