FSUIPC & Saitek FSX Pro-Flight Panels

[Dougal]

Seems I've dropped a clanger by purchasing the Saitek range of panels for FSX :blink:

I incorrectly thought they were programmable, but apparently they're not, which I find astounding to say the least.

I have a registered version of FSUIPC and wondered if anyone else had found a way of either changing button asignments, or making these panels work with addon aircraft, like PMDG etc?

Any help at all much appreciated.

Cheers

[Andydigital]

Its best not to ask that question around here when it comes to saitek hardware, they (Saitek) are using FSUIPC without a license and they refuse to answer whenever Pete contacts them, best use Google it could have saved you a fortune.

[Dougal]

I can understand why that is an issue.

I don't believe however, that it should block support for a registered FSUIPC user. I am most definately not using it without a licence :blink:

If FSUIPC is able to help me, then what's wrong in my asking for such help?

I certainly will NOT be buying any more saitek (small 's') rubbish though.

[Pete Dowson]

I don't believe however, that it should block support for a registered FSUIPC user. I am most definately not using it without a licence :blink:

They are not blocked for registered FSUIPC users. But I can't offer support for their modules. I don't really like them much -- I think VRInsight's are smarter -- but if they hadn't reneged on an agreement I would have probably added support as I did for VRI.

If FSUIPC sees the buttons and switches, you can program them. If not, then maybe the only way is by using the FSUIPC Lua library facilities for COM and HID devices. The problem then is to work out the protocol Saitek are using. You'd really need a USB monitoring program to do that for display outputs, but for switches and knobs you'd probably be able to work it out just by logging what arrives..

Regards

Pete

[Dougal]

Thanks Pete, I appreciate the detail.

It's truely 'gobsmacking' a company the size of saitek (can't even bring myself to use a capital s!!) choose such a route. With thier profits, surely they wouldn't even a notice the outlay of a commercial licence.

They do seem to have gotten quite greedy these days; showing what appears to be contempt for customers. Example: I wanted the cyborg-x flight stick. No longer availible. It's been re-released as the f.l.y.5 Same stick - just a much higher price!

I'm going to have a burning ceremony with my saitek stuff. Extreme? Yes, but it'll make ME feel just a tiny bit better :rolleyes:

[Dougal]

Something else that's crossed mind is to rewire the switches inside the panels, and hook them up to a 'Pulse Generator' from http://www.desktopaviator.com/

From my understanding, that will enable the toggle switches to opperate as momentary switches, sending single pulses to FSUIPC, or even directly to FSX.

Curious to here if anyone else thinks that MIGHT work?

Cheers

[Pete Dowson]

Something else that's crossed mind is to rewire the switches inside the panels, and hook them up to a 'Pulse Generator' from http://www.desktopaviator.com/

From my understanding, that will enable the toggle switches to opperate as momentary switches, sending single pulses to FSUIPC, or even directly to FSX.

Hmm. I don't know those. But there's also the Leo Bodnar boards which seem to be popular: Leo Bodnar

[LATER]

I looked at the "pulse generator", but that seems a bit limited for toggle switches. As it says "The 2120 will product one pulse when you flip the toggle switch ON. And a second pulse will be generated when the same toggle switch is flipped to OFF." So it's like pushing a button and releasing it. You can't even have the button held, and there's no advantage to the toggle over a momentary button. Really you want the switch to press the button in one position and release it in the other. And with buttons you normally want the option to have them "repeating whilst held" which you can't do with a pulse. It seems that device is more complex than you real;ly want, don't you think?

Regards

Pete

[Dougal]

Thanks Pete, Will look at the Leo Bodnar thing.

Much as I really love the idea of overhead bottons & stuff, the tech side of it is new to me. Plus, I have a neurological condition which makes learning new technical stuff very hard indeed.

I'm trying to study your technical guide to glean as much data as I can, but it's a slow process :blink:

[bluebot71]

I'm new to this with limited programming aptitudes. When I start Flightsim x i receive a warning panel "Saitek Pro Flight panels for fs 2004" with the message "unable to connect to fsuipc". When i continue i enter flight sim but some of the controls do not work on the saitek instruments. What is fsuipc and what does all tis mean to me? Thanks

[Pete Dowson]

I'm new to this with limited programming aptitudes. When I start Flightsim x i receive a warning panel "Saitek Pro Flight panels for fs 2004" with the message "unable to connect to fsuipc". When i continue i enter flight sim but some of the controls do not work on the saitek instruments. What is fsuipc and what does all tis mean to me? Thanks

Please go to Saitek support. I will not support them. They use FSUIPC illegally, having refused to pay the license fee originally agreed.

Regards

Pete

[buffaloron]

Hello and so sorry I am so late in my response. I am a relatively newbie. Anyhow stung by the saitek toys, I decided to purchase a 2040 controller fromDesktop Aviator, theyy have SUPER customer support and GREAT prices. Anuhow just got through tearing apart my asaitek multi function panel and wired it to the 2040. I had no problem I left the landing gear and engine switch connected to the saitek control because they both worked well with my PMDG 747-400

Assigning the switches to their deired funtion went well with the exception of the APU start, avionics, de-ice, pitotheat, fuel switches. I made a decision to rename these and use them for other switches I wanted to identify. Using a Brother Label Maker I made labels for these switches. When I am finished i will upload the key assignments.

I highly endorse Desktop Aviator (www.DesktopAviator.com). Take a good look at what they offer.

Ron (Granpa) Burns

[buffaloron]

Pete

I read your note about the PULSE Generator from Desktop Aviator, I purchesed the 2040 and yes I did have a problem with the switches on the siaitek panels but somehow mostly trial and error I managed to get the switches working. I used fsuipc 4 to assign a function to a switch, example Taxi Light, once I selected this from the macro file downloaded from the user contribution area formthe PMDG 747

I set a parameter of 1 when the switch was clicked to ON but used the same macro with no parameter when the switch ws clicked off.

It does work consistantly.

Oh this is a step I took after wiring all of the saitek switches to the 2040 USB 20 button digital interface module.

It seems extreme but it was the only way to get my saitek toy pnel working the wy I thought it would when I Purchased it.

Let me add that your efforts, wonderfu site, and tools have kept this Granp totally immersed in his Flight Sim activities. THANK YOU

Let me know if you want more info on this but the Main success ws using the Macro file downloaded (actually cut and pasted) from the user contributions forum.

Ron (Granpa) Burns

[Pete Dowson]

Oh this is a step I took after wiring all of the saitek switches to the 2040 USB 20 button digital interface module.

It seems extreme but it was the only way to get my saitek toy pnel working the wy I thought it would when I Purchased it.

Well, yes, it is extreme, but what a splendit result! Thanks for letting us know!

Regards

Pete