747spokes

Hi Pete, Thanks for the help earlier this month. I have followed your advice and have bought an up to date USB Yoke (Saitek Flight Pro Yoke and throttle quadrant). Yes, I have read that some people have had problems with the installation of this yoke so I'll see how I get on. The software included is a bit annoying because it asks that I must install .Net Runtime V2.0 before being able to continue with the installation of the Saitek Smart Technology (SST). So I downloaded the .Net Runtime V2.0 which seems to be actually called .Net Framework - tried to install it but it asks for MS Windows Installer V3.0 to be installed first! So I go to try to download MS Windows Installer V3.0 only to be told that MS will have to check the validity of my Windows XP installed. I resent this intrusion of Bill Gates and Co even though my copy is above board. Do I really need this Saitek Smart Technology (SST) installed? Or is it only Saiteks program for assigning the knobs and buttons and levers? In which case I think your FSUIPC probably does a better job? And I don't need to bother with the SST? One other point if you can help. The Saitek yoke seems to work well although I have not yet done any assigning. However I am trying to use my old game port Thrustmaster Rudder pedals via the game port to USB converter that I have. The problem is that the rudder pedals do move the rudder but only to FULL left, or FULL right, and centre, but nothing in between. Consequently I cant progressivly apply the rudder to correct small deviations of heading, for example durin g an engine failure on takeoff. Maybe I have to get the matching Saitek pedals? Are there specific instructions for configuring via the FSUIPC for Saitek or is it the same for all hardware - and where can I find such guidance? Hope you had a nice Christmas, Regards, Simon W.

Thankyou for your patience Pete. Yes you are right it has fifteen pins and is therefore a gameport device. I will battle on with it for a bit longer but think I will take your advice and buy a more modern yoke. The Saitek Pro Flight Yoke plus throttle quadrant and pedals system looks about as good as the latest CH Yoke etc system - what do you think?

Thankyou again for your reply. On this CH Virtual Pilot Pro control yoke there are six red buttons, three on the left and three on the right, plus two hat position switches. Moving from left to right across the six buttons: FSUIPC shows as: First button = 0 Second = 2 Third = 0 Fourth = 0 Fifth = 3 Sixth = 1 The left hat switch activates the same button numbers as the red buttons and moved to the: Left = 2 Up = 1 Right = 1 Down = 1 The right hat switch only displays numbers as: Left = 38 Up = 32 Right = 34 Down = 36. And the windows XP Games controller identifies as: First button = 1 Second = 3 Third = 1 & 3 Fourth = 2,3 & 4 Fifth = 4 Sixth = 2 The left hat switch activates the same button numbers as the red buttons and moved to the: Left = 3 & 4 Up = 2,3,4 Right = 2,4 Down = 2,3 The right hat switch only displays on the 'point of view hat' and moved to the: Left = view left Up = View up Right = View Right Down = View down. I’m sorry as I’m a bit of a novice but can see that it is not possible to assign a useful number of tasks to these buttons with so much duplication of functions. Maybe its because this control yoke is an older serial port connection type being used with an analogue to USB adapter from Maplins. Maybe I need to get a genuine USB yoke?

Dear Pete, Thankyou for your prompt reply. Yes indeed you are correct. Somehow my computer had managed to assume the wrong date (November 30th in fact) which I have rectified and now I no longer get that message and all seems ok. Thankyou again. One point that is puzzling me is that the six buttons and the two 'top hat' switches on my CH Virtual Pilot Pro do not have their own different assignment numbers. Several seem to share the same numbers within the FSUIPC configuration, as they also do in the windows Game Controller. It is a several years old serial yoke that is connected to the laptop USB socket via a serial to USB adapter. Perhaps you have a suggestion. Thankyou again, Simon.

Dear Pete, I have just downloaded and paid for the FSUIPC3 Version 3.75. Following the instructions I pasted the FSUIPC.dll into the modules folder of my copy of FS 2004. Then on starting the FS I went to the modules section and entered my registration key etc. It was accepted and I was asked to restart FS. On restarting the program I received the following message: Incorrect version of FSUIPC, or not FSUIPC. I clear that message, which appears once more and then FS starts OK. I return to the modules dropdown and all my registration details are shown as all correct. In the FS program files the FSUIPC.log states the following: ********* FSUIPC, Version 3.75 by Pete Dowson ********* Running on Windows Version 5.1 Build 2600 Service Pack 2 Verifying Certificate for "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9\MODULES\FSUIPC.dll" now ... SUCCESS! Signature verifies okay! Running inside FS2004(original release) User Name="Simon Wheeler" User Addr="simon.wheeler@ukonline.co.uk" FSUIPC Key is provided WIDEFS not user registered, or expired Module base=61000000 ClassOptions: UIPCMAIN=FF7F, FS98MAIN=FF7F, FS2KMAIN=FF5E WeatherOptions(Orig)=40003605[40003605] InitDelay: 0 seconds WeatherReadInterval=4 LogOptions=00000001 DebugStatus=15 3114 System time = 16:23:50 3114 C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9\ 3124 System time = 16:23:50, FS2004 time = 12:00:00 (00:00Z) 5388 C:\Documents and Settings\Simon Wheeler\My Documents\Flight Simulator Files\FRA RW 18 lined up F10 285 Tons.flt 5498 AIRCRAFT\VMAX VIR_OC\Vmax_Classic_2.air 6800 Aircraft="Vmax 747-200 VMAX VIRGIN ATLANTIC OLD COLORS" 14000 Clear All Weather requested: external weather discarded 37123 C:\Documents and Settings\Simon Wheeler\My Documents\Flight Simulator Files\FRA 25R VOR APP Course Intercept.flt 40158 Clear All Weather requested: external weather discarded 43372 Advanced Weather Interface Enabled 78623 WeatherOptions set, now 40003605 (timer=0) 98351 System time = 16:25:25, FS2004 time = 13:03:04 (12:03Z) 98351 *** FSUIPC log file being closed Memory managed: 0 Allocs, 255 Freed ********* FSUIPC Log file closed *** ******* .....I have Ready for Pushback 2nd Gen installed with an addon of a third party triple INS program. I have been useing a CH Virtual Pilot Pro yoke together with a set of Thrustmaster Rudder Control System pedals. Can you tell me what the problem is? Thankyou.