Thrustmaster Airbus Sidestick - Rudder axis problem

[PaulusP 0]

I have the Thrustmaster Throttle quadrant + add-on and the Thrusmaster Airbus side stick for my Aerosoft A320/321.

After many attempts the throttle quadrant + flaps/spoilers are finally working correctly, but my joy was shortlived when I noticed that the rudder -axis on my side stick did not work correctly anymore.

When I turn the stick only 1 mm to the left or the right, the position goes immediately to full.

I can not find a way to calibrate the stick, because the Windows calibration pop-up does not exist anymore after installing the Thrustmaster software.

You can only test it , but I cannot find a calibration option.

In this situation it is impossible to taxi or fly correctly.

 

I connected the stick on another computer and the Windows calibration pop-up appeared immediately, so I could calibrate the stick and it works fine (nice, smooth increase of the positions as I turned the stick), so the stick is OK.

 

Question: how can I make the rudder axis work correctly in my simulator?

 

I do not have separate rudders, so auto-rudder is Active in P3D realism (but turning this off does not make any difference).

My simulator is P3D v 5.3

[SimWare 731]

8 hours ago, PaulusP said:

I have the Thrustmaster Throttle quadrant + add-on and the Thrusmaster Airbus side stick for my Aerosoft A320/321.

Hi,

In the Thrusmater utility, can you see the indicator bar correctly move according to the stick twist movements? 

How did you assign the stick twist axis in P3D ? And how are the sensitivity and neutral zones settings ?

What plane is in use ?

Thank you.

[PaulusP 0]

In the Thrustmaster uitility the indicator moves exactly like in the aircraft: when I turn the stick only 1 mm, the position goes immediately to the end. So  not at all accordingto the movement of the stick: in the Thrustmaster utility it is all or nothing.

The Axis assignment is Rz axis (this is done automatically).  I deleted the assignment, disconnect the stick, turn off the computer, restart the computer, reconnect the stick and again it gets automatically the Rz axis.

I tried many sensitivities and neutral zones: starting with max sensitivity (127) and null zone at 0 (just like the throttle quadrant), I experimented with a large number of sensitivities (ranging from 127 to 0) and the same  for neutral zone, but the result is always the same: turning the stick only 1 degree gives immediately maximum deflection.

I use the Aerosoft A 320 professional (in Azores Airlines livery).

 

As a test I connected my Logitech Extreme 3-D joystick again, and the rudder / nosewheel work absolutely perfect: smooth and gradual.

So the plane is OK also.

 

Hope this info is helpful for you in finding a solution.

[SimWare 731]

1 minute ago, PaulusP said:

In the Thrustmaster uitility the indicator moves exactly like in the aircraft: when I turn the stick only 1 mm, the position goes immediately to the end. So  not at all accordingto the movement of the stick: in the Thrustmaster utility it is all or nothing.

Hi,

 

I suggest the following : 
Uninstall the Thrustmaster driver. It isn't needed for the joystick as it is a very simple and not complex device.
(I personally don't use it, as it adds an uneeded software layer)
Restart your computer and perform the joystick calibration with the Windows utility only.
Then check the efect in the simulator.

Best regards.

[PaulusP 0]

Thanks for your quick reaction!

I considered that option also, but it took me several days to get the throttle quadrant + add-ons working correctly and as far as I know  - in order to get the throttle quadrant + add-ons working again -  I would need to reinstall the Thrustmaster drivers again. Or is this assumption  not correct?

[SimWare 731]

7 minutes ago, PaulusP said:

Thanks for your quick reaction!

I considered that option also, but it took me several days to get the throttle quadrant + add-ons working correctly and as far as I know  - in order to get the throttle quadrant + add-ons working again -  I would need to reinstall the Thrustmaster drivers again. Or is this assumption  not correct?

Hi,

Actually, you can use both the joystick and the throttle without the Thrustmaster driver.
The only reason you would use the driver would be to enable or disable the virtual inputs of the throttle levers.
You may want to disable them in order to be able to calibrate the throttles with the Windows utility as the virtual inputs would trigger the switch
to the next lever like any button does.

Apart from that (and it is minor as there even is an easy workaround) the driver isn't needed at all.

Best regards. 

[SimWare 731]

You may know that but for the sake of information, here is the checkbox allowing anabling/disabling 

the virtual inputs (or buttons)

Please login to display this image.

[PaulusP 0]

I have good news: everything works fine now !

I deinstalled the Thrustmaster software, shut down and restarted my computer and reconnected the stick.

Now it was possible to use the Windows calibration tool (although it is necessary to take care with button 17 at the base of the slider).

Afterwards I connected again  the throttle quadrant and that worked immediately without any calibration (including engine starters, parking brake and landing gear)

So all good now (and indeed without any TM drivers!)

Thanks a lot for your support !

 

Remark: why did Thrustmaster make the efforts to develop their TM package if you don't need it at all to make the hardware work correctly?

 

[SimWare 731]

Basically perhaps because they traditionally make drivers

for every controls they produce and also,

in the case of the quadrant, to allow for virtual buttons enabling/disabling.

 

Glad it works now.

Happy flyings.