Author Topic: Joystick misbehaving (X52)  (Read 721 times)

Offline shiningpathb4me

  • Copper Member
  • **
  • Posts: 148
Joystick misbehaving (X52)
« on: May 01, 2006, 12:57:18 AM »
OK I've sorted out some of my problems, not really sure how I did it. One thing I did was remove the SST software.  Now I have a new issue.  WHile flying I kept getting "Dont move your controls so rapidly" message. At times it seemed to gace a mind of its own. It was like someone else was flying the plane (and he's a really bad pilot). It was almost uncontrollable.

WHen Im driving a vehicle, it suddenly swerves to the left for no apparent reason.

This is an almost new joystick that finctioned perfectly on my old PC. (I just built a new one, today was the first day using it in game)

I know that originally, I installed the drivers from CD. (not sure where it is right now, I'll look around).  This time I installed it from a Saitek download.

I did try it without any special drivers, just let XP Pro identify it. I had a slew of problems. I went to website and downloaded a non-WHQL driver pack (the only one they had).

My next step (unless someone has a better idea) is to put it back on old PC and verify that it works ok there. Then I'll know it's something on the new one.

I've tried both front panel USB ports. I can also try one of the rear panel.

Anything else I can do?

Offline ramzey

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3223
Joystick misbehaving (X52)
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2006, 02:20:23 AM »
calibrate stick in AH, adjust sliders for deathband and dumper

Offline Ghosth

  • AH Training Corps (retired)
  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 8497
      • http://332nd.org
Joystick misbehaving (X52)
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2006, 08:17:10 AM »
Ramzey nailed it.

In setup, controls, joystick, settings.
You'll have 2 blue boxes on the right side, a page of sliders on the left.

First adjust deadband. This tells the computer how much center "slop" the joystick has. If your stick is new it won't need much deadband. Older sticks need more. You'll need to set it for both Roll & Pitch.

If you can pick up the base, and gently wiggle the stick and see curves/lines in the top blue window. You need to increase deadband. Or if you use a single finger on the top of the stick. Gently swirl it so that it just bumps the springs. Again, if you see curves/spikes increase deadband.

For the "don't move controls so rapidly" problem.

First you need to find out which axis is the problem. Up down (pitch) side to side (roll) or Rudder.

Gently move your control side to side, start small. You should see smooth curves. If you get a spike, thats your problem. Add a bit of damping to that axis.  Then try again. Check for all 3 axis to find & cure the problem.

Last while your here if you have a "twisty" handle. You probably are kicking rudder in while turning. Setting deadband "big" on the rudder means you have to twist a bit more before it actually starts inputting rudder. You'll do it less often by accident.

Offline shiningpathb4me

  • Copper Member
  • **
  • Posts: 148
Wow thanks for the help . . .
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2006, 10:15:15 AM »
Problem solved. Before I adjusted anything I checked each axis while watching the top window. I had spikes in all of them, and it was really bad in rudder. I damped it until it disappeared. I then went back to others and the spiking was gone. Just made a test flight to deack a vbase and the plane flew perfectly. Upped an M3 and grabbed a base capture for good measure. Thanks.

Offline shiningpathb4me

  • Copper Member
  • **
  • Posts: 148
Misbehaving X52 continued
« Reply #4 on: May 01, 2006, 04:48:42 PM »
OK the fix with damoing worked - sort of, but the problem kept coming back. I went to Best Buy & replaced my X52.  I just flew the new one and I have the same problem. The plane wobbles around like its out of trim. I'm using auto combat trim for all of this. None of this happened until I plugged it into new PC and installed the driver from the website. The frustrating thing is, I built this PC just to play AHII and my play is much much worse.

Offline Eagler

  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 18754
Joystick misbehaving (X52)
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2006, 06:09:17 PM »
did you install the software first before you plugged in the stick?
I know you install the X45 in that order, I think it is the same with the 52

I also use an external pwoered USB hub with my X45 and pro peds setup
"Masters of the Air" Scenario - JG27


Intel Core i7-13700KF | GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS Elite AX | 64GB G.Skill DDR5 | 16GB GIGABYTE RTX 4070 Ti Super | 850 watt ps | pimax Crystal Light | Warthog stick | TM1600 throttle | VKB Mk.V Rudder

Offline shiningpathb4me

  • Copper Member
  • **
  • Posts: 148
Yes, I did . . .
« Reply #6 on: May 02, 2006, 10:13:39 AM »
The last thing I did last night was to re-install nForce4 drivers and Saitek with the Norton anti-virus disabled, and turn off power management to the USB Root Hubs and disbabled the "Standard Game Port" in device manager.  (I don't have a game port connected to that block on the mobo anyway). Here is what its doing: I start to turn one way, plane starts to turn another. I start to change pitch, rudder moves. In an Ostwind it's impossible to shoot while moving. The vehicle swerves to the left every few seconds while you are working the gun. You have to sit still to fire. In a fighter rudder may kick left when I fire guns. Rudder seems to kick opposite the way Im trying to move the plane . If I fly around long enough ( two hours?) The condition worsens to the point where it's nearly impossible to fly the plane, and I'm getting one "don't move your controls so rapidly" message after another.

There isnt anything wrong with the joystick itself. Im sure it's some combination of drivers or something. I did disable Norton anti-virus before installing drivers. Other running software (new) are Nvidia firewall and Norton Internet security. This machine is also wired to a router behind the DSL modem. I'm pretty much at my wits end with this issue. If anyone has experience w/ this problem I sure need to hear from you. Here's a hardware list:

Asus A8N5X Nforce4 Sckt939 -- AMD Ath64 3000+ -- 1gb RAM -- 80GB SATA -- CD and Floppy

Award BIOS 902 (flashed last night)
Nforce chipset drivers version 670 (last night w/ anti-virus off)
Saitek X52 driver version 5.0.0.2000 (came on CD, was using the download but it was same version)

Offline 68DevilM

  • Gold Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2033
Joystick misbehaving (X52)
« Reply #7 on: May 02, 2006, 10:17:18 AM »
nobody ever listens to me....next time stay away from saitech and longitech

Offline shiningpathb4me

  • Copper Member
  • **
  • Posts: 148
Ok -- im ready to put another joystick on
« Reply #8 on: May 02, 2006, 10:45:05 AM »
but here is my concern: What if I buy another joystck and it does the same thing? What if I buy another mobo and still have the same problem? unfortunately, I dont have a shelf full of this stuff to swap out until I find a combination that works. There are several posts on saiteks forum regarding nforce4 issues, but Shawk has nforce4 and an x52 and his works fine. In windows stick properties, the stick is perfect. No deadband no weird anything. It's only when I play AHII that the problem comes up. The same stick worked perfectly on an old 1ghz celeron PC w/ 256mb ram.

Offline shiningpathb4me

  • Copper Member
  • **
  • Posts: 148
UPDate
« Reply #9 on: May 02, 2006, 01:24:34 PM »
ST290Pro (Saitek) works perfectly on new PC. X52 works perfectly on old PC. Removed drivers for X52 (on new PC), rebooted and let windows setup stick without installing any drivers. Joystick still doesnt work. (ok it does work, but you cant fly a plane (rudder swerves you around) or drive a tank from any position other than drivers seat (it swerves left and starts turning circles))
« Last Edit: May 02, 2006, 01:27:12 PM by shiningpathb4me »

Offline Mustaine

  • Parolee
  • Platinum Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 4139
Joystick misbehaving (X52)
« Reply #10 on: May 02, 2006, 01:54:58 PM »
never mind, say it works in windows, though i hope you calibrated it there also besides in AH.

it sounds like a USB problem. i had similar oddities when i was going into a powered external USB hub.
« Last Edit: May 02, 2006, 01:57:44 PM by Mustaine »
Genetically engineered in a lab, and raised by wolverines -- ]V[ E G A D E T ]-[
AoM DFC ZLA BMF and a bunch of other acronyms.

Offline shiningpathb4me

  • Copper Member
  • **
  • Posts: 148
Yes - several times
« Reply #11 on: May 02, 2006, 01:59:26 PM »
and its perfect every time. Go to game, calibrate, take-off, and it immediately starts acting up.

Offline straffo

  • Persona Non Grata
  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 10029
Joystick misbehaving (X52)
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2006, 02:09:59 PM »
Can you try with a powered hub ?

Offline shiningpathb4me

  • Copper Member
  • **
  • Posts: 148
Powered hub?
« Reply #13 on: May 02, 2006, 05:49:22 PM »
Not sure what that is . . . I have 2 front panel, 4 on rear panel, and two in an adpter that sits in a case expansion slot. Bothe the front panel and exp slot varieties plug into jumper blocks on the mobo. I've tried all of them, and the ST290Pro works in all of them. I also moved it back to my old PC and tried it there and it still works there.  I also tried removing the driver and letting windows handle it w/out saitek driver. It worked the same without the driver.

Offline Eagler

  • Plutonium Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 18754
Re: Powered hub?
« Reply #14 on: May 02, 2006, 06:07:12 PM »
Quote
Originally posted by shiningpathb4me
Not sure what that is . . . .


one of these
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004Z6KW/104-8029256-5023928?v=glance&n=172282

you plug this into one of your usb ports on your computer. The ac adapter powers the hub so it provides the voltages for the usb device(s) instead of the motherboard. It helped stabilize my setup.
"Masters of the Air" Scenario - JG27


Intel Core i7-13700KF | GIGABYTE Z790 AORUS Elite AX | 64GB G.Skill DDR5 | 16GB GIGABYTE RTX 4070 Ti Super | 850 watt ps | pimax Crystal Light | Warthog stick | TM1600 throttle | VKB Mk.V Rudder