Setting Thrust Reverse, Prop Feather and Mixture Idle-Cutoff

[jahman]

Setting Thrust Reverse, Prop Feather and Mixture Idle-Cutoff with CH Hardware

For USB Yoke Pad, USB Rudder Pedals, USB Throttle Quadrant, with FSUIPC 4.207 (or later) and the Microsoft FSX Beechcraft Baron and Super King Air aircraft (will likely also work for other standard FSX a/c).

A Beguinners Guide

FIRST, get FSUIPC - Flight Simulator Universal Inter-Process Communication (make sure you purchase so you can register and get the full features.)

1. Purchase: http://secure.simmarket.com/product_infts_id=2068

2. Download: http://www.schiratti.com/files/dowson/Famp=250707

3. Update: viewtopic.php?f=54&t=55488 This is the latest update (v. 4.208) with a fix regarding the mixture levers.

SECOND, Read:

1. FSUIPC Users Guide for CH Products Hardware at viewtopic.php?f=54&t=59729 (Kindly posted by "flyboy2002").

2. FSUIPC User Guide (Basic), and

3. FSUIPC User Guide (Advanced) Reference Manuals provided in the FSUIPC zip you downloaded.

Additional Info (in case you landed here direct via a Search Engine):

FSUIPC Web: http://www.schiratti.com/dowson.html

FSUIPC Support: viewforum.php?f=54 This forum! (Promptly provided by Pete Dowson, FSUIPC Developer, with advice and suggestions offered by other users.)

THIRD, the Beginner´s Configuration Notes!

Here are some "Notes to Flatten the FSX/FSUIPC/CH Products Thrust Reverse Learning Curve" and save you time so you can keep flying!

Note 1: Buy and Register FSUIPC

You may already have FSUIPC installed if you have Go-Flight or PFC hardware or fly PMDG aircraft or other hardware and software, as most all use FSUIPC to communicate with FSX. Remember, the "U" in FSUIPC stands for "Universal" :-). Still do install the latest version and also register to unlock features not available in the unregistered version, such as the joystick calibration you need to do to apply these Notes!

Note 2: Set Throttle Lever "DetentValue" in CH Control Manager

Before starting lever calibrations, make sure you go into the / CH Control Manager v. 4.2 / Calibrate / CH Throttle Quadrant USB / "Throttle Settings" Tab and / set all to:

MinValue ...... = 0
MaxValue ...... = 255
DetentValue= 240  <-- Forget this and no "Reverse" on your throttle levers!
DeadZone ...... = 4

Then calibrate all (CH Yoke, Pedals and Throttle Quadrant) in CH Control Manager BEFORE going into FSUIPC.

Note 3: Set "DirectMode" in CH Control Manager

Make sure you set your CH Device Drivers to "Direct Mode" (NOT "Mapped"!) in CH Control Manager (middle button, see mouse hover tool-tip).

Note 4: Keep FSX From Re-Assigning the Axes you Already Assigned in FSUIPC

Go into FSX Device Configuration and de-assign all the levers you want to assign from within FSUIPC to avoid double assignments. Also make sure you do not disconnect and reconnect your hardware to different ports, or else FSX will dream-up its own automatic assignments and you will again have to manually de-assign all the relevant levers.

Additionally, disable joystick processing in FSX via the Menu / Options / Disable Joysticks.

Note 5: FSUIPC Axis Assignment Tips

Now go to the FSUIPC Configuration Dialog Box via the FSX Main Menu "Add-Ons" option. To assign a lever (axis) to a certain function in the FSUIPC "Axis Assignment" tab, you must first move that lever for FSUIPC to set its focus to that axis. However, you might find certain other axes "twittering" (axis "noise") and thus hiding the movement of the axis you are moving for FSUIPC to detect. If so, click repeatedly on the "Rescan" button repeatedly until FSUIPC selects the axis you want. (Clicking on the more intuitive"Ignore Axis" did not seem to work for me.)

The "Delta" refers to the minimum axis input change that will be detected by FSUIPC and forwarded to FSX for processing: For a given joystick movement, a lower Delta means FSUIPC will sense joystick movements with greater precision, but at the cost of more work for FSX (more joystick movement messages are sent by FSUIPC to FSX.) But since CH Control Manager in the "Direct" mode only reports 256 possible positions for its joysticks while FSUIPC works with 32K possible positions, this means a minimum joystick movement of "1" in CH-World translates to a minimum movement of 32768 / 256 = 128 in FSUIPC. Thus the minimum "Delta" you can set in FSUIPC is 128. If you set the Delta to 256 (the equivalent of a joystick minimum movement of 2 in CH-World) then FSUIPC will only sense 128 possible joystick positions. For a Delta of 512 (a joystick minimum movement of 4), FSUIPC will only sense 64 possible joystick positions, and so on.

While elevator and trim axes will benefit from the smallest Delta possible, the idea is to set higher deltas for other axes requiring lower precision (e.g. spoilers, cowl flaps) to avoid flooding FSX with meaningless joystick messages.

Note 6: More FSUIPC Axis Assignment Tips

When assigning levers, do *NOT* check "Raw", as this is for virtual (software only) levers. All your axes should be assigned in "Direct" mode in FSUIPC (as well as in CH Control Manager).

Note 7: My Axis Assignments in FSUIPC (For CH Products Controllers)

I´m not sure if each particular CH Joystick is always assigned the same Device numbers (0, 1, 2), or whether the assigned number is dependent on the order the operating system detects that joystick at boot-time. (Refer to your own joystick numbers if they show-up different in FSUIPC). Now go to the "Axis Assignments" tab in FSUIPC and make the following assignments:

0 = CH Products USB Pro Pedals        Actions
-------------------------------------+-------------------------
X:  ToeBrakeLeft .................... LeftBrake
Y:  ToeBrakeRight ....................RightBrake
Z:  Rudder .......................... Rudder, SlewHeading

1 = CH Products USB Yoke              Actions
-------------------------------------+-------------------------
X:  Ailerons ........................ Aileron, SlewSide
Y:  Elevator ........................ Elevator, SlewAhead
Z:  SpoilersLever1fromLeft .......... Spooilers, SlewAlt
R:  CowlFlapsLever2fromLeft ......... CowlFlaps1
U:  ElevatorTrimLever3fromLeft ...... ElevatorTrim
P:  POV Hat Switch .................. Do NOT assign as an axis!
                                      (Assign as buttons instead.)

2 = CH Products USB Throttle Quadrant Actions
-------------------------------------+-------------------------
X:  Throttle1Lever1fromLeft ......... Throttle1
Y:  Throttle 2Lever2fromLeft ........ Throttle2
Z:  Prop Pitch 1Lever3fromLeft ...... PropPitch1
R:  Prop Pitch2Lever4from Left ...... PropPitch2
U:  Condition1Lever5from Left ....... Mixture1
V:  Condition 2Lever6fromLeft ....... Mixture2

While these assignments might seem obvious in retrospect, there are many more "Actions" available that perform similar tasks but may implement techniques relating to previous versions of FS and SimConnect, so this list will save you some trial-and-error.

Note 8: Calibrating Axes in FSUIPC

Once the axes are assigned to Actions as above, they need to be calibrated: Go to the "Joystick Calibration" tab in FSUIPC.

Since calibrating reverse-enabled levers may be a daunting task for the uninitiated (it was for me!) as a *GUIDE* here are the values I use that serve me well for the FSX Beech Baron and King Air:

+----------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+                             
| Control:             |    M   |   C I  |   C I  |    M   | R A D  |
|                      |    i   |   e d  |   e d  |    a   | e x i  |
|                      |    n   |   n l  |   n l  |    x   | v i r  |
|                      |    i   |   t e  |   t e  |    i   | e s e  |
|                      |    m   |   e    |   e    |    m   | r   c  |
|                      |    u   |   r L  |   r H  |    u   | s   t  |
|                      |    m   |     o  |     i  |    m   | e   i  |
|                      |        |   o w  |   o g  |        |     o  |
|                      |        |   r    |   r h  |        |     n  |
+----------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+                             
| Ailerons: .......... | -16384 |      0 |      0 | +16256 |   No   |
| Elevator: ...........| -16384 |      0 |      0 | +16256 |   No   |
| Rudder: .............| -16384 |      0 |      0 | +16256 |   No   |
| BrakeLeft: ..........| -16256 |   n.a. |   n.a. | +16384 |   Yes  |
| BrakeRight: .........| -16256 |   n.a. |   n.a. | +16384 |   Yes  |
| Throttle1: ..........| -16384 | -15083 | -14433 | +16383 |   No   |
| Throttle2: ..........| -16384 | -15083 | -14433 | +16383 |   No   |
| Mixture1: ...........| -16384 |      0 |      0 | +16383 |   No   |
| Mixture2: ...........| -16384 |      0 |      0 | +16383 |   No   |
| PropPitch1: .........| -16384 | -15083 | -14433 | +16383 |   No   |
| PropPitch1: .........| -16384 | -15083 | -14433 | +16383 |   No   |
| ElevatorTrim: .......| -16384 |    512 |      0 | +16383 |   No   |
| Spoilers: ...........| -16384 |   -512 |   -512 | +16383 |   Yes  |
| CowlFlaps1: .........| -16383 |   n.a. |   n.a. | +16384 |   Yes  |
| CowlFlaps2: .........|  Map 1 |-> 1234 |  = Yes |     -- |   --   |
| SlewAltitude:........| -16384 |      0 |      0 | +16383 |   No   |
| SlewSideways: .......| -16384 |      0 |      0 | +16256 |   No   |
| SlewForward/Back: ...| -16384 |      0 |      0 | +16383 |   No   |
| Slew Heading: .......| -16384 |      0 |      0 | +16383 |   No   |
+----------------------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+

IMPORTANT NOTE: The axis values in this table are the values FSUIPC sends to FSX and are mapped to their proper numerical ranges according to what FSX expects to receive. The axis values FSUIPC receives from the CH Products drivers are all in the (-16384, 16383) range (although in the CH Control Manager calibration dialog boxes they ALL show a range of (0, 255).) If your FSUIPC Joystick Calibration "IN" values are in the (0, 65536) range, you are reading all the axes of that particular joystick in the "Raw" mode, i.e. bypassing the CH Products drivers. See Note 6 again! Reading axes in the raw mode is incorrect and you will not be able to properly calibrate the axes of that joystick. (For a given joystick, axes are read either all "Direct" or all "Raw".) Also note that on the Joystick Calibration tab, "IN" refers to the joystick values FSUIPC receives from the CH Products drivers, while "OUT" refers to the values FSUIPC sends to FSX.

Note 9: Assigning Buttons in FSUIPC

No buttons need to be assigned for Throttle Reverse, Prop Feather and Mixture Idle-Cutoff to work for the FSX Beachraft Baron and Super King Air!

Should you want to assign the POV Hat in FSUIPC instead of FSX, then go to the FSUIPC "Buttons + Switches" tab and make the following assignments:

+---+----+--------------+---+----+------+------+
| J | B  | B P            P    R | B R     P   |
| o | u  | u r            a    e | u e     a   |
| y | t  | t e            r    p | t l     r   |
| s | t  | t s            a    e | t e     a   |
| t | o  | o s            m    a | o a     m   |
| i | n  | n e            e    t | n s     e   |
| c |    |   d            t      |   e     t   |
| k |    |                e      |   d     e   |
|   |    |                r      |         r   |
+---+----+--------------+---+----+------+------+
| 1 | 32 | PanUp          0   No | Null   Null |
| 1 | 33 | PanRightUp     0   No | Null   Null |
| 1 | 34 | PanRight       0   No | Null   Null |
| 1 | 35 | PanRightDown   0   No | Null   Null |
| 1 | 36 | PanDown        0   No | Null   Null |
| 1 | 37 | PanLeftDown    0   No | Null   Null |
| 1 | 38 | PanLeft        0   No | Null   Null |
| 1 | 39 | PanPanLeftUp   0   No | Null   Null |
+---+----+--------------+---+----+------+------+

Set other buttons to your heart´s content! (See the FSUIPC User Guide (Advanced) for configuring conditional buttons!)

Note 10: Other Useful FSUIPC Settings

In the FSUIPC "Miscellaneous" Tab:

- Disconnect Elevator Trim Axis for AutoPilot: Avoids trim axis "twitters" from constantly changing trim and throwing-off the auto-pilot.

- Pause After Crash: Does what it says!

- Control Spike Elimination (Rudder/Elevator/Aileron): Filters unintended (spurious) large control movements.

- Extend Battery Life: Worth its weight in gold, especially if you like to obtain clearances before engine start.

In the FSUIPC "Winds" Tab:

- Allow Gusts in Upper Winds

- Allow random Turbulence

In the "AutoSave/GPS Out" Tab:

- Set AutoSave interval and how many files to keep.

The "FSUIPC.ini" Configuration File:

- FSUIPC keeps all its configuration settings in the FSUIPC.ini file. This is a standard text file and can be edited as described in the FSUIPC manuals. The FSUIPC.dll file (software) and the FSUIPC.ini configuration file are kept in your "Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Modules" directory.

Well, that´s basically it. Now go fly! And "Welcome to the Wide World of Flight Simming with FSUIPC!" :D

Many thanks to all who have helped me with their wisdom and patience to get my own configuration up-and-running.

Please post-back your suggestions to improve these Notes!

Happy Simming and Seasons Greetings 2007 to all,

jahman.

[peterhayes]

Jahman

Great post and guide.

One small point you can also achieve the same result by installing CHCM but not using it and doing the calibration set up in Windows.

Gives two options and is the same as "Direct" mode in the CHCM.

Thanks again

PeterH

[jahman]

Great post and guide.

Thanks, Peter! :D

One small point you can also achieve the same result by installing CHCM but not using it and doing the calibration set up in Windows. Gives two options and is the same as "Direct" mode in the CHCM.

Indeed, Windows also uses the CH calibration software!

Cheers,

jahman.

[Bob Church]

Hi Peter,

>> One small point you can also achieve the same result by installing CHCM but not using it and doing the calibration set up in Windows. Gives two options and is the same as "Direct" mode in the CHCM. <<

Well, no, not really. The only way to "not use it" is to not let the controllers go through the CHCM at all, in which case there's no point in installing it. It's just taking up memory, but the controllers are running up the Windows drivers.

Click the Properties button in Game Controllers. If you get the Windows calibration applet, then the CHCM isn't seeing the device. If you get the CM Calibration Applet, then the controllers are talking to the CM Drivers. You actually have to have the CM installed to get the detent settings, deadzones, etc. for the Quad since it's the CM that creates and calibrates those points. You can run it in Direct Mode, in that case the setting referred to are set on the "Throttle Settings" tab in the CM calibration applet for Direct Mode. If you don't get the CM applet, then the detent position and it's values aren't set. The axes on the Quad become plain old throttle levers, 255 fully back and 0 fully forward.

Best regards,

- Bob

The StickWorks

http://www.stickworks.com

[peterhayes]

Hi Bob

This needs clarification.

1) If I install CHCM ( I never open it) I get the second Throttle settings window under windows calibration which has the Detent setting. I just installed (about 3 weeks ago) the latest version of CHCM and have never opened it, and the second throttle settings window is there.

2) If I uninstall CHCM the second throttle settings window disappears.

So because I have installed it - is it running in "DIRECT" mode in the background. I do not see it in any of the Windows processes in Task Manager?

Where is it loading to? What should I see in the "Task Manager

I can send you screenshots if you need them.

It seems just the installation of CHCM does give you this extra throttle settings window.

This is what you see with CHCM installed

Regards

PeterH

[Bob Church]

Hi Peter,

>> This needs clarification. <<

Okay. :)

>> 1) If I install CHCM ( I never open it) I get the second Throttle settings window under windows calibration which has the Detent setting. just installed (about 3 weeks ago) the latest version of CHCM and havnever opened it, and the second throttle settings window is there. <<

Yes, that's correct. The CM is installed correctly and so the CM drivers are replacing a Windows driver and calibration system with it's own. That calibration setting is needed for jahmans method to work, otherwise he can't force the 240 at detent. I believe you can do it in FSUIPC too, but since he was explaining it in terms of the CM, it has to be installed.

If the CM is installed, you're in "Direct Mode" (unless you tell it otherwise). There is no way to switch back and forth since it implies a change to the driver stack used. In Direct Mode it uses the same name that the device (and hence Windows) does and really just passes the controller through button-for-button and axis-for-axis, so it acts essentially like the CM isn't there. Device.cfg recognizes the name and so the expected defaults are set. About the only thing that changes is that the name changes from upper-case to mixed-case (it makes it easy to see in the list of devices that the Windows Game Controllers applet shows whether the CM is in control or not.).

There is one axis swap on the Yoke, what's ZRot on the CM is XRot on FS and vice-versa. MS changed it when they dropped the older X..Z, R..V designations in favor of the HID standard names. The change was really Devices.cfg. You can go into Device.cfg and swap the assignments back, or just delete Device.cfg and it will revert, but then the pedals and things won't assign properly. It will get essentially the "Generic" assignments everywhere.

>> 2) If I uninstall CHCM the second throttle settings window disappears. So because I have installed it - is it running in "DIRECT" mode in the background. <<

Yes. If you uninstall it, things revert to the Windows drivers and the Control Manager is completely out of the picture. It's just that Direct Mode and running under Windows are essentially identical. Click the "Properties" button in the Control Panel Game Controller applet. If it takes you to the standard Windows calibration, then the CM is not installed or the controller isn't talking to the CM, it's still talking to Windows. If you get the CM Calibration applet, then the driver is running in Direct Mode (or if you see CM Devices, Mapped Mode). If the CM is installed for the controller, then the CM Calibration Applet is the same process as you would see if you ran the GUI and selected the Test/Calibrate function. In any case, actually opening the GUI isn't a prerequisite, the installation essentially replaces the standard Windows driver with the CM driver and sets up the registry to open the CM applet rather than the standard CP applet.

>> I do not see it in any of the Windows processes in Task Manager? <<

No. I hadn't paid much attention, but none of the other system drivers, etc. are listed either. My guess is it only shows application-level stuff. The CM has no background application running unless you've installed the CMCC.

>> Where is it loading to? What should I see in the "Task Manager". I can send you screenshots if you need them. It seems just the installation of CHCM does give you this extra throttle settings window. <<

Yes. It's using the same CM Applet that the GUI itself uses, and setting the same calibration points that you would from the GUI, but the GUI doesn't need to be resident for that to works.

Hope this helps clarify. I'd have spoken earlier, I just ran across the thread today.

Best regards,

- Bob

The StickWorks

http://www.stickworks.com

[peterhayes]

Hi Bob

Thanks for clarifying that. I was just trying to say that if you installed CHCM but don't actually run it you get the option to set the detent position (which you can't without CHCM) and this makes it easier to set up reverse thrust and a null zone at minimum thrust in FSUIPC. Without CHCM installed it is very difficult to get a reading in FSUIPC that corresponds to minimum thrust at the detent and reverse thrust below the detent on the TQ. I would say without CHCM installed it would be difficult to set up reverse thrust in any meaningful way. With CHCM installed I have had no issues with Reverse thrust as I did when I did not install CHCM. I was trying to give simmers a cast iron method to ensure that the settings on the TQ at detent corresponded exactly with changed values in FSUIPC - time after time and by setting a null zone, reverse thrust would not "kick in" until well below minimum thrust.

Thanks again I learn so much from you :) :)

Regards

PeterH

[Bob Church]

Hi Peter,

>> Thanks for clarifying that. I was just trying to say that if you installed CHCM but don't actually run it you get the option to set the detent position (which you can't without CHCM)... <<

Yes, I see that now. I think I just misunderstood what you were saying. It sounded like you thought the CM wasn't running and you weren't in Direct Mode, just running under the Windows drivers, which of course isn't true.

>> ..and this makes it easier to set up reverse thrust and a null zone at minimum thrust in FSUIPC. Without CHCM installed it is very difficult to get a reading in FSUIPC that corresponds to minimum thrust at the detent and reverse thrust below the detent on the TQ. I would say without CHCM installed it would be difficult to set up reverse thrust in any meaningful way. With CHCM installed I have had no issues with Reverse thrust as I did when I did not install CHCM. I was trying to give simmers a cast iron method to ensure that the settings on the TQ at detent corresponded exactly with changed values in FSUIPC - time after time and by setting a null zone, reverse thrust would not "kick in" until well below minimum thrust. <<

Yes, I think it really does help. There's a lot of scaling that goes on above the CM, first in DirectInput and then in FS itself. They scale up, so you end up with much larger value increments. Given the 8-bit range of the the CM, the minimum that can be expected is probably a 256-count step, 1 count in Raw Data results in increments of 256 by the time FSUIPC gets it. Throw in FS adding deadzone and sensitivity, it can get rather messy. Without the prescaling to a detent of 240 or whatever you decide to use, you have no control over what comes along from axis to axis, the upper scaling routines are likely to err differently. Underscaling one axis, overscaling the next. With the CM up front, you're guaranteed that you have adequate separation between detent and max, and whether it underscales or overscales, it will do the same thing with both. FSUIPC has fewer variables to deal with.

>> Thanks again I learn so much from you :) :) <<

Always my pleasure, Peter. And thank you for your support over the years!

Best regards,

- Bob

The StickWorks

http://www.stickworks.com

[peterhayes]

Bob

Many thanks, we should perhaps prepare a "sticky" for the CH Hangar on this very point.

I'll have a look at all the posts and see if I can distill it down to something succinct, and

send it over to you for a fimnal edit!!

Regards

PeterH

[wellandg]

Any chance we could get something for us X52 users?

Thanks

[Gnacino]

I have been using the buttons only on the THQ for a year now. Since I got FSX over a year ago, I could not get the reversers to work right in FSX, THey work fine in FS9. I just recently decided to get the throttles working cause I mainly like to spend time flying and not screwing around with the technical stuff.

I have read all of the posts in this forum amd others concerning the proper way to set the throttles up. And yes, I have read and reread Pete Dowson's instructions. Bottom line, Here is what I got.

First of all, They say to disable the joys sticks in FSX. If I do that, there is no movement in the Calibratiion section of FSUIPC. Yes I do have a registered copy of the latest version. I HAVE to enable the joysticks in FSX so that the throttles show movement.

I have set the idle postion from the detent to just past it, but not full to the back stop. What I get is this, when the throttles are in the idle postion, the reversers are closed, if I pull the throttles back to the back stop, and the reversers open. Here is were it gets intresting, when you push them up to the detend, they stay open, you have to push them up midway till they close. If I try to pull them back to the detend, they open and then shortly, they close. If I need more thrust, such as taxing, everytime you push the throttles forward, the reversers open breifly and then close. If I need to pull back a little on the throttles, same thing, they open breifly and then close. I have claibrated them over and over, both in CHm and thru fsuipc and the same happens.

Any help or suggestions will be appreciated. THATS WHY i SAT ON THIS FOR A YEAR:(

I am running Vista Home Premium, I am sure that this may have something to do with it as well.

George

[Pete Dowson]

First of all, They say to disable the joys sticks in FSX. If I do that, there is no movement in the Calibratiion section of FSUIPC. Yes I do have a registered copy of the latest version. I HAVE to enable the joysticks in FSX so that the throttles show movement.

I'm not sure who "they" are to say such things, but for certain you have to disable the axes in FS is you are ASSIGNING them in FSUIPC. You must not have the same axes assigned in both places. But you are obviously NOT assigning them in FSUIPC, so you must not disable them in FS. This is logical, as you will see if you think about it.

You can calibrate in FSUIPC whether or not your axes are assigned in FSUIPC -- they are separate facilities, on separate tabs, and described separately. You seem to have mixed yourself up.

I have set the idle postion from the detent to just past it, but not full to the back stop. What I get is this, when the throttles are in the idle postion, the reversers are closed, if I pull the throttles back to the back stop, and the reversers open. Here is were it gets intresting, when you push them up to the detend, they stay open, you have to push them up midway till they close. If I try to pull them back to the detend, they open and then shortly, they close. If I need more thrust, such as taxing, everytime you push the throttles forward, the reversers open breifly and then close.

Sounds like you've not calibrated them anything like correctly. Try folowing the numbered steps. You need a defined idle zone. In the FSUIPC calibration display there must be 4 different numbers, one under "Reverse", two under "Idle" and one under "Max", increasing left to right.

If I need to pull back a little on the throttles, same thing, they open breifly and then close. I have claibrated them over and over, both in CHm and thru fsuipc and the same happens.

If it happens which CH#s own software too it sounds like they are faulty. you should get in touch with CH support.

THATS WHY i SAT ON THIS FOR A YEAR:(

What is why you sat on what for a year? Sorry, I don't understand (nor do I appreciate shouting)!

Regards

Pete

[Gnacino]

Pete,

I am not shouting at you. I give you much respect more than credit because you have devoted alot of your time to what I think is one of THE most important programs in the flightsim industry, and you always seem to be availablle for help.

I am just frustrated at myself, not at you, because I have succesfully got my throttles and reversers working fine in FS9, but with FSX, I am having great difficulty. Like I said before, I tried to set them up a year ago and just got frustrated so I gave up. I had some free time this week and I decided to give it another go. I must be missing something, I don't know what, But I will try till I get it right.

I have searched and searched your users manual, but I cannot find anything pertaining to setting the reversers up. I do remember that in your past versions you did have a good section on setting up the reversers and I followed it and it worked. Unless I have a non complete download, I do not see it anywere in your users manual.

Thank You again,

George

[Pete Dowson]

I am not shouting at you.

No, only in the last sentence (all caps == shouting, by convention). And a sentence I don't even understand?

I am just frustrated at myself, not at you, because I have succesfully got my throttles and reversers working fine in FS9, but with FSX, I am having great difficulty.

As far as FSUIPC is concerned, if you have a good setup in FS9 you can simply copy over the relevant sections from FSUIPC.INI to FSUIPC4.INI -- just the JoystickCalibration section(s) I think, because you say you are not assigning any axes in FSUIPC in any case. (Assignments might be slightly different in terms of Axis names because FSUIPC4 uses DirectInput for axes, whilst FSUIPC3 and before used the old joy interface, as they all do for the buttons).

The same numbers for the same joysticks work the same in both FS9 and FSX (and, in fact, also in FS98, FS2000, Fs2002, FS2004, CFS1 and CFS2). There might be differences in the aircraft models, of course, but the way the flight controls and reversers work is the same throughout.

As you are assigning in FS, though, you must be sure that the sensitivity sliders are maxed and the null zone sliders are zeroed -- but that applies equally to FSX and FS9 in any case. If you don't you will be wasting some of the axis range and not achieving proper calibration no matter what you do in FSUIPC. (With assignment in FSUIPC, all that is bypassed so it becomes irrelevant).

I have searched and searched your users manual, but I cannot find anything pertaining to setting the reversers up.

You still haven't said whether you want a reverser zone on the throttle levers, or you want separate reversing levers.

I do remember that in your past versions you did have a good section on setting up the reversers and I followed it and it worked.

There's absolutely nothing taken out of the manual -- unfortunately it just grows and grows -- but I assure you NOTHING is removed!

There's no separate section on reversers. Mostly folks use a zone on the throttles, back from idle, and this method is clearly mentioned in several of the steps in the calibration section -- as well as being shown on screen with the actual word "reverse". I don't understand how you could miss it on screen -- it is really relatively intuitive and you shouldn't even need to do more than glance at the User guide in any case.

So, I repeat: If you are wanting a reverse zone on separate throttles then you follow the numbered steps in the Calibration section on the Options Tab page with the 4 throttles. They are clearly showing reverse, idel and max thrust.

If you want to set up separate axes for reversers, then they are just other axes on separate tabs, as I've already pointed out. There is NOT a separate chapter telling you how to calibrate each type of axis -- elevator, aileron, brakes, etc -- because the method is the same on each. most axes fall into one of two types - ones with simply a minimum and maximum value, and ones with a centre or idle or "normal" value. The main exception is flaps which can have a number of detentes, optionally individually calibrated. That is why there is a section on flaps, but no separate section on reversers which are EITHER part of a throttle axis or a simple min/max axis on their own.

I really don't understand how you managed to do anything at all on FS9 -- FSUIPC's User Manual is almost identical between the two. In fact for joystick calibration I think it is!

Pete

[jahman]

George,

To enable reverse thrust (and prop feather and fuel cutoff), see my first post in this thread and follow the intructions listed as Note 1 to Note 10, and your reverse thrust will work, guaranteed.

You will also be able to fully configure your FS harware exclusively via FSUIPC without having to also go through settings and calibrations via FSX Configuration (with ionly one exception: Configuring the POV Hat to control Panoramic Views mus be done from inside FSX Configuration).

Cheers,

jahman.

[Pete Dowson]

... with ionly one exception: Configuring the POV Hat to control Panoramic Views mus be done from inside FSX Configuration).

Actually, since I changed the "Delta" for POV axes in the Axis assignments to 0 (so that it doesn't discard any values even repeats of those before), assigning a POV in FSUIPC4's axis assignments to the PAN VIEW control (the same one that FSX uses) works fine. Some say it is as good as it is in FSX, others say it is a little bit jerkier. I may be able to smooth it further by by-passing SimConnect for it, as I do for normal "axes". I'll re-check. But here it is smooth in any case.

This change appeared between versions 4.30 and 4.40, so perhaps you'd not yet noticed? This is the entry from the History document:

• POV axes (those designated as P, Q, M or N) assigned in FSUIPC4’s Axis Assignments now have an assumed “Delta” of zero, and this is not user adjustable. This means that they auto-repeat even when providing the same value. The repetition rate is throttled to around 18 per second, even if the Button polling rate has been set faster.

The main benefit of this is that you can assign a POV to the “PAN VIEW” FS control, and, in Virtual Cockpit mode, get very close to the same smoothness and panning rate this gives when assigned in FSX itself, thus making the axis assignments in FSUIPC4 a complete alternative to assigning in FSX.

Regards

Pete

[jahman]

Good news, Pete!

Indeed, I had missed that new functionality.

Now I can finally and completely do away with FSX Config,

relying instead on FSUIPC for all my configuration needs.

Cheers,

jahman.

[Hypofx]

Hi Pete,

First of all thank you for your efforts and the fantastic product.

i have one queston, I have saitek pro flight yoke quadrant and another quadrant.

I`d like to set up for two engines airplane, how can i set two axis throttle WITHOUT reverse?

in the 3rd page i can set up throttles with reverse, in the first page i can set throttle without reverse but i need this for two axis, any idea?

Best Regards

[Pete Dowson]

I`d like to set up for two engines airplane, how can i set two axis throttle WITHOUT reverse?

in the 3rd page i can set up throttles with reverse, in the first page i can set throttle without reverse but i need this for two axis, any idea?

Look at the 4 throttle page again. Page 3. There is a "no reverse zone" option. check it.

If you don't see it you are using an older, unsupported version of FSUIPC. Please update your copy.

Pete

[Hypofx]

THANK YOU!

I see now most of the problem with the program came from the fact that we users are lazy and not read the manual, I thought i loooked well, but no:))))

Thanks once again to point out, and Keep up the good work.

Best regards

hypo

[jahman]

The main benefit of this is that you can assign a POV to the “PAN VIEW” FS control, and, in Virtual Cockpit mode, get very close to the same smoothness and panning rate this gives when assigned in FSX itself, thus making the axis assignments in FSUIPC4 a complete alternative to assigning in FSX.

Pete,

Although the POV Hat now works nicely via FSUIPC v. 4.507, I can't seem to get it to work when trying to pan in external view in "Replay" mode. Is any additional setting necessary?

Kind regards,

Andrew Hall.

[Pete Dowson]

Although the POV Hat now works nicely via FSUIPC v. 4.507, I can't seem to get it to work when trying to pan in external view in "Replay" mode. Is any additional setting necessary?

Sorry, I know nothing at all about "replay" mode. does that have a different control set?

Have you tried using the freeware FSrecorder add-on. It is much better than FS's built-in facilities. http://www.fs-recorder.net/downloads.php

Regards

Pete

[jahman]

Pete,

FSX has no separate controls for Replay Mode: Assigning the POV Hat once

to Panoramic Panning in FSX/Options/Configuration/Controls works for

both "Play" and "Replay" Modes.

Many thanks for the fs-recorder link; I'll give it a try.

Kind regards,

Andrew Hall.

[Pete Dowson]

FSX has no separate controls for Replay Mode: Assigning the POV Hat once

to Panoramic Panning in FSX/Options/Configuration/Controls works for

both "Play" and "Replay" Modes.

Strange then, because assigning to the PAN_VIEW axis in FSUIPC generates pretty much exactly the same sequences in FSX as assigning in FSX itself. The timing is slightly different (because of the asynchronous SimConnect interface). There must be something odd in SimConnect when in replay mode.

Regards

Pete

[Turbohead]

Hi guys,

Pertaining to Reverse Thrust,

I’m trying to accomplish something in the UPIC (pertaining to this thread) that I can’t seem to get to work properly. It may be that I am going at it wrong. I have read all of the above posts, and the manuals, but admittedly, I am lost on this one. I’ve been able to get the UPIC to do most everything that I have asked, but I am having trouble with this particular function.

I am running FS2004, A CH Yoke (1 Throttle, 1 Prop Control, and 1 Mixture Control) and have a Citation Add on aircraft.

Normally, to get reverse thrust in the Citation, I have to make sure the throttle is back to idle, then, press the F2 key. (I actually have a button on the yoke to press the F2 key for me. This set up works great.)

The throttle works like a charm, and I use the mixture control to turn the fuel on and off when starting and stopping the engines. Thus, this leaves the Prop control open for the jet. ((On the Prop planes, “KA350” the prop lever works and will feather, but will not go into reverse)) So I used the F2 key.

What I would like to do is, on landing, pull the throttle to idle, and pull back on the Prop lever to put it into reverse. Basically, use the prop lever to push F2 when back, F1 when forward. This may not be possible, but I thought I would ask.

I programmed the Prop axis, for (Reverser) and the result is, when I pull back on the Prop control, the engines spool up to about 30 to 40 %, but it doesn’t seem to ever go into the reverse mode as the F2 key functions.

I am a bit new to the UPIC. It seems to be a powerful tool, but I can’t seem to grasp some of it’s technical capabilities. Additionally, due to an accident previously in my life, I have a bit of trouble comprehending things at times. I would greatly appreciate someone taking the time to spell out how to accomplish what I am trying to do in simple layman’s terms.

Thank yuo,

Mark