Help with throttle synch and Level-D 767

[flightcheck]

Looking for some help, hopefully someone here can tell me if this is an FSUIPC problem? I was told the Level D team was looking into it, but until then I would love to be able to fly with my CH throttle!

So when I use throttle synch, assigned as keyboard button T (because I cant seem to get the throttles at an even N level no matter what) the Level -D 767 goes crazy. It won't let me trim the airplane nor turn on the auto pilot. Would there be anything I can do or do I just hope they figure out what the issue is? Thanks for any help,

Alex

[Pete Dowson]

I would love to be able to fly with my CH throttle!

Have you checked all the information about the CH throttle quadrant? Look at http://www.ch-hangar.com. Bob Church has written some hints for setting the device up properly (CMNote02.zip or similar).

So when I use throttle synch, assigned as keyboard button T (because I cant seem to get the throttles at an even N level no matter what) the Level -D 767 goes crazy. It won't let me trim the airplane nor turn on the auto pilot.

This is FSUIPC's throttle sync? All this does is copy values from one axis to the others. Probably the 767 code is reading the axes directly too and so this is providing dual inputs which are different? I really can't think of anything else which might affect it so. And there really isn't any other way I know of to send FS the same axis values.

One of the problems with these sort of intercepts in FS is that the last-loaded program performing the same intercept will be the first one to actually receive the information and deal with it. If the 767 is doing this in one of its Gauges, then it will have intercepted FS messages later than FSUIPC. Hence it processes the Axis messages before FSUIPC sees them.

The sync works by FSUIPC checking the subservient axes (#2 in this case) are within range of the controlling one (#1) and if so, discarding the subservient one (not passing it through) whenever it arrives and sending a new one with #1's axis value. This may be being picked up by the 767 code and seen as a throttle variation, though I don't understand what throttle variations have to do with the A/P -- they may trigger an over-sensitive A/T cutout, that's all.

If the Level D team cannot work out why this is happening (and as I say, it doesn't appear logical that throttle things interfere with A/P engagement -- A/T, yes, perhaps), then I think you should try to sort out the original prtoblem -- i.e. get the throttles stable and levelled. Maybe better calibration OR use of one of the other of the CH control manager and FSUIPC will do it. See if there's help that way on Bob Church's site.

I think that really it would be better to sort out the real problem anyway. The sync option was originally provided for twin props and turboprops where throttle differences cam be more critical, causing a sort of gyrating flight pattern (wiggling throgh the air).

Regards,

Pete

[flightcheck]

Thank you for the response. It is definately a weird problem, but I nailed down the bug to ONLY when I use my hotkey for throttle sync selected in the FSUIPC menu.

The problem isn't the calibration, I have calibrated them correctly or so I think, the problem is when flying I find it difficult to push both throttles together at the same thrust lever and difficult to get them to line up identical. Not sure if this is a problem related to the calibration, I have tried calibrating them using that utility and fsuipc to no luck

[flightcheck]

Pete,

So everytime I try to calibrate my throttles it appears that they are 5 points or so off, so with 2 throttles in the same position one is 5-10 numbers above the other, I can see it in the CH control utility. Ive tried recalibrating them... no luck.

[Bob Church]

Hi Big Al,

In the CH Utility, does the Raw Data display show the values going to 0 at full forward? If they do, try pulling them back together until both levers are showing something above 0 (even 1) when it asks you to click at the full forward position during calibration. Sometimes the levers go to 0 a little before they hit full forward. If the 0 value shows up at different lever positions for two levers it can make them hard to sync like that. It doesn't matter that the values are the same, but they shouldn't go to zero unless it happens just as the lever hits the forward stop. They should be at 255 in the detents, either, but I don't think I've ever seen that happen anyway.

Best regards,

- Bob

The StickWorks

http://www.stickworks.com

[Pete Dowson]

... I nailed down the bug to ONLY when I use my hotkey for throttle sync selected in the FSUIPC menu.

If you have no "mapping" (from one throttle to the others) selected, it is only when throttle sync is selected that FSUIPC will attempt to copy the throttle 1 values to the others, when they are in range. I explained what I thought might be happening in the 767 code in my last message. You have not narrowed it down any further I'm afraid.

If the 767 code is as I suggested it might be then I'm afraid you will not be able to use FSUIPC's throttle sync with that particular aircraft. This is why I suggested finding and fixing the root of the problem -- i.e. the inequality of the throttles.

Regards

Pete

[flightcheck]

Well I don't get readings of 0 when full forward, I get something like, 4, 15, 8, etc.

I calibrated them but they still show these numbers that are completely off and not aligned. What do I do?

[Bob Church]

Hi Big Al,

As long as they're not going to 0, it's not a problem. You're looking at the data going into the calibration routine so calibration won't change the values in the Raw Data display, but the routines will set the output data to 0 at full forward. So long as the values in the detent aren't sitting on 255, then the two endpoints should be aligned with calibration.

I'm assuming you're not using a map with the Control Manager, just running it in Direct Mode. That being the case, look on the "Throttle Settings" tab (it's at the top part of the Calibration screen) and make sure the Max values are 255 and the Min Values are 0. Don't forget to hit "Apply" if you change them. The Detent settings should be 255 if you just want it to go to min throttle at the detent, but if you're trying to use the "behind the detent" area for reverse thrust, etc. they'll need to be set to something less than 255. 240 seems to work well. For tracking the main thing is that they be equal. Also, check that the Sensitivity in Flight Sim is set to maximum and that the Null Zone in Flight Sim is set to minimum.

Run through those and see if it helps at all. If not, I don't know. A little "non-tracking" is probably normal. Pots always have a little non-linearity and calibration can only match things up at the endpoints, so they can drift apart between the full back and full forward positions if one pot goes a little one way while the other pot goes the other way. I suspect that real throttles do that, too. If it's really too far out to use, though, you might want to talk to CH and see if they can do something with it.

Best regards,

- Bob

The StickWorks

http://www.stickworks.com