Help Me With My Joystick

[Gauge]

Hi,
 I have a Saitek AV8R and i have had it for sometime, and now it won't hold calibration. I've calibrated it through windows and on the AH game. I have no idea what is going on because, theres nothing visual on the joystick thats damaged. Can anyone help me with this??

[Krusty]

Have you noted it specifically is off center in calibration? Or does it just feel off a bit?

I mean, you calibrate it, leave it, then go back into the windows game controller, and it's no loner center, right?

USB, right? Have you tried other sockets? A powered USB hub, if you have one? Those have been known to solve a number of USB issues joystick issues, since your PC setup and its power consumption may or may not have adequate power flowing through the USB plugs to do what the AV8R needs. Try different plugs in the back or front of your computer. If your monitor has USB plugs in it (many do) try that as well.

If you have a ton of other USB things plugged in as well that you don't need or use much you can try unplugging some. I know there are a lot of "gadgets" like cup warmers, webcams, etc, that are all pulling some power through the USB plug that could be making things worse.

[Gauge]

Thaank you Krusty i will try those suggestions if they do not work i will let you know thanks for your help

[Krusty]

Well, don't thank me yet

I'm just guessing (wildly).

Definitely if that doesn't help, keep asking!

[Gauge]

Krusty I'm on a laptop so can you give me new directions for help

[Krusty]

Well if you don't have any other USB ports I'd see about getting a self-powered USB hub if you can't figure anything else out. Must be self-powered or it's still just using the PC's juice. They can be cheap-ish ($15-$50 USD).

But I'd do a little google searching and see if it's a common issue, and also check out what kind of tech support or help/support forums Saitek has and ask them directly what they suggest. I've seen pictures of the inside of the stick and it's a very sturdy (old-school) kind of constrution. Not really much to go wrong IMO. Could be an issue with the chips that turn the signals into USB (inside the stick) or it could be some saitek software you installed (or that you need to install).

I'll admit my experience with Saitek is generalized and not specific with your problem, so if anybody else reading this can chime in, please do!

[Gauge]

well see i cant install the software for it because when i try it says i nned XP and i have Vista

[gyrene81]

Assuming you don't have a distinct hardware issue...such as a bad cable or bad USB port.

You don't need the software, its only purpose is to allow you to calibrate and set the buttons to different functions in games that don't have their own joystick mapping system. Vista has drivers built in and all you should have to do is disable your anti-virus software, calibrate the stick and save the settings in Windows then go into AH and calibrate there. Now, if you're not running AH as administrator the calibrations may not stick.

Not knowing exactly how you have the game installed and what kind of computer you have or what you have on it...it's all guess work.

[groundfeeder]

I dont know what is up with saitek, but i have had several that had a similar problem.

They will just tend to wonder off, most evident on auto-takeoff mode, for me the problem gradually got worse till i felt like throwing my stick out the window of a fast moving car into a concrete block wall!  Then i get a new one and all is good with the world 

[chewiex]

Something else you can try is go to the Saitek web site and download the Saitek calibration cleaner. It is a helpful utility that will delete all the Saitek calibrations saved in your computer. That way you can start with a clean slate and a fresh calibration cache. Windows likes to save all those times you calibrate in Windows in a cache file somewhere...or so I hear. I have used this utility many times and had a much easier time keeping my X52 calibrated.

Good luck. <S> A8Chustr

If ya can't seem to find it, shoot me a PM with your e-mail addy here in the forums and I'll e-mail you the file for it. That goes for anyone that wants the utility.

[capera]

I am so disappointed in this joystick ( Saitek AV8R )

I have tried adjusting the sensitivity of the stick, but whenever I put input into it (mostly pitch), it bounces around so much that I have a hard time keeping my sights on the target. Noe I usually run a Saitek Cyborg 3D and do not experience this.

Think someone on eBay is going to get a deal....