Yoke Calibration Question

[basementflyguy 156]

Hi folks.

 

In my sim I currently have two Saitek Cessna yokes, which work great. I am, however, trying to get the sensitivity dialed in for the A2A Cessna, which many Saitek yoke owners know has a tendency to be a bit too docile in cruise flight but too sensitive in the flare at landing. I've found plenty of advice online for how to modify the sensitivity and null zone, but my question is this: given that I run P3D, FSUIPC, and SPAD.neXt, what is the best place to manage the calibration? All three have the ability to do so.

 

Thanks for any advice,

 

BFG

[vgbaron 3,617]

I haven't used the Saitek yoke but FSUIPC would be my choice. Very flexible and accurate.

 

Vic

[pmanhart 176]

+1

[basementflyguy 156]

Thanks. I ultimately upped the sensitivity and killed the null zone in P3D, and did the calibration in FSUIPC, with a bit of a tweak to the sensitivity curve there as well. Seems to be working ok.

[Guest]

Use P3D Calibration process first, Null zone should always be set to lowest value and sensitivity should always be set to maximum range.  

 

You shouldn't "need" to use FSUIPC for calibration ... you certainly can, but it's not "required" ... but either way make sure you use FSUIPC AFTER you've done P3D calibration.  FSUPIC does give you lots of flexibility in assignments and input range assignments.

 

A2A aircraft also have their own "Input configurator" but I believe it uses existing calibrations and doesn't define it's own ... used for assignments.

 

Cheers, Rob.

[MarkDH 234]

You shouldn't "need" to use FSUIPC for calibration ... you certainly can, but it's not "required"

 

If P3D manages its axes like FSX does I would question this for the Saitek Cessna yoke in particular. In FSX, the Saitek's unusually long aileron travel does not work well with FSX's non-linear mapping of analog axes. I have found you really need FSUIPC to straighten out the response to make it approximately linear. The developers of the Yoko yoke evidently feel the same about theirs, as they have supplied their own software to do this for both axes (the Yoko has an unusually long pitch stroke). I explained this issue in detail in my Saitek Cessna yoke review. If P3D doesn't work like FSX, ignore all the above

 

To the OP - if SPAD.next allows you to create a mapping curve for the axes and if it is more flexible that FSUIPC's slope setting, then that's where I would look. I don't have the A2A aircraft but from your description the ability to create a custom mapping curve would be helpful. I wish FSUIPC had this ability but you can only choose exponential or logarithmic mappings. Imagine if you could draw the curve by hand.

[basementflyguy 156]

Thanks Rob and Mark, very much.

 

SPAD.neXt doesn't allow me to set a curve, which is why I'm doing so in FSUIPC, at least for the elevator. I need a flatter response in the middle of the curve or the A2A balloons quite a bit in the flare. Seems to be working OK ...

[Guest]

 

 

If P3D manages its axes like FSX does I would question this for the Saitek Cessna yoke in particular.

 

P3D introduced a new calibration process (I believe starting with V3.0) so it's not the same as FSX (which essentially relied on OS calibration).  In fact, if you don't run P3D's calibration it's highly like your input devices will not work as intended.  Since this thread is in the P3D forum, I'm assuming the question is specific to P3D.

 

I don't use the Yoko yoke tool to modify output, it actually doesn't work with some aircraft (A2A specifically) under P3D (perhaps this has been fixed, not sure).

 

But I do agree, you want input it to be linear and you want as much input range as possible because that increases resolution (motion resolution) ... leave it to the aircraft vendor to provide translation of that input to aircraft output.  FSUIPC is handy when one doesn't agree with vendors interpretation of input to aircraft output and/or make controller device assignments that can't be achieved in any other way.

 

Cheers, Rob.

[JWvdH 19]

I don't think the OP needs this information, but I would like to respond to Rob's point of view regarding P3D calibration. I have configured and calibrated the Saitek Cessna Pro Yoke, pedals and the throttle-quadrant solely through FSUIPC and SPADNext. I haven't even activated them in P3D, and they are all working fine. So I don't think  "it's highly like your input devices will not work as intended", as Rob's puts it. Maybe it is easier to use P3D only, but after my expieriences with FSX and older P3D-versions I didn't even consider that option. Maybe I will after having installed the next version of P3D  :wink:.

 

Regards.

[basementflyguy 156]

As the OP I don't mind this dialogue at all. The more I can learn from you gents, the better.

[downscc 1,327]

 

 

... leave it to the aircraft vendor to provide translation of that input to aircraft output. FSUIPC is handy when one doesn't agree with vendors interpretation of input to aircraft output and/or make controller device assignments that can't be achieved in any other way.

 

+1 Aircraft developers are responsible for dynamic response to control input.  For example, set the roll axis for full span (full deflection control = full deflection roll command) and linear, the aircraft should roll at a rate depending on type aircraft not control calibration.  The roll rate for a F-22 is going to be greater than for an A320. Period. Regardless of controller.  Having said this, I'd hesitate calling out any developer unless I had first hand experience in type from which to draw conclusions.

[shivers9 1,174]

I ran into this thread today and it just happened that I have not been satisfied with my controls lately. To be honest I did not even notice that LM had changed their calibration software. I gave it a try and like magic it really smoothed out my inputs. Before someone throws a hand full of rocks at me....lol....I am sure that it's sucess will depend on your set up and aircraft. Just saying it is a handy tip from our friend Rob. We have all depended on FSUIPC for this stuff for a long time and like many I just have been going there out of habit.

[Guest]

 

 

I haven't even activated them in P3D, and they are all working fine.

 

They are always "active" -- going to the P3D calibration screen doesn't "Activate", it just sets the ranges correctly.  Regardless of FSUIPC or SPADNext, you should always square away P3D calibration.

 

Quick video of calibration, sorry it's 4K so control dialogs may look small.

 

 

But to be clear again, I'm NOT suggesting anyone do away with FSUIPC.

 

Cheers, Rob.

[JWvdH 19]

Maybe I wasn't clear enough when I said I didn't "activate" my controls. I meant that I have not checkmarked "Enable controllers" in the "settings-Controls screen at all. Maybe I should give it a try, but not as long as things are working fine over here.

 

And to be clear from my side, I am not suggesting anyone should use FSUIPC instead of P3D's own possibilities!