Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: culero on March 22, 2005, 11:08:48 PM

Title: new system, couple of problems
Post by: culero on March 22, 2005, 11:08:48 PM
OK, I decided to buy a Dell system. I didn't ignore the advice everyone gave me, it boiled down to a finacial decision:

1) The boss offered to expense a substantial portion of my expenditure, since I do work at home using my computer. Thing is, he has to have an invoice for a system rather than a pile of parts I assembled.

2) I got a great discount at Dell, I reckon $200-$250 cheaper than I could've assembled it for.

Bottom line, it was too many hundred $$$ when taking both into account. Anyway, here's my sitrep:

1) Its an XP box, with no gameport (onboard sound).

2) Using a USB-to-gameport adaptor, XP sees my gameport CH joystick and CH Pro Pedals, but if I plug the keyboard adaptor in and then the keyboard into it, the box won't see the keyboard and won't boot up.

3) I can easily install a soundcard, but I don't see how that's gonna help the keyboard adaptor problem.

WTF, over?

Also, I have a LAN with 2 other boxes on it, both 98SE. Even after telling the new XP box to join the existing workgroup, the hew box can't see the other boxes, and they can't see it. The new XP box sees the gateway router just fine through the hub.

What do I have to do to get the old boxes and the new box to see each other?

System specs:

P4 3.0 600 HT series processor
Intel 925X Express chipset motherboard
1GB DDR2 533MHz RAM
GeForce 6800 256MB video card
onboard sound, XP Home

Help appreciated.

culero
Title: new system, couple of problems
Post by: StarOfAfrica2 on March 23, 2005, 01:43:48 AM
I guess I need to understand something before I can think of anything else.  Wtf is a "keyboard adapter?"  Does the computer not have a standard keyboard "PS2" style round plug-in?  Is it some kind of funky USB keyboard?  I'm lost on this "adapter" item.  

As I am understanding your post, you plug the keyboard into the same adapter as your joystick/pedal combo?  And there is a conflict?  So........if you installed a soundcard and hooked up your joystick/pedals through the gameport there, why would your conflict not resolve itself with only the keyboard there?  Or are you saying the keyboard wont recognize period?  No matter if the joystick is hooked up or not?  In that case, I return to my original question of why you need an adapter to hook up your keyboard?  It should plug right in to the computer.
Title: new system, couple of problems
Post by: culero on March 23, 2005, 08:10:21 AM
Quote
Originally posted by StarOfAfrica2
I guess I need to understand something before I can think of anything else.  Wtf is a "keyboard adapter?"  Does the computer not have a standard keyboard "PS2" style round plug-in?  Is it some kind of funky USB keyboard?  I'm lost on this "adapter" item.  

As I am understanding your post, you plug the keyboard into the same adapter as your joystick/pedal combo?  And there is a conflict?  So........if you installed a soundcard and hooked up your joystick/pedals through the gameport there, why would your conflict not resolve itself with only the keyboard there?  Or are you saying the keyboard wont recognize period?  No matter if the joystick is hooked up or not?  In that case, I return to my original question of why you need an adapter to hook up your keyboard?  It should plug right in to the computer.


Pro Throttle is a keyboard emulator. In order for it to function, it has to be both daisy-chained into the joystick/rudder/gameport, it also has a keyboard pass-through adapter that plugs into the computer's keyboard socket, then you plug the keyboard into the other end of the adaptor. Now both keyboard and the device are seen as keystroke sources.

Or at least that's how its always worked. Here, as I said, the XP box can't see the keyboard when its plugged in via the adapter.

culero (where's AKAK, he'll know)
Title: new system, couple of problems
Post by: crd on March 23, 2005, 08:31:58 PM
I had this issue with my PS/2 Pro Throttle.  I was running a Saitek X35 with the pro throttle, both with inline keyboard adapters.  It would work on my AT keyboard every time, but never could get it to work with the PS/2 keyboard port  I ended up upgrading to USB pro throttle.

I believe you can ship it to them and they will upgrade it to USB for you for a nominal fee.
Title: new system, couple of problems
Post by: StarOfAfrica2 on March 23, 2005, 11:30:45 PM
Ahh.  The light of understanding dawns on another clueless peon.  :)  Thanks for explaining it culero.  I've never used a Pro Throttle, I just use the throttle on my stick.  

And yes, you're right, AckAck probably does know.  If anyone does.  Sorry I cant be of any help.
Title: new system, couple of problems
Post by: Ack-Ack on March 24, 2005, 01:36:58 AM
IIRC, the reason why the keyboard passover cable won't work has to actually do with the lack of support for such devices in WinXP.  

In the past you need to have a dual boot system so you could either boot into DOS and use the old DOS programming utilities or Win98 to program using SpeedKeys.  That's not the case anymore as Revvin, who hosts the CH-Hanger, has posted a utility boot disk to allow you to use your old game port CH programmable devices in WinXP.  I think this is the utility you've been looking for.




CH-Hanger - WinXP boot disk (http://www.ch-hangar.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=324)


ack-ack
Title: new system, couple of problems
Post by: culero on March 24, 2005, 10:54:37 PM
Thanks, man, I knew I could count on you :)

Will advise once I've had time to deal with it (busier N hell at work this week).

culero
Title: new system, couple of problems
Post by: TequilaChaser on March 27, 2005, 10:23:37 PM
Kelly,
I am having the same troubles, I did notice  that since I can not get the boot utility from CH-Hangar to work, I may have found another solution....

WinXP Pro ( the version I am using) offers me a choice to hook up thru the com1/serial port to add another device which will let me do additional keystroke commands to the keyboard/pc

so you need a PS2 to Serial DIN6F/DB9F  adapter  so you can plug the keyboard cable from the pro throttle or fighterstick to the computer
and this should not knock out your keyboard.

I found one on the net for $1.49  + 0.99 for USPS media mail postage

was like $2.48 total

just incase you have same problems I am having with the utility flopy boot disk