Analog CH and WinXP

[Lord ReDhAwK]

Salute all.

OK, I have finally upgraded to WinXP because I really want to add more memory to my computer for my graphic programs.  i have run Win98 with 512 forever.  However, I know that analog Ch gear can be used successfully from previous posts I have seen here.

In the past, I upgraded to XP but was unable to get my gear to work (Force FX, Pro Throttle, Pro Pedals.)  Calibration would never work right, let alone no input from sliding the throttle in the game.  I would also suffer from "dont move your controls so rapidly" syndrome even though I was barely touching them.  I spent lots of time at CH Hanger trying all the work'arounds I could find to no avail.  In frustration I always reverted back to Win98.  Well, enough of that!

I have bought a second hard drive.  I have reformatted both Harddrives.  The C Drive now has a fresh install of XP Pro and the D Drive has a fresh install of Win98.  I have downloaded the WinXP drivers from CH for the Force FX and the Pedals (I know the throttle doesnt have an XP driver)..hence the help I need desperately to get my 12 year old gear that still flys like a champ to work correctly in XP.  I also realize that I will lose the force feedback from the Force FX but am fine with that.

Can someone that has successfully done this please help me?  Im computer literate so it shouldnt be an unpleasant experience for the person rendering the help.  Im willing to do this in any medium you want me to..e-mail, phone call, ride to your house on a donkey with a pack mule to pack the computer on.  Doesnt matter to me.  I am all out of any ideas on how to do this on my own.

Nothing is on the computer yet other than the fresh installs of the OS's.  The glass is empty...fill me up baby

ReDhAwK

[oneone]

Hello ALL,

the newcomer (me) is sounding out for the first time

@ Lord ReDhAwK

Look here
CH-Forum
there is a XP Boot CD forum which helps you, I am sure.
The reason is, the analog CH equipment must be programmed in a Win OS which is lower than XP using the little Progi SpeedDisk (and that is not running under XP). Then you download the settings into the CH-stick´s EPROM and boot into XP - voilá. It works.

There are other ways around, I had a partition with Win ME on it and did my CH equipment setup there. A bit tideous but worked fine.

[Lord ReDhAwK]

Thank ya oneone.  I appreciate the input.  I actually didnt need the boot disc as I have a second harddrive with 98 installed on it.  

I now have everything working in XP to include the Pro Throttle.  However, the stick will not fully calibrate in windows or the game.  Roll calibrates just fine, elevator does not.  It stays stuck at the top of the calibration window in the center.  After a (successful) calibration, the stick is still stuck top center.  Everything else is PERFECT!  

o I have installed the WinXP drivers from CH
o I have selected Force FX Joystick and checked rudder pedals
o In AH I have mapped the Throttle to Z Axis
o I have maped the X and Y Axis appropriately
o Speedkeys installed on drive with Win98 (no issues)

Stick will not calibrate elevator input (remains centered at top of calibration window) but tells me calibration was successful.

Helppppppppppp

ReDhAwK

[oneone]

It´s me again,  Lord ReDhAwK,
 
if you post your problems over there in the CH-Forum you might get help faster than here. The CH experts overthere are just marvelous. In here, the AH-Forum, you probably find CH-USB users only.

[fuzeman]

Which OS are you calibrating in, XP correct?
I use CH analog with XP via the little boot disk which you don't need.
Once the stick is programmed I boot into WinXP and calibrate there and then ingame.

[Lord ReDhAwK]

Correct Fuze, Calibrating in XP.

ReDhAwK

[fuzeman]

Did you initially hit the Default Map button in the upper left to assign all the axis?
Even using that you may still need to manually Modify the Z-axis to Throttle 1.

I have an old FX I don't use and was wondering, even without the force feedback do you still need to hookup the power adapter for that to work?
And so people don't ask, I do not want to get rid of the CH FX stick.

[Lord ReDhAwK]

Heya Fuze,

Negative. Did not hit the default map.  The stick seems to recognize what I have calibrated in Windows though.  

You do not need the power source to make the Force FX work as a normal stick.  The power supply is only needed if you want the force feedback to work.

ReDhAwK

[Auger]

Lord Redhawk,

Does calibration in Windows XP work OK?  Can you get all 6 axes (roll, pitch, yaw, throttle, left and right toe brakes) to show up properly in either Windows XP calibration or the CH calibration utility?  Do they work OK in Win98?

Getting the XP calibration right is the first thing.  If that is all OK, then it should just be a matter of mapping the right controller axis to the AH2 axis in game.

[Lord ReDhAwK]

Salute Lord Auger,

Calibration is great in XP except for the stick being forward center (Stick position straight up..as in nose down.)  Throttle, Rudder, all else for stick input is perfect.  I calibrate, windows tells me calibration was successful. However, stick still has no elevator input in test window or in-game while flying.

In other words, auto takeoff would stay on if I did not give the stick some left or right input.  If I try to manipulate the elevator, game wouldnt recognize and auto-takeoff would stay on.

Hope that is explaining enough for you to picture it

ReDhAwK

[Auger]

Yep, that helps a lot.  If the stick won't calibrate properly in XP it won't work in AH2.  Is the pitch trim dial on the ForceFX centered?  I know it sounds simple, but I have to ask.

Does everything calibrate properly in Win98?  If you have the same problem in Win98, it may be an issue with either the ForceFX or the game card.  If you're somewhat handy with a screwdriver, you could take the base off of the ForceFX and check to make sure no wires have come loose.  If you have a ohmmeter or multimeter you could also check the pots to make sure they still work.  Check the plugs on all the HOTAS cables to make sure no pins are bent or broken.  

There's plenty of other things, but those are the most obvious.

[Lord ReDhAwK]

Salute Ur Augerness,

Sorry for late response.  Just back in from road trip.  Yep, the trim dials are centered on the joystick  You are right though..the most obvious things generally give the most problem.

Everything calibrates perfectly in win98.  I just hooked it up to my sons computer to doublecheck everything (he has Win98SE) and it had no problems.

Soundcard is the same one I have run for at least a year with no conflicts.  C-Media running a 5.1 surround system.

Speedkeys functioning properly on the win98 drive.  Throttle and pedals recognized in the calibration and in-game.  Roll left and right works perfect on the stick in both.  However, still no elevator input.

Help me Obi-Won Auger

ReDhAwK

[Lord ReDhAwK]

Salute Everyone,

Success!  CH Analog working with WinXP Pro version.  I'd like to thank the academy, yada yada yada )

Anyway, turns out the elevator culprit came from the Force FX seriel connection.  I unplugged it from the seriel and took out the FX power source and it calibrated perfectly.

I still get a bit of a hickup from the gear in-game (throttle will drop just a touch and then go back full in a fraction of a second) but I can live with this if need be  Mucho thanks to all involved in trying to help me get it fixed.

ReDhAwK

[StarOfAfrica2]

If you do a search of the Hardware and Software forum, someone not long ago posted a project they were working on where they installed the appropriate guts from a Logitech FF stick into an analog CH FF stick and made it work.  Might be some ideas you can use there to get your FF functionality back.  

Going on 10 years now with my current Flightstick Pro and Pro Pedals.  They just dont build equipment this tough anymore.  

[Auger]

Originally posted by StarOfAfrica2
Going on 10 years now with my current Flightstick Pro and Pro Pedals.  They just dont build equipment this tough anymore.  

Well, actually they do.  The quality of CH's USB stuff is just as good as the analog setup I used to use.  I'd bet that the Fighterstick, Pro Throttle and Pro Pedals are the same hardware with new electronics.  They sure feel the same.

Glad you got it working Redhawk.  See you in the arenas.