fs9 and ch throttle quadrant

[carlitos]

Hi, I use FS2004 and recently purchased CH's Throttle Quandrant I read a review of it in Computer Pilot magazine and the article said that I could assing reverse thrust with FSUIPC so I purchased it and I'm having problems doing this, I've read the manual and some other articles and the more I read the more I get confused. Everything seems to tell you in detail how to do it on FS2000, FS2002 but not on FS2004. If anybody could please direct me to simple instructions on how to assing reverse thrust on fs9 with ch throttle quadrant I would really really appreciated. as you can tell I'm new with all this so I need your help. :wink:

Thanks in advance.

Carlitos

[Pete Dowson]

I've read the manual and some other articles and the more I read the more I get confused. Everything seems to tell you in detail how to do it on FS2000, FS2002 but not on FS2004.

The only difficult one was FS2000 really. with FS2002 and FS2004 (which are the same as far as this is concerned), you simply make the correct assignments in FS (Options-Controls-Assignments), then, when you've checked they are working go to FSUIPC.

With the USB CH devices I thought the installation of the CH drivers would get you the correct assignments in any case, so most should already be done.

Then there are two ways of getting reverse on the levers, one using the CH drivers themselves and the other using FSUIPC -- the latter is described step by step in the user guide.

Bob "Sticky" Church has written some very specific instructions for the CH quadrant, showing both methods I think. Check out http://www.ch-hangar.com.

If anybody could please direct me to simple instructions on how to assing reverse thrust on fs9 with ch throttle quadrant I would really really appreciated. as you can tell I'm new with all this so I need your help. :wink:

Thanks in advance.

Carlitos

[bennubird]

Pete,

I figured I'd post in a thread already started rather than starting a new topic.

Issue: the fourth throttle axis is not active in FSUIPC. I assign the throttles in FS9, but when I go to FSUIPC under Throttles I can set the Reverse, IDLE, and Max for the first three thrust levers but not for the fourth.

Question: is there something I'm doing incorrectly? Can you suggest a solution?

Incidently, your product has pretty much saved the day because I've had considerable difficulty using CH Products Control Manager program to configure their Throttle Quadrant.

[Pete Dowson]

Issue: the fourth throttle axis is not active in FSUIPC. I assign the throttles in FS9, but when I go to FSUIPC under Throttles I can set the Reverse, IDLE, and Max for the first three thrust levers but not for the fourth.

Is the fourth throttle active in FS itself? You have to have a 4-engined aircraft loaded of course.

Check the sensitivities in FS. You should have all sensitivities set to maximum, all null zones to minimum if you want to make best use of FSUIPC's facilities. Flight Sim seems to be very inconsistent how it sets sensitivities.

Please also make sure you are using the latest FSUIPC. Current is 3.45, but 3.47 is being released tomorrow.

Incidently, your product has pretty much saved the day because I've had considerable difficulty using CH Products Control Manager program to configure their Throttle Quadrant.

Did you check Bob Church's site, as noted above. He's written some useful stuff for the CH quadrant.

Regards,

Pete

[bennubird]

Pete,

I'll double check the sensitivities when I get home and look forward to FSUIPC 3.47 when I get home.

I'm reading over issues at the CH forum and see that there are other people who are having the same issues that I'm having. I really think the CH Drivers are causing some of the problems. Perhaps they'll come out with upgrades.

Best,

Charles

[Pete Dowson]

I'm reading over issues at the CH forum and see that there are other people who are having the same issues that I'm having. I really think the CH Drivers are causing some of the problems. Perhaps they'll come out with upgrades.

FSUIPC doesn't actually work with the joystick inputs themselves. It is manipulating the actual values inside FS. It's the same for any axes, there is no difference in the code for throttles. It doesn't actually read the joysticks, but traps the AXIS_xxxx_SET control just before it goes to the simulation engine in FS.

That places it after all Windows or CH calibration, and after the FS assignments and sensitivities. You do need all that working properly before FSUIPC can do much.

The usual cause of this sort of problem has certainly turned out to be low, even zero, sensitivity being set in FS (Options-Controls-Sensitivities). FS2004 in particular seems prone to setting these at random (it seems) whenever you make any new assignments or changes. I've made a habit of checking there every time I try out a different or new connection.

When the sensitivity is actually zero, only zero values are seen by FSUIPC.

You can log the AXIS controls in FSUIPC's Logging page in versions since 3.45. This may help identify what the problem is. Do that first without FSUIPC calibration set (press the "Reset" button for the axis to cacel FSUIPC involvement).

Regards,

Pete

[bennubird]

Pete,

I talked to CH Support not 15 minutes ago, and they seem to confirm what you're suggesting. I'm not in front of my Simming Machine, but I have to admit that in all my tinkering checking sensitivities escaped me completely. I'll do that and post another message if I have success for the benefit of people having a similar problem.

Thanks again,

Charles

[bennubird]

Changing the sensitivities fixed the missing throttle problem.

However, now my slew mode has gone haywire. Whenever I hit the Y key to enter slew mode the aircraft just spins really fast and is uncontrollable. Also, when I try to use slew through AFCAD2 the same thing happens.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

Charles

[Pete Dowson]

However, now my slew mode has gone haywire. Whenever I hit the Y key to enter slew mode the aircraft just spins really fast and is uncontrollable. Also, when I try to use slew through AFCAD2 the same thing happens.

Anyone have any suggestions?

1. Check the slew mode sensitivities. Maybe they are too high. Did you tell FS to increase ALL sensitivities to max, or just select the throttle ones as suggested? You need to be a little selective at times!

2. You can also calibrate and adjust slew axes separately in FSUIPC in recent versions -- it's one of the pages near the end of the Joysticks section. Set slew mode first then enter the FSUIPC options. If you use a nice central dead zone you should be okay.

Regards,

Pete

[jackpilot]

Changing the sensitivities fixed the missing throttle problem.

However, now my slew mode has gone haywire. Whenever I hit the Y key to enter slew mode the aircraft just spins really fast and is uncontrollable. Also, when I try to use slew through AFCAD2 the same thing happens.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

Charles

To avoid this hit the Y key for slew and the centre key of the numpad(5). It works!!

Jack

[zfehr]

Hi Charles,

FS9 has automatically assigned some of the axes from the quadrant to slew controls. You need to delete these assignments from within FS2004. I had the same thing happen when I first plugged in my quadrant (along with the sensitivity issue). I would recommend you go through the slew axes assignments for each of your controllers and delete any unwanted ones.

Best wishes,

Zane

[bennubird]

Thanks Pete, Jackpilot, and zfehr

I'm away but will give that a try when I get back. Actually, I sort of suspected the axis problem and had already deleted those, but I did not have a chance to test my results.

Pete, I'll check the sensitivities to see if I've set them too high for slew mode.

Best,

Charles