PPM (Game Port) To FMS

[joshkotecha]

I have a futaba connected via USB.
The Windows XP game port is responding to this.
(A) How do I calibrate the Radio properly?
(B) How do I get FMS to use the game port interface?

Your help is GREATLY appreciated!!

Thanks
Josh

[joshkotecha]

Hi,

Should I have SmartPro Plus?
When I go to the Joy Stick Resources, it says SmartPro Plus is installed
and there are 6 Active Channels.

I have no clue as to what all this means. I also am not sure how I got SmartPro into the system as I didn't think I installed this (yet).

Thanks!
Josh

[joshkotecha]

At least part of the problem was that I had SmartPro Installed.
I'm not sure how I had done this, but I installed it "officially"
and then un-installed it and now FMS sees the joystick interface.

I'm having problems w/ the calibration now, but I think I
can play with the JoyStick Calibrate in XP and figure things out.

Josh
p.s.
I guess I'll write this up as a stickey!

[joshkotecha]

Okay here is a list of steps
1. Install FMS and USB Controller
2. Make sure that FMS knows the type of controller (in my case Futaba)
3. Check to make sure that you don't have SmartProp Installed.
To check either look at your list of packages installed or
in my case, I went to the Control>Resource Tab and saw that
SmartProp was interfacing with the Joy Stick
4. If you cannot figure out how to remove SmartProp then install it
and the uninstall it. (I don't know how I got SmartProp in my system
but an install of it and then an uninstall of it removed it.)
5. Remove FMS and Reinstall the recommended Beta Version (7).

6. Now go to The Joystick Control Panel and calibrate. Make sure
that the X-Y tick mark is in the center when all your sticks are in
the center.
7. Do the best you can for the next steps (for X- Y- Z-). I found that
mine weren't doing to well, but somehow things still worked in
FMS.
8. Go into FMS and check Control>Resources> Test to make sure
that you've got good stick response at this point
9. Go to Calibrate and follow the procedures. For me this was trial
and error.
10. I found problems still, but I was able to track it down to the cable
not being tight enough inside the Futaba Radio socket. Solutions
I put a piece of clear tape and then stuck it into the radio. The
extra thickness seems to help keep the wire in place.

If someone has got more notes or better things to add, this would be
very helpful!!

Thanks,
Josh