OT: Help for spikey sticks

[Skorpyon]

I know this should be posted in Hardware/Software, and I will make duplicate post there also, but I was afraid many people that could benefit from this never read some of the more topic specific forums.
   I got a set of CH pedals for Christmas, (non-USB) and had to get a new, non-digital/non-USB stick to make them work.  Only prob was, new stick/pedal/throttle combo plugs in to game port, and mine is on a slightly older sound card.  Stick and pedal performance was spikey, requiring higher damper settings, and even then not as smooth as it should be.  Fortunately, I found Radio Shack part # 26-164, Gameport to USB Adapter.  It has a switch to choose Joystick A, Joystick B, Gamepad, or Wheel.  My entire controller combo now plugs in to USB, and all spikiness is gone.  The part was only $16, and is probably one of the best investments in my flight rig so far.  At least one of my squaddies heard me raving about it and got one, with the same great results.  If your controller gear plugs in to game port (joystick port) you might wanna check this out.  

[Skorpyon]

just once, just in case.

[Sikboy]

Hey scorp,

My joystick had a serious case of the jitters, and I had seen a similar product in an earlier thread, so I went out and got one. I'd like to add a testimonial that once I hooked it up, my joystick was smooth as 15 year old scotch. I turned my damping back to earthly levels, and was happy as a clam.... until I took my ride up. That's when I noticed that my buttons were AFU. I have a CH Combat Stick and CH throttle. I was using Joystic "A", but tried Joystick "B" and it still had my buttons messed up. Did you have any problems like this, or have any ideas to fix it?

-Sikboy

[FLS]

The standard Windows USB driver recognizes 8 buttons and 1 hat but it might have problems with the CH chorded hat.  Use the throttle software to program macro's for the view hats and map it to your keypad views. You can try setting 8 of your JS and throttle buttons to be seen as buttons or just set them up as macro's. You'll need at least one button on the stick set as a button so you can calibrate it in windows.

--)-FLS----
Musketeers

[Skorpyon]

punt

[Sikboy]

I should have punted this a while ago....

Thanks for the info FLS, I don't have the CH Pro-throttle, but I just bought one from ebay so hopefully this will work when I get it. See, the regular non-pro variety of throttle is a POS and doesn't allow you to program the buttons on the stick. So, I can have a jumpy combat stick, or a super smooth four button, no-hat-havin joystick. But, I've been meaning to get a Pro throttle for about 4 years now lol

-Sikboy
-{Shillelagh]-

[Saintaw]

HELP!

[Spatula]

I cant locate this part in New Zealand, and radioshack.com dont accept international orders.

So, skorpyon, or can someone do me a favour? I will send $30 US dollars, in the green, if you can purchase one of these for me and airfrieght it to me in New Zealand. Email me for more info: taurineman@lycos.com

Thanks.......

[akak]

Originally posted by Spatula
I cant locate this part in New Zealand, and radioshack.com dont accept international orders.

So, skorpyon, or can someone do me a favour? I will send $30 US dollars, in the green, if you can purchase one of these for me and airfrieght it to me in New Zealand. Email me for more info: taurineman@lycos.com

Thanks.......

Rockfire USB

that's the link for the Rockfire USB adaptor.


ack-ack

[akak]

Originally posted by FLS
The standard Windows USB driver recognizes 8 buttons and 1 hat but it might have problems with the CH chorded hat.  Use the throttle software to program macro's for the view hats and map it to your keypad views. You can try setting 8 of your JS and throttle buttons to be seen as buttons or just set them up as macro's. You'll need at least one button on the stick set as a button so you can calibrate it in windows.

--)-FLS----
Musketeers

Unless he's got a Jane's F-16 Combat Stick, he still might experience problems because there is no way to program his F-16 Combat Stick in 'discrete' (digital) mode like you can with the Jane's F-16 Combat Stick.  The only USB adaptor that I know of that works flawlessly with analog CH gear is the one from Rockfire, as we (when I was still at CH) did the testing for them.


ack-ack

[Spatula]

Originally posted by akak



Rockfire USB

that's the link for the Rockfire USB adaptor.


ack-ack

Ack-Ack, do rockfire have an online shop or something? Anyone know of a shop that i can buy one of these things off the web???

[Octavius]

Went out and bought the adapter today.  I plug it in, try to recalibrate, and nothing.  The y-axis does not move/work, the x-axis barely moves, and the throttle/rudder control is non-existent.  I'm using a Saitek Cyborg 3D Digital (w/ serial hookup, ) on XP.  I rebooted, unpluggd, refresh, everything, but the thing wont calibrate.  HELP!

[Octavius]

Nevermind.. I found the solution

[Lephturn]

Which was?  I'm sure others would like to know what was wrong in case they have the same problem.

[Octavius]

There was a certain procedure you need to follow detailed in a sheet of paper included in the package.  I was unaware of this and thought I could calibrate it without doing so.  You need to plug it in, click on properties for the stick, then flip a little switch away from then back to the desired setting on the unit, THEN click on calibrate and it should be fine.  I'm probably going to take it back though.  Although it DID smooth the axes, it acted as only having certain 'levels'.  The scaling only has 3 or 4 positions it seems.  This was very annoying.  I'll putz with it a little more this evening.