Engage reverse thrust

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Hi folks,I run the PMDG 747 and MD11 with Fs9/WinXP, when I go to apply reverse thrust the levers thrash up and down for several seconds before engageing, it happens with my x52 joystick and keyboard. I'm sure its my pc setup but cant nail it down.Anyone have a idea what might be causing it..?thanks,Steve.

[Turbine777 13]

Hey Steve,It could be a few issues, but I'll touch on a couple. First of all, first check the calibration in Windows. You do that via control panel > Devices and printers for Win7, I think XP it just says "Game Controllers". That's the most important part since you're going to see ifA) The driver is working as it should (or even installed)B - You have duplicate entries in the registry, very possibly (even without seeing two)D) You could have a bad stick if the drivers are installed, showing but it's just not working as it should (A bad stick doesn't mean you replace it, it means you fix it).I used the x52 for years and never installed its software junk. Are you running that? I can't speak for it since I never used it but it's possibly that.How long have you owned it? Is this something new to your system? Or did it just start happening?If you plug it in while windows is in final load phase (during boot and the little line thing stops), then you can get a double entry as well as if you ever plug it in while FSX is running. This also counts for power fluctuations where a usb device all of a sudden is re-detected.I would focus 1st on windows calibration since so many people fight with issues for weeks and never check that, yet it tells the most info about the problem than anything there is.

Edited January 18, 2012 by Turbine777

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Hi Dan,Thanks for the reply, x52 is relatively new, had a gameport ch joke/pedals before which had become u/s. I have the latest driver for the x52 and dont use the SST program, odd thing is that there is no calibration tab when you open the game controller panel, I'm sure I read somewhere that the stick auto calibrates when the pc is fired up plus all indications in the stick status panel are that everything is centered.I'm not really sure how to look at the pc registry for duplicate entrys for the x52, I have a fellow simmer nearby that is away on business at the moment, he is pretty clued up re pc's so will ask him when he returns. The 74 and MD11 are the planes I mostly fly but have the Aeroworx B200, loaded it last night and the reverse pitch on that model runs smooth with no jumping at all. Overall it doesnt present a big problem in sim it just delays being able to apply reverse thrust quickly, although it would be nice to cure it. Steve.

[Nullpoint 3]

You didn't actually describe how you were applying the reversers, but most likely what you are seeing is the "unlocking" of the reversers. In both the MD-11 and NGX there is a 1-2 second delay upon the first "application of reverse" (e.g. F2 or similar) before you can actually modulate the reverse thrust setting. If you continue to apply reverse before the unlock completes you will see the reverse levers returning to the idle reverse position as you described. On the MD-11 you'll also notice that with no hydraulic pressure you can't move the reverse levers beyond the idle reverse position.I use the SST for my X52 with no problems. The configuration software is rather slow, but it maps button/slider/axis to keys/macros perfectly. Works wonders in DCS A-10. I swear that planes HOTAS has more hats, 3-state buttons, and modes than it has bullets... -Bryant Martin

Edited January 18, 2012 by Nullpoint1983

[Turbine777 13]

Hi Dan,Thanks for the reply, x52 is relatively new, had a gameport ch joke/pedals before which had become u/s. I have the latest driver for the x52 and dont use the SST program, odd thing is that there is no calibration tab when you open the game controller panel, I'm sure I read somewhere that the stick auto calibrates when the pc is fired up plus all indications in the stick status panel are that everything is centered.I'm not really sure how to look at the pc registry for duplicate entrys for the x52, I have a fellow simmer nearby that is away on business at the moment, he is pretty clued up re pc's so will ask him when he returns. The 74 and MD11 are the planes I mostly fly but have the Aeroworx B200, loaded it last night and the reverse pitch on that model runs smooth with no jumping at all. Overall it doesnt present a big problem in sim it just delays being able to apply reverse thrust quickly, although it would be nice to cure it.

Hi Steve, 1st thing, you don't need to go into the registry, at least not yet. If there were duplicate entries then we would, but I'd explain exactly where to go and edit which. For now the big issue is being sure that windows is seeing your x52 correctly. If it was showing 4 different controllers in control panel's "Game Controllers" (that's assuming it sees the x52 as 2, yoke and throttle separately), then that would be a tell all that there was duplicate entries. That though isn't always the case. If your controller isn't being seen correctly (ie cannot calibrate) then there's no sense moving to the next, and no need to since that issue needs to be addressed 1st.Not having the x52, I would say to either post a screenshot of how it looks in your game controllers or write the name as it's being seen. Sometimes, controllers don't play nice for install reasons. Windows can ignore your request to install a driver without warning if it's not a certified driver, and often even if it is, it may still think it has the best. Another reason for this is Windows Update. It often says it finds better drivers for controllers, mice, hardware of all sorts, but it's wrong 99% of the time.We can't (shouldn't) move on until you confirm it's being see as it should be. Alternatively, you could install the SST for it. I never do for controllers originally, but there are times that I've needed to, for example with Saitek's yoke and Throttle my last Windows install. Windows saw the controllers, but saw them wrong. My main throttle axis wasn't working as axis's at all, but being seen as a yoke. The only way to fix such a thing is to edit the registry manually, and let it find it again, or insall the SST and hope it will work itself out (which it often will).I would start there though, but not having calibration could be that it's just not where you're looking. Post what it's being seen as and all instances of it with their names as windows sees them, and someone with a working x52 could do the same. Then, we go from there.

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Hi Dan,Last evening I un-installed the x52 drivers, used CCcleaner to check reg, loaded it again and all is now well. Is odd though that there is definately no calibration panel, have check all program lists explorer tree and control panel, odd, I have not noticed that the stick has ever shown signs of not being calibrated, aircraft handle as you would expect.Still at this moment it looks like its solved, thanks for taking the time to help, much appreciated Dan :( Steve.

[Turbine777 13]

Glad you got it worked out, Steve. There are more oddities and unknows for people I think then there are anything else. It is odd, but I honesly can't remember how my x52 looked in game controllers anymore. There is a bug in windows though (not FSX) that has forced many people to reinstall windows just to get it to work. That's the one I was getting ready to explain to fix so glad you got it working. If it aint broken, don't fix it ;)