I don't want Reverse!

[Rob's 747-400]

Peter,

I have recently rewired my 747 Throttles, removing the Phidgets 8/8/8 hardware and replacing with Leo Bodnar's great BU0836 Joystick Controller; connecting one axis per throttle lever.

I am using the Axis / Joystick features in FSUIPC to control these axes. My problem is that I want to remove / inhibit the Reverse function from these axes (because I am using separate switches to control Reverse instead).

I have read and understood the FSUIPC documentation, and indeed have tried setting the reverse and idle postions to the same point... but because the joystick calibration does not seem to be completely accurate, sometimes when I pull the throttles back down to idle position they'll go into Reverse (because the potentiometer is reading slightly lower than the calibrated 'idle' position). My guess is that the joystick controller is drifting slightly?

Any suggestions on how I can overcome this issue?

Thanks very much,

Rob

Orlando, FL

[Pete Dowson]

My problem is that I want to remove / inhibit the Reverse function from these axes (because I am using separate switches to control Reverse instead).

I have read and understood the FSUIPC documentation, and indeed have tried setting the reverse and idle postions to the same point... but because the joystick calibration does not seem to be completely accurate, sometimes when I pull the throttles back down to idle position they'll go into Reverse (because the potentiometer is reading slightly lower than the calibrated 'idle' position). My guess is that the joystick controller is drifting slightly?

Any suggestions on how I can overcome this issue?

It sounds like you have no idle zone set, or one which is ineffective. Use a larger idle zone, so the higher of the two idle values is above the other. The lower one should be the same as the minimum (the max reverse) value. Make sure those lowest values are truly the lowest your axis can produce, then there's no possible reverse zone for the lever to get into. If the values are simply too unpredictable to find a true minimum, you would have to edit the INI file -- you'll see the values, in order, assigned to each throttle in the [JoystickCalibration] section. Change the minimum two values to -16384.

Regards

Pete

[Rob's 747-400]

Thanks Pete!

Yes; the idle position does seem unpredictable and I have tried several different combinations for 'calibrating' it so I will try your excellent idea for modifying the .ini file.

Regards,

Rob