Blue bars functioning but no connection to plane.

[molyhotdog]

I have a laptop with windows XP, a USB to Airtonics cord froms Toms RC, and an old Airtonics transmitter. I've used this setup on a full size computer before and it worked fine but I had the disc that came with the cord. My laptop has no spot for the disc so I downloaded the FMS program. After several hours of searching I have overcome many issues but am down to this....when I go to calibrate the blue bars respond to the controls...and seem to be working, the problem is the plane doesn't react to the transmitter.

I downloaded the USB driver from Tom's RC site to get to this point.

If I remember the heli controls react with the corresponding airplane controls but that is not happening either, the heli controls sit still while the airplane controls go up and down with the transmitter.

I also thought if you hit the invert box on a channel the blue bars react opposite which they do not.

So, anyway my blue bars for airplane react perfectly with the transmitter but the plane just goes down the runway at idle with no response from the transmitter.

PLEASE HELP
Thanks

[Steve Lewin]

The blue bars correspond to the transmitter input. The INV box changes how that affects the plane not how the blue bars react.

There is no connection between heli controls (bottom 4 entries) and plane controls (top 4).

If you have gone right through calibration including hitting Finish AND have set up the correct channel numbers (corresponding to the blue bars which are moving) on the LH side of the screen then I can't imagine what's happening. It might be worth calibrating the interface within WIndows/Games Controllers...but I believe the Tom's RC interface is different from almost all other USB interfaces and I've never actually seen one, so that may not help.

Steve

[ggunners]

It sounds to me like you may need to select your "Preferred" game controller on the [Advanced] button of the Game Controller section of the Windows Control Panel. If you have more than one game controller defined, it will always select the first in the list unless you use the Advanced button and select the one you want. Just a guess... -- ggunners

[molyhotdog]

How do I calibrate the interface within WIndows/Games Controllers?

Also when I go the the advance box where it says preffered device the options in the drop down box says "none"

THANKS for your help.

[molyhotdog]

If there is a better interface to use than the one from Toms I can try that. I first tried the "virtual" serial port suggested on these forums but couldn't get that to work. I'm not to sharp on computers so maybe I am missing something obvious. I have lined up the channels in the blue bars correctly and have the port values set correctly also.

THANKS

[ggunners]

[molyhotdog]

My first post gives some details, what other details do you need that I can help with.

THANKS

[ggunners]

Which version of FMS are you flying? If you try to fly a FMS 2 alpha 8 model in FMS 2 beta 7, it will just sit on the runway.

Also, click on Start then Run and type in "dxdiag". Tell us your processor and memory from the first screen. Then click on the display tab and tell us your graphics chip, graphics memory and the main graphics driver name, version and date.

-- ggunners

[molyhotdog]

I've now lost the blue bars from functioning also by trying different usb drivers, a friend suggested the ppjoy driver but I can't get that to work either, I also tried the "virtual serial port" too.

As far as which FMS simulator I am running I don't know, I've tried many different downlaods from different sites but also have had no success.

I originally had the whole computer lock up and turn black but found the setting to fix that and don't even know how I did that any more.

So...processor, Intel Atom CPU Z530 @ 1.60 ghz...memory, 1014mg ram...chip, Intel GMA500 graphics controller...graphics memory, 8.0 mb...main driver name, igxprd32.dll...driver version, 6.14.0010.1098 (english)...driver date 04/06/2009 18:04:04.


I'd be more than happy to start over with your suggested download and USB driver needed to get my toms rc cord usb on one end and airtronics (vangaurd) on the other end. Maybe even a link (please) to the proper downloads I need.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME !!!

[molyhotdog]

P.S. My cord from Tom's is a USBc version.

[ggunners]

With your netbook setup, you will have great difficulty running 3D rc sims. The graphics chip is way underpowered for the application. It might run FMS 2 beta 7 OK. While FMS 2 alpha 8.5 is the latest version, the beta 7 will run on lesser hardware with a reduction in accuracy of the flight model. -- ggunners

[molyhotdog]

Ok, so i'd like to try the beta 7 version, I've removed all downloads and would like to know what I have to download and what I need to do to make it work/connect with my transmitter and USB cable.

thanks

[ggunners]

Get rid of all the software you added that did no good. Uninstall FMS alpha 8.5. Install FMS beta 7.

You note your graphics memory is 8Meg. Make it 128Meg. Usually you do this by selecting setup when the machine boots.

Follow the directions for making your adapter cable work. I do not know which adapter you have, some require software, some don't.

Then only select FMS 2 beta 7 models to fly. All the FMS alpha 8.5 models will sit on the runway with the engine running.
The easy way to tell is to look at the size of the .par file or open the .par file with Windows Notepad. The beta 7 .par
will be about 1K-2K, the alpha 8 .par file, usually over 10K.

Good luck.

-- ggunners

[molyhotdog]

QUOTE "Follow the directions for making your adapter cable work. I do not know which adapter you have, some require software, some don't."

Unfortunately I can't put the FMS disc (that came with the cable) in my laptop (no spot) to get the directions or proper driver. I have 2 different cables from Tom's RC, one for an Airtronics tx and one for a Hitec tx.

I am now trying to use the Hitec cable, is has an X3 on it. When I plug it in the computer finds it, and I am able to load software within windows and again get everything to work including the functioning of the blue bars.

It seems the computer game controller ???? doesn't "see" it.

Can you help me to get windows to "see" the signal?

thanks

[ggunners]

IF the blue bars in FMS are seeing it, what are you selecting for the Analog Controller? Joystick? That's what I use. -- ggunners