Saitek X joystick

[chrisd]

Help! I have just bought the new Saitek Cyborg X joystick & as there do not appear to be any profiles for FS9 to download I am sorting out my own profile. The problem is the split throttle which allows me to control 2 engines separately - but how can I control 4 engines? Any ideas? Any help much appreciated. Thanks. ChrisD

[ashaman]

With only two handles you can't control four engines. I have a friend who had a similar conundrum and had to bail out.

If you control a plane with 4 engines, you can use one of the handles for the throttle and the other for another control (elevator trim, mixture... whatever), but no further.

FS refuses to allow a throttle handle to control two engines while the other controls the other two (even if it would have been useful), believe me, we tried... unless, I guess, you can code a gauge that allows you to... but even then it's nothing sure.

[chrisd]

Thanks ashaman - thats what I'm thinking as well. Unless anyone has any thoughts on a gauge?

[Adrian Wainer]

Jan 16, 2009 6:59:04 GMT -5 chrisd said:

Help! I have just bought the new Saitek Cyborg X joystick & as there do not appear to be any profiles for FS9 to download I am sorting out my own profile. The problem is the split throttle which allows me to control 2 engines separately - but how can I control 4 engines? Any ideas? Any help much appreciated. Thanks. ChrisD

there was a video somewhere on the internet that a guy made in which he adapted I think an audio slider mixer system for FS2004 as a multi engine throttle control, if you are good with electronics that's a possibility, anyways all the usual warnings about only doing stuff that one is qualified to do, at your own risk, etc, apply.

Best and Warm Regards
Adrian Wainer

[chrisd]

Thanks Adrian - a good idea but rather beyond my abilities. As there don't seem to be many thoughts here at CalClassic, I think I will have to wait & see if someone posts a profile on Saiteks web site.

[emfrat]

Hi Chris -
I was going to recommend FSUIPC, but looking around the 'Net, it seems Saiteks don't like talking to it. ( I have a CH Yoke/Quadrant/Pedals setup, all mapped through FSUIPC. My engine levers operate pairs of engines)

Is it possible to map four of the Saitek buttons to toggle the keyboard commands E1 E2 E3 E4 ?
In FS, if you type E3, any subsequent engine commands will only affect that engine, until you type in E1234 to get them all back together.
That's all I could think of. Saitek looks like good gear, but the toys-for-granpa fund can't justify the expense

Cheers
MikeW

[sunny9850]

I have used the full version of FSUIPC with my Saitek X35/X36 combo as well as with my Saitek Pro Flight Yoke and the 2 quadrants.
And aside from me being an idiot on occasion I have not had any problems getting the axis and buttons to talk to FSUIPC.

As a matter of fact with the six levers on the 2 quadrants depending on the FSUIPC aircraft profile I either have one lever each for throttle, prop and mixture or 2 engines per lever ....or for the rare flight in a 4 engine jet such as the Cv990 4 individual jet engines.....without ever touching the configs again.

So IF you already have a registered version of FSUIPC I'd suggest giving that a try.
DON"T assign any axis functions in the Saitek software ( some might even suggest not to install that at all ) or in the FS axis assignments.
And do all axis assignments directly in FSUIPC and also calibrate their range in FSUIPC.

Stefan

[chrisd]

Thank you emfrat & sunny9850. So far I have used 2 buttons to select E1 & E2 which allows me to use half the throttle to operate either engine as you have mentioned, emfrat. I am now trying to use the other half of the throttle to select prop pitch. I find the instructions from Saitek are a little difficult to understand - but that could just be me! I agree with you, sunny9850, that probably the best way to go is a registered FSUIPC - snag with that is the cost - around £25stg which is nearly what I paid for the stick. I might just uninstall the Saitek software & go with FS9 own assignments & keep an eye on the Saitek web site & see if anyone comes up with a FS2004 profile. Happy days!

[chrisd]

Just to finish my own thread - I have found on Saiteks website that they decided NOT to support FS9 with the new Cyborg X joystick as FSX is now the Flight Sim most in use. The stick itself is well built, lot of adjustment & hopefully will not keep needing to be re-calibrated as my Evo stick needed. One point to note is that the movement is non-linear with a small amount of response near the centre & more as you move away from rest. I found this to be a minor problem when taxiing as I seem to be constantly under steering, otherwise very nice. The End!

[sunny9850]

I actually prefer that "slope" over a truly linear setup. If you are not truly centered it will not throw things off so much and small adjustments in pitch are easier that way.

That is of course another feature you would get from the registered version of FSUIPC. I had not looked at the price in a long time since the registration carried over within FS9 for all his updates.

Quite frankly it would still be worth it to me....I have spent more on other payware products that did less and at some point simply became outdated or obsolete.

Stefan