Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: bustr on February 12, 2009, 03:40:30 PM
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If any one with an X52 Pro FCS has experienced the following problems, this how I resolved them.
Problems I Experienced
1. While in the game your FCS stops responding. You leave the game and see that your Saitek system tray icon which showed a profile enabled before entering the game now shows no profile enabled.
2. Some times your USB mouse cursor starts moving erraticly up the screen by itself after exiting from Aces High and the only way to regain control is reboot the PC.
3. When you reboot the PC it stops at the Bios splash screen and won't go further. If you pull your FCS's USB connector and reboot again it boots completely. Then you can insert the FCS USB plug and use the X52 Pro.
My Solutions
A.) I found 1 and 2 were due to the USB type A male plug on the FCS was not to tollerance. Mine was slightly loose when plugged into any type A female recepticle. I tested it on a second PC. Even without drivers installed the lights on the throttle and Joystick will power up. I found very slight side to side or up and down motions of the plug would disconnect the power leads. During game play this would be equal to you pulling the USB plug and putting it back in.
Visual comparison with another type A plug end on showed the one from Saitek was a tiny bit larger translating into a looser connection. I tightened the tollerance by slipping a very thin shim between the back of the nonconductive tang and the outer metal sleeve. This tightened the connection. Saitek has it's products made in China. They do not practice the quality control required in the West of Western industry. You may have read BBS acounts of out of the box problems or have freinds experience them or yourself had one be flaky from the getgo. But then other players get good ones and swear by them.
B.) I thought possibly the problem with the reboot was voltage at the USB recepticles. I placed my FCS on an external powered HUB. The PC still stopped at the Bios splash screen. I rebooted after disconeccting the external HUB. The PC booted. Then I unplugged my USB mouse and adapted it as a PS2 mouse so the only devices on the USB bus were my TrakIR, HUB and FCS, the PC booted properly. It is possible on some mother boards that the USB thumb mouse on the Saitek throttle conflicts with the primary USB PC mouse. My mother board is an ASUS P5Q Pro.
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What about an UBER sensitive stick? Have you ever had that?
(What I mean by that is, regardless of my deadband/damping settings, the slightest pull on the stick is amplified by at least 2 or 3. I have tried calibrating multiple times, I have tried cranking deadband and damping all the way up and the only thing that does is make me have to pull the stick a little farther before it rockets off at 3x the force I put into it...)
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X52 is a bit sensative. Some like it some don't. You might try to use the scalar feature for x and y in the advanced setup for controlers in the game. The sensativity weined me on yanking and cranking as a substitute for ACM.
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X52 is a bit sensative. Some like it some don't. You might try to use the scalar feature for x and y in the advanced setup for controlers in the game. The sensativity weined me on yanking and cranking as a substitute for ACM.
Done it all. No joy. Its MUCH MUCH worse on one computer than another.
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Have you tryed using it through an external HUB?
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Have you tryed using it through an external HUB?
Thats what's been suggested. Im thinking of buying one online but shipping costs are gonna kill me.
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Serenity, Stick should respond the same no matter which computer its plugged into.
If its not it has issues someplace. You don't have any kind of computer, media, office supply store nearby?
Call them, see what they have.
Make sure that you calibrate in Windows first, then in AH.
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Thats what's been suggested. Im thinking of buying one online but shipping costs are gonna kill me.
Be aware that not all powered USB hubs provide the constant 5 volts required. Belkin makes one which seems to consistently receive high marks.
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Serenity, Stick should respond the same no matter which computer its plugged into.
If its not it has issues someplace. You don't have any kind of computer, media, office supply store nearby?
Call them, see what they have.
Make sure that you calibrate in Windows first, then in AH.
We have BestBuy. Everything else went out of business in the last 6 months.
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"Worst Buy" should work. I've also bought a lot of smaller items at office max, office depot, etc.
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"Worst Buy" should work. I've also bought a lot of smaller items at office max, office depot, etc.
Not when the $12 part online costs $120 in store it won't!
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What about an UBER sensitive stick? Have you ever had that?
(What I mean by that is, regardless of my deadband/damping settings, the slightest pull on the stick is amplified by at least 2 or 3. I have tried calibrating multiple times, I have tried cranking deadband and damping all the way up and the only thing that does is make me have to pull the stick a little farther before it rockets off at 3x the force I put into it...)
it is a very sensitive stick by design......It takes a bit of getting use to, but in the end I have learned to love that aspect of it. I been using this stick for almost 2 years now and I don't even notice it anymore. I was thinking of going to the X52 pro because of the stiffer spring it supposedly has, but I might just wait till I wear this one out :salute
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it is a very sensitive stick by design......It takes a bit of getting use to, but in the end I have learned to love that aspect of it. I been using this stick for almost 2 years now and I don't even notice it anymore. I was thinking of going to the X52 pro because of the stiffer spring it supposedly has, but I might just wait till I wear this one out :salute
I have the Pro, and its not just a sensitive stick. There's something wrong, lol. This changes from computer to computer so it's also obviously not a stick characteristic.
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I have the Pro, and its not just a sensitive stick. There's something wrong, lol. This changes from computer to computer so it's also obviously not a stick characteristic.
Are you using the profile software, if so I had to stop using it because of problems it was causing. If not then It might be a bug in the drivers maybe try updating that.
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Are you using the profile software, if so I had to stop using it because of problems it was causing. If not then It might be a bug in the drivers maybe try updating that.
Drivers are up to date, and I use the profile software on both computers. Again, one works perfectly, the other is more sensitive than a manic-depressive teenage girl on her period.
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Drivers are up to date, and I use the profile software on both computers. Again, one works perfectly, the other is more sensitive than a manic-depressive teenage girl on her period.
Try not using it on the computer that is sensitive, even if you have the same thing in both computers its the same as 2 Cars with the same name....there the same but that doesn't mean there going to drive the same.
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Try not using it on the computer that is sensitive, even if you have the same thing in both computers its the same as 2 Cars with the same name....there the same but that doesn't mean there going to drive the same.
The problem is, they're at two separate houses. I spend 10 days with the PMSing computer, 4 days with the decent one, and back to the PMSing computer again. And the PMSing computer just got more RAM, a new GFX card and a PSU, lol.
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Get rid of the profile stuff. Update the drivers only and use a powered hub. The profiles are good for simulators like microx or xplane. Not this game. I had the same problem.
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yep, i hear just plug and play is alot better than downloading their software. My problem was that i `couldnt keep the dang thing calibrated. I done everything everyone said like powered hubs and soforth, ended up buying the complete CH setup and havent had a problem since.
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Get rid of the profile stuff. Update the drivers only and use a powered hub. The profiles are good for simulators like microx or xplane. Not this game. I had the same problem.
Awe man :( lol. I LOVE my profiles. I have one for every plane and it's like a godsend to me, lol. It's completely HOTAS with the profiles I set up.
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What about an UBER sensitive stick? Have you ever had that?
(What I mean by that is, regardless of my deadband/damping settings, the slightest pull on the stick is amplified by at least 2 or 3. I have tried calibrating multiple times, I have tried cranking deadband and damping all the way up and the only thing that does is make me have to pull the stick a little farther before it rockets off at 3x the force I put into it...)
I may be experiencing a similar problem with my x52. Once or twice per gaming session the lights on my stick blink off and then back on again. When the stick comes back on it's ridiculously sensitive to pitch - as in the slightest movement (that should still be in my deadband) causes the nose of the plane to shoot upward violently as if I were hauling back on the stick.
The only solution is to shift+x somewhere near level and quickly unplug/replug the stick (the PS/2 style cable between the stick and the throttle) and then recalibrate. I died to a Mossy yesterday trying to do this. He probably thought I was just asleep at the stick since I didn't make any effort to evade because I was calibrating.
I have tried powering my x52 both on the USB host, and a powered external Belkin hub with the same results.
I'll guess I'll have to try removing the profiling software and see if that helps.
Tim
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I have tried powering my x52 both on the USB host, and a powered external Belkin hub with the same results.
I'll guess I'll have to try removing the profiling software and see if that helps.
Tim
I use a powered external hub, but I have the x-52, Ch pedd's and Track IR and haven't really had any issues since getting rid of the SST software.
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Additional info on my Saitek fixes.
Check to make sure in the game force feedback is disabled. That will make your nose impossible to control. Place your TrackIR on its own USB port on your PC. It's a USB-1 device and will downgrade all USB-2 devices on your external powered HUB. I have a TrackIR3 Pro it is a USB-1 device...I don't know if the TrackIR4 is USB-1 or 2. You can download the freeware version of Bus Hound to check your USB device type.
http://www.perisoft.net/bushound/
Click on the devices button and find your device. The read out for my TrackIR3 Pro looks like this:
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(24) USB Root HUB
Bus Type: USB 1.0 mode
Bus Speed: 12 megabit
Power: Self Powered
Endpoint 0: Type=CTL Class=09 SubClass=01 Protocol=00 MaxPacket=8
Endpoint 1 IN: Type=INT Class=09 SubClass=01 Protocol=00 MaxPacket=8
Hardware ID: USB\ROOT_HUB&VID8086&PID3A37&REV0000
(32) NaturalPoint TrackIR3
Bus Type: USB 1.0 mode
Bus Speed: 12 megabit
Power Drawn: 350 milliamps @ 5.0 volts
Hardware ID: USB\Vid_131d&Pid_0155&Rev_0001
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Here is a note I posted to Skuzzy that may have some impact on your USB bus resets. I found a post on the Saitek BBS talking about this, so I did the same with good results to my game play and posted to Skuzzy on our BBS.
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http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,261120.0.html <---here is the thread to check Skuzzy's answer.
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Skuzzy,
When the game launches I'm assuming one of the house keeping chores it does is to tell the OS to suspend screen saver mode\power saving mode.
Is there any chance if the USB power management option: "Let the computer turn off this device to save power."
is checked in the power management tab for USB Root HUBs in Device Manager that an occasional errant USB device reset is possible if the flight controler is not touched for the time out period set for the screen saver?
I have Saitek X52 Pro and Pro Peddals.
Thanks, Skuzzy....
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I may be experiencing a similar problem with my x52. Once or twice per gaming session the lights on my stick blink off and then back on again. When the stick comes back on it's ridiculously sensitive to pitch - as in the slightest movement (that should still be in my deadband) causes the nose of the plane to shoot upward violently as if I were hauling back on the stick.
The only solution is to shift+x somewhere near level and quickly unplug/replug the stick (the PS/2 style cable between the stick and the throttle) and then recalibrate. I died to a Mossy yesterday trying to do this. He probably thought I was just asleep at the stick since I didn't make any effort to evade because I was calibrating.
I have tried powering my x52 both on the USB host, and a powered external Belkin hub with the same results.
I'll guess I'll have to try removing the profiling software and see if that helps.
Tim
I get the same issue with my X52, stick only flashes..then POOF there goes the calibration. The throttle doesn't seem to be affected. If I just unplug the PS2 cable and re-plug it back in, I cannot re-calibrate at all until I unplug the USB cable. A few times it has caused me to have to log off of AH and then re-log just to calibrate. Very frustrating. Bought the 2 year warranty through Best Buy, gonna take it back for an exchange. This appears to be an issue that I have read about numerous times. But the good points of the X52 FCS far out weigh the bad IMO.
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Just a follow-up. I uninstalled the Saitek profiling software and updated the drivers - I haven't had any problems with my stick for days now. Thanks a million!
Tim
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I do not have an external powered USB hub and I have a full saitek X52pro and rudder setup sitting on my USB bus.
Whilst I can see the argument for one, its clear one is not required in every instance.
Recently in a bid to optimise stuff I have switched all the lights on the X52 off. (One power drain less)
Further I now run without a profiler.
The profiler launches on start up but when I want to play I Launch the win control panel from the profile menu then exit the profiler taking it out of the icon tray totally.
With the Win control panel live on the desk top Aces High sees the Direct X functionality of every gismo on the stick. Including all the rotaries and buttons on the MFD ( 8 functions). This gives better breadth of control functionality than the profiler can without the profiler running in the back ground!
To give you an idea
(http://www.btinternet.com/~fulltilt/AH/x52.jpg)
7 is left blank cos I use it for ventrilo coms
27/28/29 are the X52 mode switch. hence if you have functions for all three then one is left permanently on. Hence 28 is left blank but using 27/29 for bomb sighting means I can calibrate bombs remotely for 15 secs and do other stuff in the mean time.
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I do not have an external powered USB hub and I have a full saitek X52pro and rudder setup sitting on my USB bus.
Whilst I can see the argument for one, its clear one is not required in every instance.
Recently in a bid to optimise stuff I have switched all the lights on the X52 off. (One power drain less)
Further I now run without a profiler.
The profiler launches on start up but when I want to play I Launch the win control panel from the profile menu then exit the profiler taking it out of the icon tray totally.
With the Win control panel live on the desk top Aces High sees the Direct X functionality of every gismo on the stick. Including all the rotaries and buttons on the MFD ( 8 functions). This gives better breadth of control functionality than the profiler can without the profiler running in the back ground!
To give you an idea
(http://www.btinternet.com/~fulltilt/AH/x52.jpg)
7 is left blank cos I use it for ventrilo coms
27/28/29 are the X52 mode switch. hence if you have functions for all three then one is left permanently on. Hence 28 is left blank but using 27/29 for bomb sighting means I can calibrate bombs remotely for 15 secs and do other stuff in the mean time.
I use to be able to use all the buttons even the little mouse button and the little roller button on the throttle, a couple of days ago they wouldn't work anymore. Any idea why??
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I use to be able to use all the buttons even the little mouse button and the little roller button on the throttle, a couple of days ago they wouldn't work anymore. Any idea why??
With an older version of the profiler I too was able to get my X42 to "band" the mouse "mini stick" but not now.
With the X52 I have never been able to set up clean and efficient banding on the Mouse "mini stick".
The mouse button (next to the mini stick) I used to configure in the profiler to a button command without any problem. Now (by leaving win game controller open) AH is able to see it as button 15 directly.
The mouse wheel without the profiler was problematic as the out put seemed to be too fleeting to always register and AH seemed to miss some out puts. I used it as a flap control since being able to configure it better under the profiler. Now (by leaving win game controller open)AH is able to see the wheel as buttons 16 & 17 ( up & down) directly and the fleeting contact problem is gone. The press function on the wheel is now (by leaving win game controller open) seen by AH as button 18.
From the cut & pasted clip board view above you can see that AH knows the Mouse "mini stick" is there. However as I move the mini stick the value on the clip board read out never changes from the centre point (32768) despite the movement showing clearly on the windows control panel.
However with my rudder and toe brakes AH is actively interfacing with 10 analog/variable input sources. Maybe the 11th & 12th from the mini stick is 2 too many. I often wonder what I would use them for and can only come up with fine turret movement on a tank.
A note to any wishing to copy this method. The stability of the analog pots X & Y is not pin sharp when at rest in the centre position. Giving fluctuating output to AH about the centre position. The cure for this is to increase the centre dead band for these (and in my case also the Z twisty pot) in win game controler panel. This works for me because I use them all for trimming.