Author Topic: Hotas losing connections... (Read 4029 times)

Eagler · « **on:** June 21, 2026, 03:53:07 PM »

Last few times online my controls have gone wonky..

We are at the in-laws so I am in the 5th wheel using our starlink connection..

What happens is everything seems OK when I take off and fly towards the fight..

When I get close to the action I start getting window dings which I think my USB is disconnected and reconnecting real fast and in spurts...

When this happens my rudder pedals go weird and stick to the left with no right rudder...

My joystick goes goofy with my view maybe sticking to whatever jstick view I am looking through and the trigger gets stuck wide open if I am shooting..and lose flight control which ends in a crash..

I ordered a powered USB hub but still had the problem last night...

Sometimes it goes back to normal when I takeoff again other times I had to unplug replug the USB hub to restore control but it would go weird again as soon as I got close to a fight..

Today in settings I found that I had to uncheck allow computer to turn off devices to save power for a USB devices...do you think that was it?

Laptop:
msi Katana A15 AI B8VG-423US AI Gaming Laptop 15.6" 144Hz IPS FHD Display (AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS, GeForce RTX 4070 8GB, 64GB DDR5, 2TB PCIe SSD, RGB KB, WiFi 6E, Win 11 Pro) w/DKZ USB Port Expander(powered USB hub replaced that)

I will check it at 8pm this evening..thanks for any ideas

Eagler

The Fugitive · « **Reply #1 on:** June 21, 2026, 04:10:02 PM »

Checking those usb settings was what I was going to suggest. Other than that or power i can't think of anything else

Bizman · « **Reply #2 on:** June 22, 2026, 01:36:18 AM »

USB power management is a potential culprit and while you're at it, check the HID devices as well as they usually are USB powered.

You can also try resetting all USB ports and devices including the non-present ones. Start by checking Show Hidden Devices in the View menu. Uninstall all greyed USB devices. Finally uninstall all items under the USB title. Obviously that will disable your keyboard and mouse so you'd have to either force shutdown (press the start button for 4-10 seconds) your computer or modify Power Management so that pressing the start button will perform a normal shutdown. Removed present items should reinstall at start.

Eagler · « **Reply #3 on:** June 22, 2026, 06:18:23 AM »

Thanks for the ideas...

It happened again last night but it seems to be the joystick losing its mind now..

Trigger got stuck wide open, no response from anything on the warthog as I spin into the ground..

Monkeying around with it lost all the settings to the throttle but luckily I had a backup..

Looking at the game controllers in windows, the rudders and throttle operate correctly but the joystick fails when I push it forward..it popped up an error staring it wasn't working correctly and it disappeared from the controller window..had to unplug it and replug for it to reappear..

The joystick is a warthog on a Virpil WarBRD base that was working great..

That setup worked great but was a little floppy so I changed out the springs for the next stiffness..

I am starting to think that might be it as in the windows controller window front to back movement is limited going forward and backwards..

Anyone else have experience with this spring change..

Eagler

Animl-AW · « **Reply #4 on:** June 22, 2026, 08:09:52 AM »

Quote from: Eagler on June 22, 2026, 06:18:23 AM

Thanks for the ideas...

It happened again last night but it seems to be the joystick losing its mind now..

Trigger got stuck wide open, no response from anything on the warthog as I spin into the ground..

Monkeying around with it lost all the settings to the throttle but luckily I had a backup..

Looking at the game controllers in windows, the rudders and throttle operate correctly but the joystick fails when I push it forward..it popped up an error staring it wasn't working correctly and it disappeared from the controller window..had to unplug it and replug for it to reappear..

The joystick is a warthog on a Virpil WarBRD base that was working great..

That setup worked great but was a little floppy so I changed out the springs for the next stiffness..

I am starting to think that might be it as in the windows controller window front to back movement is limited going forward and backwards..

Anyone else have experience with this spring change..

Eagler

Gives the impression of a bad cable or wire. Maybe internally. Just a thought

SIK1 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 22, 2026, 10:38:18 AM »

I've run all three Virpil supplied spring sets, a set of real light springs from the hardware store, and no springs at all on my Virpil WarBrd bases without issue.
As Animal said look at the cable, and the internal connection inside the base.

Eagler · « **Reply #6 on:** June 22, 2026, 12:01:23 PM »

Did you use the virpil vpc software to calibrate after messing with the springs..

I will try that next and see how windows likes it if that works as expected..

Thanks for the ideas..

Eagler

Eagler · « **Reply #7 on:** June 22, 2026, 03:31:54 PM »

Animl-AW was correct..the 5 pin IDC to USB A cable was being pinched..

I must have done it when I switched out the springs..

After moving it a bit I am able to calibrate it in windows and the virpil software..yeah!

Does anyone know where I can find another one on cause I really screwed up this one..I can only locate the newer cable they use on their newer base..

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction

Eagler

JimmyD3 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 22, 2026, 04:34:27 PM »

Glad you got it fixed Eagler, those kind of problems are extremely difficult to trouble shoot. Well done!

Animl-AW · « **Reply #9 on:** June 22, 2026, 06:00:19 PM »

https://animl-aw.com/cable-stress-relief/

SIK1 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 22, 2026, 06:28:30 PM »

Eagler, contact Virpil support. They may be able to help you get the cable you are looking for

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Eagler · « **Reply #11 on:** June 23, 2026, 05:45:40 AM »

I contacted their support with a ticket..we will see..

Having a heck of a time with settings..

Not sure if it's coming through as different hardware now or what as the saved settings folder is not restoring the programming correctly...if at all...

It looks like I might have to reprogram everything..

Thanks again for the input

Eagler

Animl-AW · « **Reply #12 on:** June 23, 2026, 09:24:54 AM »

This may be more a Bizman subject
So guessing from experience

Each inner component may have a digital address assigned to a universe. Good chance if one is removed it may change addresses. Depending how its wired, like series.

With digital table mics, one is daisy chained to the next in line. When we put 10 up the system must be flashed and the system assigns addresses to each one which tells the mixer which slider/fader controls which mic. IE,.. x axis=001, y axis=002, button 1 = 004, etc

Series wiring, like x-mas tree lights, If one mic goes down every mic after it will no longer have an address and will not work until the broken one is replace and the mic system flashed again to re-assign addresses.

Or if wired parallel, it may bump the address assignment down one

Try unplugging, reboot and put back in and see if it fires up right.

Eagler · « **Reply #13 on:** June 26, 2026, 04:36:50 PM »

I am impressed with the support at virpil...

I received the correct USB replacement cable for the base today for $26.77 including shipping

Eagler

SIK1 · « **Reply #14 on:** June 26, 2026, 08:14:18 PM »

Did that fix your issue?
I've had good experiences with Virpil support.

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