Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Steve E

Problem Calibrating USB PFC controls in X-Plane 10

Recommended Posts

Hope someone out there can help.  I am new to the X-plane world and have not been able to get this answered.  I have the full global version of X-plane 10.  My hardware consists of a Precision Flight Controls C2 Professional Flight Console and a set of PFC rudder pedals.  Both are USB though I had the pedals before the C2 so they plug into separate usb ports.

 

After I was able to get the correct x-plane 10 driver from PFC and put it into the resources/plugin folder I have been able to use the hardware and fly in X-plane for the first time.  BUT - I cannot calibrate the hardware except for the rudder pedals and toe brakes.

 

X-plane recognizes that I have the USB rudder pedals and also that I have the C2 Professional console (and I have made sure that the serial port model of PFC hardware is unchecked) but I am totally unable to calibrate any of the flight controls.  I can program the buttons but moving the yoke, throttles, etc. does not make any difference, nothing in x-plane responds so that you can calibrate and assign the correct function to it.  They work and do what they are supposed to do but you just cannot calibrate them.

 

I can still fly for the most part though the trim is totally screwed up and makes it difficult to control certain aircraft.  Most of all it is just driving me crazy because I cannot figure out what is going on and/or how to fix it.  PFC hardware is RECOMMENDED by Laminar Research and the combo is used by flight schools across the country so I know it is something that had to be addressed a long time ago.

 

Does anyone out there know the answer to this and what I need to do to get this fixed for once and for all?  What am I missing or doing wrong?

 

BTW- if you drop the same PFC X-plane 10 HID driver into X-Plane 11 you get the exact same situation.  It does work,  X-Plane 11 recognizes the hardware and you can fly but you are totally unable to calibrate the device ..... which X-Plane 11 kindly reminds you that your hardware is uncalibrated ...every time you fly a new scenario.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

A frustrated n4208t

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Steve,

 

I have the same set up but I have a couple of questions. Just to allay you fears neither of my units calibrate but they do just work. The PFC console has never been recognised by XP 10 or 11 calibration as it doesn't need to. The rudder pedals were recognised by XP 10 but are not recognised by XP11 - but it does not matter as they will work in any case.

 

Q1 Have you got the USB connectors or the serial port connectors? I have the fomer - if you have the latter I don't know if the potential solutions belwo will work.

 

Q2 Have you downloaded the XPUIPC plugin (equivalent of FSUIPC) and put it in your resources/plugins folder? With this every button/switch is automatically recognised on the C2 if the aircraft has the button/switch.

 

Q2 Have you downloaded the PFC calibration tool? All your calibration can be carried out in here.

 

Q3. Have you set your throttles to the correct ones via the plugins dropdown (the HID file should activate the dropdowns). From here you can also calibrate the number of turns on your trim, chose throttle type, set up a custom throttle, chnage the function of some of your yolk buttons such as Autopilot cancel - there a some others as well but can't remember what they are - but they are all clearly named PFC.

 

Q4. Once you have calibrated you can set the sensitivities for the rudder and yolk in the XP Setting UI.

 

Note - for some reason in the Carenado aircraft an awful lot of trim is required at cruise. I don't have the same issue in other aircraft.

 

Hope this helps. If not you may neeed to call PFC. Happy flying.

 

cheers

Peter

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

First off.  Thank you for responding!

 

Q1 Have you got the USB connectors or the serial port connectors? I have the fomer - if you have the latter I don't know if the potential solutions belwo will work.

I have the USB console and pedals, not the serial port one.  I have download and loaded the XPUIPC plug in but did not see where it was doing anything.  I am a long time user of FSUIPC (? 15 years) so maybe I was expecting something different.

 

Q2 Have you downloaded the PFC calibration tool? All your calibration can be carried out in here.

I have the PFC calibration tool and had not thought of using that.  I will definitely try that.  Thx!   But if there is no communication between the calibration tool and X-Plane, how would that make a difference in the program?  The calibration of the console in both FSX and P3D is just fine.  

 

Q3. Have you set your throttles to the correct ones via the plugins dropdown (the HID file should activate the dropdowns). From here you can also calibrate the number of turns on your trim, chose throttle type, set up a custom throttle, chnage the function of some of your yolk buttons such as Autopilot cancel - there a some others as well but can't remember what they are - but they are all clearly named PFC.

Yes and yes though i have not really noticed much difference with changing the number of turns   The throttle one is confusing as I have multiple different throttle quadrants for different aircraft but they actually seem to all work without a problem and I was not sure what it is I am supposed to be setting up.  Really the only real problem, at least with flying, is with the trim

 

Q4. Once you have calibrated you can set the sensitivities for the rudder and yolk in the XP Setting UI

I am not sure what you mean here.  Is that in the XPUIPC plug in or in X-Plane itself?

 

Thank you again for your suggestions and response.  I will definitely be doing all of this and will update the post.

 

Steve

 

I do not remember if it is just Carenado aircraft ( I do have some ) but what I see is that it takes a tremendous amount of down trim to keep the climb rate from going through the ceiling and then, as you noted, to keep level in cruise.  In most cases I am running out of downwards trim before I even get to altitude and have to fly with a lot of forward pressure on the yoke because I have run out of downward trim adjustment (and I do make sure it is set to neutral take off position before flight)

 

THANK YOU AGAIN!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

First off.  Thank you for responding!

 

Q1 Have you got the USB connectors or the serial port connectors? I have the fomer - if you have the latter I don't know if the potential solutions belwo will work.

I have the USB console and pedals, not the serial port one.  I have download and loaded the XPUIPC plug in but did not see where it was doing anything.  I am a long time user of FSUIPC (? 15 years) so maybe I was expecting something different.

 

Q2 Have you downloaded the PFC calibration tool? All your calibration can be carried out in here.

I have the PFC calibration tool and had not thought of using that.  I will definitely try that.  Thx!   But if there is no communication between the calibration tool and X-Plane, how would that make a difference in the program?  The calibration of the console in both FSX and P3D is just fine.  

 

Q3. Have you set your throttles to the correct ones via the plugins dropdown (the HID file should activate the dropdowns). From here you can also calibrate the number of turns on your trim, chose throttle type, set up a custom throttle, chnage the function of some of your yolk buttons such as Autopilot cancel - there a some others as well but can't remember what they are - but they are all clearly named PFC.

Yes and yes though i have not really noticed much difference with changing the number of turns   The throttle one is confusing as I have multiple different throttle quadrants for different aircraft but they actually seem to all work without a problem and I was not sure what it is I am supposed to be setting up.  Really the only real problem, at least with flying, is with the trim

 

Q4. Once you have calibrated you can set the sensitivities for the rudder and yolk in the XP Setting UI

I am not sure what you mean here.  Is that in the XPUIPC plug in or in X-Plane itself?

 

Thank you again for your suggestions and response.  I will definitely be doing all of this and will update the post.

 

Steve

 

I do not remember if it is just Carenado aircraft ( I do have some ) but what I see is that it takes a tremendous amount of down trim to keep the climb rate from going through the ceiling and then, as you noted, to keep level in cruise.  In most cases I am running out of downwards trim before I even get to altitude and have to fly with a lot of forward pressure on the yoke because I have run out of downward trim adjustment (and I do make sure it is set to neutral take off position before flight)

 

THANK YOU AGAIN!

Hi again Steve - the 'sensitivity' settings are bottom left of the Calibration UI. Haven't tested whether it is affecting the C2 as have been happy with controls as is. 

 

cheers

Peter

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
4 hours ago, IRFpilot said:

Are you running 32bits or 64bits X-plane 10?

 

Hi - if you are asking me - 64bits X Plane 10 and 11

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't think the PFC driver is designed for 64bits. You can try emailing PFC tech support if they have a 64bits version yet.  My C2 and X-Plane 10 64bits was having the same problem...... I'm back running X-Plane 9.7 (with PFC airplanes)  with my setup.


Tom

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
29 minutes ago, IRFpilot said:

I don't think the PFC driver is not designed for 64bits. You can try emailing PFC tech support if they have a 64bits version yet.  My C2 and X-Plane 10 64bits was having the same problem...... I'm back running X-Plane 9.7 (with PFC airplanes)  with my setup.

X-Plane 10 has a 32 bit version in it. I use it to run the T34C Mentor although the T34 will run in 64 bits just won't tune the radios in 64 bit.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
7 hours ago, IFRPilot said:

I don't think the PFC driver is designed for 64bits. You can try emailing PFC tech support if they have a 64bits version yet.  My C2 and X-Plane 10 64bits was having the same problem...... I'm back running X-Plane 9.7 (with PFC airplanes)  with my setup.

All works fine for me - in XP 11 as well (which is only 64 bit). The  64bit XPUIPC can be found here http://www.tosi-online.de/XPUIPC/XPUIPC.html. The 64 bit USB HID was released in March 2014 as per the changelog http://www.flypfc.net/project.files/PFCTools/USBHidPlugin Changelog.html . I cannot find the USB HID online so will have to contact PFC and they can send it in a zipped file. I got mine from my European supplier.

The rudder pedals are not picked up in the XP calibration but they work just fine. My C2 Pro console all works fine - all axis, switches and buttons link in automatically with XPUIPC.

I trust this helps.

cheers

Peter

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Bumping a stale topic, but I see here that people have successfully gotten X-Plane 11 (64-bit) to work with PFC through USBHIDPlugin.xpl. I'm having no such luck. I downloaded the plug-in from flypfc.net but it doesn't load and the X-Plane log says "Error -193: Not a valid Win32 application" which implies that it's a 32/64-bit incompatibility.

(In addition, XPUIPC crashes the sim when I try to access the settings window.)

Is there some critical step I'm missing? Or any other troubleshooting advice? No other plug-ins installed.


Tim "Stretch" Morgan
DCS World (JTF-1), Falcon BMS (72nd VFW), Prepar3D v5

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/22DqFt

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

  • Tom Allensworth,
    Founder of AVSIM Online


  • Flight Simulation's Premier Resource!

    AVSIM is a free service to the flight simulation community. AVSIM is staffed completely by volunteers and all funds donated to AVSIM go directly back to supporting the community. Your donation here helps to pay our bandwidth costs, emergency funding, and other general costs that crop up from time to time. Thank you for your support!

    Click here for more information and to see all donations year to date.
×
×
  • Create New...