Author Topic: Wanted: old Thrustmaster WCS MkII Throttle (Read 1191 times)

llama · « **on:** November 27, 2006, 01:24:50 PM »

All,

(Apologies for posting here - is there no longer a "for sale/wanted" forum?)

I still fly with my beloved Thrustmaster FLCS joystick, WCK Mk II throttle, and CH Pedals -- all Gameport based. I have multiple spares for the joystick and pedals, and a box of spare parts from TM acquired just before the big corporate shake-up. However...

Last night my WCS Mk II throttle stopped sending keyboard keypresses (the FLCS and keyboard is fine, as is engine throttle control). The keyboard controller board inside it is fried somehow, and I don't have a spare of *those*.

I do have one spare WCS Mk II, but the handle is epoxied to the base pivoting gimbal. It works fine, but there's no telling how long the repairs I made to it will last (that's why it's the backup unit).

Anyway, there's no throttles on Ebay at the moment, so I'm instead looking to the community for help. If you have an old Thrustmaster WCS Mk II sitting in a closet gathing dust, and you can't stand the thought of tossing it away, why not let me give it a good home, where it will be well-used and cared for for years and years?

Please email me at warren at warrenernst dot com (or PM me) if you can help me out, and what your finder's fee might be. ;-)

Thanks,
Llama

SkyChimp03 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 27, 2006, 03:56:41 PM »

Damn cant even find PM button i have
2 f-16 TQS's

2 WQS II's

1 F-16 FCS

1 TM elite pedals (wide)+2 firm springs

2 FLS II or whatever and a few more items if you need any of those

:aok

~~BTW the WQS II's are still brand new still in retail box:D~~

llama · « **Reply #2 on:** November 27, 2006, 06:43:38 PM »

Apparently, my Personal Messages for the Forum was turned off. It's On now.

Thanks to anyone who can help me out with this.

-Llama

MWL · « **Reply #3 on:** November 27, 2006, 11:58:44 PM »

I have one. PFCS and WCS. We can talk.

Regards.

llama · « **Reply #4 on:** November 28, 2006, 03:52:07 PM »

All,

Thanks for the responses, public and private.

I am basically cleaning out SkyChimp of all his old TM stuff, not only for the replacement throttle, but for all the spares I can use to try to build a USB converter for it all.

-Llama

MWL · « **Reply #5 on:** November 28, 2006, 08:42:47 PM »

Greetings,

Cool! I have multiple F22 and F16s with throttles. I would like to know how you convert to USB.

Regards,

llama · « **Reply #6 on:** November 30, 2006, 05:15:42 PM »

Mole,

Well, I can't tell you how this is going to work out exactly, but I can say that there will be, ah, wrinkles.

There currently exists two pretty good, ready-made USB-to-gameport adapters, though I think the better one is no longer in production. It even works in Vista, and I've already tested it.

This however, is only part of the equation: this hardware ALSO needs a PS/2 or AT keyboard connection to transmit keystrokes. There do exist USB-to-PS/2 adapters, but the one that I've tried *may* have had something to do with frying my keyboard controller chip in my WCS. Or it just died on its own. In short, until I get a larger supply of replacement parts, I won't be trying *that* again.

There is also the matter of programming the stick. You still need DOS (or Windows 98) to send the programs to the stick. For this you DEFINATELY need a standard keyboard port, and PROBABLY 5 volts power in the gameport, but I'm not sure if the USB gameport adapters will do this under DOS, without a driver.

A Bootable USB drive (or memory card) with DOS and the thrustmaster software will do the job of sending the programming to the stick, and then you can reboot to XP or move the stick and it still works.

There's also the matter of the Digital Stickworks Chips that Bob Chruch made a few years back. They don't need a keyboard connection, but their drivers only work in 98 and XP (and not Vista), AND they apparently don't work with the USB to Gameport adapters. I still need to test this too.

Another solution is to build your own, with the component at:

http://www.lbodnar.dsl.pipex.com/joystick/

This should work in Vista, AND will smooth out the spikiness of the thrustmaster pots, BUT you'd have to manaully rewire every button and hat yourself inside the stick, AND you'd lose the programming options. Or you could use it just for the axes of movement and not the buttons.

I'm currently researching all this, experimenting, and starting to write a guide on my website: http://www.warrenernst.com/ called "The Book of Thrustmaster: Windows Vista and XP Edition."

-Llama

MWL · « **Reply #7 on:** December 01, 2006, 12:02:09 AM »

Greetings,

Thanks. I will check out the links. I have a 98 machine I keep only to re program sticks and such. . . . . ya, a waste, but it is an 8 year old machine

Regards,