The C4 Competition

[CoolP 24]

Now, after some flying hours, I want to know more about that nice and capable C4 Competition Flight Computer.

I already know some features there, but I'm currently looking for two things.

1) Change over from Vario to Speed to Fly

2) How to enter the Basic Setting Menu

If these two aren't modelled it's no big deal of course and would also explain why I'm struggling there.

I've read the rw manual coming with the product and regarding 1) it says.

There are four options for changing from Vario to Speed to Fly;

• a flap switch (no such thing on the Dimona)
• a switch on the stick (there is one, but I don't what for, it isn't operational in the sim)
• a speed directed change over (don't know what that means )
• a GPS controlled change over (ah, finally something to go for)

Now I was looking for the 'a GPS controlled change over ' method. Because

The GPS Vario/Speed to Fly change over is activated in the Basic Setting Menu by setting the cursor to GPS.VS =1.

This requires me to 2) enter the basic mode of the C4. This is done by.

How to enter the Basic Setting Menu.

Put the cursor to Info. (this works fine)Briefly press the switch (which one? I can only rotate those two on the gauge)Without a safety code you are now in the Basic Setting Menu. With a safety code you have to enter the code and press the switch

So far, I couldn't achieve my goals. Can you guys help me?

[CoolP 24]

Could this be the switch to change modes?

It isn't mention in the manual (or I've missed it).

It doesn't trigger the circle symbol to disappear, so I doubt that it is.

Looks more like this one for me.

Compensation

There are two options for compensation;

1. electronic compensation,

2. compensation with the Brunswick Tube.

[J.Schweigler 203]

The compensation switch is to either show the total energy compensated vertical speed (wich is more or less the speed of the air mass around you and your own sink) or the normal vertical speed like in a motor plane.

In the Dimona is no speed to fly switch yet, because it is no competition glider. I THINK, there is an option to switch to STF though, but I must ask Ian.

The basic setup menu isn't modeled to not let the gauge mess up by the user (would not make sense because you set up your plane etc in there)

best regards, Joachim

[CoolP 24]

Thanks, Joachim, very fast answer there.

I THINK, there is an option to switch to STF though, but I must ask Ian.

As said, wouldn't be a big deal if the STF wasn't available. I was just wondering after reading the C4. Lets see what Ian says, but no need to hurry there.

There are plenty of details on that plane, no doubt.

[J.Schweigler 203]

Thanks

To get a working Speed to fly, that makes sense, get the Discus glider X

Bests Joachim

[CoolP 24]

I already have it.

It rested somehow since I'm the worst glider pilot imaginable, even a C4 couldn't help there. But your Dimona makes me wanna try it again. Nice planes, both of them.

[J.Schweigler 203]

Glad to hear it. Once you got used to, its the best kind of flying.

And when you're able to do soaring successfully with the Dimona, you'll be a champ with the Discus

[CoolP 24]

And when you're able to do soaring successfully with the Dimona, you'll be a champ with the Discus

Yeah, that foreword of yours seems to describe the abilities quite good and funny. I think that soaring is more or less the absence of engine sound, not the presence of effectiveness. At least when I'm trying to do it.

[CoolP 24]

Found a minor one regarding the C4 gauge.

If I turn off the C4 computer after landing, its sound stays on and only disappears when the Main switch is turned off too. The problem persists when starting for the next flight then (without restarting FSX). C4 off, but sound already there when "Main" is on.

Maybe a thing for an upcoming fix.

[James A 39]

I had the same issue with the sound on the C4 after switching off, but I was also having issues with the inbuilt sound software on my pc. Sorted that out but still have it now and again so maybe Ian can respond to this one! Like FSX, things don't play the way one would expect, engine shut downs to name one, so we may have to live with it.

[J.Schweigler 203]

but this sounds strange... do you have the c4 sound in all models?

Betss Joachim

[CoolP 24]

No, only the C4 equipped one has it and it stays on after a nice flight, even with the gauge off.

I came across this one as I wanted to shut her down temporarily to continue flying without a FSX restart later.

As said, the sound goes away when you take the Main power off the plane, but if you put it on again (with the C4 still off), you have the sound again.

No big deal since putting the Main power back on means that I would start the engine next and then turn on all instruments (including the C4), so that sound would come up anyway, it's just not connected to the on/off status of the C4 in the current state.

[J.Schweigler 203]

Please try to set the c4 vollume to 0, does this work?

[CoolP 24]

Not here, sorry. The C4 doesn't care about the volume setting, it always stays the same.

The problem now shows even after rebooting and having a fresh FSX start. Loading the plane (last state was C4 off) gives me the sound when turning on the Main switch, the volume can't be changed via the gauge.

Here are some pictures.

C4 off, Main on = sound

Volume at 0, Main off = no sound

Volume at 50, Main off = no sound

Volume 50, Main on = sound, but regardless of the volume setting, it always has the same volume

Joachim, as said, this isn't a big thing at all since powering up the plane will always mean C4 on and therefore always sound on.

It would just be interesting to find out about the sound dependencies there.

Hoping this helps.

[J.Schweigler 203]

please look into your modules folder if there is a B21c4 bla bla .dll

Bests Joachim

[CoolP 24]

There's a subfolder Modules\b21_vario with that dll in it. It's from the Discus, right? b21_vario.dll

But it doesn't get loaded currently, I've taken out the dll.xml entry for it.I will put it in again when I feel ready for the Discus again.

[J.Schweigler 203]

And you wonder, why the sound does not work...

[CoolP 24]

Well, the Dimona installer did not include any dll.xml entry on my system.

As said, I've disabled the dll.xml entry from the Discus (quite some time ago) and if the Dimona had placed one, I wouldn't have touched it of course.

I can do a reinstall of the Dimona to check if she edits the dll.xml, but I doubt that she will since I've already installed her twice and she didn't touch the dll.xml.

From the date of the folder with the dll file, she seems to have copied the file itself, but didn't edit the dll.xml file.

Edited. I just did an uninstall, reboot, new installation of the Dimona. She doesn't add the dll.xml entry, she only seems to copy that dll file into the modules folder, but it doesn't get loaded because the dll.xml entry is missing.

I'm running the installer with admin rights (right click, as admin), AV off, UAC off, so there's no blocking force or something.

I will add the dll.xml entry manually, the one which comes with the Discus glider. This may fix the thing then.

That's the entry from the Discus installer, he does actually edit my dll.xml.

<Launch.Addon>

<Name>b21 vario sound control</Name>

<Disabled>False</Disabled>

<ManualLoad>False</ManualLoad>

<Path>Modules\b21_vario\b21_vario.dll</Path>

<DllStartName>module_init</DllStartName>

<DllStopName>module_deinit</DllStopName>

</Launch.Addon>

Edited 2. That's the culprit, that missing dll.xml entry. As said, the Dimona installer doesn't touch my dll.xml, only the manual editing helped.

Wouldn't be the first installer to have some trouble on certain systems and all those magical Windows rights on the dll.xml file.

However, thanks for your help, Joachim.

Now the sound goes off when the C4 is off.

[James A 39]

I'm confused on this one. If you disabled the dll from the xml file and after installing the Dimona without it adding the entry to the xml file then how are you able to switch on the C4 (as indicated in your screenshots) and get it working? Surely it wouldn't work full stop let alone not getting the volume to change? Will have to test this one to see what I get.

[CPDST 2]

I to have the same issue with the "Doooooooooooooooo" tone playing unless one switches off the C4 Unit. Perhaps the installer needs to be revised to add that entry to the Dll.XML thingy? I did not, and do not own Discus glider X or discus glider K....

Craig Tatley

[CoolP 24]

I did not, and do not own Discus glider X or discus glider K....

Then you should get them. Ok, I only have the Discus. no "K" so far.

to have the same issue with the "Doooooooooooooooo" tone playing unless one switches off the C4 Unit.

Well, C4 off means no sound, that's correct. My problem (without that dll) was that I had the sound running although the C4 was off.

I'm confused on this one. If you disabled the dll from the xml file and after installing the Dimona without it adding the entry to the xml file then how are you able to switch on the C4 (as indicated in your screenshots) and get it working?

Yes. I can't tell you if the numbers on the gauge were correct though. I only had the Glidepath in use and the temperature display, they looked ok without the dll loaded, distance (in km) also looked good, coming from the GPS into the C4.

Now that the dll is active, it "only" seems to enable the sound control. "C4 off" = "sound off", also "C4 on + Volume set to 0" = "sound off", but any volume above 0 means sound on without the volume changing from 5 to 100.

But I only had one run with that dll so far and have to try again today.

[CoolP 24]

But I'm doing more soaring now since I got Cumulus X again (even bought it this time, since I used the freeware only on my last attempts), so I may well use that C4 some more now, in the Dimona and the Discus.

Joachim recommends this tool by the way to enable the soaring in FSX.So thanks for the planes and the recommendation there.

[Peter Lürkens 30]

If you disabled the dll from the xml file and after installing the Dimona without it adding the entry to the xml file then how are you able to switch on the C4 (as indicated in your screenshots) and get it working?

AFAIK, the DLL handles the sound only.

Cheers,

Peter

[CoolP 24]

Got the same impression from my humble testing.

By the way, thanks, Peter for your nice soaring tools. I'm hopping the "Cumus" now.

[James A 39]

AFAIK, the DLL handles the sound only.

Cheers,

Peter

Yep, senior moment there as it's as you say "sound" I was thinking incorrectly and refering to the actual gauge, ma bad